Anastasia Barnes
August is our annual focus on Retail and Hospitality which, as we all know, have both been hit the hardest during the pandemic.
Hotel developers and retailers alike are finding ways to pivot and find use for their space. According to an article on Skift.com, over 16,000 hotels in the U.S. have signed up for the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Hospitality for Hope program, which connects hoteliers with the public sector on potential emergency health uses.
Local retailers are offering online orders with curbside pickups or deliveries, and restaurants are finding creative ways to offer outdoor dining. Jaime Ward, head of retail finance at Citizens Bank, said, “Retail sales showed better-than-expected improvement in June and continued to move in the right direction after May’s dramatic rebound, but there are warning signs as some parts of the country where COVID cases are surging have halted or reversed their reopening plans.”
The Community Associations Institute (CAI) recently released a helpful guide called Status Check. It is specifically designed to guide homeowners, community managers, and business partners on how and when to effectively open public and private facilities, including how to effectively phase in business operations. The guide is a helpful tool, especially with smaller communities that may not have the resources to provide for their population.
Design/build firms are coming up with creative solutions for their clients to be able to adapt while adopting safer practices. Lindsey Fortunato’s article on page 12 gives an insight on what her firm is doing to adapt to these times.
High-Profile has been working hard behind the scenes, with the help of our awesome interns, to revamp how we produce our #HPConnects webinar. Be on the lookout for our upcoming topics and dates for this fall, and watch past webinars at https://www.high-profile.com/hp-connects/.
Don’t forget to download all 26 episodes of the #BuildBetter podcast by visiting www.buildbetter.space. You’ll need something to listen to for your upcoming road trip! Next season’s lineup will kick off with Julia Gamolina of MadameArchitect.org, discussing how she and her editorial team highlight women in all areas of the architectural field and share their success stories with the world.
Join us for HP’s focus on Educational Facilities in the September issue. Learn how our schools and institutions are planning to repurpose space and deal with COVID-19’s effects from an AEC perspective. Visit www.high-proifle.com/next-issue for details.
I hope you’re all enjoying your summer as safely as possible. All of us at HP encourage you to sit by the sea, on a mountain top, or in your backyard to enjoy the outdoors while you read!
Cheers,
Anastasia
