Want to get a jump-start on upcoming deals? Meet the major Dallas-Fort Worth players at one of our upcoming events!

The soil is churned and construction is underway on the largest Dallas-Fort Worth office groundbreakings of 2019.

These luxury office towers mostof them built on spec are expected to top the destination lists of companies shopping DFW for modern office sites.

Amid an active development year for DFW office,the following towerswereby far the largest officegroundbreakings (on a per square foot basis) this year, according to CBRE.

Courtesy of BokaPowell

Rendering of Bethany West in Allen, Texas

No. 5. One Bethany West In Allen

Kaizen Development Partners launched construction in May on a 200K SF, eight-story office product in Allen, according to CBRE.

Known as One Bethany West, the office tower is designed by BOKA Powell to fit inside Allen's bustling Watters Creek development. With an opening date slated for the first quarter of 2020, the office product is expected toprovide a solution for growing demand in the North Dallas suburbs.

Balfour Beatty is the project's general contractor with JLLs Blake Shipley and Chris Doggett leadingmarketing and leasing efforts.

The Link in Dallas

No. 4: The LinkAtUptown

Thefourth-largest groundbreaking also belonged to Kaizen with the company breaking ground on a 25-story office building known as The Link at Uptownin April.

The trophy Class-A office building will bring another 293K SF of office space into the booming Uptown market with BOKA Powell serving as the project's architect and Balfour Beatty as the general contractor.

The site is expected to open in the fall of 2021.

HFF (pre-JLL merger) arranged debt financing through Broad Street Real Estate Credit Partners III, an investment fund managed by Goldman Sachs merchant banking division.

JLLs Blake Shipley and Thirty-Four Commercials Sarah Hinkley are handling marketing and leasing efforts.

Courtesy of GFF

Weir's Plaza

No. 3: Weir's Plaza

The third-biggest project on this year's list is a Weir's Furniture store on steroids.

A partnership led by Four Rivers Capitalobtained financingto build Weir's Plaza, amixed-use development anchored by a 28K SFWeir's store that is surrounded by 297K SF of office space, according to CBRE data. The project broke ground in July.

The development, which sits at thecorner of Knox and Travis streets in Dallas, is already 65% pre-leased with law firm Kirkland & Ellis and WeWork agreeing to occupy 65K and 71K SF, respectively.

The 12-story office tower includes plans for an on-site lounge, a fitness center, ground-floor retail and upscale dining.

Courtesy of Keurig Dr Pepper

Rendering of future Keurig Dr Pepper headquarters in Frisco.

No. 2: Keurig Dr Pepper

Plano-based Keurig Dr Pepper broke ground in May on its 350K SF build-to-suit headquarters inside Jerry's World in Frisco.

When the project is complete, the beverage company will move from its longtime Plano headquarters to Jerry Jones' The Star In Frisco corporate campus, which is already home to the Dallas Cowboys world headquarters.

Once the facility is completed in 2021, more than 1,000 Keurig Dr Pepper employees will relocate to the building.

The officeis one of two Keurig Dr Pepper headquarters nationwide.

Courtesy of Hillwood/Architect BOKA Powell

Victory Commons rendering

No. 1: Hillwood Urban And USAA's Victory Commons In Uptown

Expected to deliver in late 2021, Hillwood Urban and USAA Real Estate's 365K SF Victory Commons office project broke ground in July near American Airlines Center.

The project utilizes one of Hillwood Urban's coveted stashes of land in and around Uptown Dallas.

Designed by BOKA Powell, the 15-story office building will eventually offer tenants green spaces, direct access to public transportation, a lounge, a coffee bar and a rooftop terrace with views of Downtown.

Hillwood Urban decidedto create the spec-office product on its 8.5-acre Victory Avenue site after noticing a run on high-quality Uptown offices.

"Whether it's a Fortune 1000 company or a regional expansion or law firms that have continuously sought to move out of Downtown into Uptown for recruiting purposes and to define their new cultures that's what we're seeing," Hillwood Urban Senior Vice President Bill Brokaw said when Bisnow askedabout office demand nearthe project.

Original post:
These Are The 5 Largest DFW Office Groundbreakings Of 2019, Many Of Them Spec Builds - Bisnow

Robotics in construction will become a more common occurrence in the years to come, and could well ... [+] solve the serious skills shortage in the industry if they are used in conjunction with existing workers.

The construction industry is in desperate need of an automated shake-up. With a serious skills shortage, limited resources, and outdated data collection practices, automation and robotics could save the industry from stagnation.

But digitization is coming for construction. Already robots are entering development sites, offering new capabilities that are humanly impossible, or simply providing the accuracy and continuity that are so crucial in the industry. Part one of this article will focus on robotics companies that are upgrading on-site capabilities to address the skills shortage that threatens to suffocate the construction industry.

