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When looking for commercial office space to lease you typically dont find exactly what you want ready to move in. Most spaces are going to need some sort of office build out (aka tenant finish out) whether it be new carpet and paint, demo walls / build new walls, add a sink with cabinets, etc. Many companies get overwhelmed with the thought of building out a space or the cost involved and never understand that its a negotiable item that the landlord will potentially pay for as long as you have good financials and meet a few other terms and conditions. You never know until you ask right? Below we give a few rules of thumb to follow on office space build outs, what a buildout means, average costs, and who pays.
The definition of anoffice build out is basically when a landlords contractor or your contractor do construction on an office space to install walls, carpet, paint, sinks, hvac, ceiling, lighting, plumbing, bathrooms, etc. The process of building out office space is also known as a tenant finish out or tenant improvements. Who pays for an office build out depends on how you negotiate your lease contract. In some cases the landlord will pay for 100% of a standard build out, however If you want high end finishes then you may end up coming out of pocket a little. The management of this process also depends on the size and scope of work. For most small jobs the landlords property manager will manage the construction however in other cases such as larger office leases the tenant may choose to have their own project manager on the job.
There are typically a couple ways to go about negotiating this. You can either negotiate to have the landlord turnkey the build out or give a tenant improvement allowance
This is where the landlord builds out the space per the tenants specifications and at the landlords sole cost. All the tenant has to do is turn the key. During the lease negotiations the tenant and landlord engage the landlords architect to design a mutually agreeable plan. The allowances will all be building standard and the tenant picks the carpet and paint colors. The downside of a turnkey build out is that the landlord will cut corners where they can to keep costs down, sometimes even purchasing lower grade carpet or picking a contractor strictly based on price not quality. If you are leasing less than 10,000 sf or doing a short term lease then in most cases this method is fine.
In this situation the tenant controls everything and can select its own architect, contractor, finishes, etc. Also if they stay under budget and there is any TI allowance remaining they may be able to use for other stuff. The TI allowance is agreed upon during the lease negotiations and the amount will be contingent on the lease term length, tenant financials, etc. Before finalizing negotiations and signing a lease its a good idea for the tenant to get preliminary construction bids to ensure that there will be enough to cover the improvements and how much they would need to personally come out of pocket if needed. If you are leasing more than 10,000 sf then this is the best way to go.
You may think that every space is going to match your needs exactly and be move in ready however that is not often the case. A space in one building could be in shell condition (aka 1st generation space) meaning it has never been occupied before and all you see is a concrete floor and nothing else. A space in another building could be 2nd generation space which means it has been built out and occupied before. In either case you like both buildings however the existing office layouts dont match your business needs. For example maybe you want 5 offices instead of 3 or you dont want any offices at all so you ask that they all be removed.
Office build out costs depend on the market you are in, level of improvements and scope of work. New spaces in shell condition (never built out or occupied) will cost more than 2nd generation (already built out & previously occupied) space. If you are simply installing new carpet and paint then estimate about $6-10 sf. If you are building out office space from shell condition then expect the costs to be around $40 to $50 sf for building standard level finishes. If the space has already been built out before and previously occupied then $15 to $30, however again that depends on the scope of work and level of finishes.
Medical office space buildouts are also typically more expensive than professional offices and average $50 to $100 sf.
They key to getting the best price is to get at a minimum 2-3 construction bids before signing a lease. That way if the estimated costs are above what the landlord is offering for the tenant improvement allowance then you can go back to the negotiating table and ask for more.
If your building out Austin office spaceand you want the landlord to pay for the tenant improvements then expect the lease term to be at least 3-5 years or more, unless you pay for the build-out costs yourself.
That depends on the length of lease term, level of tenant improvements that you are asking for, and the landlords perception of your companies financial strength. If you can only sign a 12 month lease then you more than likely would be taking the space as is and any improvements you needed would be at your cost. If you are able to do a 3-5 year lease you can typically negotiate with the landlord to get them to pay for most if not all standard level improvements. If a landlord thinks your financials are weak then they will be less motivated to pay for improvements since to them you pose a credit risk.
If a landlord wont give any tenant improvement allowance then try to negotiate some free rent or rent reduction to help offset built out costs.
In summary in most cases you will need to make a few or a lot of changes to a space to meet your current and future business needs. If you plan on being there for the next 3-10 years then you want to build out the space in a way that makes you happy. Just make sure before you sign a contract to know all of the tenant improvement costs up front and how much the landlord is willing to pay for the office build out costs. That way you know up front how much out of pocket you will have to pay at lease signing.
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Cost to Build Out Commercial Office Space Per Square Foot ...
Hildreth Construction Services-Home -
January 28, 2019 by
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Using an artisan approach with unparalleled construction techniques, we have completed many successful projects, ranging from modern retail spaces to custom homes that are the best in their market. Embracing the hallmarks of honesty, integrity, fairness and flexibility, our team has developed a reputation for keeping our clients needs close to heart, and building the highest quality projects.
