American Builders Quarterly #90

AMERICAN BUILDERS QUARTERLY

Ana Finol soars high and makes breakthroughs in her career at Miami International Airport by improving airline efficiency

P10

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Realize Anything

From design visualization technology to construction management—tomorrow’s spaces need intelligent solutions. We are proud to be providing Miami International Airport with program management services. At CBRE, we connect all the dots, so you can realize anything.

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Driven by Innovation

Ana Finol, Ron Golem, and Jay

Neider lead the way in providing accessible, efficient, and safe options to move their communities forward P8

Drive Shack Inc.

Mike Chicoine dives into designing golf-leisure businesses to transform user experience P60

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

Jay Neider coordinates renovations at the “T,” one of the most trusted public transportation systems in the country P24

L’Occitane En Provence

Paul Blackburn revolutionizes sustainability in retail design P106

Smithsonian Institution

Modernizing the process of historic preservation is key to Judson McIntire’s work at this beloved national institution P124

Art Institute of Chicago

Emily Benedict thinks outside the frame as she oversees the spaces that hold renowned cultural works of art P170

Jim Preston (Smithsonian Institution), Courtesy of Emily Benedict (Art Institute of Chicago)

Estimated Time of Arrival

Nothing says “city slicker” like a sweaty girl running down the block to catch the bus. On my way there, I had pulled up Maps with the swiftness of an experienced traveler on a budget, and I did the mental math of how much time I’d save since I didn’t have a car to park. Without a doubt, I knew it was worth it.

Onwards, I tell myself. I whip out that bus pass with panache because I’m a high-rolling pedestrian who knows street intersection names. In Chicago, I can name drop the streets Halsted, Diversey, Ashland, and Milwaukee to impress no one, but if I can describe its location when paired with a smaller street, suddenly I feel like a “local.” You could say it’s a skill I learned on the streets, mostly due to public transportation.

Mass transit systems have helped me maintain a connection to my community, in addition to helping me move from one destination to the next. As the name implies, public transit is meant to move people. Some days I’m moved to feel like a local, while in other moments I reflect on what it means to move forward together.

In this quarter’s issue of American Builders Quarterly, we tip our hats to the wonders of transportation and the leaders who refine its design to enhance the passenger experience. Specifically, we highlight leaders in airline and mass transit systems that have been revolutionizing the ways we think about traveling from one place to the next.

At Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Ron Golem aims to produce transitoriented communities that will fund affordable housing options for many of its riders (p.18). And for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Jay Neider focuses on efficiently organizing renovations to the MBTA and increasing safety measures at the stations (p.24). Finally, our phenomenal cover star, Ana Finol, changes the airline game with her expansion of the South Terminal at Miami International Airport (p.10).

For every bus ride, subway excursion, or flight, there are visionaries who craft the experience to make it as safe and reliable as possible. With their help, locals and visitors alike can become seasoned travelers moving around the world with ease. From point A to point B and beyond, transit leaders carry us forward. With their visions of sustainable communities and accessible transit systems, progress is just around the corner—no estimated time of arrival needed.

Kathy Tun Managing Editor

Learning on the

Learning Fly

After overcoming major hurdles to land a role as assistant director of facilities development at Miami International Airport, Ana Finol has stepped up as a leader in project management

By Marcos Chisholm

Portraits by Michelle VanTine

Doors

Ana Finol

has been breaking down barriers for more than 25 years. She was the first female roadway construction engineer at the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works in 1998; today, she’s Miami International Airport’s first female assistant director of facilities development.

Her first experience with the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works, however, was far from auspicious. She was working with the department as a roadway construction engineer, but when she mentioned to a supervisor that she aspired to move up in her career, she discovered the odds were stacked against her.

“He told me, ‘Ana, just let your husband worry about the money, you are good here,’” Finol says.

As if immigrating from Venezuela and navigating life in a new country wasn’t hard enough, Finol had to figure out how she would overcome the stereotypes placed on Latinas in an industry that expected her to fail. “I realized early in my career that being a woman in the male-dominated field of engineering, I needed to work harder [to] be recognized,” Finol says. “When I came [to the US], I was already a civil engineer. But I didn’t have my professional engineer’s (PE) license or any substantial experience.”

Finol decided to add more credentials to her résumé, leaving no room for excuses from hiring managers. She earned her PE license and her Miami-Dade County general engineering contractor license, as well as a general contractor license from the state of Florida.

“I had to be assertive and show initiative,” she says. “So I have always been willing to take on additional work. I never stop learning, and I think that has paid off.”

After becoming an engineer for the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public

“

I realized early in my career that being a woman in the maledominated field of engineering, I needed to work harder [to] be recognized.

”

Ana Finol

Assistant Director of Facilities Development Miami International Airport (MIA)

Works, Finol went on to serve as a construction manager at the Miami-Dade County Office of Capital Improvements. There, she was promoted to senior professional engineer. After voters approved a $2.9 billion General Obligation Bond Program, Finol managed the very successful program and spearheaded hundreds of infrastructure projects for the county.

In Finol’s current role at Miami International Airport, she leads more than 60 employees and numerous consultants in the Facilities Development Division, which is responsible for MIA’s multibillion-dollar Capital Improvement Program. While managing in-house construction, planning, and design teams, Finol delivers upon a program currently estimated at $6.3 billion that will pave the way for more than 150 projects by 2034.

“The idea for this program is to improve the passenger experience and the whole impression of the passengers from the beginning to the end of their visit to MIA,” Finol says.

Elevating the passenger experience inevitably requires her to respond to unforeseen circumstances in each project. Whether she’s updating estimates due to an increase in the cost of labor and construction materials or adjusting her sourcing strategy to meet new sustainability requirements, she has had to make adjustments on the fly. “Many factors can shift in the course of a project,” Finol says. “New requirements, rules and regulations, and design changes often affect the scope of the work.”

Despite these challenges, Finol helped Miami International Airport shine during COVID-19. Some airlines, such as Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit, Emirates, and Frontier, responded to the pandemic by offering flights to MIA. “We have been breaking a lot of records,” Finol says.

Finol and her team have expanded the South Terminal to accommodate six domestic airlines. They streamlined two conveyor belts to fit into a new baggage-handling system, which boosted efficiency at ticket counters and improved fire safety.

“

I had to be assertive and show initiative. So I have always been willing to take on additional work. I never stop learning, and I think that has paid off.

”

Finol’s current goal is applying this strategy to the North Terminal renovation—but with a twist. Instead of just helping passengers get a grip on their bags, she is planning a three-level extension this time around. If her proposals are endorsed by the airlines, she will establish the design criteria and move forward with the request for proposal process.

“With that endorsement by the airlines, we can advertise for a design builder,” Finol says. “It should take a year and a half for the procurement process, and then we would move into design/construction, with the overall project estimated to be completed in the beginning of 2028.”

Behind the scenes, Finol steps up as a facilitator. She lays down the framework for her employees and

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The south terminal gate expansion will offer sunny walkways as visitors arrive and depart from the sunshine state.

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Aerial view of the D60 redevelopment at Miami International Airport.

Courtesy of Miami-Dade Aviation Department

contractors to collaborate like partners. Not only does Finol fine-tune workflows around red tape, but she invests in process management solutions that allow everyone to stay on the same page.

“I recognize the need for communication to make sure that when a project is completed, it has gone through the commissioning process so all staff, including Facilities Maintenance, can be trained in all the project’s systems. They also can receive all the warranties,” the assistant director explains. “The idea is to automate the process, with one software that communicates.”

One reason Finol leans into the digital transformation trend is to foster synergy. However, she goes above and beyond to equip her teams with the right tools because she recognizes these tools can produce better decisions.

Still, that’s not the only quality that separates Finol from her peers. She deserves to be celebrated for breaking barriers and opening doors for herself and others.

TYLin

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Staffed by renowned subject-matter experts, TYLin offers a full array of professional services at airports in the United States and around the world, ranging from general aviation and regional airports to major international hubs. Our expertise includes planning, design, construction management, and program management.

Her hands-on, ethical leadership empowers her teams to soar, but she leads with humility and remains down-to-earth. Finol understands how disappointing it is to have your achievements overlooked, so she brings a sense of justice and logic to her department, refusing to take shortcuts that would compromise her integrity.

“I try to always be transparent,” Finol says. “[I] always try to be fair. What is most important to me is the communication and the teamwork. That’s a priority for me. I try to lead by example. I would not ask anyone to do anything that I wouldn’t do or haven’t done myself. I work hard, and I try to be hands-on and accessible all the time. My door is always open, and people always come in and out.”

CBRE Heery, Inc. is proud to provide program management services for Miami International Airport’s $5.5 billion capital improvement program, and we congratulate Ana Finol on her new position as assistant director, Facilities Development. We look forward to reaching new heights together. cbreheery.com

Connecting people, places, & ideas

Ricondo is an international airport management and strategic advisory consultancy serving airport executives and management teams around the world. Our experts include professionals with experience in airport business advisory, financial services, airport facilities and operations, and environmental services. Ricondo is an independent, employeeowned company with the singular focus of providing objective advisory services to our clients. Learn more about how Ricondo can help elevate your airport’s performance at ricondo.com.

TYLin offers a full array of services in airport facilities planning, design, development, and operations ranging from general aviation and regional airports to major international hub airports.

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TakingTransit

Ron Golem is working on a slew of complicated issues for Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, including transitoriented communities, affordable housing, and public-private partnerships

By Billy Yost

intothe Future

Consider those

who ride public transit in Silicon Valley, one of the wealthiest and most expensive places to live in the country. Ron Golem, director of real estate and transit-oriented development for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (locally known as the VTA), points to some telling statistics about the people who climb aboard VTA buses every day.

“The median household income of people that ride our buses is under $40,000 a year,” Golem says. “You cannot live in this area on $40,000 a year. I don’t see how you can talk about helping your riders if you’re not addressing larger needs in the region.”

While income for the VTA’s rail riders skews a bit higher, Golem still faces an incredibly difficult task encompassing transit-oriented development, affordable housing, the decades-long Silicon Valley Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) expansion, economic development, and public-private partnerships. It may not be his job to keep the trains running on time, but that seems like the only job he and his team aren’t tasked with at present.

How does a transit authority look to remedy housing affordability issues brought about by decades of underproduction? The director says it’s a neverending cycle of trying to identify all the funding forces, while potentially creating new ones, to help subsidize the cost of building affordable housing.

The VTA has set a high bar for developers building residential projects. Currently, 25 percent of its projects are slated to be affordable housing for those who make 60 percent of the area median income or less. It’s aggressive, but doable, Golem says.

“One of the levers that we have as agencies is that while we’re trying to negotiate some value for land, we do not have to get fair market value,” he explains. “We

Ron Golem Director of Real Estate & Transit-Oriented Development Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

can also partner with the city so they can add some assistance to the mix.”

Looking ahead, the VTA wants 40 percent of its entire portfolio to be affordable housing. It aims to achieve this through a mix of projects: some that are 100 percent affordable housing and others that are mixed income.

Another project in Golem’s purview is the ongoing BART extension, an effort to extend rapid transit service to Santa Clara County via the East Bay that has been in the works since 2001. With tens of millions of square feet of development planned over the next few decades, BART is still a transformational project, and Golem wants to help create inviting, strategically dense, transit-oriented communities in locations that attract businesses, pedestrians, and riders alike.

“This isn’t just about building a transit extension,” Golem asserts. “This is about better connecting land use

“

We all need to think about the kind of future we want to create. ”

Courtesy of Ron Golem

and transit. How do we build the extension to make sure the development occurs and grows your ridership base?”

The goal is growth without additional auto congestion. It’s about creating an environment, not just a building, and entails working with cities and private owners to build transit-oriented communities with mixed-income housing, employment, shopping, entertainment, recreation, and great public spaces.

“You need to create a place that is as nice to walk or ride a bike as it is to drive a car,” he says. He aims for “complete streets,” a transportation policy that takes into careful consideration everyone who uses the streets. “How do you create a great cityscape? That’s what we work on every day.”

Fortunately, Golem has been engaged in creating fruitful and lasting public partnerships for many years now. He’s worked for developers, consultants, and firms and has a bachelor’s degree in

“

I don’t see how you can talk about helping your riders if you’re not addressing larger needs in the region.

Visions for residential housing units in the Berryessa district of San Jose, California.

Courtesy of Ron Golem

economics to boot. He knows what it takes to bring together two parties with different objectives.

The best developers now understand that development and quality of place drive long-term value. “These partnerships have come a long way,” he says. “I remember many years ago, I asked a developer what a good building looks like. He said, ‘a leased building is a good-looking building.’ Fortunately, the development industry has gotten much more focused on quality of place.”

Golem continues, “From the public side, we are both the ones pushing but also making it happen through a framework of what is economically feasible. A lot of this comes back to me and my team’s relationships in our community. So much of making these partnerships work is about trust.”