Beyond digitization

Similar to the mining and oil and gas industries, construction has been sluggish when it comes to automation, although advanced technologies such as laser scanners and smart sensors are widely utilized on-site, and digitization is spreading through the industry. But just as these other industries have begun to embrace automation, construction is beginning to transition away from ineffective manual processes towards a more data-driven approach. The construction industry is full of information stored on scraps of paper, says Stuart Maggs, CEO of Scaled Robotics, we can't learn from previous work because we can't compare notesthe ability to learn from data is incredibly valuable. Digitization has grown more popular in construction, particularly Building Information Modeling (BIM) used to visualize construction sites and projects in 3D, but there are still simply not enough skilled workers on-site to implement plans effectively. As an industry that consists largely of dangerous, repetitive and unpleasant tasks, robots have a lot of scope to take some pressure off the construction industry and bring further digitization and innovation.

Scaled Robotics robot collects on-site data for their BIM software, navigating around the construction site using waypoints set in advance to drive semi-autonomously. This data is then dynamically added to a map, classified and color-coded according to its level of completion, and deviations such as warped beams are presented visually in a heatmap. It's just impossible to do all this measurement, a surveyor would usually only check 5-10% of the elements, says Maggs, so this [robotics and digitization] allows you to easily verify that what you intended to build is actually being built. Robotics in construction then is augmenting human labor by giving the site manager extra abilities that they didn't have before, says Maggs, but it is also enhancing the digitization already within the industry, feeding much more granular data into more detailed models. As Maggs puts it, we either innovate and bring in new abilities or the industry just stagnates and employment becomes even more of an issue.

Getting down and dusty

The crucial juncture between digital models and the construction site is a sticking point however, and translating 3D modeling and data analysis into the real world has its challenges. Nearly three quarters of US construction firms use BIM to resolve conflicts before work begins in the field, says Dusty Robotics co-founder and CEO Tessa Lau, however, transferring those construction blueprints out into the field still involves several manual steps, each of which introduces more risk of error. Simple errors when starting a project can skew an entire building, due to inaccurate analog equipment (measuring tapes and spirit levels, for example), rounding measurements to the nearest whole number, or even eyeballing lines and areas when planning or laying foundations. Robots can eliminate these errors by transferring data-driven blueprints directly to the site (Dusty Robotics FieldPrinter outlines digital plans on-site in ink, as opposed to hand-drawn chalk) but it also allows skilled laborers to do their jobs more efficiently, with less wear and tear on the human body, says Lau.

Interestingly, Lau refers to their robot as a power tool... just like a forklift or an impact driver, which seems to suggest that tools (even if they are powered by data rather than manual labor) are more attractive that pure robotics within the industryregardless, 91% of US builders have difficulty attracting or retaining skilled labor according to Lau, and she argues that the only construction companies that will survive the next decade are those that embrace robotics. Working with the workforce is critical then, as the only way for robotics to gain traction is to ensure that those working with the technology understand and accept it. Every tech company has a responsibility to think about how the people being affected by this technology will react, and how it's going to impact on their lives, says Maggs. Perhaps presenting robotics as a (very powerful) construction tool, rather than something that could replace jobs, is the best way to ensure that adoption does not stagnate as soon as robots enter the workforce.

The perfect storm

Robotics has seen a massive increase in interest in almost every industry that relies on heavily process-driven or manual work. Construction could well be defined by these characteristics, and facing increasing demand for housing and office space, and increasing building complexity due to environmental concerns, means that automation is vital to the industry, says Lau.

As the industry warms up to the idea of using automation to augment existing workers, and those working on-site feel that robots give them super-powers says Lau, construction will change dramatically over the next five years. Just as manufacturing is now a completely changed industry from where it was only twenty years ago, the dull, dirty, and dangerous work that makes up a majority of construction could soon be strongly supported by robots.

See more here:
Robotics Can Solve The Construction Skills ShortageIf Handled Properly (Part One) - Forbes

The Pentagon is a universal symbol of U.S. strength and security known around the world, but do you know the history behind it?

The 1,100 acres of land on which the Pentagon sits was once part of the sprawling estate of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. The federal government confiscated it during the Civil War, but the building's concept and construction didn't happen until several decades later.

Here's the rest, in a nutshell.

The Pentagon was the brainchild of Army Brig. Gen. Brehon B. Sommervell, who, in the early 1940s, pitched it as a temporary solution to the then-War Department's critical shortage of space as the threat of joining World War II became imminent.

The plan was approved, and on Sept. 11, 1941, construction began. About 296 acres of land were designated for the building, which was supposed to be turned into a hospital, office or warehouse once World War II was over.

The logic behind this was pretty simple the site designated for construction was bordered by five roadways, so the developers decided to go with a five-sided building. Naturally, they called it the Pentagon.

The grounds and building went up in a stunning 16 months. The building was officially completed in January 1943, thanks to the help of 1,000 architects and 14,000 tradesmen who worked three shifts around the clock. A staggering amount of materials were needed, too, including:

The first tenants moved into the building in April 1942, several months before the building was finished.

At the height of World War II, the Pentagon housed more than 33,000 people, and its worth exceeded expectations. Officials discovered that they did, in fact, need to keep such a large military force active once the war was over. So, instead of turning the building into something else, it remained the military's command center.