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South Bridge Plaza | NEW Listing!
South Bridge Plaza is a well-positioned and impeccably maintained strip shopping center located 1/4 mile from US 41/Tamiami Trail, Sarasotas primary retail and commercial thoroughfare. The center has a daytime population of over 111,800 with 7,210 businesses within a 5-mile radius and its units offer bay depths of 70, ideal for a majority of inline Continue reading South Bridge Plaza | NEW Listing!
For Sale
Washington Shores is an attractive neighborhood shopping center with excellent visibility & easy access.. Anchored by Save-A-Lot and Family Dollar, the center is situated in a busy commercial corridor with access to I-4 via the John Young Parkway (SR 423) exit.Current availability ranges from 2,265 SF to 5,043 SF. Property BrochureDemographics
For Sale
Historic 57,871-sf former cigar factory building on a 1.74-acre lot that is home to Ellis Van Pelt Office Furniture and The Santaella Studios for the Arts. The main floor is spacious and open with high ceilings and beautiful exposed brick and original hardwood floors. The basement has direct exterior grade level access, windows and groundwater Continue reading Santaella Studio for the Arts Bldg
For Sale
Anchored by a brand new Luckys Market and offering an adjacent co-anchor opportunity, this retail development is situated on a 5.26-acre site with prominent building and pylon signage opportunities available. The property is within close proximity to Publix, West Marine, Office Depot, The Home Depot, Lowes, Sams Club, Costco, Target and Ross, among many other Continue reading Former Albertsons Redevelopment | Gulf to Bay & Belcher Rd | Clearwater, FL
For Sale
Anchored by Publix Supermarket, Bealls Outlet and Ace Hardware, Conway Plaza is situated in a busy commercial corridor approximately 3 milessoutheast of Downtown Orlando and less than a mile south of theinterchange for SR 408/East-West Expressway. The center offers excellent visibility to a combined traffic count of 66,5000 vehicles perday with immediate access from a Continue reading Conway Plaza
For Sale
9900 4th Street North is newly constructed retail space serving the northern end of the4th Street N market. Current availability includes three inline spaces totaling 5,320 sf and there is co-tenancy with Tire Choice and Glory Days. The property is strategically located to capture the daytime employment base within the North 4th Street Corridor and Continue reading 9900 4th St N
For Sale
The Shoppes of Eaglebrooke is a well positioned neighborhood retail center located in a highly residential and affluent area of Polk County. The Club at Eaglebrooke is situated 0.5 miles to the east and Lakeland Girls Academy is 0.3 miles to the north on Carter Road. Average household income within a 1-mile radius is strong Continue reading Shoppes of Eaglebrooke
For Sale
Polk City Center is a charming retail strip center situated in a quiet residential area only 9 miles from the main campus of Florida Polytechnic University. Tenants include Artistic Dental and Abiding Hope Ministries, andDG Market is directly across the street. There are two 1,040-sf inline spaces currently available. Property Flyer Demographic Report
For Sale
66th St Plaza is a well positioned neighborhood shopping center situated in St Petersburg and anchored by Save-a-Lot and Harbor Freight. Retailers in the immediate vicinity include Family Dollar, Kmart, Publix, Dunkin Donuts and AutoZone. There is a captive population of nearly 110,000 within a 3-mile radius and available spaces range from a 1,400-SF inline Continue reading 66th St Plaza
For Sale
Huntington Hills Plaza is a charming neighborhood shopping center with excellent visibility and easy access. Advantageously positioned near a well traveled, signalizedintersection across from Huntington Hills Golf & Country Club, the center offers current availabilities from 800 SF to 2,000 SF. Pylon signage opportunities are available. Property Flyer Demographic Report
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2 Journal Square retail revamp, Jersey City. Rendering courtesy RKF.
It was once said that Jersey Citys revitalization efforts were a tale of two cities the Waterfront and Downtown areas were booming while other neighborhoods struggled. In 2018, Journal Square could perhaps be described the same way; while the second Journal Squared tower is under construction and development approvals in the area are notable, many new projects have yet to break ground, and the One Journal Square property continues to be a large, vexing gap.
Onthe positive side, a prominent building is getting a revamp that includes a major effort to activate the streetscape. 2 Journal Square, a 325,000-square-foot office building that was built in 1987, will soon be repositioned into Class A office space sporting prime retail and restaurant opportunities on the ground floor.
An existing Chase Bank branch on the street level will be staying put, but currently vacant first-floor office space will be converted into two separate retail storefronts. The first spot will run 7,600 square feet and potentially feature outdoor seating areas in addition to creating a buffer area between the building and John F. Kennedy Boulevard, a wider road that is sometimes criticized for its lack of pedestrian friendliness.
