Redding gets in the Halloween spirit

Go to the Shasta Halloween page on Facebook and see the Boo Cruise map for a list of the scariest homes in the Redding area.

Mike Chapman, Wochit

Ask the Record Searchlight is a newsroom-wide initiative to connect with you, our readers.If you wondered about something happening in town or had questions on a North State issue, please send us your questions. We'll do our best to answer.

Our mailbag handles questions we were not able to answer during our last live chat, which was held on Oct. 28. The next live chat will happen from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Nov. 11.

Scroll to the bottom of the story to find out how you can send us your question.

Q: What are the plans for improving the Churn Creek and Highway 299 interchange in light of Bethel's new construction?

A: There are several traffic improvements in and around that Highway 299 corridor that need to be done before Bethel Church opens its new campus.

One has been completed, the Highway 299-Churn Creek Road interchange in the area of College View Drive. Northbound and southbound lanes were added, a second left-turn lane was put in, and the former westbound thru lane was changed. Also, the area is more bicycle friendly.

But plenty more needs to be done.

For the record, in early August, Bethel broke ground on its $96 million campus at Collyer Road and Twin Tower Drive.

The occasion was marked by a gathering on the property, were we celebrated by singing songs, praying over the project and ceremoniously shoveling dirt, project manager and Bethel senior leadership team leader Charlie Harper said in an email.

Eddie Axner Construction is doing the site work under the supervision of Modern Building Company, the projects general contractor.

Harper said Bethel plans to modify its planned unit development permit to reduce the size of its second support building to provide a smaller building for office space.

As it stands now, the new campus will include a 171,708-square-foot campus with 1,851 parking spaces and 300 bike racks. There is a one-story worship center that seats 2,600 people and a two-story building for the School of Supernatural Ministry with classroom space for up to 3,000 students.

Bethel wants to start construction of the smaller office building next year, while construction on the worship center and childrens classrooms could start in 2023, Harper said.

Meanwhile, Bethelis spending about $10 million on the traffic improvements, which include road widening, new signals and roundabouts.

On the north side of the Highway 299 Interchange at Churn Creek Road is where two roundabouts will be built. They will go at the intersection of the westbound onramp/offramp and at Hawley Road and Collyer Drive.

Other traffic improvements to be done are:

Brandon Tenney, a projectmanager at the services firm GHD, said there is no set schedule for what portion of the traffic work will start next.

"If I had to guess, I think the Hawley-Collyer and Churn Creek interchange would probably go next," said Tenney, adding that that could start in the next year to year and a half.

Q:I like your idea about readers and the community writing in to ask questions.My question is this: I am notable to make the live chats, but I want to read (or view if I have to) everything that gets asked and answered in them later.Where can I view all past and future live chats after-the-fact, since Im not able to attend them in real time?

A:There are two ways you can get to all published Ask the R-S live chats and Ask the R-S mailbags, an effort that the newsroom started in March of this year.

Go to Redding.com and right under the Record Searchlight masthead, you should see a menu bar with a black background that strips across the page. There on the right hand side next to the weather/temperature, click on the magnifying glass. You can type Ask the Record Searchlight or Ask the R-S to see all our content related to our effort.

We also keep a running list of all live chats and mailbags at the bottom of this story:

The Record Searchlight welcomes your questions. Here's how to get them to us:

David Benda coversbusiness, developmentand anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street"column.Hes part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, coverbreaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-225-8219. To support and sustain this work, please subscribetoday.

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Ask the R-S mailbag: $10 million in traffic improvements needed for new Bethel campus - Record Searchlight

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. The Contemporary Theater Company is expanding with a new rehearsal studio that will help the ensemble broaden and further develop its offerings to the community, says Chris Simpson, CTC executive director.

We are at a limit at what our (present) facilities will allow, Simpson said about the construction of the new building that is an addition to its existing and much smaller space for meetings, office space and rehearsals.

Planning for the addition began more than a year and a half ago with final approvals from the town coming this past March. Construction on the 1,250-square-foot building has a $450,000 price tag before costs started increasing earlier this year, Simpson said.

This new building will provide about 800 square feet for rehearsals and some limited classroom area on the second floor with the first floor having an expanded administrative office area, a new bar and kitchen area that replaces cramped quarters in the front of the main theater.

However, he said, there will be a new and exciting treatment for the outside of the building, which is adjacent to CTCs frequently used outdoor patios.

For the first time in its more-than-decade-old history in providing performances, CTC will have two outdoor balconies overlooking the patio, he said. The audience will be able to sit in those balconies and have an different view of the productions from a place other than the same level as the performers.

Simpson said that the new building will be named the Jean Mason Carpenter Rehearsal Room in honor of this local resident who died earlier this year. She had been a long-time supporter and director at the CTC.

She really helped to make us who we are today, Simpson said. She was well known for her career as a musician and music educator. She was a piano and voice instructor, collaborative pianist, composer, and music director.

She was involved in youth orchestras for the Rhode Island Philharmonic, taught at Lincoln School in Providence, and worked as a piano instructor at the University of Rhode Island. She organized solo festivals and evaluation festivals, and served as chair for the regional National Piano Playing Auditions for National Piano Guild.

She also was artistic director and accompanist with the South County Chamber Singers. With Contemporary Theater Company, she music directed numerous shows most notably Sweeney Todd for which she was honored as Best Musical Director in 2016 by Motif Magazine.

She also directed Candide at Contemporary Theater as part of the area-wide Leonard Bernstein Centenary Celebration she initiated and produced.

Its really a fitting tribute to a person who was so important to this theater and whose passing we feel deeply, said Simpson.