Nowadays, it houses the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the highest echelons of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.

In 1992, the building was designated a National Historic Landmark. Due to its age, renovations began around that time on the building's 4 million square feet of space.

On Sept. 11, 2001, the nation's sense of security was shattered when terrorists hijacked commercial airplanes and flew them into New York City's World Trade Center, into a field in rural Pennsylvania, and into the nation's symbol of military might.

American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the west side of the Pentagon, penetrating three of its five rings and killing 184 people. Thankfully, several offices in that area weren't occupied because of the ongoing renovations. In fact, one of the sections had just finished getting upgrades that improved security features, including walls and windows with greater blast resistance. An initial analysis after the attacks suggested that helped to save a lot of lives.

The team working those initial renovations was tasked with rebuilding the damaged portions. The reconstruction effort was dubbed the Phoenix Project, and it cost $500 million.

By Aug. 15, 2002 less than a year later the first tenants whose offices were damaged began to return, even though renovations were nowhere near complete.

Aside from the rebuild, a groundbreaking for a memorial honoring the lives of the 184 killed at the Pentagon on 9/11 began June 15, 2006. The memorial, which was dedicated on Sept. 11, 2008, sits on a two-acre plot of land on the southwest side of the building, next to where the airplane struck that fateful day.

Even before the terrorist attacks, the renovations were considered a massive undertaking, which included:

According to Pentagon historians, 40,000 personnel had to be relocated during the project's various phases, which went as follows: Each wedge was broken into 10,000 square feet; plumbers, electricians and other tradesmen then had five days to complete their tasks before moving onto the next 10,000 square-foot section.

The first section was completed in 26 weeks to accommodate a timetable laid out by Congress.

The rest is here:
Pentagon History: 7 Big Things to Know > US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Story - Department of Defense

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Cooling ceiling and chilled beams in France" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Cooling ceiling and chilled beams Market Tracking Report analyzes the market of cooling ceiling and chilled beams. Cooling ceilings and chilled beams are part of an indoor climate configuration. They are usually linked with an air handling unit in order to deliver fresh air in the building and influence the temperature by radiation and convection depending on the room structure.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction

1.1 Market Structure

1.2 Methodology

1.3 Definitions and Demarcation

2. Executive Summary

2.1 Market at a Glance

2.2 Key Results

2.3 Essence

3 Business Environment

3.1 International Economy

3.2 National Economy

3.3 Demographics

3.4 Construction Environment

4. Total Market Analysis and Forecast

4.1 Total Market

4.2 Customer Segments

4.3 Door Function

4.4 Resistance Type

4.5 Material Types

5. Pivot-Table

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hzcutx

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Read the original post:
France Cooling Ceiling and Chilled Beams 2019 - Office, Industry, Public & Commercial Buildings - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

CLEVELAND Six projects to restore and re-purpose historic buildings in Northeast Ohio were awarded over $8 million in tax credits by the state Thursday, including two closed schools, a former factory, a hotel built in 1920, a commercial building and a church.

The Ohio Development Services agency awarded over $24 million in tax credits for the rehabilitation of 24 historic buildings across the state, according to a news release. In total, the projects are expected to leverage about $261 million in private investments.

Preserving the historic charm of Ohio communities enhances the quality of life in our downtowns and neighborhoods, said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency. These buildings will be transformed creating new opportunities for economic growth.

The projects in Northeast Ohio that received tax credits are:

Christian Vallance

Lehman High School in Canton received $2,090,000 in tax credits for the rehabilitation project that is projected to cost $20,0935,551. The school closed in 2004 and has been vacant and deteriorating ever since, the agency states. The plan is to convert the school into 62 affordable senior apartments, with 24 new town-home units to be constructed adjacent to the school building.

Northern Ohio Blanket Mills in Cleveland received $3.4 million for the project expected to cost $34 million. Constructed in 1889, the factory was one of the countrys largest manufacturers of horse blankets and carriage robes until the 1920s. Other industrial tenants used the space until about 2008, and it has sat vacant since. Plans are to convert the building into 60 affordable multi-family housing units, 40,000 sq. ft. of office space and four live-work apartment units.

Hotel Ashtabulas $1 million rehabilitation project received $250,000 in tax credits from the agency. Built in 1920, the appropriately-named hotel in Ashtabula ceased operations in the 1980s and has been partially rehabilitated as office space. This project covers the floors not covered by the previous effort, which will be occupied by a medical office, among other tenants.

Castle Block, also in Ashtabula, received $626,188 in tax credits for a project expected to cost $2,749,050. The two-story mixed-use commercial building has 12 storefronts, some of which are still occupied, and 12 second-floor apartments, which have been vacant for decades. The project will convert all but four commercial spaces into residential use and rehabilitate the 12 original upstairs apartments.