The second space will run 7,300 square feet, making both storefronts sizable for any potential tenant. The future retail at 2 Journal Square, just steps from the PATH station, will have great signage visibility and the building has existing below-deck paid parking. Food use is welcome, as the property looks to take advantage of a recent migration of restaurants to the nearby area that includes Flatbread Grill, Chipotle, Banana King, and others.
Retail real estate brokerage RKFs Rutherford-based office is handling the leasing for the future conversion, with brokers Robert Mackowski and Glenn Beyer handling the duties. 2 Journal Square represents an excellent opportunity for a savvy retailer to capitalize on evolving demographics, especially for lifestyle-driven brands including boutique fitness, gourmet cafs, and home goods, says Beyer.
Signage has just been put up at the property trumpeting the announcement. In a statement to Jersey Digs, RKF says renovations will commence in the fourth quarter of 2018, with the retail component expected to be available sometime in early 2019.
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Social constructionism – Wikipedia -
November 13, 2018 by
Mr HomeBuilder
Social constructionism is a theory of knowledge in sociology and communication theory that examines the development of jointly constructed understandings of the world that form the basis for shared assumptions about reality. The theory centers on the notion that meanings are developed in coordination with others rather than separately within each individual.[1]
Social constructionism questions what is defined by humans and society to be reality. Therefore, social constructs can be different based on the society and the events surrounding the time period in which they exist.[2] An example of a social construct is money or the concept of currency, as people in society have agreed to give it importance/ value.[2][3] Another example of a social construction is the concept of self/ self-identity. Charles Cooley stated based on his Looking-Glass-Self theory: "I am not who you think I am; I am not who I think I am; I am who I think you think I am."[2] This demonstrates how people in society construct ideas or concepts that may not exist without the existence of people or language to validate those concepts.[2][4]
There are weak and strong social constructs.[3] Weak social constructs rely on brute facts (which are fundamental facts that are difficult to explain or understand, such as quarks) or institutional facts (which are formed from social conventions).[2][3] Strong social constructs rely on the human perspective and knowledge that doesn't just exist, but is rather constructed by society.[2]
A social construct or construction concerns the meaning, notion, or connotation placed on an object or event by a society, and adopted by the inhabitants of that society with respect to how they view or deal with the object or event.[citation needed] In that respect, a social construct as an idea would be widely accepted as natural by the society.
A major focus of social constructionism is to uncover the ways in which individuals and groups participate in the construction of their perceived social reality. It involves looking at the ways social phenomena are developed, institutionalized, known, and made into tradition by humans.
In terms of background, social constructionism is rooted in "symbolic interactionism" and "phenomenology."[5][6] With Berger and Luckman's The Social Construction of Reality published in 1966, this concept found its hold. More than four decades later, a sizable number of theory and research pledged to the basic tenet that people "make their social and cultural worlds at the same time these worlds make them."[6] It is a viewpoint that uproots social processes "simultaneously playful and serious, by which reality is both revealed and concealed, created and destroyed by our activities."[6] It provides a substitute to the "Western intellectual tradition" where the researcher "earnestly seeks certainty in a representation of reality by means of propositions."[6]
In social constructionist terms, "taken-for-granted realities" are cultivated from "interactions between and among social agents;" furthermore, reality is not some objective truth "waiting to be uncovered through positivist scientific inquiry."[6] Rather, there can be "multiple realities that compete for truth and legitimacy."[6] Social constructionism understands the "fundamental role of language and communication" and this understanding has "contributed to the linguistic turn" and more recently the "turn to discourse theory."[6][7] The majority of social constructionists abide by the belief that "language does not mirror reality; rather, it constitutes [creates] it."[6]
A broad definition of social constructionism has its supporters and critics in the organizational sciences.[6] A constructionist approach to various organizational and managerial phenomena appear to be more commonplace and on the rise.[6]
Andy Lock and Tom Strong trace some of the fundamental tenets of social constructionism back to the work of the 18th century Italian political philosopher, rhetorician, historian, and jurist Giambattista Vico.[8]
Berger and Luckmann give credit to Max Scheler as a large influence as he created the idea of Sociology of knowledge which influenced social construction theory.[9]
According to Lock and Strong, other influential thinkers whose work has affected the development of social constructionism are: Edmund Husserl, Alfred Schutz, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Martin Heidegger, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Paul Ricoeur, Jrgen Habermas, Emmanuel Levinas, Mikhail Bakhtin, Valentin Volosinov, Lev Vygotsky, George Herbert Mead, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Gregory Bateson, Harold Garfinkel, Erving Goffman, Anthony Giddens, Michel Foucault, Ken Gergen, Mary Gergen, Rom Harre, and John Shotter.[10]