Beyond just this expansion, future plans include other changes with different buildings in the CTC compound area, which is just off 323 Main Street and borders the Saugatucket River.

In 2012 the theater announced that it moved into the then location of Hera Gallery. It opened with a nearly 100-seat renovated theater, a new lobby and entryway in addition to new workspace and restrooms.

That announcement came after seven years of existence for the nomadic CTC, which had performed in more than a dozen venues in South Kingstown and Narragansett.

At the time, CTC founder Simpson said, This new theater places us at the heart of our vibrant downtown district while providing us space to grow. The fact that Wakefield is a great walking community, its something that weve been looking at for a while. When the opportunity came, it seemed like a no-brainer.

Today he and Joe Viele, executive director of the Southern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce, see that as an investment well worth taking.

Every increase to those business enterprises on main street, Viele said, brings new life. Businesses that have seen the transformation and success of bringing life to that main street are building on it, like the Contemporary Theater.

Simpson said, Weve made miracles happen by our passion as an ensemble, volunteers who support us, our audience who is committed to us and sometimes just sheer will power in space not conveniently well suited now after almost a decade, Simpson said.

Its now time for a change, he added.

See original here:
As CTC winds down its 2021 slate, its future looks bigger than ever literally - The Independent

LOS ANGELES & DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A joint venture between Los Angeles-based HATCHspaces and Denver-based health care developer NexCore Group has acquired their second development project together in the Los Angeles region. The 100,000 square foot building will be the first life science-focused new construction project of scale in the region. The development site at Pico and Sepulveda in West Los Angeles marks the third project the group has acquired together, including science-focused projects in Irvine, California and Boulder, Colorado.

The greater Los Angeles market has matured to the point where large blocks of technically specific space is an immediate need, says HATCHspaces Co-Founder Allan Glass. Most of our wet lab portfolio is at full capacity, and there are several large block tenants actively in the market. Overall vacancy rates for life science space are hovering around 1.5% in the LA market. Glass continues, Weve had multiple major pharmaceutical and biotech companies reach out to us hoping to expand into LA from top clusters like San Francisco, San Diego, and Boston in order to tap into the deep and diverse pool of experienced talent already in the region.

NexCore Chief Development Officer and Managing Partner Todd Varney says, We have focused our efforts on delivering critical infrastructure to science and healthcare clusters that boast untapped innovation capacity. The Los Angeles region has continued the momentum that began well before the pandemic and has amplified its reach as an ecosystem. The venture capital community has increased investment in the LA region over 60% since 2018, ranking fifth in the country. With fourteen well respected VCs actively invested in LA-based life science companies, representing over $800 million in direct investment, Varney says, The HATCH/NexCore partnership is focused on delivering state-of-the art facilities to maintain that momentum.

The project sits atop one of the most iconic intersections in the LA region and is adjacent to the Expo/Sepulveda Station of the Expo Line transit corridor. Connecting downtown Los Angeles with the Pacific Ocean, the Expo Line travels past academic, professional, and cultural institutions like the University of Southern California, the Los Angeles Coliseum and Exposition Park, Sony Studios, Bergamot Station Arts Complex, and the Santa Monica Pier. The light rail line has also captured the attention of and major investments from some of the most well-capitalized and highly valued entertainment and technology companies in the country, including Google, HBO, Apple, and Amazon.

The City of Los Angeles and neighborhood stakeholders have shown tremendous forethought from a planning perspective, adds HATCHspaces Co-Founder Howard Kozloff. Without the zoning overlays that were planned along key transit stops, it would have been difficult, if not impossible to find an opportunity to build new facilities that foster job creation along the transit corridor. The new STEAM-focused building will foster continued growth between tech, AI, digital health, and life science companies along the transit corridor.

HATCHspaces LLC is a Los Angeles-based real estate development platform focused on simplifying the process of scientific innovation by creating purpose-built life sciences facilities for companies emerging from academic and incubator networks. With properties in various regional submarkets, HATCHspaces mission is to deliver the life science community state-of-the-art lab facilities at varying scales, allowing regions to retain early-stage bioscience and biotechnology start-ups emerging from research environments.

NexCore Group LLC is a national healthcare real estate investment and development company that focuses on acquiring, developing, owning, and managing healthcare facilities including medical office buildings, wellness facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, single and multi-specialty physician buildings, life sciences facilities, senior living communities and transitional rehabilitation centers. NexCore partners with top healthcare systems, hospitals, physician groups, and assisted living, memory care, and post-acute care operators, and reputable institutional and high net worth investors to develop, acquire and own high quality assets that serve their communities through significant job creation and the provision of quality healthcare services. Since 2004, the NexCore team has developed and acquired over 13.9 million square feet of healthcare properties across the country and currently manages over $2.8 billion of healthcare facilities. The company has been recognized repeatedly as one of the Top Healthcare Real Estate Developers in the U.S. by Modern Healthcare and HREI. NexCore is headquartered in Denver, with regional offices in Chicago; Bethesda, Md.; Portland, Ore.; Dallas; Orlando, Fla.; Laguna Niguel, Calif.; and Indianapolis.

See the article here:
HATCHspaces and NexCore Group JV Expand Their Partnership With a New 100000 SF Lab-Enabled Office Project Along the Expo Light Rail Line in West Los...

This month, Utah Business partnered with Holland & Hart to host a roundtable event featuring building, construction, and design leaders to discuss women in the industry, impacts of the new administration, and concerns going into 2021. Moderated by Bruce Bingham, partner with Hamilton Partners, here are a few highlights from the event.