Longfellow School in Cleveland received $2 million for a rehab projected to cost $17.2 million. The school was built in 1924 and closed in 2017. The project will bring 30 seniors apartments to the space and construct 50 more on the property while retaining the schools original gym as a community space.

St. Marks Presbyterian Church in Cleveland received $193,000 in tax credits for the $1.3 million project. The Late Gothic Revival style church dating to 1912 was vacated in 2014 and is now owned by The Famicos Foundation. They plan to use the rehabilitated building for their offices and for community events and meetings.

Read about the work being done by the Famicos Foundation here.

According to the Development Services agency, developers are not issued the tax credit until project construction is complete and program requirements are verified.

Original post:
State agency awards $8 million in tax credits to 6 projects to rehabilitate historic buildings - News 5 Cleveland

Canvas Project Site. Image courtesy of Windover Construction

Demand for individuals with an expertise in Building Information Modeling (BIM) is increasing throughout the job market. A modeling platform that has changed the the building industry, many firms have transitioned to using BIM over the last decade to take advantage of the inherent potential for collaboration and coordination the technology offers, both in the studio and on the job site. (For a nuts-and-bolts view of what it's like to work as a BIM Specialist, seeArchinect's recent story unpacking the ins and outs of the job title)

Due to BIM's multi-disciplinary scope, construction firms like Windover Construction use the BIM framework and other visual design technologies to bring efficiency to complex construction projects, like those that utilize modular and prefab building components.

To learn more about the implementations of BIM and virtual designwithin this realm, Archinect spoke with Windover Construction Director of Virtual Design and Construction Amr Raafat and Senior Project Manager Derrick Seitz. Together, they unpack the misconceptions some might have about modular construction, shed light on the influence of virtual design within the building industry, talk about their difficulty finding qualified BIM specialists, and illuminate what students can do to explore a career in BIM.

Windover Construction is a full service construction management firm based in Beverly, Massachusetts. Keen on providing innovative approaches to projects, their in-house Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) team uses BIM solutions with virtual reality technologies to deliver 3D drone mapping and 4D animations with integrated scheduling modules while also using augmented reality on construction sites with Microsoft HoloLens technology.

How have construction practices changed on building sites thanks to visualization software and 3D renderings?

Amr Raafat(AR): It's an accumulated process. At the beginning we used to show clients/teams 3D drawings of these projects. Now we've taken it a step further to enable clients an immersive experience. We use the Microsoft HoloLens to show our clients overlaying 3D holograms that allow them to see what the work site looks like.

Derrick Seitz(DS): Virtual design capabilities are a huge part of construction now. Even from 10 years ago, so many things have changed and improved. Many of us in the office are trained to read construction documents and plans, but what people forget is that owners and clients are not. Most city council members and planners don't know what they're looking at when you show them a drawn plan in 2D. With this, it's hard for people outside of the profession to fully understand what you're trying to help them build. Visualization tools help bridge this gap.

AR: We want to support the teams affiliated with these projects. Clients are not as experienced as we are in visualizing things in 2D and 3D. With VR/AR softwares and BIM solutions, we can help our clients appreciate the process. We can show clients how a wall will actually look, how thick it will be, and it's great seeing their response.

Can you provide us with an example of when this type of visualization was used with a client?

AR: With a recent YMCA project we were able to witness an "aha moment" with the clients. We did an entire virtual experience for the donors to see how the project is being built. These images provide a much different experience versus looking at the drawings or rendered images. These visualization tools change the perspective of the people involved. Virtual reality is helping us communicate experiences that would almost be impossible to see through a rendering.

How does BIM affect project management within firms?

DS:Once you have a 3D visualization of what you need to build, it makes it easier to talk and plan for labour and scheduling. Its easier to see the scope of what needs to be built. Field management has become a more streamlined process. Workers on the site get a better idea of what theyre up against. It's important to understand that your team in the field may not necessarily be great plan readers, but in 3D, they can see walls and soffits and exactly where pipes need to go.

Why do you think more firms haven't switched to BIM solutions? Is there hesitation?

AR: From my understanding, what is delaying the process is the time and dedication it takes to learn the new technology. For firms, they'll need someone who can spend time practicing and experimenting with it. It's important that they're critical about learning the software. It takes artistic techniques in addition to becoming a good building modeler. For me, I have to stay up to date and learn new versions of the software regularly. It is very time consuming, needing to learn new software every six months, but it's the future of construction and these are steps you need to make in order to appreciate it.

DS: One easy answer is that they havent experienced it. A lot of it has to do with education and how useful it is. Its probably 50/50 at this point for people who BIM and the those who don't. Some may say its the cost of the software.

As professionals in the field, where do you see things going with regards to modular construction?

DS: It's a push-pull effect. Theres always an interesting path in how you build a certain building. For the Canvas project in Beverly it actually started as a panelized building, but the owners needed to hit a specific delivery date. We realized we wouldn't be able to accomplish that due date if we build it panelized. The only way to gain more time is if youre doing one thing on site and doing another thing elsewhere. Thats how we came into building this project modularly, in order to meet a deliver date.