Since its appearance in the 1950s, personal construct psychology (PCP) has mainly developed as a constructivist theory of personality and a system of transforming individual meaning-making processes, largely in therapeutic contexts.[11][12][13][14][15][16] It was based around the notion of persons as scientists who form and test theories about their worlds. Therefore, it represented one of the first attempts to appreciate the constructive nature of experience and the meaning persons give to their experience.[17] Social constructionism (SC), on the other hand, mainly developed as a form of a critique,[18] aimed to transform the oppressing effects of the social meaning-making processes. Over the years, it has grown into a cluster of different approaches,[19] with no single SC position.[20] However, different approaches under the generic term of SC are loosely linked by some shared assumptions about language, knowledge, and reality.[21]
A usual way of thinking about the relationship between PCP and SC is treating them as two separate entities that are similar in some aspects, but also very different in others. This way of conceptualizing this relationship is a logical result of the circumstantial differences of their emergence. In subsequent analyses these differences between PCP and SC were framed around several points of tension, formulated as binary oppositions: personal/social; individualist/relational; agency/structure; constructivist/constructionist.[22][23][24][25][26][27] Although some of the most important issues in contemporary psychology are elaborated in these contributions, the polarized positioning also sustained the idea of a separation between PCP and SC, paving the way for only limited opportunities for dialogue between them.[28][29]
Reframing the relationship between PCP and SC may be of use in both the PCP and the SC communities. On one hand, it extends and enriches SC theory and points to benefits of applying the PCP toolkit in constructionist therapy and research. On the other hand, the reframing contributes to PCP theory and points to new ways of addressing social construction in therapeutic conversations.[30]
Like social constructionism, social constructivism states that people work together to construct artifacts. While social constructionism focuses on the artifacts that are created through the social interactions of a group, social constructivism focuses on an individual's learning that takes place because of his or her interactions in a group.
Social constructivism has been studied by many educational psychologists, who are concerned with its implications for teaching and learning. For more on the psychological dimensions of social constructivism, see the work of Ernst von Glasersfeld and A. Sullivan Palincsar.[31]
Systemic therapy is a form of psychotherapy which seeks to address people as people in relationship, dealing with the interactions of groups and their interactional patterns and dynamics.
A bibliographic review of social constructionism as used within communication studies was published in 2016. It features a good overview of resources from that disciplinary perspective.[32]
The concepts of weak and strong as applied to opposing philosophical positions, "isms", inform a teleology the goal-oriented, meaningful or "final end" of an interpretation of reality. "Isms" are not personal opinions, but the extreme, modal, formulations that actual persons, individuals, can then consider, and take a position between. There are opposing philosophical positions concerning the feasibility of co-creating a common, shared, social reality, called weak and strong.
John R. Searle does not elucidate the terms strong and weak in his book The Construction of Social Reality,[33] but he clearly uses them in his Chinese room argument, where he debates the feasibility of creating a computing machine with a sharable understanding of reality, and he adds "We are precisely such machines." Strong artificial intelligence (Strong AI) is the bet that computer programmers will somehow eventually achieve a computing machine with a mind of its own, and that it will eventually be more powerful than a human mind. Weak AI bets they won't.
David Deutsch in his book The Fabric of Reality uses a form of strong Turing principle to share Frank Tipler's view of the final state of the universe as an omnipotent (but not omniscient), Omega point, computer. But this computer is a society of creative thinkers, or people (albeit posthuman transhuman persons), having debates in order to generate information, in the never-ending attempt to attain omniscience of this physicsits evolutionary forms, its computational abilities, and the methods of its epistemologyhaving an eternity to do so. (p.356)
Because both the Chinese room argument and the construction of social reality deal with Searle and his debates, and because they both use weak and strong to denote a philosophical position, and because both debate the programmability of "the other", it is worth noting the correspondence that "strong AI" is strong social constructionism, and "weak AI" is weak social constructivism.
Strong social constructivism says "none are able to communicate either a full reality or an accurate ontology, therefore my position must impose, by a sort of divine right, my observer-relative epistemology", whereas weak social constructivism says "none are able to know a full reality, therefore we must cooperate, informing and conveying an objective ontology as best we can."[34]
Weak social constructionism sees the underlying, objective, "brute fact" elements of the class of languages and functional assignments of human, metaphysical, reality. Brute facts are all facts that are not institutional facts (e.g., metaphysical, social agreement). The skeptic portrays the weak aspect of social constructivism, and wants to spend effort debating the institutional realities.
Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker[35] writes that "some categories really are social constructions: they exist only because people tacitly agree to act as if they exist. Examples include money, tenure, citizenship, decorations for bravery, and the presidency of the United States."