In many ways, the VTA is at the epicenter of issues such as climate change, income inequality, and housing scarcity that will be coming to our own communities soon (if they haven’t already). The role of public-private relationships in confronting these challenges is another area where California is ahead of the rest of the country.

How Golem and his team make inroads might help provide a blueprint for the challenges we all face, but it’s everyone’s job to help make their world a better place.

“We’re all planners,” he says. “We all need to think about the kind of future we want to create.”

Mass

Jay Neider, chief of capital programs at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, is importing a new strategy to improve safety, quality, and service at the T

Transit

By Zach Baliva



All aboard the train to accessibility! The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, also known as the “T,” is one of the oldest public transit systems in the United States. It’s also the largest transit system in Massachusetts.

Plain, Wisconsin,

now boasts a population of 773, but it wasn’t quite the bustling metropolis it is today when Jay Neider was growing up there. Then, it was more like 700 people. In some ways, the town northwest of Madison is exactly what one would expect. There’s Country Crossroads Floral & Gifts, the Peoples Community Bank, a bar, a car wash, a post office, and a Kwik Stop. But there’s one surprising thing about Plain: it’s also home to three of the largest commercial general contractors in the state.

Although he came from one of the nation’s smallest towns, Neider has gone on to work on some of its biggest infrastructure projects. He designed bridges for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT), led teams that managed a $350 million program as a project development supervisor, and became DOT engineering chief before leaving his home state.

Then, on the East Coast, Neider oversaw multibillion-dollar projects in Virginia before serving as deputy project director for the Silver Line extension. The massive project is the largest project in nearly a decade for the transit line that connects Washington, DC, to the Dulles corridor.

The 11.5-mile phase that opened in late 2022 came with a $3 billion price tag and will not only reduce area traffic but also increase economic opportunity. Trains on the Silver Line extension pass every 15 minutes, stopping at six new stations.

Before the ribbon cutting was complete, Neider was on to his next high-profile project in a major metro area. In 2019, he stepped in as the chief of capital programs at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). He’s tasked with delivering the MBTA’s capital program with a budget of nearly $10 billion. He is also responsible for all



The Iron Horse Park Operations Control Center is located on an EPA-designated superfund site and former railyard. It will be home to the dispatching operations for MBTA north side commuter rails and Pan Am railways freight trains.

construction and maintenance, supporting MBTA’s FTA Core Capacity grant submittal and the type-10 vehicle acquisition, and remodeling along the system known locally as the “T.” It is the largest transit system in the state and one of the oldest in the entire country.

Neider has grown and reorganized his department to make it more effective and efficient. When he started, the team had less than 150 people; now it has about 400. “This large-scale work requires the right people working in the right places, and leaders have to have a clear vision from top to bottom,” he explains.

Finding the right people was not an easy task. Neider sourced talent nationwide and brought people from all over the country to Boston to work on the T’s capital programs. The strategy brought him a fruitful mix of Beantown natives and outsiders, who, together, honor tradition and context while challenging status quos.

The new team has helped the entire organization embrace change and think differently. While his predecessors completed almost all construction and renovation from 2:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., Neider takes a different approach. “We had a massive back-



As of 2021, the T is the largest American transit agency to use electricity that is 100% produced from renewable sources.



Inside the Iron Horse Park Operations Control Center, every hallway provides a comfortable transit to and from meeting rooms.



A new platform awaits visitors at the Ruggles Commuter Rail Track 2.



Originally built in 1911, the Gloucester Drawbridge, carries the Rockport Line over the Annisquam River.

Renovations of the Gloucester Drawbridge in 2022. The new bridge is fully operational on both tracks and open to marine traffic.

This is a zero-sum game. If we do things the right way, we save money, and we can reinvest that money into the system.

Jay Neider Chief of Capital Programs Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

log of projects. I had to convince the governor and others we could be successful with a new strategy that would keep service going but still allow us to actually get our work done,” he says.

That’s exactly what Neider has done. He shifted to a “surge” schedule in which his crew shuts down pieces of the MBTA and busses passengers to stations while completing work. First, he tested the model over a long weekend. Then the MBTA completed a 9- and 12-day surge to finish prioritized critical upgrades quickly.

Recently, Neider and his team finished a 30-day Orange Line surge. In just one month, they replaced 3,500 feet of track and 14,000 linear feet of rail. They swapped out 48,000 feet of signal cable, installed hundreds of pieces of vibration reduction hardware, added a new enhanced electrical system, and repaired 72 new Orange Line cars. Crews also cleaned drains, fixed security cameras, replaced signs, and repaired stations. Riders now enjoy enhanced safety and reliable service on MBTA’s Orange Line, which spans about 20 miles in the city of Boston.

Crews worked in three shifts around the clock to make it all happen, and all parts of the MBTA were involved. “It took the entire organization to pull this off, but it was a paradigm shift and a

“

This largescale work requires the right people working in the right places, and leaders have to have a clear vision from top to bottom.

”

major success,” Neider says, adding that he saw significant contributions from operations, maintenance, public relations, administrators, and all other departments as they worked together to improve a 125-year-old system.

“The MBTA capital program investment has increased significantly over the past several years to address the backlog of repair. This investment will continue to be a significant focus of the MBTA to provide safe and reliable service for the traveling public,” says Phil Brake, president of HNTB’s northeast division. “Under Jay’s leadership, the MBTA has taken a creative and aggressive approach to effectively implement these needed investments.”

The T has a breadth of options, such as bus, subway, and commuter rails for passengers to move towards their destination.

Take the T

AVERAGE WEEKLY RIDERSHIP 756,861

BUS 39% COMMUTER RAIL 11% SUBWAY 50% THE RIDE 0.6% FERRY 0.4%

Source: MBTA, October 2022

We Build Excellence

More changes are on the horizon. The MBTA has proposed a new bus garage as it expands and electrifies its fleet. However, when bids came in high, Neider pivoted to request bids via a construction management at risk process that obligates a manager or consultant to work closely with the owner and deliver a project at a guaranteed price. Moving to the new model will delay the project by 12 months, but Neider says it will be worth it in the long run. “We’re not trying to save money to return it to shareholders like a business,” he says. “This is a zero-sum game. If we do things the right way, we save money, and we can reinvest that money into the system.”

After all, Bostonians rely on the T to get them to the office, the doctor, the grocery store, and elsewhere. After 125 years, one of the oldest public transportation systems in the country is changing— and that’s a good thing.

OHLA USA is proud to recognize Jay Neider and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority for their dedication and commitment to delivering world-class transportation infrastructure that connects people and places.

We proudly serve the MBTA as general contractor on the Union Worcester Station Accessibility Improvement Project, Worcester, MA

Concepts

Outlining the strategies, advancements, and new ways of thinking that will renovate the workforce and project delivery

Reading the Room

By Marcos Chisholm

Ryan Kuddes of Solera knows that with great facilities comes great facilitation—or coaching opportunities

▼ The executive boardroom at Solera corporate headquarters in Westlake, Texas, illuminates the bright ideas for the company’s future.

Mike Johnson

Ryan Kuddes is a builder. As the head of real estate and facilities for the Americas at Solera, a Texas-based automotive software company that is a global leader in vehicle lifecycle management, he spends more time building and nurturing relationships than developing brick and mortar.

“It’s a lot of collaboration and a lot of relationship building,” Kuddes says of his role. “My team is scattered throughout the country as well as internationally.”

Kuddes oversees the selection, acquisition, maintenance, building, design, and onsite services of more than 40 Solera facilities across North and South America. Whether he orchestrates the logistics for the organization’s catering needs or decides how it navigates leases, Kuddes wears a lot of hats.

Behind the scenes, Kuddes partners with a global team of facility managers that enable Solera to operate in over 100 countries. When he’s not working from home or at Solera’s global headquarters in Westlake, Texas, you’ll find him doing everything from visiting locations and performing audits to facilitating administrative tasks. “It’s just making sure that we’re all tracking in the same direction and heading towards the same goal on a daily basis,” Kuddes says.

How does Kuddes run his department? Rather than embrace an authoritative leadership style, he prefers to be viewed as a coach and mentor. He distances himself from the “boss” label by providing his team with tools for success as they collectively strive for the same goals. “I think a coaching leadership style is more focused on people,” he says.

Meanwhile, Kuddes focuses on the big picture. The biggest challenge he faces is the need to streamline Solera’s real estate portfolio as the company scales its footprint. “We have grown very organically over the years,” he explains. “We’ve acquired more than 50 diversified brands. The portfolio is constantly shifting, and so it presents some unique challenges in the sense that we could make an acquisition and acquire 10 new physical locations overnight. Then, we need to understand how to best integrate these offices into our work.” In a nutshell, if Kuddes solves this puzzle as fast as Solera grows, he sets himself and the company up for success.

“The lesson that I have continually learned as a leader is to shut up and listen to my team members.”

▼ The courtyard at Solera corporate headquarters provides a serene environment for facility managers to oversee operations in over 100 countries.

Mike Johnson

The executive deploys expansion and branding initiatives to strengthen Solera’s position in the market. As Solera expands, Kuddes integrates new brand collateral in physical locations. On the surface, one may think he simply orders signs and window coverings that feature the logo of a company Solera purchased in a day’s work. But it’s so much more.

Kuddes gets into the finer details, including investing in remodeling efforts and undertaking new design initiatives (new paint, floors, and artwork). “We have to stay tuned with Solera’s culture and ensure the company’s physical spaces are an extension of that culture,” he says.

Kuddes is now driving the development of a new workspace—a 45,000-square-foot office building in Jacksonville, Florida, that is expected to host 400 Solera employees—and he acknowledges why the stakes for this project are so high. “We’re in the design and construction phase, but that’s going to be one of our first brand-new offices that we get to start fresh and put the Solera branding on,” he says.

Once Solera opens the facility, Kuddes also plans to rebrand its remaining locations. In the meantime, the coach offers advice for young professionals who aspire to follow his career path. “The lesson that I have continually learned as a leader is to shut up and listen to my team members,” Kuddes says.

He adds, “What I’ve learned is that people want to be heard. Ultimately, listening helps build relationships through trust, so listening is a learned skill, and it’s something that I still try to hone every day. So, it’s a battle against my instincts to help diagnose and solve problems. But as a leader, you have to sit back, listen, and hear what people are saying.”

Ryan Kuddes Head of Real Estate & Facilities, Americas Solera

The Story Is in the Data

No two structures are alike, and Chris Laughman has the numbers to prove it. He drills down into data, building by building, to make the entire portfolio perform to maximum efficiency.

By Russ Klettke

One of the biggest near-future trends in multifamily and commercial construction will be the inclusion of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the parking facilities. Which makes sense, as the market analysis organization Statista.com expects a 30 percent market penetration by all-electric vehicles (not hybrids) by 2030.

“For classes A and B residential properties it will be very important to have this feature,” says Chris Laughman, a seasoned expert in real estate environment, social, and governance (ESG) factors. Laughman is a senior director focused on energy and sustainability for one of the world’s largest multifamily real estate firms and holds an MBA in business sustainability. In addition, he is the author of a Substack newsletter, ThirtyNine, which focuses on ESG topics and their impact on real estate and the broader world.

The rapidly unfolding trend towards accommodating EVs in housing is just one of the many changes that residents are demanding. While he appreciates the environmental impact these demands may have, it’s an analysis he makes with the head, not just the heart. Laughman examines data from sources like Statista and other credible experts, particularly information extracted from individual buildings’ energy performance.

Laughman is nothing if not a believer in evidence— data by another name. Notably, the name of his blog refers to the fact that 39 percent of all global emissions emanate from the built environment. When speaking on the topic, he points out that we are essentially eliminating waste. When you don’t buy energy or water you don’t need, your net operating income improves as well.

His affinity for statistics not only defines Laughman’s mission and how he works but also explains his somewhat unorthodox career arc.

“It’s primarily about figuring out the puzzle. Why is this building inefficient?”

After graduating from college, Laughman went into law enforcement and pursued his first master’s degree in business to help him make sergeant. That was in the 1990s, a decade before the LEED green building ratings system became a household word. A classmate happened to be a property manager who showed Laughman that his interest and strengths in statistics could lend itself to a career in real estate.

That classmate was right. Laughman shifted his career focus, first in managing a portfolio of bank branches, then into real estate property management roles, where he reveled in exploring the breadth of building operations and the granular details of electrical and plumbing functions. Over time, instead of managing buildings, he managed portfolios and later moved into more senior roles in facilities management that emphasized sustainability.

Something he discovered in building operations was a lack of focus on utilities cost and consumption. Utilities is often just viewed as the cost of doing business, and we fail to take the time to optimize our use of utilities, he says. Those opportunities translate to improved profitability.