AR: We have supers on site who are eager to learn new things and learn new solutions. With systems like BIM applied to modular construction, it's important to support the teams and provide solutions on and off-site. It's key that we, as management, listen, learn, and respond. It's important for teams to learn how to ask for help.

What's a misconception people may have about modular construction?

DS: One common misconception is usually cost. Many will say that building modularly doesn't save money. However, it's quite the opposite. The way you save money is by accessing construction solutions and knowing what can be done to build things by a certain date, similar to our 211 project.

More and more firms are attempting to construct greener and more sustainable buildings. How important are these sustainable practices for you and your team? How does modular construction help?

DS: Building modular creates much less waste because everything is essentially made to fit in the factory. I can't stress enough how much less waste there is. A good example is if I think about dumpster costs from a panel construction project versus a modular job. Thinking about a modular job for a 100-unit building requires about 60 dumpsters, versus a panel job that would require about 120 dumpsters.

It also takes less energy to build modularly. You're building in a controlled environment within a large building. If you build panelized, you're trying to temporary heat the site with huge diesel or gas tanks that burn a lot of energy.

What should students do if they want to specialize in BIM?

AR: BIM isn't being taught everywhere. The best way for students to learn about BIM is to learn building basics first before stepping into heavy digitized programs. It's important for students to learn how the hand and brain work together when designing. It's important for them to experience that first, and then they can dive into the technical aspects of it. If they go into the software right away, there is often a disconnect. Another important thing is internships. It's important to intern at construction companies to learn new ways of thinking and seeing these case studies. Practice in the summertime. Learn new software and experiment.

DS: For students who have this understanding of BIM, they'll definitely have a job when they finish school. They're in a very high demand. It's great to have people that want to get into the thick of how things go together and students are great at that. The industry needs more of those types of students.

What's it like hiring a BIM specialist?

AR: Finding BIM specialists can be tricky, I agree, especially with younger trained professionals who are just coming out of school. They are very visual and computer oriented but if you show them a 3D model of how you need a to run a pipe or show them duct work, that's where skills and expectations are different.

DS: The industry needs more of these eager types of students. We just spent a year trying to find a second BIM person for our office. It's tricky because I think a lot of students coming out of school, they're either interested or architecture motivated, but not motivated to understand how parts go together. It's tough to find BIM folks to work at a construction company. But we need builders. It's important.

Continued here:
Exploring Virtual Design Possibilities Through BIM and Modular Construction - Archinect

Ben Kelley was thinking 20 years ahead when he began mapping out Phase 2 of Oxford Development Companys 3 Crossings Development in the Strip District.

He proposed that the company use a variety of architectural styles for the buildings, perhaps using different architects, so that within a decade or two the campus will look like it occurred organically.

Were looking for design ideas and looking for something thats reflective of the Strip and the context of the surroundings, says Kelley, Oxfords director of planning and development. You normally think its brick, its a warehouse. But some of the higher-quality buildings in the neighborhood, the architectural styles were varied as the neighborhood developed over a 200-year period.

To produce a development that complements that natural variety, Oxford is talking with different architects as it plans each building.

75 Hopper Place was approved by the City Planning Commission this month. Rendering courtesy of Oxford Development Company.

We want to know what, in their minds eye, the buildings should be. And then will proceed from there, Kelley says. There are many talented and capable architectural firms in Pittsburgh, and were a Pittsburgh-based company with our focus here. So we want to be able to utilize those firms.

Oxford broke ground on its 3 Crossings complex in 2014 and this year moved its own offices there. The 20-acre development is transforming former trucking yards into mixed-use space, and is meant to reconnect the neighborhood with its natural amenities a revitalized riverfront and the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. Along with Oxford, the complex also houses tenants including Apple, Argo AI and the Burns White law firm.

In the first phase, Oxford developed four office buildings and The Yards apartments, with 300 units, all designed by WTW Architects, along with a garage. For the second phase, WTW has designed 75 Hopper Place, an office building that the City Planning Commission approved this month.

Rendering of the Stacks Garage courtesy of Oxford Development.

Construction is underway on Phase 2 onThe Stacks at 3 Crossings, offices designed by Perkins Eastmanlocated at 2865 and 2875 Railroad St. The plan currently includes three more office buildings and two residential structures.

With the first phase, we wanted to establish a campus. So that when you arrive, you see similar cues and similar material uses but understand that youve arrived at something new in the Strip, says Kelley. In the second phase, we want to expand but add variety to the architecture. Signage and street lighting will create the campus; the buildings will speak for themselves.

Kelley, whose background is in urban planning, says its likely that no matter who designs the buildings, theyll suggest many of the same building materials that are popular today metal panels, masonry, lots of glass, open floor plans. But the distinction comes with how those materials are used.

As tenant needs change, or new tenants land and have different requirements, we want the flexibility to be able to meet those needs, he says. And having rigid, prescriptive design standards doesnt allow for that flexibility or for that organic development to occur.