In a similar vein, Stanley Fish[36] has suggested that baseball's "balls and strikes" are social constructions.[37]:2931
Both Fish and Pinker agree that the sorts of objects indicated here can be described as part of what John Searle calls "social reality."[38]:22 In particular, they are, in Searle's terms, ontologically subjective but epistemologically objective.[33]:63 "Social facts" are temporally, ontologically, and logically dependent on "brute facts." For example, "money" in the form of its raw materials (rag, pulp, ink) as constituted socially for barter (for example by a banking system) is a social fact of "money" by virtue of (i) collectively willing and intending (ii) to impose some particular function (purpose for which), (iii) by constitutive rules atop the "brute facts." "Social facts have the remarkable feature of having no analogue among physical brute facts" (34). The existence of language is itself constitutive of the social fact (37), which natural or brute facts do not require. Natural or "brute" facts exist independently of language; thus a "mountain" is a mountain in every language and in no language; it simply is what it is.[33]:29, et seq
Searle illustrates the evolution of social facts from brute facts by the constitutive rule: X counts as Y in C. "The Y terms has to assign a new status that the object does not already have just in virtue of satisfying the Y term; and there has to be collective agreement, or at least acceptance, both in the imposition of that status on the stuff referred to by the X term and about the function that goes with that status. Furthermore, because the physical features brute facts specified by the X term are insufficient by themselves to guarantee the fulfillment of the assigned function specified by the Y term, the new status and its attendant functions have to be the sort of things that can be constituted by collective agreement or acceptance."[33]:44
It is true that language is not a "brute fact," that it is an institutional fact, a human convention, a metaphysical reality (that happens to be physically uttered), but Searle points out that there are language-independent thoughts "noninstitutional, primitive, biological inclinations and cognitions not requiring any linguistic devices," and that there are many "brute facts" amongst both humans and animals that are truths that should not be altered in the social constructs because language does not truly constitute them, despite the attempt to institute them for any group's gain: money and property are language dependent, but desires (thirst, hunger) and emotions (fear, rage) are not.[33]:62 (Descartes describes the difference between imagination as a sort of vision, or image, and intellect as conceptualizing things by symbolic manipulation.) Therefore, there is doubt that society or a computer can be completely programmed by language and images, (because there is a programmable, emotive effect of images that derives from the language of judgment towards images).
Finally, against the strong theory and for the weak theory, Searle insists, "it could not be the case, as some have maintained, that all facts are institutional [i.e., social] facts, that there are no brute facts, because the structure of institutional facts reveals that they are logically dependent on brute facts. To suppose that all facts are institutional [i.e., social] would produce an infinite regress or circularity in the account of institutional facts. In order that some facts are institutional, there must be other facts that are brute [i.e., physical, biological, natural]. This is the consequence of the logical structure of institutional facts.".[33]:56
Ian Hacking, Canadian philosopher of science, insists, "the notion that everything is socially constructed has been going the rounds. John Searle [1995] argues vehemently (and in my opinion cogently) against universal constructionism."[39]:24 "Universal social constructionism is descended from the doctrine that I once named linguistic idealism and attributed, only half in jest, to Richard Nixon [Hacking, 1975, p. 182]. Linguistic idealism is the doctrine that only what is talked about exists, nothing has reality until it is spoken of, or written about. This extravagant notion is descended from Berkeley's idea-ism, which we call idealism: the doctrine that all that exists is mental."[39]:24 "They are a part of what John Searle [1995] calls social reality. His book is titled the Construction of Social Reality, and as I explained elsewhere [Hacking, 1996], that is not a social construction book at all."[39]:12
Hacking observes, "the label 'social constructionism' is more code than description"[39]:15 of every Leftist, Marxist, Freudian, and Feminist PostModernist to call into question every moral, sex, gender, power, and deviant claim as just another essentialist claimincluding the claim that members of the male and female sex are inherently different, rather than historically and socially constructed. Hacking observes that his 1995 simplistic dismissal of the concept actually revealed to many readers the outrageous implications of the theorists: Is child abuse a real evil, or a social construct, asked Hacking? His dismissive attitude, "gave some readers a way to see that there need be no clash between construction and reality,"[39]:29 inasmuch as "the metaphor of social construction once had excellent shock value, but now it has become tired."[39]:35
Informally, they require human practices to sustain their existence, but they have an effect that is (basically) universally agreed upon. The disagreement lies in whether this category should be called "socially constructed." Ian Hacking[40] argues that it should not. Furthermore, it is not clear that authors who write "social construction" analyses ever mean "social construction" in Pinker's sense. ".[41] If they never do, then Pinker (probably among others) has misunderstood the point of a social constructionist argument.
To understand how weak social constructionism can conclude that metaphysics (a human affair) is not the entire "reality," see the arguments against the study of metaphysics. This inability to accurately share the full reality, even given time for a rational conversation, is similarly proclaimed by weak artificial intelligence.