“A dollar saved in operating expense has the same effect as raising the rent a dollar,” Laughman explains. That instinct for identifying efficiency opportunities led him to seeing employers’ savings as a savings for

the planet as well. “For every kilowatt we do not need, that kilowatt could be directed to another property that does need it or, better yet, maybe it doesn’t even have to be produced at all.”

“I have this tendency to throw myself into understanding things,” he notes, which is an understatement. Along the way between dual master’s degrees, he studied for and qualified as a LEED AP in operations and maintenance, was educated as a climate educator in the Climate Reality Project, earned several certifications with the International Facility Management Association, a GGP (Green Globes Professional) with the Green Building Initiative, and a Fitwell Ambassador (Fitwell Certification System).

Why so much study, and what does it enable him to do professionally? He chalks it all up to curiosity. “It’s primarily about figuring out the puzzle,” he says. “Why is this building inefficient?”

Notice his use of the singular “building.” That is because, he explains, while he uses big data to understand which buildings are not performing efficiently, every building is unique. This might seem odd given how he works with large, national real estate firms that have, literally, thousands of structures.

He says there are some predictive characteristics, such as building age (structures built in the 1960s and 1970s tend to be the least energy efficient), that provide indicators as to how a building might use energy. Sometimes, he points out, much older structures might surprise you: their thicker walls can create surprisingly good envelopes, while newer buildings are built to much higher energy code standards.

But the siting and orientation, specifics of the building design (e.g., size and orientation of windows), construction systems used, and the age of the mechanical systems (HVAC and plumbing) mean that analysis of utility efficiencies is best done on a building-by-building basis. For example, he once replaced all toilet flush mechanisms in a 300-unit apartment building in Miami. It ended a widespread problem with leaks—and the investment paid off in less than four months.

Despite this microtargeting of building-by-building data and analysis, Laughman also factors for something much larger, broader, and more impactful: time. He understands well the long-range implications of

Chris Laughman Sustainability & Energy Professional

Courtesy of Greystar

carbon and is personally and professionally determined to reduce how much of it goes into the atmosphere. “My wife and I have two children, and that really changed my world-view,” he says. “I don’t want the kids of today to one day question if we tried.”

And what of the social and governance parts of ESG? “We might have it backwards,” he admits. “The G should be first because good governance is about policies, procedures, risk tolerance, and guiding the organization to ensure your organization is consistently delivering and reducing its impact. The S is important because if we prioritize taking care of people, the rest will take care of itself. Empowering employees, residents, and the community to make a difference is a powerful thing, and when we combine that with diversity, we get better ideas and innovation.”

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

REAL ESTATE TRUST DEPLOYS HYDROPOINT SMART WATER MANAGEMENT

A US-based real estate investment trust that owns apartment complexes and is a customer of Conservice has rolled out smart water management systems at 61 of its sites. It is using HydroPoint’s smart irrigation controllers and its water analytics and leak detection services, saving the company 143.4 million gallons of water and $1.2 million in water costs last year. Employing these smart water management solutions has also helped the trust maintain curb appeal and thriving landscaping, all while reducing its water use and achieving recognition as a Residential Sector Leader by GRESB.

Work Speaks the Loudest

By Marcos Chisholm

With integrity and humility, Devin Wilson fosters lifelong learning in his current role at Chatham University. As director of facilities, he brings along lessons learned from his most recent post at the Community College of Allegheny County.

◀ Spiraling during finals week? The rotunda at Community College of Allegheny County provides ample spaces for study sessions and comfy spots to unwind.

Believe it or not, Devin Wilson is not another on-the-rise construction executive who obsesses over taking credit for what his teams accomplish.

“I don’t spearhead projects,” he says. “It’s us as a department, the facilities department, in collaboration with everyone else around the college that we look to for leadership.”

Now the director of facilities at Chatham University, Wilson shies away from taking a victory lap for what he accomplished as assistant vice president of facilities at the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC). He anchored the infrastructure of its campuses and learning centers that support over 16,000 students.

He oversaw teams that rolled out renovations and on-site improvements, including securing the funding for other college projects. Since Wilson wore the hat of a project manager (among others), he collaborated with regional presidents, executive directors, student leaders, and supervisors from each CCAC campus to ensure that construction plans met the needs of students and faculty.

“Communication, in my opinion, is one of the biggest challenges that any position in any field faces,” Wilson says. “But that is my number-one thing I’m charged with: making sure everyone knows what’s going on and making sure everybody’s on the same page. Just bringing those minds together for one cause.”

Wilson also fostered relationships with outside firms and contractors. When push comes to shove, the end result was a sound display of situational leadership. “The way you relay messages in different settings, from anyone that you come in contact with, from board members to tradesmen to the president of the college, you have to tailor it,” Wilson says. “That’s where that situational leadership comes in. Know your audience.”

If drastic times call for drastic measures, then Wilson proved to be a perfect fit for CCAC during the pandemic. When the community college system launched an initiative to mitigate COVID-19 at its facilities, his teams paired IoT sensors with their local building automation system. “A lot of educational institutions were given different types of aid and funding,” he says. “We wanted to make sure we were able to touch as many people as we could around the college or on the campuses.”

Not only did it provide each CCAC campus and center with real-time occupancy, but it also created a platform for Siemens Enlighted sensors to share data with the JCI Metasys platform that allows the HVAC to be adjusted automatically.

“You have to be a lifelong learner. . . . As soon as you learn something, someone else is coming up with something new that you should become familiar with.”

“I credit our VP of Facilities Carlos Vasquez,” Wilson says. “He came to us from the University of Texas at El Paso. It was a similar project, but it was only the lighting aspect of it. We added the element of incorporating HVAC controls.” His forward-thinking and innovative mindset will ultimately make the college a better place once completed.

Still, how does Wilson move the needle on projects where the stakes are high? Before he started his tenure at CCAC, he served as a master plumber at Arconic, a Pittsburgh-based aluminum products company, where he maintained every plumbing system it owned. After he established his expertise for three years, he explored opportunities beyond his trade.

“That’s how I was able to broaden my horizons on the other things that were going on in the other trades— working closely with the electricians, the HVAC techs, and equipment that had to deal with steam and chilled water systems,” he reflects. “That’s where I gained a lot of my knowledge and a lot of my experience within facilities from a hands-on perspective.”

Once Wilson joined CCAC as a physical plant supervisor in 2017, he directed maintenance and security

teams at one of its campuses. Then, CCAC promoted him to interim business manager in 2020. Within just a few years, he shaped its operations across maintenance, housekeeping, custodial, and finance. However, Wilson warns that his success did not come overnight. Leave it to an educational administrator to show you what it takes to change careers like he did. “You have to be a lifelong learner,” Wilson says. “When you drive a car off the lot, how much value does it lose? Well, it’s the same thing with education. As soon as you learn something, someone else is coming up with something new that you should become familiar with.”

Huckestein Mechanical is proud to work with Devin Wilson and the Community College of Allegheny County to build and improve our education infrastructure. Huckestein has been a respected name in the mechanical contracting industry for nearly 70 years. We design, build, service, and maintain nonresidential HVAC systems. We are a key steward in the communities we serve and a preeminent participant in the resilience of our region.

▼ The historic West Hall at Community College of Allegheny County currently houses the new Cultural & Fine Arts Center.

Gene Puska

The Positive Leader

As director of field operations, Wayne Sharpe finds solutions with positivity to deliver for Stanley Martin Homes

By Joseph Kay

After 40-plus years in construction—first with his father as an electrician’s assistant, then in custom greenhouses, now in single-family homes—Wayne Sharpe has learned some of everything, from power to framing to roofing. When pandemic-related supply shortages eventually clear up, he’s looking forward to getting back to the basics of home building. For now, he continues to look for innovative solutions throughout the process.

As director of field operations at Stanley Martin Homes, Sharpe oversees day-to-day construction operations like contractor management, home building, and inspections. When the group acquired his previous company, Essex Homes, in 2019, Sharpe stayed on. He says that despite its impressive size, Stanley Martin maintains an authentic, familyoriented environment.

“They have a lot of the same values that Essex Homes had, so it was a smooth transition,” Sharpe recalls. “You’re not just a number, you’re an actual person—and they appreciate you.”

He spends many of his days in the field, assisting with whatever needs to be done (because, as he says, you can’t build a house from inside your truck). His team of 10 manages several concurrent construction projects.

One exciting project has been the Barr Lake housing development in Lexington, South Carolina. Just west of Columbia, the development will feature over 300 single-family homes as well as a swimming pool, clubhouse, and lake. With about 100 remaining

“Every day I wake up and I say, ‘OK, what’s going to be my challenge, and how am I going to tackle it?’”

units to build, the project is on track and Sharpe is thrilled with the progress.

“It’s turned out to be a very nice neighborhood in a very nice location,” he says. “A lot of beautiful home sites, too—and this is a semi-custom home, as close to custom as you can get without paying custom prices.”

Barr Lake’s first major challenge arrived in October 2015 when record-setting rainfall caused flash floods around the area. At least 11 dams across the state failed while officials opened floodgates and allowed controlled breaches to limit the damage. After the dam was rebuilt and the water was back in the lake, construction was back on track—until the COVID-19 pandemic arrived with a new array of logistical challenges.

“Because of supply chain and labor issues, it’s taking us twice as long to build houses,” Sharpe says. He hopes that in the coming year the process will start to flow like it used to, but for now his team continues to adapt in order to build quality homes on a reasonable timeline.

One part of Sharpe’s role is to ensure that the whole crew isn’t waiting on one supplier. By emphasizing communication with vendors and identifying possible shortages ahead of time, they can puzzle out the calendar to keep projects on track. At this point, Stanley Martin has a tested pandemic-era playbook to keep production moving forward when delays occur.

For example, when trusses were delayed up to 10 weeks, Sharpe would start sending priority lists to truss vendors before even starting on foundations. Then crews had trusses as soon as they were ready for them, or a couple days late at most. Facing a similar snarl with drywall, management is identifying houses that have passed inspection and sending orders to vendors five weeks or more ahead of time.

“Communication is huge,” Sharpe says. “When our trade partners start seeing something that could become a problem, we’re asking them to let us know so we can get ahead of the curve. Do we need to order sooner? Start pulling in different vendors from other markets? Thinking outside of the box.”

Maintaining a positive attitude has been absolutely crucial to the success of Sharpe and his team. He’s thankful for the mentors and leaders throughout his career who modeled that confidence, so he makes sure to carry it forward every day.

“You never go in front of your people and be negative,” he counsels. “They see enough negativity out there and they deal with it every day, so when you get around them, you have to be the positive light.”

Sharpe takes care to say that his team doesn’t work “for” him—he works with them. Over time, faithful leaders learn the strengths and capabilities of the people around them and capitalize on those to ensure collective

success. But they also have to be prepared to sweat next to their people when the situation demands it.

“Everybody who works with me knows that if they need me, I’ll roll my sleeves up, I’ll put my tool belt on,” he says. “It doesn’t make any difference what needs to be done—to be a good leader, you have to be a good follower.”

Sharpe is looking forward to the next few years with Stanley Martin. Soon, the construction backlog will be cleared up, and, with luck, production timelines will creep closer to prepandemic norms.

“In construction you never know what you’re going to run into,” he says. “Every day I wake up and I say, ‘OK, what’s going to be my challenge, and how am I going to tackle it?’ That’s the way I look at things.”

Showroom & Factory located at: 1031 Sparkleberry Lane Ext, Columbia, SC 29223 (803) 699-1120

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• Natural Stone & Quartz Fabricators, Est. 1992

• Residential & Commercial Countertop Manufacturing

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• Furniture, Fixtures, Electrical for Commercial Projects and Hotels

• Custom Commercial Cabinetry & Casegoods Manufacturing

“[Your people] see enough negativity out there and they deal with it every day, so when you get around them, you have to be the positive light.”

The Saluda Hill Landscapes team has been proud to work with Stanley Martin Homes. Within the Barr Lake Development, we assisted in the Land Development & Production Landscaping for the new residents. As a turnkey landscaping business, we pride ourselves on providing only the highest quality to our clients. For over 30 years, we have strived to be the best in our industry and will continue to adapt to our clients to promote growth on all fronts.

Digging in Deep

Cindee Burns shares in the work of growing the company and overcoming challenges with her team at Colony Hardware

By Natalie Kochanov

Courtesy of Colony Hardware

As a hands-on leader, Cindee Burns never hesitates to jump in and complete a task, no matter how big or how small.

“Sometimes, you have to get down in the dirt and get dirty,” Burns notes. “There are times when we may be short-staffed or I may not have folks to help me out with something, but if I need something shipped, I will actually pack a box, create a UPS label, and make sure it gets to its destination.”

