What Americans Want In Apartments

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As you determine ways to make your apartment complex more appealing to tenants, you should pay attention to the latest trends when it comes to outdoor spaces.

More specifically, take note of what the American Society of Landscape Architects found when they conducted their Residential Landscape Architecture Trends survey for 2013. Then consider using these findings to your advantage as you work to improve your property.

Opportunities to Cook and Entertain Outdoors Top the List
A whopping 96% of Americans surveyed said they wanted grills outside. This was closely followed by complete outdoor living spaces, including outdoor kitchens and areas to entertain guests. If your apartment complex does not yet have a built-in barbecue area, or grills at the very least, you might be missing out on tenants who value livable outdoor spaces.

Seating is equally important according to the survey results, so make sure you have tables, chairs, or even basic picnic tables set up around the apartment complex. Installing some fire pits or outdoor fireplaces may also be the key to satisfying your tenants, according to 97% of the survey respondents.

Sustainability Matters When It Comes to Apartment Landscaping
More people care about sustainable outdoor spaces than you might have thought, and that includes landscaping. In fact, about 94% of people surveyed said they liked low-maintenance landscapes. Of course, in an apartment complex, the amount of maintenance might not directly affect the tenants, but it may affect your landscaping bill. Choosing plants that are native to the area can reduce the amount of work required to keep them healthy, and this move would please 87% of the survey respondents, too.

Nearly as many people also like the idea of having gardens that grow fruits and vegetables. In fact, more apartment landscaping plans these days are featuring gardens as a major part of their sustainable outdoor spaces. You can offer one or even a few courtyard gardens, or even window boxes for tenants to grow their own food. Either way, this apartment landscaping can improve the quality of life in your complex. It often even increases the length of each tenant’s stay, since many people grow quite attached to their gardens after putting in hours of work to grow food.

Lighting and Installed Seating Are Also on the Minds of Many Tenants
About 95% of those surveyed claimed lighting was important to them in an outdoor space. After all, this makes it possible for tenants to cook dinner outside as the sun goes down or even simply feel safer taking walks at night. Considering how much people now value sustainable outdoor spaces, you should be sure to use energy-efficient or even solar lighting with timers and sensors to help keep light pollution to a minimum.

Another common desire for outdoor space is the presence of installed seating. This ranges from simple ledges and boulders to installed benches. You can install what you think would look best in your apartment complex, again paying attention to sustainability by using eco-friendly materials that can stand up to your city’s climate for years.

Outdoor Recreation Amenities Are Appreciated in Modern Apartments
You might be surprised to find that outdoor recreation amenities, such as pools and tennis courts, garnered only 76% of the vote in this survey. In fact, more people – about 82% – thought having weatherized chairs outside was more important. That means the ability to cook outside and sit comfortably, perhaps in front of a fire pit, is more important to many Americans than access to a pool.

Of course, many apartment complexes are still expected to have such fun amenities, especially in warmer areas. However, apparently you should focus on getting grills and seating set up first if your apartment landscaping is missing these features. After all, sustainable outdoor spaces are of great importance to many tenants.

 

Source: Green Property Management

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Survey: Nation’s Mayors To Increase Investment In Energy Efficiency

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U.S. mayors are expecting to significantly increase investment in energy technologies over the next five years, according to a new survey of nearly 300 cities.

The survey, Energy Efficiency and Technologies in America’s Cities, indicates that mayors plan to make energy-efficient lighting technology, LEDs as the primary example, a top priority over the next two years.  LED and energy-efficient lighting was also overwhelmingly rated as the “most promising” technology for reducing city energy use and carbon emissions, according to 82% respondents.

In addition to lighting, retrofitting public buildings also ranked as a top priority in improving the energy efficiency of city infrastructure. Significantly, mayors expect to use their own local resources, followed by partnerships with the private sector, as the sources of financing these technologies. And in terms of the actual deployment of new technologies, survey findings reveal that more than seven in ten mayors believe their local utilities are now their city’s most important partner in doing so.

The full list of technologies that are receiving top priority are:

  1. LED/energy-efficient lighting: 29%
  2. Solar PV systems: 19%
  3. Building retrofits: 18%
  4. Renewable energy: 8%
  5. CNG fueling: 7%
  6. EV charging stations/hybrid vehicles: 5%
  7. Low-energy buildings: 4%
  8. Smart grid: 3%

Of note, survey results also indicate that because of recent weather events and associated power outages, three in four cities have developed plans to keep vital city services operating during sustained outages, and within three years, nearly 90% of all cities surveyed expect to have such plans in place.