Troy Gregory | President | Hunt Electric

2020 has been a really strong year and we see the same for 2021. We have a really strong backlog going into 2022. Weve seen a drop off [in hospitality] and in office space and retail, but multi-family is still running really, really strong.

Rich Thorn | President & CEO | Associated General Contractors

Contrary to belief, 2020 ended up being a really pretty good year across all sectors. When COVID-19 came out in February/March, everybody was going, Oh, no, whats going to happen? But the construction industry rallied because it was considered an essential service. Everybody rolled up their sleeves and said You know what? Weve got to be able to deliver. And they adopted practices and procedures that allowed them to keep their doors open and keep delivering construction projects for the end-user. They did it safely. They did it with, to some degree, really high exposures to this virus.

Becky Hawkins | Founding Partner | Method Studio

From the architectural side of things, weve seen great success this year. Other than high-level positions where weve gone out of the state to seek specialty positions, we havent seen much of a dip. In fact, I think in some ways weve had greater success in the last six months than we did a year ago.

Ali Streetman | Construction Manager | Portman Holdings

I love working in this industry. Ive never really had an issue being a woman onsite or being a woman leading the project. On our current architectural team for the hotel, three of the five architects that are working on the project are all women, with two of them in the lead position. So were taking over the world, get ready.

Becky Hawkins | Founding Partner | Method Studio

It takes a village, you know, but I have two [male] partners. Ive never experienced any issues with them and weve taken that philosophy and applied it to our leadership and we have 43 percent women leaders. So yeah, rock on girls.

Gary Ellis | President | Jacobsen Construction

I would be lying if I said labor availability isnt an issue. What weve seen generally is that weve got more large projects here locally than weve had in many years in the past. And Im a little concerned that weve got so many large projects that were going to really tax the ability of our larger subcontractors to be able to continue to support all those projects.

With regard to women, were participating in a couple of different peer groups that are actually combining resources and letting the women in our firm meet with the women in their firm at various positions as well. And talking about their experiences and learning from one another and asking questions and helping provide feedback to us as well.

Jason Kilgore | President | Kilgore Companies

I think about the demographics of my company, and really there are so many people that are really out in the field operating equipment, driving trucks. And we have seen an influx of women over the last 10 years start to become truck drivers and operators. And to be blunt, the women truck drivers many times are much better than the men truck drivers because they treat the equipment better and our equipment lasts longer. You dont have as high of repair with some of those women, and its really been really refreshing from our standpoint.

Mark Harris | Senior Principle | Reaveley Engineers

During these last 10 months, as weve been working remotely, we brought on six or so new members to our firm. From the interview process to onboarding, to implementation of work, its all being done remotely. There are several of those new hires Ive never met face-to-face and its been both challenging and a unique experience in that weve had the younger generation clamoring for work-from-home opportunities in our industry for years and weve been very resistant to it. These last 10 months have shown us that remote work is here to stay and its actually very productive.

Chris Knoles | Director of Marketing | Zwick Construction

The very first thing we did when it became apparent that COVID was going to have a drastic change on our operations was to just take a deep breath and realize that its hitting every single person, every single company, and every single industry in every country. [We realized] that we dont have to outsmart what the next guys going to do in order to stay competitive and things have played out as expected.

Becky Hawkins | Founding Partner | Method Studio

When the pandemic first started, with workplace design being a very large portion of what we do here, we saw a number of our projects go on a hold within 30 days. We truly thought we were going to be tightening up our workplace or corporate market sector, and what has occurred for us is theres been a transition.

Many of those projects that went on hold have now come back. For one of our clients, weve taken what was going to be a renovation for them, and now were building a smaller scale office building. And then another portion of our work thats grown significantly is rather than new 200,000 square feet offices, were doing more smaller offices and quite a bit more renovation while repurposing and rethinking how the space is used.

James Williams | President | AE Urbia

We were actually already able to work remotely so when this hit, our entire office was able to go home and continue working. And after a while, we brought everybody back. We were fortunate enough to use larger workstations so people could be sitting at their desks and [still social distancing].

This has worked very well for us. And weve kind of used our office as an example. Itll take a while to get back to how it was, but I dont think itll ever be the way that it was exactly. Well design with better ventilation systems, better circulation, and well start to design for this type of issue because it will probably happen again in the future.

Troy Gregory | President | Hunt Electric

A lot of plants got impacted there for a while, or they shut down. And I think its similar in a lot of the manufacturingthey got behind and theyve been trying to catch up on that. In breakers and panel and distribution, its starting to get better on your general products. On the big, long-lead products like transformers, those are still a concern for tight timeline type projects.

Its really hard right now for contractors to lock down PVC pipe. Were being told that after the first of the year, that price will start coming down, and theyre starting to catch back up with some of their supply, so thatll be good. Copper is on a steady climb right now. Steel is flat. Its high, but its flat. I think as far as fixtures go, its really hit and miss. Overall, I think a lot of the initial issues are starting to be worked through.

Aaron Metcalfe | VP | Hogan Associates Construction

I think this issue really brings up the importance of owners, developers, and architects pushing for the CMGC process. With the process, not only can the contractor be in contact with the subcontractors and suppliers, but also through constructability reviews, and through that process, we can help advise our clients and architectural partners on the best ways of procurement moving forward.

John Evans | VP | Okland Construction

The reality is that we just need to be on top of things right now. People have to be monitoring situations to make sure that we dont miss the delivery materials. We have not had issues to-date yet. We are getting those notifications that we always get at the end of the year, but they are coming a little bit sooner from our steel suppliers, about the inflation and the rate increases that are going to hit in 2021. Well have to just see how they all materialize when we actually get there.