Her willingness to do the work is just one of the ways Burns builds rapport with her team at Colony Hardware, the construction supplies and services company where she serves as director of facilities and safety. She also strives to remain attentive to the unique needs of the company’s locations across the country

and to keep safety and sustainability front of mind as the organization grows.

Burns brings a wide range of experience to the table at Colony. She studied interior design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and spent time in the insurance industry thinking about design in the context of property claim adjustments. However, her earliest exposure to construction came before all that, at a residential general contractor in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Since joining Colony more than six years ago, Burns has homed in on a number of differences between residential and commercial construction. Fortunately, there are just as many similarities, including the importance of exercising creativity and cultivating communicative customer relationships.

◀ Relocations are on the horizon at Colony Hardware in Mount Vernon, New York.

▶ Local teams often provide insight on commuting accessibility and traffic patterns when creating building specs.

“When I worked in residential, we collaborated closely with our homeowners,” says Burns. “It’s the same on the commercial side. When I do a new warehouse or a new showroom or a renovation for one of our branches, I’m speaking with our operations managers and our branch managers to figure out what actually works for the types of material they’re storing and for their processes.”

Burns applies the same approach when it comes to new facilities. Although she has ideal building specs in mind during the facility search process, she turns to local teams for insight into commuting accessibility and traffic patterns in the area.

In addition to expanding Colony’s overall facility footprint, Burns has recently led efforts to

relocate existing facilities in the Philadelphia and New York City metropolitan areas. “We relocated our facility from the Bronx to Mount Vernon, New York,” she says of the latter location. “Now we have a really nice 5,000-square-foot showroom and office space, but it’s very dated. That’s going to be a fun project to oversee because it’s a bigger buildout than we’ve had in a while.”

Burns typically manages two to three large-scale projects per year, on top of smaller renovations such as an ongoing office buildout at company headquarters to accommodate the growing corporate staff. Her day-today runs the gamut from ensuring building compliance and managing assets to introducing sustainability initiatives around LED conversion and recycling. “I’m really trying to get my arms around what we can do that is not overly costly in terms of capital but that will actually help our operating expense while also being good for the planet,” she notes.

Burns has taken a strong stance on the safety front as well. She holds monthly calls with Colony’s 80-member safety committee, and she hired a safety specialist to assist in the creation of policies and procedures to protect employees in the workplace. “It’s about driving a safety culture,” she says. “Safety can be a lot of compliance and paperwork, but we have people out there who are really engaged and committed to making it fun for their peers, and we’ve had a great year in terms of successfully driving down our total recordable incident rate.”

Whether she’s steering safety committee meetings or advising on buildouts, Burns centers her

▶ Colony Hardware maintains an organized and ready to use facility in Countryside, Illinois.

Courtesy of Colony Hardware

leadership style around her collaborators. “A big part of it is really listening to the people you’re working with,” she explains. “While the branch managers and office managers don’t technically report to me, they still look to me to be a key decision-maker about what’s happening in their branches. In return, I try to hear and understand them and let them verbally work through problems.”

Just as she takes the time to understand her colleagues’ wants and needs, Burns practices patience when she encounters an obstacle at work. “If it’s a big challenge, it can come with a lot of emotion, so I will take a step back to think it through,” she says. That pause turns challenges into opportunities for innovation. “I try to figure out a way to dig under it, go over it, or go around it. No challenge is permanent.”

In some cases, a solution takes the form of more time or more money. Other times, the only thing needed is for Burns to roll up her sleeves and get her hands dirty.

Cresa is the world’s leading commercial real estate advisory firm that exclusively represents occupiers and specializes in the delivery of fully integrated real estate solutions. Delivered across every industry, Cresa’s services include Transaction Management, Workplace Solutions, Project Management, Consulting, Lease Administration, Technology, Capital Markets and Portfolio Solutions.

In partnership with London-based Knight Frank, Cresa provides service to 16,000 people across 380 offices in 51 territories. For more information, please email Ashley Snyder at asnyder@cresa.com.

“If it’s a big challenge, it can come with a lot of emotion, so I will take a step back to think it through. I try to figure out a way to dig under it, go over it, or go around it. No challenge is permanent.” Congratulations

Burns

her

Cindee Burns Director of Facilities & Safety Colony Hardware

A calm moment amid the bustling day-to-day operations at Hennepin Healthcare System.

Brandon Stengel

Leading with Heart

Bill Howden wanted to perform meaningful work for an organization he cared about. So, once he got the chance to join Hennepin Healthcare in 2018, he went for it and never looked back.

“They want to reach out to the community that they support,” he says. “They want to get feedback from them, so then the task is to work with all these different groups of people and come up with attainable goals for a project that meets their needs. Not everybody may get 100 percent of their goal, but they were providing a better care service to the organization.”

Howden—who serves as the senior director of facilities, master campus planning, and real estate—fosters a hospital environment at Hennepin Healthcare that boosts patient outcomes. He leads a team that handles day-to-day operations ranging from design and project management to maintenance and sustain-ability. Plus, he manages relationships with vendors and contractors during construction and renovation projects.

“A hospital is like a ship that never comes into the port,” Howden says. “We have to do maintenance with people here 365 days a year. Day and night, 24 hours, there are challenges that come up, especially in buildings and aged equipment areas. The facilities team needs to have some direction in how to solve things if there’s an issue that needs to be addressed.”

While he leans into the chaos, he shines as a facilitator on projects. Why? Because he takes the perspective of each project stakeholder and thinks outside of the box. Not only does he plan construction around their needs, but he also repurposes existing real estate. If he turns workspaces into visitor experience touchpoints or opens clinics off the premises, he still delivers.

By Marcos Chisholm

“As we are replacing buildings, building new [facilities], or acquiring spaces, it’s really about getting to know what the community is looking for in those projects, and understanding what the care providers are looking for, and completing a seamless project delivery process,” Howden explains.

With empathy and purpose, Bill Howden reimagines the blueprint for construction leadership at Hennepin Healthcare

“A hospital is like a ship that never comes into the port.”

▼ The Clinic and Specialty Center at Hennepin Healthcare System.

▶ Formerly known as the Swedish Hospital, the Shapiro Building houses the Coordinated Care Center, Adult Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine, and the HOPE program.

Linda Beaverson (Top), Brandon Stengel (Bottom)

Instead of ruling with an iron fist, Howden relies on an affiliative approach to lead his team. He’s the kind of manager who believes that people come first and then proves it with his actions. By keeping his character intact, he forges stronger relationships with his employees and convinces them to rally around a common goal.

“I think that everybody has value, and everybody really operates on my team with positive intent,” the senior director says. “They come here every day at work wanting to make a difference. I think that’s extremely important for the mission of the hospital that we live in, and the work that we do.”

While his team enjoys the benefits of operating with purpose, Howden refuses to stop there. He spearheads partnerships with diverse vendors at Hennepin Healthcare events so it can offer more inclusive services. “I really heard the voices of the community and those we serve to help provide the compass heading into the future,” he says. “Working with the organization that has the heart to make it happen is something that you walk home at the end of the day full of pride [with].”

The senior director leads with a sense of altruism that does more than produce a feel-good story—it

brings out the best in people. Even if it’s the only way he knows how to perform his job, he thrives when he lets his passion prevail. “Know your passion to understand what drives you, and understand where you add value,” Howden says. “I think that came a little bit later for me in my life.”

For professionals who want to change careers and enter the world of healthcare, he advises the following: “Are you just marching down a track because that’s what’s expected of you, or that’s the only option you feel that you have? Take a chance. I took a chance to get into healthcare.”

Wold Architects & Engineers is proud to partner with Hennepin Healthcare, Bill Howden, and the Facilities team to make a difference in their community. For nearly 20 years our missions have been parallel, striving to maintain and enhance healthcare environments throughout the HCMC Campus. Hennepin Healthcare is transforming—we are humbled to team with Bill to support building a better future, creating an environment for the next generation of excellent and equitable healthcare.

Bill Howden

Senior Director of Facilities, Master Campus Planning & Real Estate Hennepin Healthcare System

Linda Beaverson

▶ Optical illusions are one of the many unique challenges at Drive Shack’s location in Colony, Texas.

The golf-leisure business is a fast game, so Mike Chicoine finds solutions to ensure success amid supply chain delays

By Marcos Chisholm

of Drive Shack Inc

Courtesy

Stay the Course

When Mike Chicoine led construction on buildings at power and treatment plants, each project came with an asterisk. Every time he broke ground on a facility, he needed a new blueprint and a different set of equipment than the last. So, after he discovered that Drive Shack Inc. was hiring a head of construction and project development for its golf-leisure businesses, he took a swing at the opportunity and never looked back.

“When I saw the opportunity to go into this hospitality design and construction [role], the goal was an aggressive growth model for our new venue concept, Puttery,” Chicoine says. “I had never built the same thing twice, and that intrigued me.”

For Chicoine, it was a hole in one. However, once he joined Drive Shack in 2020, he ran into challenges that stood in his way. While the grass was indeed greener on the other side, he had to navigate the chaos of supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic. He and his team sourced materials and equipment that would not arrive until 12 months into their construction and design projects.

Chicoine knew if they were going to roll out multiple brick-and-mortar Puttery locations, it would require ensuring that materials and equipment remained available during the construction schedule. So he partnered with manufacturers to scope how those items fit into project layouts. Then he adjusted the design process so those packages were safe.

The result? Chicoine and his team operated with active procurement time clocks for close to 90 percent of each design period.

“We’ve taken a lot on ourselves, as far as prioritizing design on our procurement to help ease that,” Chicoine says. “Still, along that way, you take on risk, because typically all that is pushed through the contractor. That’s really where they earn their business.”

On top of having a drastic impact on supply chains, COVID made it harder for Chicoine to grow his team. He faced a handful of obstacles when trying to recruit construction and design talent in an industry that lacks it.

“I’ve tried bringing people in from other industries like myself, and that has been difficult because it’s very fast-paced—we are now promising four-month builds,” Chicoine says. “There’s really not much time to learn by fire.”

“I had never built the same thing twice, and that intrigued me.”

Michael Baxter

If hiring candidates from his own network is not a winning formula, then what else could Chicoine do? As it turns out, he keeps a few tricks up his sleeve.

“We have done a bunch of targeted recruitment and then targeted, hands-on headhunting,” Chicoine says. “But also in our application process, we’re very detailed in how we vet the applicants to make sure that they are skilled and knowledgeable enough in this specific industry to be able to come in and hit the ground running.”

Even if Chicoine deals with talent acquisition woes, he paints a vivid picture of what his current and future members should expect. Despite being pressed for time, he cuts through the nonsense and doubles down on the details. He understands that developing leaders

on his team not only opens doors for their careers but also delivers measurable results across their projects.

“There’s a lot of upfront communication about what needs to be done and then continual follow-up and verification,” Chicoine says. “It’s basically [to] overcommunicate, empower, [and] trust, but verify and make sure they’re on schedule. If they’ve got any issues, you’re always there to be an asset so that as soon as they get experienced enough in the program, they’re proficient [enough] to take the projects entirely and run with them.”

Beyond finding the most efficient solution, Chicoine takes pride in his craft. He cares about what he creates because he is a Drive Shack customer. And he welcomes the challenge of developing a user experience that his family enjoys.

“What I didn’t realize is how much fun it would be on the user experience side,” Chicoine says. “Whether I enjoy it as a client or when my family comes to town and we go have fun in these venues, the happiness it brings people is a different type of gratification.”

Congratulations to Mike and the Drive Shack team on their success! We are excited to be a part of their growth and thank them for the opportunity. Benchmark Group, Inc. is a nationwide, full-service architecture and engineering firm. We are committed to quality work and excellent service for all clients including large national chains, small local businesses, developers, and owners. Our project experience includes new construction, remodels, tenant improvements, and prototypes (development and maintenance included). Benchmark Group is your A&E project team of choice. teamofchoice.com

Mike Chicoine

Head of Construction & Project Development

Drive Shack Inc.

The exquisite landscapes extend from the putting grounds to the bar in Drive Shack’s Charlotte, North Carolina, location.

Service with a Smile

As facilities director at Smile Brands, Scott Graversen ensures that nearly 700 affiliated dental practices are up-to-date and running smoothly

By Russ Klettke

Yearly visits will give you something to grin about at a Smile Brands office.

James Davis

Visiting the dentist tends to get a bad rap, to the extent that some people dread it. Dentists know this, as does Smile Brands. Cofounded in 1998 by current CEO Steve Bilt and CFO Brad Schmidt, Smile Brands aims to provide a better dental experience for patients and providers.

In addition to offering business support services to dentists, the company goes to great lengths to ensure its facilities are patient-friendly. Such efforts not only attract dental care consumers, but also working dental professionals (who are in high demand). The firm provides a broad spectrum of business support services to nearly 700 affiliated dental practices in 30 states.