The survey was conducted by the United States Conference of Mayors in conjunction with Philips. The full report can be found at usmayors.org.

 

Source:  Buildings

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Apartment Amenities: Understanding What Gen Y Wants

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The multifamily industry spends considerable time and money targeting Gen Y renters through property management, apartment development, and marketing.

And when 72% of people under 30 years old live in rental housing, its easy to understand why.

But do multifamily professionals really know what Generation Y wants when it comes to their apartment home? And do the 20-somethings employed within the industry think we actually understand them?

Here’s an idea: let’s ask them.

At the 2013 Crittenden Multifamily conference in Dallas last March, Property Management Insider contributor, and resident Millennial, Jay Parsons moderated a panel discussion with Generation Y multifamily professionals to debunk some myths about this particular generation of renters.

When the topic of discussion turned to apartment amenities, Parsons asked the panelist their verdicts on development trends and amenities that are typically targeted at them and whether they are truly essential or overrated.

Green Features are a Given with Gen Y

This one needs some clarification: green features as amenities are overrated, but that’s because Millennials expect your property to have them. Meaning, Green is not a feature, but part of the base package. So rather than trying to sell Millennials on green features, explain HOW your property is green and the cost savings.

But don’t oversell the cost savings because this could be someone’s first apartment and they won’t have a baseline for cost comparisons. Rather than trying to sell renters and what THEY can save, brag about how much YOU saved with green. Market your community and philosophy, not the unit. And for the record, each panelist said they would NOT pay more rent because an apartment is green.

Verdict: Overrated as an amenity, essential for an apartment community.

Dog Parks are the PreferenceImage of dogs playing in a dog park

Dogs, and pets in general, are the new children for Millennials. They’re not avoiding marriage and children but they may be delaying them so when they are getting their first apartment or moving to a new city, they need to bring their best friend along with them.

But don’t despair if your apartment community doesn’t have a dog park. Play up your proximity to any area dog parks or other animal friendly venues. This is especially important when dealing with urban environments. One of the panelists implored the audience to get creative: put one on the roof, use garage space, etc.

Verdict: Essential

 

Your Video Game Room Won’t Turn Any Heads—or Thumbs

The panel practically dismissed this “amenity” with a disinterested wave of the hand. Video game play is about gathering with friends in their space, not a common area. Panelist said the same goes for movie rooms. Besides, as one panelist pointed out, sometimes it is better to trash talk a 13-year old online in private while playing Gears of War and not in public

Verdict: Overrated

Tanning Beds Get a Cold Reception

Besides the extra effort to clean and maintain tanning beds, not mention adhering to health codes, the controls are typically located in the leasing center and can only be controlled by staff. That means tanning beds are only available during regular leasing office hours and not when it’s convenient for the resident. One panelist offered up an alternative to tanning beds: spray tanning.

Verdict: Overrated

Fitness Centers Shouldn’t Feel Confined

If you’re going to sell your fitness center to Generation Y, bring your A game. Don’t place a few elliptical machines and treadmills in a room the size of a small dining room and expect Millennials to be impressed. Also, you must have modern equipment. You need personal TV screens and the ability to plug in iPods and other media devices.

Panelists were keen on flexible spaces. Because many Millennials are willing to live in smaller units to save money, they don’t have room for activities such as Yoga or Tae Bow. By having flex spaces at your community, you allow residents more choice in the activities they can do. One panelist went so far as to suggest that property managers contract with a local gym provider and allow them to run a fitness center.

Verdict: Essential, but with conditions

Premium Parking Can Pay Off with Millennials

While Millennials may not be willing to pay extra for green amenities, they might pay for convenient parking. One panelist said she would be willing to pay $75 to $100 more per month just to be closer to the elevator. Two other panelists pointed out that while there is a trend towards walkability, even in urban areas, and using alternative means of transportation such as light rail, bus, and even ZipCar, parking is essential.

Verdict: Essential

It’s not that these amenities are unimportant. Keep in mind that this is only the opinion from a small group of Millennials who also happen to be professionals in the apartment industry. Take these opinions with a grain of salt, test them at your own properties, and adjust your marketing messages according to the results of your research.

What are you experiencing at your properties? From the Millennial perspective, what amenities are essential and what are over rated?