Jason Kilgore | President | Kilgore Companies

Concrete is going to go up $8 to $10 a yard in the Utah market. A little bit of questioning on asphalt, thats going to be stable, its going to go up a little bit.

Just a couple of months ago, we had a concrete shortage, so I think thats going to continue into 2021 as busy as we are. Hydrocarbons have been cheap over the last year or two, which has been nice. And I think thats going to stay the same, but it also depends on what happens with travel with people driving cars and jets, and what has happened with our refineries.

Jeff Palmer | EVP | Layton Construction

I think the one question I get on this almost every day is, Are prices going down? Unfortunately, prices typically do not come down so each of us are [going to have to be] more competitive with each other with our fees. But in terms of pricing, as weve just heard, material price is not coming down.

Gary Ellis | President | Jacobsen Construction

Lumber prices went up through the roof last year, which was a very sudden and quick change. And they have come back down to some level, but theyre not coming down as quickly as we thought they might. The other thing that were very concerned with right now is the ports, because even as the factories can start producing overseas quicker and getting things shipped into the country, were having real issues right now with COVID and with all the online purchasing right now of everything getting held up at the ports for longer than expected.

Steven Shepherd | President | BBFFA

We do a lot of work for the state of Utah. We have a big marketing meeting once a month and our list used to be two pages long of the things that we were chasing, now its half a page. And part of that is coming from the state of Utah. So it looks like its starting to have an impact.

Lori Haglund | Marketing Director | VBFA

The projects that we see going before the legislature and being approved by the legislature for state projects have really dwindled down and thats kind of frightening. But I keep thinking back to 2008 when things were bad and they really infused money through the state into projects. And I think thats how we weathered it so well. And so Im optimistic that once this clears up there really, itll come with a vengeance.

Rich Thorn | President & CEO | Associated General Contractors

Weve got a new administration coming in. One of the top priorities were hearing about is this new highway bill, not necessarily just continuing resolution that may be for the interim, but there could be some good money coming from the federal government. We also have a new governor and Im confident that theres going to be more work coming through the Utah Department of Transportation for the civil side.

Weve got a legislative session coming up and theres some talk about potentially a bond. That would be a good thing. One of the negative impacts of this COVID-19 situation is the local governments, or the collector road funds. Once everybody stopped driving, that really negatively impacted local cities and counties and their ability to build roads and to maintain them. We anticipate a little bit of a turnaround on that part of the funding stream for again, for the civil side of our membership.

James Williams | President | AE Urbia

Itll be interesting to see what the new administration does as far as programs and funding. It really boils down to, if theres money to borrow, then constructions good. Soon, as the money stops flowing, thats when were in trouble. Weve been able to be profitable under a Democratic president or a Republican president either way. This last president has been really great for our industry and weve been very comfortable and we think it seems like the governments very comfortable printing money these days. And so hopefully that money will continue to circulate and this new administration will build on top of the success of the last one.

Rich Thorn | President & CEO | Associated General Contractors

We have a lot of confidence, a high degree of confidence in Governor-elect Spencer Cox and his team. We have always taken a fairly conservative attitude about debt and about spending, although we have recognized investing in our future. So we anticipate really good things on the local level with good people steering the ship, both in the executive branch, in the House, and the Senate. We dont anticipate any big curveballs.

Aaron Metcalfe | VP | Hogan Associates Construction

I think as far as Governor Cox, itll be interesting to see how his rural roots will play into things. Theres been this discussion about developing rural Utah better than what has been done before. DFCM has done some smaller projects as of late in 2020, with the backing of the state, trying to get some projects going, especially at the state park level.

Ali Streetman | Construction Manager | Portman Holdings

Just maintaining schedule and opening on time to deliver a product thats been a long time in the making for Salt Lake City. And to get the [convention center] hotel open, and hopefully coincide with everything getting back to normal for the Salt Palace and the industry as a whole. Thats the reason were building this hotel in the first place.

Aaron Metcalfe | VP | Hogan Associates Construction

The security of our subcontractors, making sure that that base of workers and companies is healthy, profitable, not just with COVID, but financially as well, because it really is. The pandemic is going to create some financial issues long term.

And then were also facing some other construction work, residential, for one, thats booming. So as commercial contractors, we really have to work with our subcontracting partners and make this a real kind of collaborative effort so that were all successful. Its not just about the projects, its about the relationships moving forward and so thats my biggest concern.

Chris Knoles | Director of Marketing | Zwick Construction

Going into this, my biggest fear, personally, was our subcontractors and their ability to change, adapt, and to step up or to make changes as needed, mainly from a financial perspective. Are they overreaching? Are they over-committing? Do they have the sophistication to meet the work levels that were still demanding of them?

And then also upstream at our clients. Do they have access to capital? Will they have access to money? Whether its DFCM or private developers, what will the next 12 to 24 months look like? And I think those are maybe the concerns that keep me up at night, financial, both from the client perspective and also the subcontractors. But again, Ive got nothing but gratitude knowing that I believe this group, and this industry specifically in Utah, will emerge from the pandemic stronger than virtually any other state.

Excerpt from:
Building, construction, and design roundtable - Utah Business - Utah Business

Developers of a new Allen mixed-use project are starting off with a speculative office building. JaRyCo plans to construct a 102,000-square-foot building as the first phase of its 135-acre Farm development on State Highway 121 at Alma Drive.

Called FarmWORK One, the three-story office building is scheduled to open next summer in the projects central district.