The company’s director of facilities and dental equipment management, Scott Graversen, oversees a staff of four people who handle 24,000 work orders every year—because there’s a lot of high-tech dental equipment within their offices requiring maintenance, repairs, or replacement. His team also oversees a constant flow of office refresh and renovation projects.

Graversen’s team handles so much that even hurricanes don’t faze them. “We get directly involved in those situations, of course,” he says. Many of his team members have clinical backgrounds and know firsthand the impact to patient care and revenue generation when the building or equipment are compromised. Their mission is to keep the dental office operating whenever possible, ensuring patients are cared for and clinicians stay on schedule with appointments and treatments.

That ethos is at the core of the company’s values. The work it does allows dentists to efficiently complete their own work. With a smile in his voice—an important characteristic for someone in his job—Graversen explains that his team is rarely contacted unless its supported practices and dentists are burdened with a facility or equipment support need.

“Setting up a dental practice is expensive,” Graversen explains. Smile Brands leverages its scale to create welcoming environments for dental professionals to invest their careers. The company tends to facilities matters, making sure the complex

Courtesy of Scott Graversen

◀ Even in the face of hurricanes and a global pandemic, nothing can stop the dentist’s office from shining at golden hour.

and expensive equipment required in modern dental practice is kept in good operating condition.

In addition to facilities support, Smile Brands provides business services—lease administration, billing and collections, marketing, IT, and legal support as well—that allow its affiliated dentists to spend more time with patients. The typical solo dentist spends 60 percent of their time with patients; for Smile Brands supported dentists that number is around 90 percent.

Graversen has been with Smile Brands since early 2022, but has worked on the supplier side of the industry since 2001. Largely working in sales for equipment manufacturers, he was a familiar face with the firm’s leadership who also had deep technical knowledge. They carved out a position for him that includes the full spectrum of building management—because the functioning of dental offices really has a seamless interdependency between buildings and equipment.

Those responsibilities begin where patients live and shop. Most Smile Brands locations are in retail settings, not the “professional buildings”

“[Facilities have] to be welcoming, not overly sterile—but of course since the COVID-19 pandemic, seeing hygiene practices matters more than ever to patients.”

▲ The clean, fresh lines of the Smile Brand offices mirror their impeccable services that take care of their patients’ pearly whites.

◀ Creating a welcoming environment is just as important as equipping the patient rooms with the latest dental technology.

Scott Graversen Director of Facilities & Dental Equipment Management

Smile Brands

Gina J. Sbatella (Top), Courtesy of Scott Graversen (Portrait), James Davis/Courtesy of Scott Graversen (Bottom right)

where many dental offices were found in the past. This is where signage, access, and facility presentation matters, and where it just seems like a friendlier experience. “It has to be welcoming, not overly sterile—but of course since the COVID-19 pandemic, seeing hygiene practices matters more than ever to patients,” Graversen says.

In addition to dental treatment rooms, offices are equipped with welcoming patient reception areas, employee break rooms and other amenities to make for an inviting environment. While Smile Brands often opens its own offices, a significant number of its locations were existing dental practices that the company has partnered with. As a result, the looks of its facilities are as diverse as the communities receiving dental services. The offices operate under many brands, some regional and many unique to the individual office location. Graversen says the company’s approach to the interior designs is to fit the type and age of the building (e.g., forcing a chic, modern interior wouldn’t work in a vintage building). All offices

are regularly updated on a schedule by refreshing paint, flooring, cabinetry, signage, and installing LED lighting.

Handling what Graversen calls the “break-fix” tasks—thousands per year, not all occurring during regular business hours—is done through a web portal (service channel) that works with a ticketing system. Individual office managers upload photos and notes of what needs to be addressed, and in the case of common repairs it auto-dispatches the work to Smile Brands’ nationwide vendors partner network.

“We manually address the exceptions,” says Graversen, citing the damages brought on by Florida hurricanes in 2022 as one example. Still, every one of those tickets, as well as the phone calls that often accompany them, mention that “something is broken,” Graversen explains. “Every work order is an opportunity to serve someone. But we always guide our teammates and express our gratitude. We fix things. ‘Smiles for everyone’ is our motto and filter to approaching our work.” And that seems consistent with the name this company chose for itself.

The leadership group of Quantum Facilities Services have over fifty years of experience in the construction and facilities management fields. In addition to retail, we are experienced in several other industries including medical, dental, hospitality, and financial services. Quantum also owns and operates a full-service cabinet manufacturing facility specializing in commercial/medical/dental cabinetry.

Quantum Facilities Services is fully licensed and insured and operates throughout the United States. We are a woman-owned, family-run business, with every division closely monitored by a management team who has a vested interest in the company’s and client’s success. We believe that Communication, Dedication and Accountability are the foundation to our success.

Built to Perfection

How Jeff Dunn develops new Nothing Bundt Cakes locations with franchise owners and brings brand experiences to life

By Marcos Chisholm

A lovely spread of the most delectable treats from Nothing Bundt Cakes.

For Jeff Dunn, time is money. The director of design and construction at Nothing Bundt Cakes may not say that out loud, but like many builders since COVID-19, he feels the pressure to develop world-class facilities on a tight budget.

“Throughout COVID, and really more so in the last year or so, costs have risen significantly,” he reflects. “Where our build-outs previously were much more manageable in how we had it designed and built out, we have continued to search for different materials that are a little more cost-effective.”

Dunn wants to have his cake and eat it too. However, after 25 years of being in business and opening over 470 locations, Nothing Bundt Cakes is hungrier than ever to achieve scale. Because the bakery chain is ramping up its growth, he also needs to make each location cheaper to build for franchisees.

“We historically had been building out 45 locations per year, so the need for more people wasn’t really there,” Dunn says. “We had been bought out earlier in 2021 by Roark Capital, and we set forth to grow extensively.”

Just how big does Nothing Bundt Cakes aspire to become? Dunn says it plans to open over 100 locations each year starting in 2023.

Still, with construction costs at a 50-year high, it’s clear that Dunn is not navigating the same market as a young Ray Kroc. So, how does he make every dollar count? He draws the line at the brand experience. “It’s about working more efficiently, finding areas to cut that don’t cheapen the brand overall, that don’t change the brand standards,” he explains.

By keeping the brand experience front and center, Dunn discovered ways for Nothing Bundt Cakes to do more with less. He forged more partnerships with local contractors to curb rising costs and simplify its supply chain.

“Previously, we were working more with national general contractors because it was equitable at that time,” he says. “Now, it’s not so much. We’re working with more localized and regional contractors who have long-standing relationships with subcontractors, so that we’re getting a fair and honest price for our owners through the bid process and not getting charged astronomical costs. That’s one way that we’ve been

▲ From the holidays to a “treat yourself” moment, there’s a cake for every occasion.

Courtesy of Nothing Bundt Cakes

successful in getting costs lower.” On top of that, Dunn procured cheaper alternatives to expensive materials for his contractors.

He paved the way for his team to be minimalists and put Nothing Bundt Cakes on track to explore other cost-saving measures like lowering the square footage of its future locations. Plus, he advised owners when they financed the initial costs of investment. “It’s still an ongoing process, but it is a daily thing that we are

Advice for Young Professionals

Jeff Dunn shares his guidance for those who aspire to follow in his footsteps:

• Think outside the box.

• Find good people with different backgrounds. Each person can lend a different perspective and a new way to attack a challenge.

• Always work collaboratively with your external partners and other departments within your company.

working on, that I personally am working on, to help our franchise owners get the cost down so they don’t have as much initial investment,” Dunn says.

Behind the scenes, Dunn prefers to lead by example. Whether he gives feedback to his employees or meets with his team, he provides them direction as needed. Otherwise, he delegates and trusts them to get the job done.

“I hired incredibly good people to do their functions,” he says. “My construction managers are two rock stars. My design manager is amazing as well. I hired them, and I trust them to carry out the functions of their jobs, and I don’t like to micromanage whatsoever. I am here to be supportive of them and provide them with whatever they need so that they, in turn, can be more supportive and provide whatever our bakery owners need as well.”

Nevertheless, Dunn is a driving force behind the success of Nothing Bundt Cakes. He adjusts to shifting expectations on the fly, but he refuses to cut corners while carrying out every project. The director has proven his ability to follow through on behalf of the bakery chain and its franchisees.

Landry Architects is proud to have worked with numerous successful national retail and service clients. We have a diverse nationwide portfolio across multiple market sectors comprised of mixed-use retail, office interiors, restaurants, and industrial warehouses. Our projects range from ground up designs to interiors work. We are driven to provide design solutions that meet our clients’ goals and objectives. Their success is our highest priority.

“I am here to be supportive of [my team] and provide them with whatever they need so that they, in turn, can be more supportive and provide whatever our bakery owners need as well.”

Jeff Dunn Director of Design & Construction

Nothing Bundt Cakes

UNCW Takes on DEI in Construction

Mark Morgan commits to improving DEI at University of North Carolina Wilmington by hiring historically underutilized businesses and offering internships to students from historically black colleges and universities

By Frank DiMaria

Originally trained as a chemist at North Carolina State University, Mark Morgan never spent a day in a chemistry lab after earning his degree. Instead, he went to work in the engineering department of a textile firm in South Carolina. After nine years of working on projects, controls, and automation, he yearned to live closer to home, which for him is Wilmington, North Carolina. “I wanted to be closer to family,” Morgan says.

He moved back to Wilmington and opened a construction company, but he realized it was the wrong “season of his life” for such an endeavor. He closed shop and took a job at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) as a project manager. “I enjoyed what I did, and it gave me a lot of insight,” Morgan says about owning his own firm. “But I’m better off as the owner’s rep versus the construction company owner.”

Twenty-one years later, he’s still at UNCW but has risen to associate vice chancellor for business affairs–facilities. He and his staff are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the physical plant, repair and renovations through project management, capital construction through architectural and construction services, and fiscal oversight via facilities. He has seven direct reports and 235 staff spread across four groups.

To complete its capital projects, UNCW hires a variety of contractors, but always meets and often exceeds North Carolina’s requirement of increasing participation of historically underutilized businesses in contractual relationships. And Morgan, who is committed to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion, has been instrumental in UNCW’s DEI efforts.

Contractually, UNCW’s large capital projects require that businesses working with Morgan’s staff perform outreach sessions to identify subcontractors with “minority status” to encourage bidding and participation. “That’s one of the key pieces. General contractors must submit proposed plans and talk through what their initiatives would be to increase participation. It’s very successful,” Morgan says.

But not every construction firm has the resources to tackle a half million-dollar project. Morgan encourages contractors to divide jobs up into smaller components, which allows more subcontracting firms to bid and opens opportunities for BIPOC-owned firms to win contracts.

To address DEI internally, UNCW strives to develop a more diverse workforce at the professional level through its summer internship program, which invites underrepresented students from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to intern at UNCW. In the summer of 2022, the program’s inaugural year, Morgan welcomed two mechanical engineers from the UNC system, one mechanical engineer from Maryland, and a finance student also from the UNC system.

UNCW has no shortage of upper-level engineering jobs, but they require significant experience. “The problem is we don’t get a lot of ‘minority’ applicants with experience, because other firms have already scoped them out,” Morgan says. To attract applicants who have engineering degrees but limited experience, Morgan is creating positions that require less experience. “I think we can increase our ‘minority’ participation in the professional fields doing this,” he explains.

Currently Morgan and UNCW are in the middle of a $62 million capital project to renovate and expand UNCW’s 165,000 square-foot library to 245,000 square feet. Morgan is confident that the library will be online

“General contractors must submit proposed plans and talk through what their initiatives would be to increase participation.”

Mark Morgan Associate Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs–Facilities University of North Carolina Wilmington

in time for the 2024 fall semester and the project will come in on budget.

The biggest challenge Morgan faces on the library expansion project is limiting the disruption of the service to students and faculty. “Where do you move a 165,000 square-foot library while it’s being renovated and expanded?” he asks. The solution is to construct the expansion separate from the existing building and add a connector in the last phase of the project. “This way we will not be interfering with the activities in the existing library,” Morgan says.

An added bonus to this plan is the operational flexibility it offers library staff once the addition opens. “If they need to shut down part of the library, for example during low usage in the summer, they won’t necessarily have to open up the entire 245,000 square feet and may not have to staff the entire building,” he says.

Morgan is no stranger to large construction projects with hefty price tags. Since becoming associate vice chancellor for business affairs, Morgan has managed several significant capital projects. He’s built four multistory dorms totaling 500,000 square feet at a cost of $147 million, a 22,000 square-foot dining hall for $14 million, and a Health and Applied Human Sciences building with a footprint of 145,000 square feet costing $66 million. “In the last seven years, we’ve completed about $620 million worth of projects,” he says.