 

Source:  Property Management Insider

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Making A Workplace Pet Friendly

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Pets do everything from soothing stress to providing comic relief at the workplace. In fact, pets are becoming such a part of our professional lives that many big companies now offer dog-friendly workplace policies and perks, like pet health insurance in their benefits packages.

Making a workplace safe for pets is important – after all, our furry friends aren’t eligible for workers’ compensation. Here’s how to make sure your facility won’t place pets in peril.

Before allowing tenants to bring best friends into the office, be sure to clear all areas of anything that could tempt dogs to chew, and keep things like fans, paper cutters, and printers up high and away from the ends of tables, where they could be knocked over onto unsuspecting pets. Dogs can suffer burns to the mouth, paws, and face from chewing on cables, so keep dangling cords out of paws’ reach.

Cake, candy, and other office treats should never be left out on countertops when pets are on the clock. No one wants to share a cubicle with a pet in intestinal distress – but more importantly, human foods like coffee and chocolate can actually poison pets. Provide plenty of tall trash cans with locking lids, and remind workers to discard their leftover lunches.

Doors that lead to parking lots, loading docks, and busy streets can be gateways to disaster for roaming dogs. Provide crates, gates, and leash tethers to keep four-legged friends secured in the doghouse. Remember that pets’ paws can easily be punctured by high heels if someone makes a misstep, and rolling chairs can crush toes or tails in close quarters. Really think about whether there’s enough space to accommodate pets before inviting them to work.

Finally, keep toys, treats, and anything pets might compete over out of common areas, and establish an outside-only rule for play. Just as coworkers can sometimes clash, dogs don’t always play well together. Little squabbles here and there are normal, but it’s best to adopt a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to a truly aggressive pet.

When welcoming pets into an office building, it is a good idea to have pet parents sign an official pet policy that clearly spells out all of the rules. Put safety first and set boundaries and you’ll reap the many benefits of a pet-friendly workplace.

 

Source:  Buildings

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Older Renters To Drive Demand In Next Decade

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Younger renters have long been the prized demographic for apartment owners, but there’s some indication that an older demographic is going to be an increasingly important segment for landlords in the coming decade, according to a research note published recently by the National Multi Housing Council. That is, the aging baby boom demographic might make itself felt in the rental market as its members downsize from home ownership.

The baby boom generation remains the demographic bulge that it’s been since U.S. birth rates, which dropped precipitously during the Depression in the 1930s, spiked during the prosperity of the 1950s. After another trough in the 1970s, the number of U.S. births has roughly stabilized at around 4 million a year.

Thus, the number of births has varied much less in the past 25 years than it has in the prior 50 years, which means that—projecting forward—the number of young people entering the housing market, which usually means as renters, should vary little over the next 20 years. By contrast, the size of the baby boom generation (the youngest of which are about the turn 50) carries with it the potential for a large number of people transitioning to rental housing.

Sheer generational size, however, isn’t the only variable. Household formation is critical. The number of U.S. households increased by 11.2 million between 2003 and 2013; more than half (58 percent) of that increase came among householders from 55-64 years of age. Over the next 10 years, however, that age group will make up only 12 percent of the increase in households.

The bulk (72 percent) of the increase in households from 2013-2023 will instead occur among householders in the two oldest groups combined (65-74 and over 75 years of age), estimates the NMHC research note. The share of household growth among the youngest two age groups (15-24 and 25-34 years of age) will be slightly higher in the next 10 years than in the previous decade, but both shares will remain relatively small.

How many of these new, older households will be renters? Based on the 2013 Current Population Survey rentership rates, the 25-34 age group will make up 31 percent of the renter increase going forward, the largest of any single age group. However, the 65-74 and over 75 groups will make up a combined 52 percent of the growth in renter households. By contrast, the growth in renter households in the 55-64 age group will be slightly more than offset by the decline in renters in the 45-54 age group between 2013 and 2023.

In short, a relatively large number of a relatively large demographic group will become renters in the next 10 years. Younger renters will remain important, but it will probably be their elders who provide some oomph to the demand for apartments over the next decade.

 

Source:  MHN

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Incandescent Bulb Phase-Out Myths Debunked

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The New Year brought big changes to the lighting industry.

The final step of the Energy Independence and Security Act took effect January 1, 2014, which means that incandescent 40- and 60-watt bulbs can no longer be manufactured. According to Osram Sylvania’s Socket Survey, only four out of ten Americans are aware of these changes.

