One of the best things about a long-term customer relationship is the opportunity to grow, change and adapt with them. We’ve been building with the Target team for more 3 decades now and during this time, our retail division has built many of their store formats. There have been Super Targets, one-of-kind stores, remodels and …
There was a time when people saw the creation of new structures as the epitome of growth, even if that meant tearing existing buildings down. Between the post-World War II years and the 1980s, many a historic building was razed in the name of “urban renewal” and “progress.” Gratefully, an undercurrent of historical preservation arose, …
Right-sizing, why did I not have this in my vocabulary before ’07? Makes sense. We are constructors of buildings and handle the civil management of projects, but the bottom line is that we are service providers. Just like architects, engineers, lawyers, bankers or accountants, all service providers of different sorts. We need to be adjusting( …
As I see it, the need for large store platforms is diminishing, for a while at least. The retail community is starting to think outside the box. When the economy was booming and credit was easy to obtain, consumers were buying goods at a record pace. Retailers began building bigger and bigger box stores to …
It’s not surprising that in the U.S., only one new enclosed mall has opened in the last 4 years. In that same time, it has been estimated that nearly 500 of the 2,000+ malls in our country have closed. That translates to a lot of property and structures available for immediate use. But who wants …
We were asked recently to help one of our customers with a damaged concrete sidewalk. Sounds simple enough, but it wasn’t just any sidewalk. This one was elevated and it was absolutely necessary for this office facility that the sidewalk remain navigable for the tenants through out the repair process. In years past, if someone …
I’m sure you’ve heard the industry’s excitement about LEED certified construction. Once considered more ideology than practicality, we’re realizing that green building can actually be more cost effective than traditional methods. The trend is catching on, and it’s not just private companies who’ve embraced sustainability. In 2006, government agencies began requiring all new buildings meet …
HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) systems have evolved and gotten better with technology. Matching system requirements with the need and with quality will always trump the bells and whistles. Over the years I have worked with a number of HVAC subcontractors and a few thoughts come to mind that might be useful: SYSTEM ENERGY …
We recently completed a major expansion for a customer relationship in Charlotte, NC. A regular shopper at the store sent me this note: “You guys were invisible. Every week during the project I would shop there and things just seemed to change. I never noticed who was doing the changing.” I didn’t expect such a …
Several years ago, we worked with a non-profit community organization to construct their new headquarters and campus. Their chair was the second-generation head of a very large family business and a successful company with offices in about 30 countries. As were finishing up a design meeting, he shared some wise words: “We only have one …