As a leader, Morgan thrives on collaboration. “I’ve never been able to do it on my own. You have to rely on and listen to the staff you have,” Morgan says. He advises those running a plant and its construction projects to understand finances and how money flows through projects. “Most people come to construction understanding the construction side of things, but they have less intuition about how the money flows and what it takes to spend it appropriately,” Morgan says.

LS3P is proud to have partnered with UNC Wilmington for 60+ years

Leeper Construction : “Mark has been a catalyst in shaping a collaborative environment. He leads from a place of empowering his associates to manage in an open and receptive manner. He has been proactive in helping our firm meet and greet key stakeholders in the Wilmington area, and actively helping us become part of the Wilmington culture. Thank you, Mark.”—Gary Morgan, SVP of Preconstruction & Operations Courtesy of University of North Carolina Wilmington

Framework

Setting the stage and implementing the building blocks for what will soon be state-of-the-art facilities and designs from difference makers in the building industry

Beauty in all directions: the colors of LSU paint the town as nearly 30,000 undergraduates and 6,600 graduate and professional students return to spread campus pride each year.

Setting New

Andy Frame

Precedents

At Louisiana State University, Patrick Martin is creating unique public-private partnerships designed to push innovative projects forward

By Zach Baliva

Patrick Martin’s ties to Louisiana State University run deep. He’s not only worked there for more than 17 years but also completed his undergraduate studies and law degree at the Baton Rouge institution. In a way, his life began there: in 1967, when he was born, his parents were living in married student apartments and brought him home to the campus.

Martin demolished those apartments many years later in his official capacity as the university’s assistant vice president for real estate. It’s just one of many large projects Martin has handled over his long tenure with the eight-campus university system. LSU’s main campus alone boasts more than 30,000 students.

Today, as vice president for real estate, public partnership, and compliance, Martin manages real estate contracts and oversees development projects with budgets topping $200 million. But the veteran facilities and real estate leader didn’t go straight from Louisiana State’s lecture halls to its administrative offices—he spent the first two decades of his career prosecuting corrupt politicians, rooting out fraud,

reviewing government spending, and representing and advising former Louisiana Governor Mike Foster.

In that period, Martin not only learned about policy and governance but also touched everything from major economic development projects to school vouchers to criminal pardons. Those varied experiences help him at LSU, where he’s charged with finding creative ways to build partnerships and push innovative projects forward.

“I create precedents of things that have not really been done before in the university setting,” he says, adding that he knows how to play within the rules while navigating bureaucratic red tape. Martin isn’t inventing shortcuts or trying to short-circuit fair play and competition—his role is to maintain integrity, increase efficiency, and get the best results for donors, administrators, and students.

In recent years, Martin has been instrumental in creating P3s, the public-private partnerships that are enabling some of LSU’s most important projects. His team first deployed this innovative development model on a large scale with the Nicholson Gateway Development Project. Louisiana State University, the LSU Andy

“These P3 partnerships bring the best results and allow us to do things we couldn’t otherwise do.”

◀ Old world charm meets modern residential amenities at Highland Hall, a residential living space known for its close proximity to Barnes & Noble and Starbucks at LSU.

▼ The next study break is right on cue.

Property Foundation, RISE: A Real Estate Company, and Provident Resources Group will work together to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain new student housing, retail space, a recreation center, and other amenities.

To understand why the P3 model works, one must understand what first sparked the redevelopment project. The 28-acre tract of land is an iconic section of campus where LSU’s baseball team won five national championships in 10 years. But when the baseball stadium was relocated and the old field demolished, Martin had the chance to treat it as an open greenfield site. Planners created a master plan and interviewed stakeholders about community needs. A mix of housing and retail emerged as the answer, but Martin knew that traditional funding through tax bonds would never work. He needed to find a new way to fund and develop the project.

Public-private partnerships bring benefits to all parties. For LSU, part of the benefit comes in transferring risk. RISE designed, built, and delivered Nicholson. The real estate company was also on the hook for any liquidated damages associated

▼ Renovations to the existing buildings bring new light to the beloved LSU campus.

Andy Frame

▲ Social butterflies rejoice! LSU’s Nicholson Gateway Development Project brings modern, sleek spaces for all social gatherings.

◀ LSU has been a flagship insitution of Louisiana since the late 19th century.

▼ The grand interiors at LSU provide a breath of fresh air from the day-today stress of the semester.

with delays. Development cost about $215 million but was completed without the use of taxpayer dollars or appropriations from the state general fund. “These P3 partnerships bring the best results and allow us to do things we couldn’t otherwise do,” Martin says. He has a 40-year lease in place for Nicholson, though LSU leases the facilities from Provident. The deal will generate about $218 million in housing-related fees.

The benefits associated with the P3 model are numerous. It’s faster, it’s cheaper, and it increases Martin’s ability to complete deferred maintenance. It also helps LSU meet growing demand for on-campus housing, which is shown to increase graduate and retention rates.

Success with Nicholson led to another P3 project designed to modernize utility systems at the flagship campus and bring $90 million in savings over three decades. The deal arose as two central plants that heat and cool buildings neared the end of their life cycles. “We rely on funding from the state and donors for high-profile projects, but who wants to give us money for something as exciting as a boiler?” Martin asks. The answer? No one. Since procuring the parts on an emergency basis would be expensive—Martin knows; he’s done it before—he set out to be proactive.

Louisiana State University’s Board of Supervisors contracted with Bernhard and CenTrio. Bernhard will work with Johnson Controls in a joint venture known

as Tiger Energy Partners to build new power, steam, and chilled water plants. CenTrio will then operate the facilities for the next 30 years. Martin points out that this time frame is shorter than comparable deals at other universities, which often span four to six decades.

The LSU Property Foundation, created during the Nicholson Gateway Development Project, brings advantages in state laws and will be the vehicle for the university’s future P3 projects. Its members include those experienced in construction, high finance, law, state government, and commercial real estate.

Martin himself is a member of several boards, through which he gives back to local communities. They include local and state chapters of BASIS charter schools and AMIkids, an organization that serves troubled teenagers and at-risk youth. Martin is also running to unseat a 10-year incumbent in East Baton Rouge School System’s District 9.

These efforts all have one common thread— improving the educational experience for students. As LSU moves forward, Martin plans to do that by fully institutionalizing P3 practices and continuing to lead into the future.

Sevenson Environmental is a national leader in remedial construction and environmental dredging. The company has actively been involved in site remediation and ecological restoration since 1979, when we were selected as the principal contractor at the Love Canal site in Niagara Falls, NY. For more than 40 years, Sevenson has success-fully worked with federal, state, and local government, and with private clients to address challenging sediment design and construction issues for ecological restoration projects.

Patrick Martin VP for Real Estate, Public Partnership & Compliance Louisiana State University

“I create precedents of things that have not really been done before in the university setting.”

▼ Comfy communal spaces bring students together where they can watch their LSU Tigers dominate in sports.

Andy Frame, Aaron Hogan (Portrait)

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The Foundation of Retail

Athletic-inspired fashion retailer Hibbett is expanding, but Justin Farr says the company will never stray from what’s always been at its core: a strong and consistent customer experience

By Zach Baliva

Employees at Hibbett Retail are trained to do one thing above all else, and that is to take care of the customer. Because Hibbett’s physical stores sit between the company and the customer, the numberone job for Justin Farr is to take care of the stores so his colleagues can accomplish exactly what they were trained to do.

Farr is the company’s senior director of property management and facilities. He’s been with the billion-dollar Alabama company since 2001. Watching the organization grow over two decades motivates him to perform at his very best. “We have to maintain excellence as we expand,” he says. “Everything that we do in our facilities impacts associates on the floor. Our actions impact their lives, so what we do has to always be at 100 percent effort.”

In 2001, Hibbett already had 56 years of history, but it was still a relatively small, regional company with 330 locations. Now, it has over 1,100 total locations branded as Hibbett, City Gear, and Sports Addition stores in 36 states nationwide.

Being at the company during a prolonged period of growth has given Farr the chance to grow and evolve himself. He started in retail store operations. Eleven months later, he moved to the Store Support Center (SSC) as a property manager. He’s also been a project manager, a senior design analyst, and director of facilities and design.

The progression has helped Farr build legacy knowledge and relationships that help him perform today. “I’ve learned a great deal about each area as well as how to strive to be the best leader for our team along the way,” he says.

Farr has further perfected his leadership skills by serving as a Second Lieutenant in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), the nonprofit civilian arm of the US Air Force. In doing so, Farr not only supports his son, an aspiring pilot, but also helps train and develop cadets as a logistics officer. The volunteer position fits with his work at Hibbett, as both roles involve building culture and training others to embrace a mission and pursue shared goals.

Hibbett’s corporate employees moved into a newly renovated SSC in 2013. Farr now leads three teams that work together to complete all building maintenance, utility, and waste management work at stores, the SSC, and a distribution center. His property management team receives daily repair requests and executes capital improvements. A facilities and procurement team purchases and distributes store supplies. Lastly, a store development support team handles utilities and trash programs and installs all signage.

Despite major changes in consumer behavior and challenges in traditional retail, Hibbett is opening

“Everything that we do in our facilities impacts associates on the floor. Our actions impact their lives, so what we do has to always be at 100 percent effort.”

Justin

Farr

Senior

Director

of Property Management & Facilities

Hibbett Retail

Serren Bouska Hollingsworth

new stores and establishing new trade areas. Farr’s teams are replacing all Hibbett and Sports Addition signs to modernize store appearances. Accomplishing the multiyear project takes strong partnerships with vendors like Federal Heath and Vision Sign Group.

Store infrastructures also needed important upgrades. In 2021, Farr and his colleagues updated old systems in nearly all 900 Hibbett locations, introducing new CAT6 wiring, new switch systems, and improved Wi-Fi access. Now, they’ll work alongside Wachter Inc., Grainger, and Hubbell to bring the same improvements to City Gear locations.

“Customer centricity is critical to the immersive experience organizations want to achieve,” says Charlotte Gilet, senior director of sales at Wachter. “As our customer’s partner and advisor, we take pride and ownership of our customer’s projects and tackle everything and anything.”

Completing these ambitious large-scale projects is never easy. Farr overcomes challenges related to supply chain shortages and other issues by leaning on Hibbett’s strong culture that promotes collaboration and ideas such as two of its “10 keys”: “knowledge is power” and “speed is life.”

“We seek to find what we do not know, while we are humble in learning from what we find,” he says. He encourages his peers to move to alternative solutions when necessary and stay open to new ideas,

vendors, parts, and manufacturers as long as they do not compromise the intended result or bring a negative impact to the central customer experience.

This philosophy was on display in 2021 when Hibbett faced a shortage of retail shopping bags. The company’s normal branded bags were delayed, so Farr had to work with multiple vendors until he found plain bags that would arrive quickly for use until the branded versions were available. “We strive to never take no for an answer unless we have exhausted all avenues,” says Farr of his ability to uncover creative solutions.

It’s all part of his desire to lead by example. Farr and Hibbett work with a team of analysts and managers that he knows are more than great employees—they’re great people. “I am truly blessed to have each one of them on our team,” he says.

Farr aims to be calm but vigilant as he conquers daily challenges that arise. He hopes to put others first while pursuing big goals together. He “leads from within,” brings a bit of himself to what he does, and asks others to do the same.

As Hibbett moves forward, Farr and other leaders continue to monitor changes in consumer preference as they watch for material challenges and changes in how the supply chain operates. Hibbett is also pushing its digital teams to enhance the online customer experience.

“We seek to find what we do not know, while we are humble in learning from what we find.”

Despite the change, in-person shopping isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, Farr says his company will be opening more stores. He’s excited for what that will bring. “That means we get to do what we’ve always done,” he says. “And that is to work our very best to provide great locations that meet and surpass our customers’ needs and expectations.”

Specialty Roll Products® has been meeting customer needs since 1970 with the philosophy that listening to and caring about customers is top priority. What began as a paper roll manufacturing company, Specialty Roll Products® has expanded its offerings into Pick & Pack, Fulfillment, and Logistics. We are proud to partner with Hibbett City Gear and its leaders, like Justin Farr, to offer them an opportunity for Pick & Pack, Fulfillment, and Logistics.

Wachter is a valued resource and trusted partner for simplifying the complexities of integrating and converging traditional electrical systems into immersive customer-centric experiences. Retailers are transforming in-store experiences, including data security, seamless shopping between devices, and personalized connections. Wachters’ engineers and project managers leverage our nationwide W-2 workforce of technicians with unprecedented experience to integrate and upgrade electrical systems, displays, security, and connectivity into superior customer experiences. We deliver end-to-end solutions for technology advancements while prioritizing safety and security.