We spent a lot of time with our design team and the brokerage community to understand what is important to office tenants today and have created a unique building that promotes health and wellness of employees and brings long-term benefits to office users, Bruce Heller, president of JaRyCo Development, said in a statement. This office design continues our overall concept of providing a totally unique and different type of mixed-use center at The Farm in Allen.

Allen-based JaRyCo announced plans for The Farm last summer and wants it to include more than 1.6 million square feet of office space, 142,000 square feet of retail, a 150-room hotel, 60,000 square feet of restaurants, townhomes and 2,400 urban residential units.

The Farm will also include an entertainment and restaurant complex called The Hub, which will be across the street from the planned office building.

Dallas architect Omniplan designed the offices. Commercial property firm Avison Young is leasing the project.

The Farm in Allen will also have a 1-acre lake, boardwalk restaurants, more than 2 miles of hike-and-bike trails and a 16-acre greenbelt along Watters Creek.

The office building is the latest of a series of new offices started or announced in the S.H. 121 corridor.

Corporate office is the primary driver for Allens growth on S.H. 121 and exemplifies our strategy to bring quality jobs to residents, said Dan Bowman, CEO/executive director of the Allen Economic Development Corp. The unique design and amenities of FarmWORK One address the demands of todays market and will set Allen apart as a premier office destination.

Several office buildings are in the works along S.H. 121 in the Craig Ranch development.

Independent Financial just started construction on a second building in its headquarters campus in Craig Ranch just north of Allen. And developers VanTrust Real Estate and Kaizen Development Partners have announced speculative office projects at Craig Ranch.

See the original post:
New office building will anchor Allen mixed-use project - The Dallas Morning News

Amazon has revealed its design for the second phase of its Arlington, Virginia, headquarters that will be designed by architecture firm NBBJ.Image courtesy NBBJ/Amazon

Tech giant Amazon has revealed its proposed design for the second phase of its Arlington, Virginia, headquarters. Designed by architecture firm NBBJ, the plans infuse nature into the urban landscape and create a unique, sustainable environment.

We hope that the blend of architectural and ecological elements at PenPlacethe name of the sitewill inspire those who work here and serve as an inviting place for neighbors to gather, relax, dine, and shop, Amazon said. We look forward to working together with the community in the coming months to bring this vision to life.

Sustainable buildings

Amazon will develop 260,129 m2 (2.8 million sf) of new office space distributed across three 22-story buildings. Designs include a workspace for employees that will prioritize areas for collaboration, natural light, and interaction with nature. The design promotes well-being and physical exercise, agency (the ability for employees to choose when, how, and where to work), and a connection with the local community.

The new buildings are designed to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum. The project also includes an all-electric central heating and cooling system that will run on 100 percent renewable energy from a solar farm located in Pittsylvania County in southern Virginia, procured in collaboration with Arlington County. This will align with Amazons Climate Pledge to be net-zero carbon by 2040 and advance Arlington and Amazons shared commitment to be leaders in the fight against climate change.

The Helix

Amazons Seattle headquarters include the Spheres, a place where employees can work or unwind while immersed in nature. The Spheres were inspired by concepts of biophilia and a similarly engaging and rejuvenating concept is the basis for the Arlington headquarters: a double helix.

The natural beauty of a double helix can be seen throughout the world, from the geometry of our own DNA to the elemental form of galaxies, weather patterns, pinecones, and seashells, Amazon said. The Helix at the Arlington headquarters will offer a variety of alternative work environments for employees amidst lush gardens and trees native to the region. A true double helix in shape and structure, this unique building will feature two walkable paths of landscaped terrain that will spiral up the outside of the building. Since innovative technology often derives from the intersection of art and science, Amazon planned an artist-in-residence program to be hosted within the Helix. Local artists, in collaboration with employees, will be inspired by the nature within the building as they create their pieces.

Gathering on the green

A variety of inviting open spaces totaling more than 1 ha (2.5 acre) will be accessible for public use. An amphitheater facing a spacious central green will be able to accommodate outdoor concerts, farmers markets, and movies in the park. A forest grove will offer more shaded areas for relaxation, a quiet place to talk, or to enjoy the natural setting.

Retail pavilions and restaurants will be located throughout the site. The plans also include room for a childcare center, a dog run, and a food truck area with plentiful outdoor seating. Amazon we will also create a dedicated 1858-m2 (20,000-sf) community space that can support educational initiatives and be flexible enough to accommodate everything from large community meetings to small classes and individual use.

Pedestrian-focused and bicycle friendly

The publicly accessible spaces throughout the site will prioritize walkways, landscaping, and retail over motor vehicles. Amazon plans to make a significant investment to move all vehicle access underground to foster a safe and welcoming pedestrian environment. Visitors and neighbors will not see service vehicles crossing the new site as all deliveries and docking activity will happen underground, freeing up more space for the community. Additionally, there will be protected bike lanes in the streets and each office building will have dedicated street-level bike entrances and facilities to encourage safe and convenient bicycle commuting to our Arlington headquarters.

Read more here:
Amazon unveils design for the second phase of its Virginia HQ - Construction Specifier - The Construction Specifier

I know what you are thinking: Not another article about the future of office space?! I get it. This soapbox is getting worn. But you have my promise that I will make every attempt to keep your interest. Generalities will be avoided. Market stats will be kept to a minimum. Instead, I will share with you what I have seen, heard and experienced as a grizzled commercial real estate veteran who has been through so many real estate cycles I keep both Dramamine and TUMS in my desk drawer.

As you likely already know, the work from home experiment has forced us to adjust quickly and find ways to continue to work productively and efficiently without the support of a traditional office environment. Fortunately, technology provided us with platforms and forums to continue working. By and large, the experiment worked. We are figuring out how to run many businesses without the use of an office.