Facility managers have dealt with light bulb phase-outs before with the 100-watt in 2012 and the 75-watt in 2013.
See tips for dealing with lighting phase outs.

According to Lowe’s, here are five things you need to know about the change:

1. You Can Keep Your Current Bulbs
According to the legislation, consumers can still use their existing incandescent light bulbs and retailers are allowed to sell bulbs they have on their shelves and in stock. Manufacturers are simply required to stop producing non-compliant products. Some specialty types of incandescent light bulbs, such as reflectors, three-way, appliance, and some decorative bulbs, are exceptions to the law and can still be manufactured.

2. You Won’t Notice A Major Difference
Halogen light bulbs are a popular pick by interior designers because of their crisp, white light and welcoming ambiance. For customers who love the look and feel of incandescent light bulbs, there is no need to worry. Manufacturers have developed halogen light bulbs that both meet the new efficiency standards and offer the characteristics of traditional bulbs. While these bulbs may cost more up front, they pay off in the long run by saving 28% in energy costs over the life of the product.

3. You Won’t Replace Your Bulb Until Your Baby Graduates From College
It’s a great time to upgrade to LED light bulbs as prices have steadily decreased while performance and appearance have improved. According to Lowe’s manufacturers, an average LED bulb will last more than 22 years (based on three hours of usage per day), and over its lifetime will cost about $30 to operate, whereas an incandescent bulb will cost $165 over the same period of time. Lowe’s carries a wide variety of LED bulbs for almost every household application with prices starting under $10.

4. These Aren’t The CFLs Of Years Past
CFLs, one of the most popular replacements for incandescent bulbs, have changed dramatically with recent technological improvements. Manufacturers have addressed common customer feedback so that these bulbs now create better light output and turn on faster when you flip a switch. Once considered a safety concern because of mercury content, today’s CFLs contain less mercury than a common household thermometer.

5. There’s A Full Light Spectrum For Different Applications
Light bulbs are available in a variety of color temperatures and should be selected based on application and personal preference.

 

Source: Buildings.com

 

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Retail Sector Welcomes ICSC’s New Property Efficiency Scorecard

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For the first time, shopping centers have an individualized way to benchmark energy use.

Thanks to the new Property Efficiency Scorecard recently launched at the ICSC’s Retail Green conference, property owners can input data online on energy use, water consumption, recycling and waste and overall green operating practices.  Enter data from one center or all of the centers in a portfolio and compare it with others in a portfolio or to centers with similar characteristics.

Eventually, the goal is for the Scorecard to have ranking similar to an Energy Star 0 to 100 rating, says Will Teichman, director of sustainability for Kimco Realty, one of the partners that helped craft the tool. For now, in each category, property owners can receive a score that is similar to the energy-use intensity (EUI) score, which measures kilowatt use per sq. ft. per year. The program will offer basic suggestions on how to save energy, based on the benchmarking results, but the real work comes after benchmarking. “What it does is give you insight that allows you to dig deeper,” says Teichman, who adds that he expects all of Kimco’s retail properties to be benchmarking with the program by January.

Benchmarking is important because property owners can’t start saving money on energy unless they know how much they are using, he explains; however, benchmarking also has tangible benefits that extend well beyond energy efficiency. “Although some argue this may correlate to higher rents over the long term, we view it as more of a competitiveness issue,” says Teichman. “Sustainability is an expectation of leading retailers and the implementation of these measures lowers one of our tenants’ largest occupancy costs.”

Sustainability is also becoming an increasingly important priority to investors, Teichman says. “Particularly with large institutional shareholders—they are requesting greater transparency into the sustainability performance of real estate portfolios, and view sustainability as an opportunity to improve property performance and mitigate risks,” he says. “Growth in disclosure forums such as the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) is a leading indicator of investor interest in sustainability.”

The information on each center is not public, so property owners need to know how their buildings stack up against centers in similar geographic areas, says Rudolph E. Milian, ICSC’s senior staff vice president for professional development services. Enrollment begins in January. “We definitely want to have at least 1,000 properties in the system in 2014, and I think we can exceed that,” Milian says. Payment is based on the number of properties benchmarked: one to 10 properties costs $400 per property annually, and 51 to 100 centers costs $255 per property per year. The fee for benchmarking more than 101 properties is a flat $30,000 fee annually.