Battling Brain Drain

At the University of Toledo, Jason Toth helps address challenges created by the area’s shrinking population

By Marcos Chisholm

Once upon a time, Toledo, Ohio, was an economic force to be reckoned with. Like many other Midwestern towns, the city solidified itself as a manufacturing hub during the auto boom. So long as automakers kept opening more plants, its residents had plentiful job opportunities.

Fast-forward to the present, and Ohio is experiencing a brain drain. Statewide, college students are 12 percent more likely to leave Ohio upon graduation than they are to stay. That means it’s especially important for Jason Toth to restart the other growth engine Toledo relies on.

As senior associate vice president for administration at the University of Toledo (UT)—a fouryear institution plagued by budget cuts—Toth is tasked with managing its construction, facilities, and supply chain. No matter how good, bad, or ugly it gets, he feels pressure to deliver more ROI on every dollar invested into its infrastructure.

“We’re always behind the eight ball trying to improve our campuses to keep up with the competitive nature of higher education as the student population across the country is shrinking,” he explains. “We’re all eating from the same pie, and we’re all trying to get a little bit larger slice. It’s a very competitive market as we’re in this arms race, just like they are in college athletics to try and recruit athletes. We’re all trying to recruit the same students to come to our institution.”

It’s a challenging situation, especially since student enrollment at UT is down 24.4 percent since 2016. While student enrollment at US colleges dropped about 9 percent from 2016 to 2021, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, UT is still behind the average. Toth explains why: “It’s largely based upon the population shrink in north -

“I’ve got a great team. I’ve been fortunate to be able to retain and recruit several members of my management team, and they’ve all embraced my leadership style.”

west Ohio. As an institution, we’re largely commuter based, so if the population isn’t here, it has a direct impact on our enrollment.”

UT’s board of trustees responded by approving the Campus Master Plan, which included a goal of reducing the campus buildings’ footprint by 1.2 million square feet. “If we can shrink the amount of space that our capital has to go towards, that obviously helps,” Toth says. “We can effectively do more because we have less space that we’re trying to sprinkle that money across.”

When a company posts job descriptions for construction and facilities managers, they usually forget to include demolition in the list of responsibilities. On top of figuring out how UT would use 15 percent less space, Toth still needed to move forward with new building projects. One such project was to support the university’s College of Engineering and its need for purpose-built space after having taken ownership of former O I Glass Inc. manufacturing buildings. But once he realized the solution was standing right in front of him, the rest was history.

Toth considered the fact that UT spent $25 million converting the Memorial Field House, a basketball arena on-campus that lacked tenants, into an academic and administrative facility in 2007 (before he was

“We’re all eating from the same pie, and we’re all trying to get a little bit larger slice. It’s a very competitive market as we’re in this arms race.”

hired). It added 80,000 square feet of floor space to the building, which includes classrooms and offices.

Inspired by the project, Toth decided his team would renovate the manufacturing high-bay warehouse for the UT College of Engineering to hold classes in. “We’re going to move them inside of square footage that we already have and eliminate an older building that’s not functioning at a very high level—that strategically, through the master plan, we’re looking to get rid of,” he says.

When it comes to the UT North Engineering Laboratory/Classroom renovation, Toth and his team are following the approach that kept Memorial Field House open. In other words, they replaced its old roof with a new one and are close to completing the construction of a second floor within the building shell.

“We’re currently wrapping up phase two, which was to build the structure inside to create the second floor,” Toth explains. “And within a couple of weeks, we’re going to pivot into phase three, which is the build-out of the classroom and interior spaces, with the goal of having those online when classes start in August of 2023.”

And remember how Toth needed to make the UT campus smaller? Well, he listened. “When that project is completed, it will allow us to demolish a building

by the name of Palmer Hall, where the labs and classrooms exist today. In the end we will achieve a net space reduction of over 45,000 square feet.”

Believe it or not, in part because of Toth’s hands-on leadership, his team will exceed their goal by 300,000 square feet. However, he fought for every inch.

“I’ve got a great team,” Toth says. “I’ve been fortunate to be able to retain and recruit several members of my management team, and they’ve all embraced my leadership style. They echo that out to the staff.”

He adds, “We continue to grow and build. We understand that we are a service organization and that despite the challenges we face, we need to rise above and overcome them. We’re not going to accept that negativity as a group.”

JDRM is a proud partner with the University of Toledo. JDRM has worked closely with the University of Toledo and Jason Toth for over a decade providing engineering services for facilities and construction. JDRM’s core foundation is rooted in the design of commercial, educational, government, healthcare, industrial, and recreational facilities. JDRM Engineering, Inc., founded in 1995, is a consulting engineering firm providing professional engineering services to architectural firms and contractors.

Jason Toth Sr. Associate VP for Administration in Facilities & Construction and Supply Chain University of Toledo

Dan Miller

Back to the Basics

In a challenging era for homebuilders, James Jonsson believes that focusing on fundamentals is the key to maintaining quality as the industry changes

By Zach Baliva

Few homebuilders are as remarkably candid as James Jonsson. Over his 40 years in residential, commercial, and development construction, the Utah native has seen it all. Now vice president of construction for Ivory Homes, his state’s most well-known builder, Jonsson is navigating a changing and uncertain era—and there’s no time to conceal hard truths or be disingenuous.

As we begin our scheduled phone call in October 2022, Jonsson hears a knock on his office door and politely excuses himself. A colleague stands in his doorway with an armful of plans. Jonsson must give immediate input on a change order. He returns to our call and launches into an extemporaneous monologue on the current state of the market.

“You caught me on a typical day in this new world we live in,” he says. “Things have changed. Buyers have a sense of that. We are looking at increasing rescission rates. Interest rates are ticking up, and buyers will walk away from deposits because they are scared. They could afford things three months ago, but they can’t afford things today. Or in other cases, things we would have said no to three or six months ago, we are now revisiting because the market has changed.”

When I ask Jonsson what the change order was, he sighs and concedes that it’s an example of the rapidly

changing world. A customer hated the tile in their wine room, although they had selected the pattern themself. Jonsson can either tear it out and redo it, or he can hold his ground and risk the buyer walking away. He came up with a third solution and offered to credit the buyer to keep the tile she selected. Jonsson may have lost the battle, but he’s still in the war.

In 2022, Ivory Homes closed about 1,150 of its highend townhomes and luxury custom homes. This year, that number will drop to around 850. How will Jonsson help the company deal with the 300-unit gap? “The entire industry has been running at a frenzied pace to keep up with demand, but that’s over,” he says. “We have to sharpen our tools, get back to the basics, and do everything we can to minimize exposure and reduce risks.”

For Ivory—which operates as a one-stop shop with its own architecture, interior design, sales, marketing, warranty, and customer service teams—that means slowing down, increasing collaboration, double-checking everything, and capturing more information in documents. The wine room debacle, for example, could potentially have been avoided with a better description of the work and more open communication.

While a dramatic slowdown would cause some newer leaders to panic, Jonsson has remained calm.

“I don’t want anyone working harder than me. People have to run to keep up, but we do great things together.”

After all, he can remember the 2.3 million industry jobs that were lost during the last recession and the 12 percent interest rates of the 1980s. In some ways, he sees the current landscape as an opportunity. “Lower work volumes will bring an increase in quality since top performers and vendors will be the ones who stay employed, and our supers and field staff will be more cautious and thorough,” he says. For example, he’s insisting that every Ivory Homes superintendent walk every home every day with a tape measure in hand to know exactly where each and every project stands.

Jonsson was just 16 when he got started in construction. That’s when his father, a project manager for a large commercial construction company in Hawaii, dashed his dreams of a surf-filled summer by putting him to work on a high-rise project. He joined Ivory as an estimator in 2004. After holding numerous jobs over nearly 20 years in the organization, Jonsson now manages a team of 54 field supers.

Coming from the field and starting in the lowest position gives him instant credibility, and Jonsson still expects to get his hands dirty and earn his keep. “I want to lead by example,” he says. “I don’t want anyone working harder than me. People have to run to keep up, but we do great things together.”

Ivory is known for beautiful homes and many options. It provides more than 200 designs and 30 model homes. At 5,476 square feet, the countryside traditional is one of its largest. The four-bedroom, fourand-a-half bath version features an upstairs covered balcony, a theater, an exercise room, and a covered porch. In addition to the standard homes and townhomes, the high price of land has compelled Ivory to

“We have to sharpen our tools, get back to the basics, and do everything we can to minimize exposure and reduce risks.”

experiment with accessory dwelling units, narrowfit homes, and other creative solutions. Jonsson and his colleagues are also getting deeper into energy efficiency, pure build quality, and native landscaping.

Ivory Homes has topped its state’s market for 34 years in a row. As Jonsson thinks about what’s likely to happen across the industry in 2023, he’s focused on one thing: how to reduce the cycle days of construction and build quickly without sacrificing the quality of a delivered product. After all, every house is a home, and Ivory has a reputation to maintain.

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Mark Heywood

Confronting Challenges, Creating Healing Facilities

Courtesy of Cannon Design

Gaurav Khadse uses his problem-solving skills to tackle complex projects and improve the experiences of pediatric patients at Texas

Children’s Hospital

By Rebecca Rakowitz

▼ Future plans for Texas Children’s Pavilion Tower II Project imagines a bright campus for its patients and visitors.

Gaurav Khadse likens his job to solving a Rubik’s Cube. As assistant vice president of facilities planning and development at Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH), he is constantly moving occupants and shifting spaces to gain more capacity in existing buildings. Additionally, he is charged with simultaneously expanding in new locations with the stunning cutting-edge buildings for which the pediatric hospitals are known. Far from being overwhelmed by these complicated projects, Khadse finds them to be a source of excitement.

“It’s fun to solve a puzzle,” he says. “A piece has to move to make room for another one or a new piece has to fit just right. It is quite interesting to make all the parts work together seamlessly.”

Khadse’s current puzzles are two multimilliondollar projects that will dramatically improve the health and patient experience of women and children in Houston and Austin, Texas.

At the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Khadse’s team is renovating its building that houses its Pavilion for Women to create inpatient capacity for women’s services and additional neonatal intensive care rooms. This is being done by moving generalist clinic practices into another medical office building across the street from TCH’s Medical Center campus and connecting it by a bridge for easy access. To solve this particular puzzle, it was important to leverage expensive hospital space to its full potential and renovate underutilized offices into clinics, he explains.

Simultaneously in Austin, the team is building a 562,000-square-foot full service regional hospital with 52 beds and a full complement of services. This campus will include both inpatient and outpatient services for women and children. The entire project was designed virtually during the pandemic, and Khadse gives credit to the ways in which technology and other advancements in online collaboration platforms has made it possible.

“Technology is amazing,” he says. “We are even able to track the on-site construction progress from a drone that flies the same path around the building every week.”

Khadse began his career in architecture, working for nearly a decade as a healthcare architect in Texas. It’s this training, he says, that allows him to understand the requirements of a health system and deliver a facility that supports the institution’s mission.

According to Khadse, architects have the ability to facilitate dialogue, draw out information, and convert it into something more tangible. “More importantly,

architects are trained to be comfortable in the gray areas and ask many questions,” he adds.

This background has been useful in his interactions with clients, helping him to understand their requirements and produce effective solutions. “Architects are trained to be good at communicating because that’s their livelihood,” he says. “They have to communicate their design concepts and make people excited about the vision.”

While working, Khadse spotted the value in health systems having an in-house architect with

“It’s fun to solve a puzzle. A piece has to move to make room for another one or a new piece has to fit just right.”

▲ Texas Children’s North Austin campus will include both inpatient and outpatient services for women and children.

Gaurav Khadse Assistant VP of Facilities Planning &

business acumen—someone who could help executives develop their facilities master plan in alignment with their financial strategy and then execute on the projects—and so he got his MBA at the University of Texas at Austin. It’s no small feat to complete a master’s degree while working full time, but with the help of his support system, he managed to successfully juggle all his responsibilities. “It’s unbelievable how people support you when you have a goal,” he says.

Khadse is now in a position to support others. In his role, he looks to empower his team, providing the tools and resources they need, and then stepping aside so they can succeed. This hasn’t always come easy to him. He’s learned, though, that not everything has to be done his way. Even now, his leadership style continues to evolve. “I’m quite fluid,” he says. “When I see something new and better, I assimilate it into my style.”

It’s important to him that his team enjoys what they do (“If not, they’ll find somewhere else to work”) and that they are passionate about the patient and staff experience. You can tell by the way his face lights up when he talks about the children at TCH that he has a passion for making their experience more enjoyable.

Development Texas Children’s Hospital

▼ The emergency center entrance at Texas Children’s North Austin Campus reflects plans to create an uplifting and comforting center for kids and their families. age Architects, Courtesy Guarav Khadse (Portrait)

The design of the patient rooms and public spaces is cheerful and thoughtful. Khadse and his team make it a point to utilize elements that can comfort children who are in pain. “The interior design of our facilities is beautiful and designed with the kids and families in mind, so that when kids get in, they feel uplifted, and that this is a nice place to be,” he says.