But, there is certainly something lost. Saying that just keeping a business running is the same as thriving is like saying I can still run like I did when I was younger, it just takes me much longer to make it around the track. Our work encroached into our personal space abruptly in mid-March last year. This merging of work and personal space has accelerated the changes that were already in progress. A movement toward a new workstyle that allows people to create their own balance between the two. While this can be seen as good news, there are important fundamental factors that cannot be ignored. Lets not forget: there is roughly 4 billion square feet of office space in the United States, worth around $1.7 trillion (pre-pandemic).

Here I would like to admit my bias, having spent my career working in the real estate industry, representing both commercial tenants and commercial landlords, as well as directly leasing 150,000 square feet as a business owner. What I have learned over these past three decades is that the more things change, the more they stay the same, especially when it comes to office space.

The media, looking for provocative material, loves to challenge the status quo. Recently remarking, in effect, that office space will no longer serve workers the way it once did. This is true. Office space is always reinventing itself every half decade or so. However, what has never changed is the physical presence of workers occupying the office.

Pundits have been predicting that everyone will be working from home since the invention of the fax machine and the introduction of overnight mail. That the daily commute will be a thing of the past and that the demand for office space will decrease. As a young executive in the mid-80s, I recall discussing this at lunch over martinis (de rigueur at the time). I remember wondering whether-or-not I had just begun my career in a dying industry.

During the 1980s and early 1990s even the most junior executive occupied a private windowed office. While the senior executives vied for the larger corner ones. In fact, real estate developers started to design sawtooth floor plates to accommodate more windowed corner offices (think Trump Tower). The few workstations, which they called desks, were occupied by the secretarial pool. The standard density (i.e., the measurement of square footage allocated per employee in the office) during those years was approximately 250 square feet, which also encompassed ones proportionate share of hallways, conference rooms and other common spaces. As office space started to become more expensive, due to both limited new construction and increased demand for space during the early 1990s, density levels started to drop.

Shortly thereafter, the tech boom happened, pushing density levels down even further. Small startup technology companies were popping up like mushrooms and they have very different views of the office than the traditional occupiers. News stories once again began to appear stating the demise of the office building and the inevitable decrease in demand for office space. Quite the opposite happened.

By 2000 the average density was down to 185 square feet. College graduates entering the workforce quickly adapted to working elbow to elbow at long tables alongside their colleagues in front of their respective computers. Even with email, instant messaging, the ability to send large files over wires (or then with no wires at all!) and affordable mobile phones, workers still wanted to be together. And, it turned out, that is what the employers and managers wanted as well. The velocity of information within the technology industry was moving so quickly at the time that one would literally be left in the dark if they chose to work from home. Even technology companies wanted to be near other technology companies. Technology clusters formed: Silicon Alley (NYC), Silicon Wadi (Israel), Cambridge Cluster (UK), Greater Seattle, Silicon Hills (Austin) and, of course, the infamous Silicon Valley.

In addition to industry branding, what these technology hubs had in common were neighborhoods that offered 24/7 work and play. The workers wanted to be together all the time. Tech developers could invent new apps during the day and ad hoc test them at night. Only to return in the morning for more tweaks.

How did we get here? Technological advancements most definitely helped. There were cultural shifts at play as well. Techies were cultish in their pursuits (they were changing the world after all). This new breed of young professionals wanted to work all the time. Hussle culture took hold as many would brag about working nights and weekends. They would work from anywhere and companies, for the most part, let them.

The disruptive innovation that companies like Apple, Google and Amazon were able to create with their techie culture made the entire world take notice. In 1995 only 9 percent of the workforce was telecommuting on a regular basis. In 2006 that number grew to 32 percent and has plateaued since then (until March 2020). But remember, telecommuting regularly is not working from home. Before the start of the pandemic less than 3.5 percent of the workforce was working from home full time.

One of the biggest changes that has happened from our new working arrangements is that there is now no discernable separation of work and our nonwork spaces. This has caused us to further consider the importance of separating our work and nonwork lives. Some of those who are working from home are now even fake commuting to create a sense of separation. A start and a finish. The fake commute might entail a walk around the block in the morning before starting the days work and again at the end of the day to allow for a transition from work to family, friends and/or sports and hobbies. As silly as it sounds, experts warn that, without a distinct separation of work and play, burnout can set in earlier and last for a longer period of time.

Before the pandemic companies looked for ways to keep its employees in the office for as long as possible. Free lunches were offered to keep employees from leaving the office for any period of time in the middle of the day. Research proved that when colleagues ate lunch together, they spoke about work the majority of the time. Problems were being solved over lunch. Creative ideas were being spit balled (bad choice of words, I know).

Architects and designers of corporate interiors who delve into the essence of their craft are constantly evolving to serve their clients highest business priorities. For example, by creating a workplace that included inviting lounge vignettes and over sized pantries, workers would inevitably stray from their offices or workstations to grab a coffee, undertake casual business meetings or private conversation. These random walks around the office would create what is referred to as accidental collisions. Random meetings intended to create opportunities for collaboration between the left-brained and the right-brained workers. Individuals who might not otherwise interact in a more conventional office setting. Not only did these interactions boost productivity, they established a more congenial workplace.

Bloomberg, the New York based multi-billion dollar financial software/media company, is a pioneer in the open landscape workplace, replete with expansive common areas and free food throughout the day. There is not a single private office in its headquarters on Lexington Avenue. Even Michael Bloomberg himself conducts business from his dedicated workstation.