Oxford projects it will take five years to complete Phase 2 of 3 Crossings. The market for offices remains strong, Kelley says, and the complex so far is fully leased. Tech and tech-focused companies are the primary tenants the developer hopes to recruit, though traditional office users are also potential tenants.

Unlike Downtown, with its mostly older office structures, the Strip offers tenants new, efficient buildings with access to lots of daylight and open floor plans, he says. There are price differences and price similarities between Downtown and the Strip, depending on what tenants are looking for.

When people think of the Strip District, theyre always like, Whats happening on a few blocks of Penn Avenue? and thats everyones focus, Kelley says.

But if you research the history of this neighborhood, he points out, youll find it started as primarily a residential place on the edge of Downtown. Once then the railyards sprang up, factories were built. And when those manufacturers moved to larger facilities elsewhere, buildings were adapted or created to handle warehousing and trucking.

When that started moving to the suburbs, you got more of this wholesale-retail that we think of, Kelley explains. Variety has always been at the heart of the Strip Districts landscape.

As we look ahead and new industries and residents seek space in the Strip, he says, its important that developments have that variety as well.

3 CrossingsOxford Development CompanyStrip District

Original post:
At 3 Crossings in the Strip, Oxford is mixing architectural styles -- and architects - NEXTpittsburgh

The agencies will spend about a half million dollars to build new office space for staff.

PLAIN TWP. The Stark County Veterans Service Commission advises veterans on how to apply for veteran benefits.

The service officers connect them with job placement programs.

They guide them through the complex process to get the medals and honors they earned but never received.

But with their crammed offices at Whipple-Dale Centre, the commission staff hasnt been able to give veterans much privacy.

Space is so scarce that veterans often have to explain their private situations in the lunchroom. Many offices are shared by two staffers, so when a veteran comes for an appointment to meet with one, the other has to leave.

So the commission has teamed up with Whipple-Dales other tenant, the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities to solve both of their space issues.

By merging their renovation projects together, it allowed them to save on costs and create enough office and conference room space for dozens of employees. Cavanugh Building, competing with seven others for the work, submitted a bid of $466,000, $159,000 less than the architects estimate.

Cavanugh Building began to demolish a former public restroom to convert to Veterans Service offices. They project theyll finish the work by mid-March.

Expanding mission

De Ann M. Williams became the executive director of the Stark County Veterans Service Commission in January 2017. This was shortly after the commission moved from the County Office Building in downtown Canton to Whipple-Dale at Whipple Avenue NW and Hills & Dales Road NW.

The past three years, Williams has expanded her staff from about 13 to 24, so they can provide services to more veterans, connecting them to employment assistance, drugs and alcohol addiction rehabilitation and housing. Williams said in 2016, her agency served about 3,000 veterans, and this year it had 15,767 appointments first 11 months of 2019. Her goal is that all 25,151 veterans in Stark County will be aware of all the benefits and services her agency offers.

The current Whipple-Dale space was too small. In some cases, three staffers rotate use of a desk. The conference room is too cramped for staffwide meetings or training sessions. The end result is less productivity, less privacy for veterans seeking advice for personal matters and the use of a large Stark DD kitchen area for medal presentations.

"Everyones hanging out in the hallways," said Williams, adding that staffers often couldnt eat lunch until others were done meeting with veterans in the cramped lunchroom. "The staff was like, My foods in there. What do I do?"

So earlier this year, Williams initiated discussions with Stark DD Superintendent Bill Green about a joint renovation project.

Green jumped at the opportunity. He and Stark DD leadership had been planning on moving his agencys Early Intervention staff of 18 from its Eastgate facility in Louisville because Whipple-Dale is a more central location.

The staff, which made home visits to families with infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities, would have fewer miles to drive. But Stark DD needed new office space in its former workshop area to house them.

"Just by that move were saving 13 miles of being on the roads. Thats going to give them more time to spend with families," Green said, adding that the cost could have been $289,000 instead of $156,000 if they had done the project on their own. "We didnt have this renovation planned this year."

Stark DD used to operate a workshop for adults with developmental disabilities at Whipple-Dale. Years ago, closed the workshop and helped clients get funding to get adult care and workshop services from nonprofit organizations.

Much of that space went to the Veterans Service Commission on the buildings Wise Avenue NW side. The commission inherited two large public restrooms that Williams said it didnt need.

Because much of the original workshop space was being unused, Green agreed to turn over 934 square feet of what was still in Stark DDs area over to the commission that adjoined the commissions space.

Sol Harris/Day, the architect for both agencies hired for $41,000, determined that the restrooms could be converted into two offices, a janitorial closet, a conference room and smaller public restroom. And the 934 square feet, now unused space, could become five standard offices, a smaller office and a storage room. The smaller office will be designated for nonprofit organizations to meet with veterans.

Cavanugh Building will get $310,000 for the commissions portion and $156,000 for Stark DDs part, which includes construction of three office areas in the former workshop area for Stark DD staff. As part of the work, Cavanugh will also realign the current space so a conference room and lunch room are enlarged. In total, the commission will get 10 more offices.

