Tag: hot topics
Blue-Ribbon Advice for Spec Suites from Dyer Brown
by Karen Bala For brokers and owners of office buildings, constructing “spec suites” as ready-to-occupy office spaces can be a no-fail way to lease out commercial buildings — if they are designed well. In fact, spec suites or “marketing suites,” as they are known — spaces built out by a building owner for the purpose […]
High Density Parking is Key to Unlocking Boston’s Development Future
by Alan Simon Boston is well known for its unique parking challenges and its cost in a 21st-century city that is constantly on the go. As new developments shrink existing public parking inventories, many of the city’s most popular venues and shifting neighborhoods struggle with ever-growing parking shortages. The current residential housing market expansion, coupled […]
Don’t Forget the End-User: Why employee involvement can be invaluable when planning a renovation or new construction project
Why employee involvement can be invaluable when planning a renovation or new construction project by Heather Waice When deciding to move forward with a commercial construction project, an organization is typically spurred by a specific reason(s). Their current space is outdated. They’re looking to expand their business. Their existing facility no longer accommodates their operations. […]
Plans4Less Teams with Procore
Boston – People of a certain age will recall how everyone said that computers will make paper obsolete. Remember? Not so fast. Notably, in construction, architecture, engineering, and related fields, there are times when having plans on paper makes it easier for the project management team to see at a glance both the big […]
The Residential Real Estate Market: Insight into the Future
by Matthew Guarracino Over time, real estate is often one of the safest and most lucrative investments. But the key phrase is “over time.” Markets fluctuate, recessions come and go, and downturns often hit real estate markets the hardest. All of which begs the question: Are we headed for a recession or any kind of […]
Construction Industry Balances Optimism with Lack of Skilled Workers
by Mike Dion Mike Dion When a new year rolls in, so do revived feelings of eagerness, motivation, and optimism. While the economy continues to improve, many in the construction industry look to an opportunistic year in 2017. With a national unemployment rate at 4.8%, and 227,000 new jobs added in January 2017, this year […]
Collaboration is Your Competitive Advantage
by Brent Robertson As building projects continue to get more complex and require more experts working together, the ability to collaborate has become the essential ingredient for success. For AEC firms, collaborating has always been an important way to get things done. Even so, it’s rarely considered a primary focus and doesn’t get the same attention […]
Restoring a Building from the Inside Out
by Nancy Greenwald Extending the life of an existing building is both a science and an art. The first step is deciding whether the building should be preserved or replaced. There are many reasons for preserving older buildings that are unrelated to cost. Preserving our nation’s valuable historical buildings is one important reason. Buildings that […]
High-Value Scaffold on Boston’s Newest High-Rise Designs
by Katherine Marr and Keith Wells Two-point adjustable suspension scaffolds, also known as suspended scaffolds, are no secret to contractors who rely on their high-efficiency performance for exterior wall construction and maintenance of high-rise buildings. A variety of types of suspended scaffold are widely applied in the field, and they are presently in great demand […]
Going Strong, a Construction Forecast for 2017
by Craig Jewett As we turn the corner into 2017, the construction industry is seeing a boom that has not been felt in more than a decade. According to Dodge, commercial building saw a growth of nearly 12% in 2016. This growth over the past few years has been increasing steadily and is expected to […]