In early 2013, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, convinced of the value of having its employees in the office, banned working remotely. To further make her point, employees had the choice of complying with the edict or quitting. The memo from human resources stated to become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side. That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices. Population density dropped further to approximately 110 square feet.

Ironically, the technology companies that focused on keeping workers tethered to the office are now talking about permanent work from home scenarios. The thinking changes on a dime. Microsoft announced in October that employees can work from home indefinitely. Facebook is shifting thousands of jobs to remote work. Yet Facebook executed one of Manhattans largest leases of 2020, for 750,000 square feet at the former Farley Post Office behind Penn Station. It isnt that tech companies dont want offices, they just want the best out of the office. I think we will continue to see a lot more finished wood floors, breakout rooms, phone booths, war rooms, sky-lights, exposed brick walls, marble, lounge space, meditation rooms, flawless ventilation and filtration systems, and buildings that can help teach companies how to best utilize them.

Before the pandemic, corporations were dedicated to culture, brand building, collaboration, mentoring, creativity, efficiency, innovation and productivity. These ideals will not disappear. I expect that business owners and managers will remain intent on keeping their employees and teams working longer in close communication with one another on campus.

If there is to be a momentous change in workstyle after the pandemic is over, it will likely be towards a need to more clearly define the time dedicated to work versus the time dedicated to our personal lives. But ultimately, its the business owners and the managers who make the decisions about where the employees will work. And while the WFH concept is working during the pandemic it certainly is not likely to prove to be as efficient as working in an office.

Nor does it provide any social interaction. After all, we are human beings. Human Resource policies notwithstanding, over 50 percent of us have dated someone we work with at the office. In fact, 22 percent of married couples met at work. Come to think of it, after almost a year working from home, maybe some couples are anxious to get back to the office to meet someone else.

One of the primary drivers these days in building a solid corporate culture is balance. That is: passionate, dedicated work together with physical & mental health, sustainability where possible, diversity and inclusion. Except for those of us with multiple personalities, its hard to find diversity and socialization while home alone.

Is it really time to overhaul the model? For some companies, yes. But not for all. As the pandemic ends, there will be plenty of empty office space but it wont last forever. Many companies will see lower office prices as an opportunity to upgrade their office to reap all of the benefits that they expect from it.

As it stands, the most important thing that we can all do now is take the necessary precautions to keep each other safe. Social distancing, working from home, is without question required while riding out the pandemic. Even as the vaccinations roll out, reentering office buildings and other public spaces must be taken with care and the proper precautions. All available resources and energy should be focused on helping those infected and protecting the most vulnerable in every way.

Yes, some companies may consider reducing their corporate footprint. However, this will be offset somewhat by the need to maintain social distancing within the office. Density may go back up to 250 square feet, temporarily, as it was 30 years ago. Theoretically, office leasing absorption should remain stable, after dipping slightly. However, economic expansion and population growth will continue to drive demand for office space over the long run. And, as the pandemic ends, there will be plenty of room in the existing offices to accommodate the rush back to normalcy. Back to the energy of the office: collaborating, creating, innovating, closing deals while clothed in crisp, clean suits and ties. Thats right! Do not throw out your ties. And, polish up those Manolo Blahniks languishing in the closet. You will don them once again.This is just another cycle, it wont be the first and it wont be the last. So, even after you think we have all of this turbulence behind us, keep the Dramamine and TUMS close by.

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Not Another Future of the Office Article - Propmodo

New commercial

STRUCTURE SHELL: 1501 W. Pinhook Road, Lafayette; Campion Devco LLC, owner and applicant; Bayern Group LLC, contractor; $750,000.

OFFICE BUILDING: 200 Corporate Blvd., Lafayette; SCP Health, owner; John Chase, applicant; C M Miciotto & Son Inc., contractor; $1,189,478.

OTHER: 200 Corporate Blvd., Lafayette; Schumacher Home Office, owner; description, north wing interior renovation; John Chase, applicant; C M Miciotto & Son Inc., contractor; $758,341.

GENERAL RETAIL: 3211 Louisiana Ave., 108, Lafayette; Kay/Zales Jewelers, owner; Amy Hodgson, applicant; Jag Building Group Inc., contractor; $190,000.

OTHER: 3822 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Lafayette; Englewood Plaza LLC, owner; description, banquet hall assembly The Truss Room; Poche' Prouet Associates, applicant; Southwest Contractors LLC, contractor; $284,000.

GENERAL RETAIL: 120 E. Gloria Switch Road, Lafayette; Lowes Home Centers Inc. No.618, owner; description, garden center outdoor expansion; Collins and Arnold Construction Co. LLC, applicant and contractor; $180,000.

OFFICE BUILDING: 2901 Johnston St., No. 200, Lafayette; David Landry, owner; description, Spartan Energy A&M Commerce; James O. Ziler, applicant; Ducharme Brothers Inc., contractor; $51,000.

WAREHOUSE/SHOP: 1016 SW Evangeline Thruway, Lafayette; Daniel Miller, owner; website error prevented access to information; $6,500.

OTHER: 4303 Moss St., Lafayette; Sangam Development, owner; Terry Martin, applicant; self, contractor; $0.

RESTAURANT: 555 Jefferson St., Lafayette; Vestal Restaurant, owner; Ryan Trahan, applicant; Frontline Construction LLC, contractor; $0.

OTHER: 6412 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Broussard; Coastal Fire And Ice, applicant; Commercial Construction Co. Inc., contractor; $217,800.