Joyce Mihalik, vice president of energy services for Forest City Enterprises, is another one of the Scorecard’s early adopters and creators. About 75 percent of Forest City’s retail portfolio is already entered into the Scorecard system. She says her company has an internal benchmarking tool used for its properties, and she expects to use the ICSC Scorecard in a similar way. “We use it as a prioritization tool, for budget and forecasting purposes, where to do upgrades and interventions,” Mihalik says. “This is the way we know that here is a property where we have to go back and spend the day with the property manager to see what is really happening out there. “Are they really a poor performer? Or was the system on over-ride for three months because that tenant needed extra hours?” she says. “The data is only half the story. Then you have to do the homework.”

It is crucial for the shopping center sector to have its own benchmarking metric because that property type is so different from the rest of the commercial real estate sector, Mihalik says. While Energy Star and Portfolio Manager are widely known and well regarded, she adds, they don’t take into account the unique nature of the shopping center market. Although Mihalik says Energy Star has an important place, she notes that one of the frequent criticisms of the Portfolio Manager program in the fact that the data used for comparing commercial properties is from 2003. “This Scorecard is going to allow you to compare yourself to a live dataset,” she says. Energy Star has come under criticism from the multifamily sector for not having a rating designed for the quirks of that sector, and a score targeted for multifamily is expected in 2014. No other commercial real estate sector has created its own benchmarking system like the ICSC Scorecard.

The Scorecard also allows users to upload data only once and then to export it into other formats, such as Portfolio Manager or GRESB, in order to meet local laws or requests from tenants or investors. “I don’t want to have to key in my data a hundred times in different places,” Mihalik says. “I’d rather have our energy-efficiency team being sent out to do an energy audit or develop sustainable policy.” Mihalik says she doesn’t see ICSC’s Scorecard as being “in competition with other reporting standards.” Instead, she says she appreciates it as “an added feature and an added tool.”

 

Source: National Real Estate Investor

 

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New Office Designs, Amenities Redefining The Meaning Of “Class A”

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By the numbers, office development still remains a shadow of its former self.

But, the few corporate and multi-tenant buildings that are coming out of the ground are raising the bar on class-A standards.

These new buildings—which some have dubbed “class-AA”—are packed with amenities and features that aim to meet the needs of a changing workforce and shifting workplace trends. “The market in general is showing that tenants have a growing awareness of how the office environment can be used as a means to draw and retain talented employees,” says Sabrina Kanner, senior vice president, design and construction, U.S. commercial operations at Brookfield Office Properties in New York City.

As such, the task at hand for developers these days is more than just building a generic stand-alone office tower. The emphasis is on creating a vibrant community that combine a variety of amenities both inside and out such as park spaces, retail, restaurants, fitness centers and rooftop gardens. Office buildings need to embrace the new urban paradigm that fits the “live/work/play lifestyle” of today’s workers, adds Kanner.

Case in point is the first phase of Brookfield Place Calgary in the heart of downtown Calgary. Brookfield broke ground on the 1.4-million-sq.-ft. east tower in October. The building houses a number of amenities including a Winter Garden. The 27,000-sq.-ft. indoor park-like pavilion will host a variety of events and programs such as art exhibits, speakers and concerts. The intent is to have those events as an added offering to building tenants at lunchtime or after work. It also pulls in other neighboring office workers and residents to create more vibrancy and activity for the building’s retail tenants, says Kanner.

Real estate has become a big recruiting tool for companies today. “That is really driving tenants to step up into these more state-of-the-art buildings,” says Philip Croker, director of development for Hines in Houston.

Hines is in the process of putting the finishing touches on the design for 609 Main at Texas in Downtown Houston. Site prep work on the 1 million-sq.-ft. building began in early November. The 47-story commercial office building will sit next to the 46-story BG Group Place that was completed in 2011. Both buildings were designed by New Haven, Conn.-based Pickard Chilton. Even though the two projects are a scant few years apart, there are distinct design changes being made to 609 Main.

The design on BG Group Place was done in an era when it was still early in the game when new workplace trends were emerging, notes Croker. For example, the 7,500-sq.-ft. gym at 609 Main is three times larger than the gym at the neighboring BG Group Place. Fitness centers that for years have been seen as a scarcely used token amenity are in high demand and are getting a big makeover. Not only do these gyms feature state-of-the-art exercise equipment, but they have added features such as yoga and cycling studios, full-size basketball courts and virtual golf. “That is probably the number one amenity that people are asking for is the ability to get out of the office and go do something to break up the day,” says Croker.