Constructionism became prominent in the U.S. with Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann's 1966 book, The Social Construction of Reality. Berger and Luckmann argue that all knowledge, including the most basic, taken-for-granted common sense knowledge of everyday reality, is derived from and maintained by social interactions. When people interact, they do so with the understanding that their respective perceptions of reality are related, and as they act upon this understanding their common knowledge of reality becomes reinforced. Since this common sense knowledge is negotiated by people, human typifications, significations and institutions come to be presented as part of an objective reality, particularly for future generations who were not involved in the original process of negotiation. For example, as parents negotiate rules for their children to follow, those rules confront the children as externally produced "givens" that they cannot change. Berger and Luckmann's social constructionism has its roots in phenomenology. It links to Heidegger and Edmund Husserl through the teaching of Alfred Schutz, who was also Berger's PhD adviser.
During the 1970s and 1980s, social constructionist theory underwent a transformation as constructionist sociologists engaged with the work of Michel Foucault and others as a narrative turn in the social sciences was worked out in practice. This particularly affected the emergent sociology of science and the growing field of science and technology studies. In particular, Karin Knorr-Cetina, Bruno Latour, Barry Barnes, Steve Woolgar, and others used social constructionism to relate what science has typically characterized as objective facts to the processes of social construction, with the goal of showing that human subjectivity imposes itself on those facts we take to be objective, not solely the other way around. A particularly provocative title in this line of thought is Andrew Pickering's Constructing Quarks: A Sociological History of Particle Physics. At the same time, Social Constructionism shaped studies of technology the Sofield, especially on the Social construction of technology, or SCOT, and authors as Wiebe Bijker, Trevor Pinch, Maarten van Wesel, etc.[42][43] Despite its common perception as objective, mathematics is not immune to social constructionist accounts. Sociologists such as Sal Restivo and Randall Collins, mathematicians including Reuben Hersh and Philip J. Davis, and philosophers including Paul Ernest have published social constructionist treatments of mathematics.
Social constructionism can be seen as a source of the postmodern movement, and has been influential in the field of cultural studies. Some have gone so far as to attribute the rise of cultural studies (the cultural turn) to social constructionism. Within the social constructionist strand of postmodernism, the concept of socially constructed reality stresses the ongoing mass-building of worldviews by individuals in dialectical interaction with society at a time. The numerous realities so formed comprise, according to this view, the imagined worlds of human social existence and activity, gradually crystallized by habit into institutions propped up by language conventions, given ongoing legitimacy by mythology, religion and philosophy, maintained by therapies and socialization, and subjectively internalized by upbringing and education to become part of the identity of social citizens.
In the book The Reality of Social Construction, the British sociologist Dave Elder-Vass places the development of social constructionism as one outcome of the legacy of postmodernism. He writes "Perhaps the most widespread and influential product of this process [coming to terms with the legacy of postmodernism] is social constructionism, which has been booming [within the domain of social theory] since the 1980s."[44]
Social constructionism falls toward the nurture end of the spectrum of the larger nature and nurture debate. Consequently, critics have argued that it generally ignores biological influences on behaviour or culture, or suggests that they are unimportant to achieve an understanding of human behaviour.[45] The view of most psychologists and social scientists is that behaviour is a complex outcome of both biological and cultural influences.[46][47] Other disciplines, such as evolutionary psychology, behaviour genetics, behavioural neuroscience, epigenetics, etc., take a naturenurture interactionism approach to understand behaviour or cultural phenomena.
In 1996, to illustrate what he believed to be the intellectual weaknesses of social constructionism and postmodernism, physics professor Alan Sokal submitted an article to the academic journal Social Text deliberately written to be incomprehensible but including phrases and jargon typical of the articles published by the journal. The submission, which was published, was an experiment to see if the journal would "publish an article liberally salted with nonsense if (a) it sounded good and (b) it flattered the editors' ideological preconceptions."[48] The Postmodernism Generator is a computer program that is designed to produce similarly incomprehensible text.[49] In 1999, Sokal, with coauthor Jean Bricmont published the book Fashionable Nonsense, which criticized postmodernism and social constructionism.
Philosopher Paul Boghossian has also written against social constructionism. He follows Ian Hacking's argument that many adopt social constructionism because of its potentially liberating stance: if things are the way that they are only because of our social conventions, as opposed to being so naturally, then it should be possible to change them into how we would rather have them be. He then states that social constructionists argue that we should refrain from making absolute judgements about what is true and instead state that something is true in the light of this or that theory. Countering this, he states:
But it is hard to see how we might coherently follow this advice. Given that the propositions which make up epistemic systems are just very general propositions about what absolutely justifies what, it makes no sense to insist that we abandon making absolute particular judgements about what justifies what while allowing us to accept absolute general judgements about what justifies what. But in effect this is what the epistemic relativist is recommending.[50]
Later in the same work, Boghossian severely constrains the requirements of relativism. He states that instead of believing that any world view is just as true as any other (cultural relativism), we should believe that:
If we were to encounter an actual, coherent, fundamental, genuine alternative to our epistemic system, C2, whose track record was impressive enough to make us doubt the correctness of our own system, C1, we would not be able to justify C1 over C2 even by our own lights.