3113 Riceland Road, Rayne; C Mac Construction; $346,500.

114 Sparrowhawk St., Broussard; DSLD LLC; $220,500.

536 Piat Road, Youngsville; Platinum Homes; $486,000.

101 Ember Grove Crossing, Lafayette; Drenkorp LLC; $270,000.

219 Emile Drive, Lafayette; Cody Prejean; $436,500.

305 Manor House Lane, Lafayette; Ray Built Quality Homes LLC; $211,500.

116 Spider Lily Lane, Lafayette; DSLD LLC; $243,000.

118 Sparrowhawk St., Broussard; DSLD LLC; $198,000.

311 Sparrowhawk St., Broussard; DSLD LLC; $189,000.

106 Grandmark St., Lafayette; DSLD LLC; $283,500.

129 Croft Row, Lafayette; AM Design Inc.; $270,000.

109 Grandmark St., Lafayette; DSLD LLC; $234,000.

217 Lukes Hollow Lane, Lafayette; Shivers Brothers Construction; $166,500.

107 Grandmark St., Lafayette; DSLD LLC; $265,500.

221 Treescape Drive, Lafayette; Shivers Brothers Construction; $279,000.

103 S. Montauban Drive, Lafayette; Becc Enterprises LLC; $315,000.

207 Redfern St., Lafayette; Lancaster Construction LLC; $274,500.

223 New Trails Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $311,500.

303 New Trails Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $283,500.

227 New Trails Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $301,500.

305 New Trails Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $247,500.

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Who's building where in Acadiana? Here are the building permits issued Jan. 25-29 - The Advocate

On the heels of YIMBYs reveal of official renderings forProject Commodore, a 1,646-foot supertall project at 175 Park Avenuein Midtown East, weve collected a number ofillustrations that showcase Midtowns future tallest structures impact on the New York skyline. Designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrilland developed by RXR RealtyandTF Cornerstone, the 83-story skyscraper is planned to rise from the site of the Grand Hyatt New York and yield 500 Hyatt hotel rooms on the upper floors spanning 453,000 square feet; 10,000 square feet of retail space on the ground and cellar levels; and 2.1 million square feet of office space.

The black-and-white freehand drawing above shows Project Commodore from the northeast set among the Midtown skyline. The setbacks gradually pull back the massing of the edifice further from the edges of its massive footprint, and the tower culminates in a flat roof parapet with crown featuring a lattice of steel columns wrapped in light-colored panels. The rest of the superstructure will largely be enclosed in floor-to-ceiling glass wedged between vertical columns that run nearly the entire height of the 175 Park Avenue from its intricately designed base, which incorporates a similar lattice pattern that would form columns fanning out from each of the four corners. Other completed supertalls featured in the drawing include the Art Deco Chrysler Building to Project Commodores east, Kohn Pedersen Foxs One Vanderbiltto the west, and 30 Hudson Yards rising on the opposite side of the island.

YIMBY user rgarri4 also recently posted several digital renderings on YIMBYs forum page, showing Project Commodores presence looking north and south as it towers above the Manhattan skyline. The supertall is also joined by nearly every structure currently proposed and under construction. The renderings show the row of new office supertalls along Park Avenue, the Penn District, Manhattan West, Hudson Yards completed first phase, as well as several more towers spread across NoMad and other parts of Midtown. The final rendering is a nighttime view oriented northward with the Chrysler Building and One Vanderbilt illuminated beside it.

Looking north. Rendering by rgarri4

Looking north at the entire Midtown skyline. Rendering by rgarri4

Looking south above Central Park

Looking north at nighttime. Rendering by rgarri4

175 Park Avenue is slated to be completed in 2030 if the anticipated 18-month long demolition of the Grand Hyatt New York and actual construction of SOMs supertall goes according to plan. The next step is approval through the Uniform Land Use Review Process that is set to wrap up by the end of this year, followed by a public review in the spring.

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Illustrating the Impact of Project Commodore, Midtown's Future Tallest Building, on the New York Skyline - New York YIMBY

The COVID-19 pandemic that has stalled office leasing has given Dallas-Fort Worth one of the highest office vacancy rates in the country.

At the end of 2020, D-FW ranked sixth among the countrys highest office vacancy markets, according to the latest survey by commercial property firm Cushman & Wakefield.

More than 21% of the areas office space was empty at the end of the year up from 18.6% at the close of 2019. Those numbers dont include the more than 9 million square feet of empty sublease office space on the market in North Texas.

The countrys highest office vacancy was in Fairfield County, Conn., a suburb of New York. Houston was also near the top of the list with a 24.3% vacancy rate, according to Cushman & Wakefield.

Net office leasing in North Texas declined by almost 5 million square feet in 2020 the biggest drop in decades due to the pandemic, which kept workers at home.

More than 4 million square feet of office space was under construction in D-FW at the end of 2020. That made it the ninth-busiest metro area for office building in the U.S.

While a recent increase in North Texas office leasing has caused some optimism in the market, less than 40% of area employees are back to working in the office.

Real estate analysts are forecasting a slow recovery for the sector. A report by Moodys Analytics is predicting another tough year for office owners, with higher vacancies and lower rents.

The office sector will suffer more in 2021 than it did in 2020, Moodys researchers said in the report released this week. Moodys projects the vacancy rate will rise to 19.4% this year, surpassing the previous high of 17.6% from 2010, then hold steady in 2022.

Office rents nationwide arent expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2026.

Though we expect the office sector will suffer more severely in 2021 than it did in 2020, the vaccine rollout brings hope for more in-person business later this year and into 2022, Barbara Denham, senior commercial real estate economist at Moodys Analytics, said in the report.

Read more:
COVID-19 has given Dallas-Fort Worth one of the highest office vacancies in the nation - The Dallas Morning News