Tenants also are asking for conference centers that are not in their own space, but part of the base building. Hines will build a 7,000 to 8,000-sq.-ft. conference center at 609 Main that overlooks Main Street. In addition, Hines plans to transform the traditional formal lobby space into a more informal meeting space. Employees are asking for spaces where they can come down from their own floor and be able to collaborate, relax or just hang out, notes Croker. So, rather than the lobby just being a place where people pass through to go to the elevators, it will be a more vibrant common area space, he adds.

Sustainable building and LEED certification is a standard component to the next generation of office buildings. But, tenants view that as more than a requirement that they need to check off the list. Tenants want natural light and fresh air, and they recognize that those are important qualities for workers and can be a real asset and not just a marketing gimmick, adds Kanner.

Modern designs clearly reflect the shift to a higher density workplace and different work styles. New office buildings have to include all of the infrastructure that supports that shift to higher density space in terms basic infrastructure such as floor loading, restrooms and HVAC systems, as well as space that allows for more collaboration. “The next generation of employees feed on proximity to each other,” says Kanner. It is a very collaborative work model that the office space now has to support.”

 

Source:  NREI

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Miami Real Estate Market Builds On City’s Cultural Renaissance

A gleaming addition to Miami’s waterfront greeted the art world elite as they jetted into town last week for the 12th edition of Art Basel Miami Beach: a $131 million art museum the city hopes will anchor its burgeoning cultural scene.

“Our cultural infrastructure has evolved,” said Thom Collins, director of the Perez Art Museum of Miami, also known as PAMM, which officially opened last Wednesday. ”We know people come here because they want the tropical environment. We needed to give them something that addresses our main competition, the beach.”

From sprawling, shaded verandas dotted with greenery, the Herzog & de Meuron-designed waterfront museum offers stunning vistas of Biscayne Bay and downtown Miami’s high rises. Inside the yawning space, architects used rough wood flooring and ceiling-high hurricane-proof windows to allow the building to blend into the existing landscape. “The ingredients here are cement, water, vegetation and sun, and the building should respond to these things,” said Jacques Herzog, whose firm famously converted a London power plant into the Tate Modern and designed San Francisco’s de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park.

Outside a plaza is being built designed by landscape firm James Corner Field Operations, renowned for the New York’s elevated High Line park in Manhattan. Since the first Art Basel Miami Beach, a spinoff of the fair held for decades in the Swiss city of the same name, Miami has undergone a cultural renaissance. Across from the convention center that hosts Art Basel is a Frank Gehry-designed symphony hall flanked by a large park where hundreds gather to watch projections of the performances inside the building broadcast on its exterior.

“People now think there is a component of Miami that includes art and culture,” said Carlos de la Cruz, a prominent Miami art collector who in 2009 opened a privately funded 30,000 square foot exhibition space filled with works from his family’s private collection, including works by Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Gabriel Orozco and Rudolf Stingel. “They wouldn’t have thought of that 20 years ago, and Art Basel is what put that idea there.”

The Wynwood neighborhood, a once-blighted area just north of downtown Miami, is now home to graffiti murals by world famous artists and galleries that attract collectors from around the world. In the Design District, award-winning restaurants buzz throughout the year and luxury retailers like Louis Vuitton and Cartier have taken up nearby storefronts.

Miami’s image as a rising cultural center has also been a boon for its volatile real estate market. ”Most people can’t believe the changes,” said Jorge Perez, chief executive of the Related Group, known as the “Condo King” of Miami. “Art has been one of the great catalysts in producing this great reaction to Miami and it translates most clearly in the real estate market,” he added, citing a new boom in luxury condo construction in the Miami area, with some buildings featuring high-priced art installations to attract buyers.

The hot real estate market has also attracted some high-profile firms, including Iraqi-born British architect Zaha Hadid, designer of a futuristic 62-story tower across the road from the new art museum, as well as Denmark’s Bjarke Ingels Group and Britain’s Lord Norman Foster. Yet the museum, partially funded by a $100 million public subsidy, came under fire in 2011, when Perez, a poster child for the city’s real estate collapse, got his name attached to it thanks to a donation of cash and art valued at $40 million.