Woolgar and Pawluch[51] argue that constructionists tend to 'ontological gerrymander' social conditions in and out of their analysis. Following this point, Thibodeaux[52] argued that constructionism can both separate and combine a subject and their effective environment. To resolve this he argued that objective conditions should be used when analyzing how perspectives are motivated.
Social constructionism has been criticized by psychologists such as University of Toronto Professor Jordan Peterson and evolutionary psychologists, including Steven Pinker in his book The Blank Slate.[53] John Tooby and Leda Cosmides used the term "standard social science model" to refer to social-science philosophies that they argue fail to take into account the evolved properties of the brain.[54]
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Social constructionism - Wikipedia
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Mid-America Contractors - Commercial Construction
More coveted waterfront retail space will be available in early spring along Richlands George Washington Way.
The new 11,062-square-foot strip mall will cater to retailers and restauranteurs.
Ground was broken in mid-August, and general contractor on the project, OBrien Construction Company Inc., estimates a six-month construction period, with completion planned for February or March.
Company Vice President Zak OBrien said the multi-tenant retail space will be a vanilla shell at full build-out, or in other words, unfinished inside.
Unless between now and then tenants approach us to build out their space, which we will build and do improvements for them, OBrien said.
The building could accommodate up to seven tenants, according to a building permit filed with the city of Richland.
Russell C. Page Architects of Spokane designed the concrete block building, which will be similar in aesthetic to its next door neighbor, Hilton Homewood Suites.
The architectural look of the facility will resemble the Hilton, OBrien said. It will have a Tuscan-style look tile roof, stucco-like wall appearance and natural rock.
I love that Tuscan design, said property owner Dick Vandervert of Spokane-based Vandervert Developments. He said he has applied the style to other building projects throughout the region.
Hard costs for the project are valued at $1.5 million, though the total cost of the project, including soft costs, has yet to be estimated, Vandervert said.
OBrien said the site has great east-side river frontage and the benefit of the Hanford 500 coming through that corridor daily, he said, referring to rush hour traffic coming to and from the Hanford Site.
An eight-story, high-end, condo complex with two stories of parking beneath were originally planned for the site at 1080 George Washington Way by Dick and his wife, Bonnie Vandervert.
The condos would have neighbored the former Waterford Condos, which were converted in 2015 to a Hilton Homewood Suites.
The construction of the condos had barely begun on the site when the economic recession hit in 2007-08, effectively bringing the project to a grinding halt. The site has seen no further activity until now.
OBrien said the reason for the change of plans for the lot is that the Vanderverts stand to earn more of a return on investment with retail space.
I think that retail is the best thing we can do, agreed Vandervert, who went on to say the new shops will provide additional amenities for neighboring hotel guests. We will have good services there for them. We only want tenants who will provide good services.
So far, there are no confirmed tenants for the new building, but OBrien did note there is active interest, including one Spokane-based business.
Vandervert said that leasing will be handled through Vandervert Developments and will be actively marketed once standing walls are erected.
OBrien encourages prospective tenants to inquire, as other recent developments the company has worked on have filled up quickly prior to construction completion.
Im just really happy to do it for Dick and Bonnie. Theyre great people. Its going to be a beautiful addition to the G-Way corridor and Richland, OBrien said.
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New riverside retail space under construction on George ...
Posted May 25, 2016 by Rutledge Construction
Retail spaces construction is a discipline of commercial construction and design that combines several areas of expertise for the design and construction of retail space. Although the design of retail space is an architectural specialty that includes interior design, but also incorporates advertising, ergonomics, graphic design, industrial design and interior decoration, as well as site design.
Retail is such a competitive area of business and providing the right layout, circulation, entrance and exit and atmospheric conditions take a cooperative effort between the designer and the contractor. It is essential the designer and contractor work together in an understanding and cooperative manner to make the project a success and if the contractor is also the designer, that is a bonus.
Lets discuss five items to keep in mind when considering hiring retail spaces construction contractor.
It is important a retail spaces construction contractor understand the permitting process and the necessary permits that must be obtained before the work begins. There are always local permits to obtain and depending on the type of work there may be state and possibly federal permits that are required. The permitting process may impact the time frame for starting and completing a project and that has to be taken into consideration when bidding and estimating a time frame for the project.
It is essential the retail spaces construction contractor carry the proper licensing and insurance. The proper licensing assures the client the contractor has demonstrated their ability to perform and complete the tasks undertaken for the project and the work will be of a certain quality. Proper insurance protects both the contractor and client in case of accident while the work is underway.