Green said 10 more employees of the Stark County Family Council will also move to Whipple-Dale from Eastgate.

Williams said her agency has digitally scanned nearly all its veterans records dating back decades, freeing up storage space that can be used as office space.

Williams gave the Stark County commissioners a tour of the space in June. The commissioners did not want the commission moving and paying more to rent space. They approved spending the $310,000 out of the countys permanent improvement fund for construction and about $22,500 for the architect.

Commissioner Janet Weir Creighton said, "I believe that we owe it to the veterans to provide as many services (as we can) in a discreet and professional manner. ... And we had the funds available. And I like the idea of repurposing places we already have without having to go and buy more real estate."

The commission will spend an additional $15,000 on furniture and repainting the walls a calm hue of soft gray.

"I want people to feel like theyre at home when they come here," said Williams. "That its a professional environment and not that theyre in a government agency."

Reach Repository writer Robert Wang at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com.

Read the original here:
Veterans Commission, Stark DD reap big savings on new office space - The-review

CHICAGO, Dec. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --EQ Office (EQ), a U.S. office portfolio company wholly owned by Blackstone's real estate funds, today announced that Willis Tower is now the largest building in the United States to earn the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design's ("LEED") Platinum designation. The Tower earned the prestigious Platinum designation under LEED's latest v4.1 rating system, the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) strongest and boldest rating system to date. Willis Tower earned LEED Gold in 2018, and in less than a year, made significant energy, sustainability and comfort improvements to achieve the Platinum status.

"Willis Tower is in the middle of an exciting evolution, transitioning from an office building into a neighborhood that delivers the best experiences of life and work in Chicago," said David Moore, Senior Vice President and Portfolio Director, EQ Office. "Our tenants and their employees are passionate about working in offices where sustainability is a priority, and we're proud that our commitment to sustainability, which extends throughout our portfolio, has earned Willis Tower the prestigious LEED Platinum certification."

Giovanni Cutaia, Blackstone Real Estate's Global Head of Asset Management, added, "We are committed to driving greater sustainability by making the assets in our portfolio more energy efficient. The capital we are investing in Willis Tower will not only make it a better place to work and visit, but also better for the planet."

"Transforming our buildings and communities to be more sustainable happens one project at a time, and Willis Tower has been a leader in showing how green design, construction and operations are not only good for the environment, but for tenants as well," said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. "LEED was created to make the world a better place and revolutionize our buildings and communities by providing everyone access to healthy and green buildings. Willis Tower's LEED Platinum certification is a prime example of how high-performing, sustainable spaces can create local solutions that contribute to making a global difference."

In partnership with Rivion, a Wisconsin-based energy consulting firm, EQ improved the building's environmental quality through a number of building enhancements, including:

Willis Tower is currently undergoing a more than $500 million renovation, the biggest restorative transformation in the building's 46-year history. The driving force behind the Tower's transformation is Blackstone and EQ's mission to create sustainable experiences and make smart choices that improve the space and environment around its properties. These values are noticeable in the Tower's new 125,000 square feet of tenant-exclusive amenities, as well as the addition of Catalog, the 300,000 square foot retail, dining and entertainment experience at the base of Willis Tower and the soon-to-open 30,000 square foot outdoor deck and garden.

In addition to Willis Tower, EQ manages tens of millions of square feet of LEED and Energy Star Certified office properties across the country, including The Exchange Building (Seattle), which is LEED Platinum Certified; 350 N. Orleans St. (Chicago) and 1740 Broadway (New York City), which are LEED Gold Certified; and Griffin Towers (Santa Ana, CA), which is Energy Star Certified. Additionally, in the past year, EQ has established formal committees supporting key environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) initiatives and has implemented advanced technology across its portfolio to measure each building's performance. For more information about EQ efforts, visit https://www.eqoffice.com/about/values.

LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and provides a roadmap for designing, constructing and operating high-performing, green buildings, cities and communities. More than 2.6 million square feet of space certifies every day and there are more than 100,000 projects participating in LEED in more than 176 countries and territories. LEED provides an independent, third-party framework that project teams can apply to create healthy, highly-efficient and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement. The latest update to the rating system, LEED v4.1, was introduced in 2017 with a data-driven path to certification and recertification for buildings and interior spaces powered by Arc. Arc is a state-of-the-art digital performance platform that benchmarks, tracks and monitors sustainability performance. Through LEED certification, buildings are going above and beyond to ensure a space is constructed and operated to the highest levels of sustainability, enabling companies to not only reduce their environmental impact, but also provide people with a healthier, more comfortable space to live and work.

About EQ OfficeEQ focuses on the experience of its 31 million square feet how space feels, activates and performs to amplify the human experience. We're proud to work hand-in-hand with more than 1,500 customers of all sizes, from Fortune 100 companies to emerging startups, to bring humanity back to the work place. Our diverse team of 200+ professionals is responsible for creating inspired office environments in major cities across the country including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. As a U.S. office portfolio company wholly owned by Blackstone's real estate funds, we have the resources to lead the changes happening inwork space. Explore your space for greatness atwww.eqoffice.com.