Perez, who came under fire when billions of dollars of Related Group projects went into foreclosure, fired back at his critics, saying his intent with the museum was not only to burnish his own legacy, but to inspire more philanthropy from other wealthy Hispanics in the city. “Many times we’ve gotten the rap that either because we’re young migrants, or because we don’t have a tradition of giving we haven’t given our fair share to philanthropy,” he said. “Hispanics will be part of the mainstream of philanthropy it won’t just be Guggenheim, Getty and Whitney. You’ll also have Gonzalez and other Hispanic names that are becoming more and more a part of the economic mainstream.”

Miami remains a relatively young city, decades away from becoming a prominent art center outside of the week surrounding Art Basel and a host of satellite fairs. Many of the skyscrapers that now line the water were not there a decade ago and the region lacks major industries and major artistic educational institutions found in other cities. But art boosters say the new museum, like the Art Basel, will bolster Miami’s credibility as a global art hub. ”I think it’s going to be a Miami icon without trying to do anything other than being a really great museum,” Terence Riley, former curator at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, said during a public talk in November. “It’s going to be considered one of the most important contemporary museums anywhere,” added Riley who helped launch PAMM.

 

Source: AOL Real Estate

 

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Designing Workspaces That Support Employee Mental Health

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Is your office design hostile to your employees’ mental health?

While companies invest in many strategies to support the physical health of employees, from flu vaccinations to filtered air systems, ignoring employees’ mental health means businesses risk losing any gains they make in physical health support. Depression, stress, substance abuse, financial distress, work-life balance, ADHD, and, yes, even workplace bullying are all issues with which workers are dealing and that have a large drain on productivity.

Creating a healthy culture that supports employees’ mental health, though, may not be as complicated as some think.

Room To Work

Performance pressures, noise, distractions, and fast-paced deadlines can be stressful for workers.

Creating tranquil places to concentrate, especially in open-office environments, allow staff to choose their engagement level without losing the benefits of collaborative opportunities.

Positioning workstations away from busy aisles and work areas reduces distraction and noise, which glass panels also can help reduce. Respite rooms are gaining popularity, especially with customer service workers who need a quiet place to recharge from noisy phone work.

Seen And Connected

Environments where employees are physically seen and connected to coworkers allow people to feel like they are part of an organization and not isolated. Good workplace design causes employees to “bump into each other” frequently – at the printer, the copier, the coffee maker. These are important opportunities for social engagement.

For good behavioral health, design elements can promote a culture of transparency and increase communication: lower workstation walls, glass windows to offices, and a view to leadership.

In an open environment, leaders not only can demonstrate good behavior, but they can have a better sense of employees that might be struggling. An open environment also encourages staff self-policing, since it is harder for employees to hide bad behavior.

Creating A Home For A Mobile Workforce

Teleworkers can face unique challenges: social isolation, presenteeism, and undefined boundaries between work and home life.

When mobile workers come into the office for face-to-face connections, supporting their needs can be as important as supporting those who regularly work in the office.

Space can send a message about how important their physical presence is: Are there adequate drop-in spaces near teams with whom they interface? Are spaces “second class?” Do office meeting rooms have the technology for remote workers to see, hear and participate in meetings? Are there social spaces for team members to interact on a personal level?

These design strategies can communicate personal as well as professional value to an employee.

More Than A Perk

Regular exercise and providing access to daylight has not only shown to help reduce depression, but also improves absenteeism, increases productivity and is high on the list of employee satisfaction. Design workspace to maximize daylight for all workers. Provide a fitness area, outdoor walking paths or discounted gym membership.

Strategies that help employees balance work and personal demands sometimes have the greatest return as time is often the most precious gift. Flexible work schedules can help achieve such balance, as well as offering dry cleaning pick-up, access to food trucks, and even employee-of-the-month parking spot – all low or no cost strategies.

Lastly, workers want to be engaged, have access to leadership, and want to work for companies that have like-minded values. Having similar size workspace and workspace “perks” sends a message of “we’re all important to company success.”

Use your workplace to creatively reinforce corporate values and goals, providing subtle clues that tell staff what’s really important to a company. If marketing materials talk about environmental concerns, don’t overlook recycling containers or have a fleet of gas-guzzling cars.

With mental health issues affecting so many of us, companies are thinking beyond the stigma of mental health and developing strategies to improve the workplace. In the end, companies and employees can benefit from that.

 

Source:  SFBJ

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