References are very important to check and the ability to speak directly to others the contractor has worked for is vital to help evaluate if the contractor will meet the needs of the client. It is important the contractor has experience in the type of retail space that is needed. Keep in mind a newly formed company may have the necessary experience as long as the employees have been in the industry for a decent amount of time.
Since the design of retail space must be in such a way that promotes a hassle free and enjoyable shopping environment it is important the retail spaces construction contractor be experienced in the type of retail space being built. Shoppers want to have plenty of room to roam the store without feeling like they are in a sardine can. If a shopper is feeling cramped in a store they will most likely curtail their shopping expedition earlier than the original plan and may view products, as well as the store in a negative light.
Before signing a retail spaces construction contractor for a specific project, it is wise to obtain at least three bids for the work. The bids, which should always be written should include specifics about the project such as an expected time frame to start and complete the project, the materials to be used, items the client will provide such as plans and specifications and what happens if something unexpected while the work is underway such as weather events or a delay in obtaining the supplies and materials. The bid should also include who is responsible for cleanup and disposal of debris. The bid should also outline the permitting process and who will be responsible for application items and fee.
If you are in need of retail space construction, please contact us and speak to one of our experienced technicians and let is guide you through the process.
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The University of Louisiana at Lafayette will begin construction next week on a project to bring nearly 600 new beds and 5,000 square feet of retail space to campus.
The apartment complex is the latest step in UL Lafayettes ongoing effort to expand and renovate on-campus student housing.
Once built, the facility will offer students a choice of two-, three-, and four-bedroom units. Each furnished apartment will have a full kitchen, and washer and dryer. Meal plans will be offered, but not required.
The complex will include five buildings with 591 beds on a 12-acre tract at the corner of Johnston and East Lewis streets. One of the buildings that will front that intersection will have 4,883 square feet of retail space on its first floor, with apartments on the second and third floors.
The complexs outdoor recreation areas will include a swimming pool, sand volleyball court and grilling pavilion. A clubhouse will feature a fitness center, study and game rooms, and a lounge.
The facility is scheduled for completion by Fall 2019.
Plans include 632 parking spaces for residents, guests and retail customers. More than half of the spaces will be located on the east side of Coulee Mine, which runs through the tract. A new pedestrian bridge will connect the properties.
The University acquired the Youth Park in 2012 when it sold its former horse farm now Moncus Park to Lafayette Consolidated Government.
The dog park, skate bowl, dirt bike track and ball field on the site will be eliminated. A restroom building, set of bleachers, and some maintenance and storage facilities will be removed.
The agreement when the University acquired the park property from the city was that as long as we did not have plans to develop the site, the dog park and skate bowl could stay temporarily. But obviously, the housing project will affect them, said Bill Crist, UL Lafayettes director of Facility Management.
The University allowed public use of the Youth Park during the design phase of the student apartment complex and as plans to develop Moncus Park were finalized. The Youth Park will close May 9.
Dog owners have alternatives to Youth Parks dog park. LCG built a new dog park in Brown Park in Upper Lafayette, for example.
Also, Lafayette Central Park Inc. is including a dog park in Phase I of the Moncus Park construction that recently got underway. Phase 1 is expected to be finished in 2019.
LCG also maintains a dog park at Graham Brown Memorial Park, 1234 E. Pont Des Mouton Road. LCG may add another pooch playground at Beaullieu Park, 411 W. Bluebird Drive, later this year.
Cajun BMX Park, a 1,200-foot, all-dirt public bicycle racing track, recently opened at Picard Park in Milton, Louisiana.
The ball field at Youth Park is no longer in use; teams play at other city-parish facilities.
Were considering options for an alternative to losing the skate bowl, said Aaron Martin, the Universitys chief communications officer.
UL Lafayette currently can accommodate 3,180 students in its residence halls. The complex's additional 600 beds would enable nearly a quarter of its student population to live on campus.
Residents of the new apartments will range from sophomores to graduate students.
Construction of the five buildings on the site is anticipated to cost $48 million. The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors has approved the expenditure of up to $105 million if the University chooses to expand the apartment complex on this site.
The project will be financed through a partnership with the private, nonprofit Ragin Cajuns Facilities Inc.
Ragin Cajun Facilities Inc. maintains funds needed to design and build student housing and other University-related construction projects. It qualifies for tax-exempt status because it is a nonprofit. Bond funding enables the University to construct facilities without having to compete for state capital outlay funds.
RISE Real Estate, formerly known as Ambling University Development Group, is project developer of the new apartment complex. Niles Bolton Associates is the architect, and The Lemoine Company is the general contractor.
Contractors working on the project are expected to comply with all city noise ordinances, according to Crist.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Niles Bolton Associates
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Construction to expand University housing, add retail ...
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