About Willis TowerLocated at 233 S. Wacker Drive in the heart of downtown Chicago, Willis Tower is an urban destination and state-of-the art workplace that welcomes prominent businesses ranging from law firms to large airline corporations to insurance companies. Standing 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall, Willis Tower has the region's most breathtaking views of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Willis Tower's Skydeck attracts more than 1.7 million visitors each year with its inviting hospitality and memorable experiences. In early 2017, Blackstone and EQ Office announced plans for the biggest restorative transformation project in the building's 46-year history. The $500 million renovation project now underway includes the addition of Catalog, a more than 300,000 square-feet curated dining, entertainment and community experience, as well as a 30,000 square-feet outdoor deck and garden, evolving at the base of the tower. The Catalog name is a historical nod to Willis Tower's original developer and owner, Sears Roebuck, and its popular printed catalog, which was a retail disrupter of its age. Catalog offers an effective way to experience great content, products and experiences. New tenants are now opening in Catalog, and this will continue through its completion in mid-2020. The Tower renovation also includes 150,000 square feet of new tenant amenity spaces. As part of the renovation, the U.S. Green Building Council awarded Willis Tower the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification for energy efficiency upgrades made throughout the Tower. Willis Tower was also recently named one of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's (CTBUH) 50 Most Influential Tall Buildings of the Last 50 Years and to the Illinois Council of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Illinois' 200 Great Places list. For more information, visitwww.WillisTower.comand connect on Facebookand Instagram.

SOURCE EQ Office

http://www.eqoffice.com

View original post here:
Iconic Willis Tower Becomes Largest Building in the US to Earn LEED Platinum Certification - PRNewswire

Buy Photo

Remodeled county building off of the Boulevard.(Photo: Lexi Peery/Spectrum & Daily News)

The Washington County administrative building off St. George Boulevard recently got a facelift, with abouta $1.5 million price tag, according to county administrator Nicholle Felshaw.

The building that holds the Justice Court, Assessors and Recorders Office, Court Support Services and IT Services got new roofing, stucco, additional windows andother exterior work done the last six months. The revamping of this building is the first phase of several in updating and remodeling county buildings which some parts of the buildings date back to 1966, Felshaw said.

[We wanted] to just make it a place where it would retain the beauty for years to come, Felshaw said. Well have it for a very long time.

The county saw a need to update the building when officials realized the west side of the roof was in need of repair. Felshaw said the county made a "very conscientious" decision to remodel the building on the Boulevard because of the use of taxpayer money.

"Keeping in mind that tax dollars would be utilized, we did everything we could to patch the building [on the Boulevard] for as long as possible," Felshaw said.

The remodeling is part of a bigger push to revitalize county buildings in downtown St. George, making the area more attractive to visitors and businesses. Felshaw said having up-to-date county buildings can give residents a sense of pride in their county.

"In othercounties, their county buildings are a symbol of the county,for us to just to take that step [helps show]how beautiful St.George is,"Felshaw said.

The old Washington County Boulevard Office Building which has been renovated the past six months.(Photo: Courtesy/Nicholle Felshaw)

Construction began June 17, with MRW Design heading the project's architectural plans. Felshaw said Watts Construction Inc. was ahead of schedule for the most part throughout the last six months. The abnormally dry summer and fall helped expedite the process, but the heavy rains in recent weeks delayed the opening day. County workers and the public were still able to access the building during the renovation.

Eventually, the interior of the building will be remodeled, Felshaw said. But that will be after the county finishes some other construction projects on the nearby administrative building on Tabernacle Street.

A request for quotes has been sent out to build a new administrative building on Tabernacle Street. This next year will be spent securing an architectand contractor, and Felshaw said the county hopes to break ground by the end of 2020 on a new building.

Construction is now expected to last until May 2022, but because it's so early in the process, Felshaw said, the plans aren't definite. Besides updating the looks of the building, it would help consolidate county offices and departments into one main building.

"We are going to be building on the northeast corner of our block where we currently are," Felshaw said, referring to where the county's Habitat Conservation Plan administrationis now located. Where the HCP administration will be after construction is complete hasn't been decided yet.

"Its so nice for us to have something to be proud of," Felshaw said. "Now [the Boulevard building is]something were really proud of and were really excited to add to the beauty of the area."

There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 19 at 3 p.m. It will be held at the east upper parking lot at 87 North 200 East, St. George, Utah.

Lexi Peery is the environment, politics and development reporter for The Spectrum & Daily News, a USA TODAY Network newsroom based in southern Utah. You can reach her at lpeery@thespectrum.com and follow her on Twitter @LexiFP.

Read or Share this story: https://www.thespectrum.com/story/news/2019/12/17/county-building-open-after-over-1-million-facelift/2676730001/

Read the original post:
County building gets $1.5 million facelift, phase 1 in remodeling of county buildings - The Spectrum