The design of TCH hospitals is always centered around a theme. For the Austin hospital, it’s central Texas landscapes: one floor is inspired by waterways, another by caverns, and another by the highlands. “It’s educational, exciting, and fun,” he says. “And very playful as well.”

These elements are what brings Khadse back to complex projects time and again. The Houston and Austin buildings won’t be complete for several years, but until then, Khadse will keep chipping away at the puzzles until everything is where it should be, positioned to put a smile on a child’s face.

“After all, the environment the kids are in makes a huge difference,” he notes.

Bellows Construction has been a proud building partner for Texas Children’s Hospital since 1989.

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Designed to Disappear

Paul Blackburn is helping L’Occitane En Provence revolutionize sustainable retail design by recognizing the value of impermanence

By Billy Yost

Morumbi Shopping Sao Paolo

Premier Flagship Store in Brazil opened in the summer of 2022.

▶ L’Occitane aims to make their storefronts easy to assemble and disappear without a trace.

For Paul Blackburn, the natural world—specifically, its present state—is key to both his career and his life.

“As my career has progressed, context becomes more and more important to understanding what’s beautiful, what’s desirable, and what is essential,” the vice president of retail development at L’Occitane En Provence says. “For me, nature is an incredible source of inspiration. Right now, it’s nature’s need that is the inspiration.”

L’Occitane has long been at the forefront of sustainability. The company’s energy usage is already 95 percent renewable, and they are expected to become a certified B Corporation in 2023.

Blackburn, nicknamed “the Professor” by his colleagues due to his love of getting deep into the details, has accomplished a great deal since ABQ spoke with him in 2017. The previous year, L’Occitane had opened a location in the heart of Disney World. That project was two promotions and a handful of awards ago.

In 2017, L’Occitane reimagined its store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, which Blackburn calls “the crown jewel of our Canadian portfolio.” The “multisensory journey” takes inspiration from the lavender fields and culture of Provence.

Blackburn himself walked in those lavender fields, an experience he still recalls with clarity nine years later. The design won a Spectrum “Specialty Softlines” award and was also a finalist for the World Retail Awards “Best Customer Experience Initiative” and “Outstanding Store Design <1200sqm.”

The success was followed up by a truly groundbreaking idea at 555 5th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The new experiential retail concept sought to redefine what a pop-up store can be.

“The idea was a semipermanent store that would continue to evolve,” Blackburn explains. “Instead of trying to build a store that’s going to last for seven or eight years, let’s build a store that, by design, is only supposed to last for three months and then it will change.”

The 5th Avenue location won “Store of the Year” and “Experiential Innovation Award” from the Retail Design Institute, the Spectrum “Brand Activation” award, and was a finalist for “Best Customer Experience Initiative” in the World Retail Awards.

There have been challenges, of course. L’Occitane’s consumers, like so many others, moved online during the pandemic, and the 5th Avenue store didn’t survive the drop in foot traffic. L’Occitane has had to strategically right-size its portfolio as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process deemed necessary to best position the business for the future.

“As my career has progressed, context becomes more and more important to understanding what’s beautiful, what’s desirable, and what is essential.”

Paul Blackburn

▲ Winner of the Retail Design Institute’s “Store of the Year” and “Experiential Innovation” awards, L’Occitane’s location at Fifth Avenue in New York City has been a stunning example of the future in retail.

Paul Blackburn VP of Retail Development, Americas

L’Occitane En Provence

Paul Blackburn. Arthur Mola (Portrait)

“Every day, I was on the phone with our landlord partners negotiating our leases, trying to reach mutually acceptable terms that would prevent the process, but ultimately it was the best thing for L’Occitane USA to further accelerate our retail transformation initiative and realize our potential,” Blackburn says.

L’Occitane reduced its brick-and-mortar locations in the US by 25 percent over the course of the pandemic, and while it was a painful process, Blackburn says the brand is now strong and ready to forge ahead.

What is the next great challenge for Blackburn?

“It is more important than ever that we convey the experience of Provence and leverage emotional and sensorial responses in a more sustainable way.

L’Occitane is on a mission to turn consumption into regeneration through nature-positive actions and science-based targets. To support this, our store design concepts are evolving,” he says.

“For example, we launched a global prototype this summer of a store that is able to disappear without a trace. It’s not just lightweight and easy to assemble, but when it comes to demolition and final use, it’s not going to wind up in a landfill somewhere.”

This thinking makes as much sense from a business perspective as it does for sustainability. It allows L’Occitane to test new markets with far less overhead and risk than a traditional store. The prototype project was located at City Center Bishop Ranch, a brand-new shopping, dining, and entertainment center located in San Ramon, California.

“I’m personally committed to reducing consumption and am not naive about how much work there is to be done or how difficult it will be,” Blackburn says. “If it was easy, someone would have done it already.”

Since 1995, DavroPM has been operating as a general contracting company in Canada and providing construction management services. They offer both a construction management system on a fee-for-service basis and a general contracting service for a stipulated sum. Services include procurement of architects, engineers, general contractors, permits, and approvals. DavroPM proudly joins American Builders Quarterly in recognizing the work of Paul Blackburn at L’Occitane and looks forward to continued work together.

▼ The Yorkdale Toronto Premier Flagship store opened in fall 2017.

Scientific Games Bets Big on Giving Back

Inside Scientific Games’ well-calculated efforts to serve its communities

By Will Grant

Scientific Games is a company built on dreams. The global leader in retail and digital products covers government-sponsored lottery, sports betting, and scratch-offs sold at convenience stores. It’s been helping consumers dream of huge payoffs and lives of luxury since 1973, providing games, tech, analytics, and services to 130 lotteries in 50 countries around the world.

The company has also done right by its commitment to the communities in which it operates. In June 2022, Scientific Games won three Communitas Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility. Two of the awards were received in environmental categories and another was awarded for responsible gaming.

Scientific Games has received certification for environmental management after committing to mitigating its environmental impact across five continents. Additionally, it was one of the first companies in the world to receive global certification as a “Responsible Gaming Supplier” from the World Lottery Association.

Recently, the company partnered with a Montreal nonprofit to create an urban agricultural farm at its Canadian lottery instant game production facility. Nonprofit La Cuisine Collective Hochelaga-Maisonneuve will build a sustainable farm on land provided by Scientific Games. Ideally, the farm will help feed the local community and follows a broader initiative to plant 75 trees in an effort to make the city greener.

The urban farm project is slated to create jobs, offer educational workshops to local schools, and offer a business program for adults with intellectual disabilities. Produce from the farm will go to 40 local collective kitchens and be used for food baskets distributed to single-parent families as well as others in need.

The farm aspires to create 150,000 meals and fill more than 2,600 food baskets. And that’s not all: a greenhouse is planned for installation between 2023 and 2024.

Whether it’s urban farms and greenhouses or more corporate-focused building, it’s part of director of facilities and construction management Ben Kopacka’s portfolio. Kopacka has been with Scientific Games since 2019, when he signed on as a senior manager. He was promoted to his current role in 2021.

Prior to joining Scientific Games, Kopacka spent over five years in the United States Air Force as an engineer prior to entering the corporate workforce. The veteran handled massive construction programs in Qatar and Honduras, then concluded his military career as a project engineer in Great Falls, Montana.

Today, Kopacka is a one-man facilities powerhouse who has proven himself more than capable of the task. And it’s a good thing because the growth at Scientific Games only continues.

The company’s Scratch’N Win games just signed a new five-year contract with the Atlantic Lottery, whose Canadian provinces include New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador. After topping 2021 revenue by 9.8 percent, the continued partnership makes sense, especially since Scientific Games has engaged in a massive retail modernization project with the Atlantic Lottery that features new, advanced point-of-sale technology across a retailer network of 3,000.

The numbers are already strong at Scientific Games. Its products generate more than 70 percent of global instant game retail sales, and the company serves as the primary provider to nine of the top ten performing instant game lotteries in the world. While the business may be built on dreams, Scientific Games’ continued expansion is a certain reality.

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Repurpose Your Headquarters

Michael Phelps shares how Nutanix has elevated the employee office experience through listening and learning

By Marcos Chisholm

As vice president of real estate and workplace services at Nutanix, Michael Phelps elevates the experience for employees and visitors who enter its facilities.

Instead of going for gold on each project he delivers, Phelps helps keep the cloud computing software company grounded. He looks beyond data and gauges what his staff members need with heart-to-heart conversations: his presence in meetings is anything but superficial. Plus, he pivots accordingly when presented with obstacles. The VP responded to COVID-19 by working with a cross-functional team in the company’s efforts to go hybrid and repurposing its global headquarters in San Jose, California.

Phelps spoke with American Builders Quarterly about his impact on Nutanix’s organizational culture.

Seventy percent of companies have gone hybrid. How do you navigate Nutanix through this transition differently from the rest of corporate America?

Feedback and employee sentiment were key for us. We conducted several surveys to take the pulse of our employees. We also created cross-functional teams to get ongoing feedback that was comprised of legal, HR, real estate, IT, and communications, who met regularly as we designed our approach. We were careful not to make rash decisions that would have to be retracted at a later date. Being transparent, trusting our employees, and having alignment were the only ways we got to where we are as a hybrid-first organization.

What obstacles do your teams need to overcome to make this happen?

There were three main things we had to address. First, we weren’t sure when things would go back to normal. Once we all understood that we are simply in a new normal, the second hurdle was how we could make coming into the office enticing after two years of working comfortably from home. The third was making sure we could have an effective hybrid approach while making sure our employees were still safe. On the facilities team, we think of ourselves as being in the hospitality business and committed to a great workplace experience.

You’re also introducing a workplace experience tool to Nutanix employees. How does this fit into your long-term goals for the company, and how is it coming along?

Before the pandemic, everyone had a dedicated seat. Now, we are deploying a tool to reserve seats at locations where dedicated seats are no longer available. We’ve worked hard to design this new workplace experience tool to make the booking experence easy and useful. Besides just booking a seat, employees will be able to see what events are happening onsite, what food options will be available that day, and what amenities are in the building. One of the best features is what we are calling “Find a Friend,” where employees can opt in to allow other people to see what days you booked a seat and where to foster better collaboration.

◀ Like many companies, Nutanix adopted online meetings as part of their “new normal” in business operations.

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How difficult was it to consolidate Nutanix’s headquarters?

Employees come into the office with more purpose in mind, whether it’s to enjoy a catered lunch with teams or to meet with colleagues. We found employees were excited about consolidating our dispersed offices in San Jose into one main building, as it helps facilitate that purposeful collaboration. The employees wanted to feel the buzz and energy of people being together, and being in one space makes that easier. Our company culture is very social and that fell right in line with what we wanted.

What do companies get right and wrong when creating office environments for their employees?

The best thing you can do is listen to the employees (your customers) when creating an office environment. Make them a part of the design process. In addition, it’s important not to take a one-size fits-all approach. Different teams have different needs, and they evolve over time. Some need more time in the office together and some less. Continuous listening and learning to accommodate these changing needs are important.

Does it just boil down to creating an office with a sense of purpose, or is there more to it?

There are a lot of things to consider. For one, you need to make sure the office is set up so it can be as productive an environment as possible for employees. An employee should be able to disconnect their laptop from home, head to the office, and when they get there, just plug back in and get to work. The meeting rooms need to be well equipped with technology that makes it easy to connect with people via video conference or use tools like digital whiteboards as well as collaboration spaces. Building those connections and social capital is invaluable.

What has your experience with turning Nutanix into a hybrid-first work environment taught you?

This experience has taught me that we should have been working in some fashion like this before the pandemic. We essentially conducted a huge social experiment and learned that a hybrid-first environment works really well—as long as it’s well-enabled.

What advice do you have for in-house facilities and real estate leaders at companies that want to become hybrid-first organizations?

There’s no single answer. For Nutanix, balance and compromise were important. Listening was essential. And ongoing experimentation and evaluation will be the key to success in the future.

“The best thing you can do is listen to the employees (your customers) when creating an office environment. Make them a part of the design process.”

Spaces

Exploring new and renovated facilities across the industry, from buildings to work spaces, along with the people and companies behind these projects

Designing for

Courtesy of Stone Martin Builders

◀ Interiors of the Sutherland model at Stone Martin Builders offer an elegant open floor plan to their living spaces.

As director of architecture and design for Stone Martin Builders,

By Russ Klettke

the Future

André Weir is creating modern, eco-friendly homes and communities

▲ The Highland model is approximately 4,696 square feet and comes with a standard two-car garage.

Courtesy of Stone Martin Builders

Growing up in a working-class neighborhood in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the only architect André Weir knew was Mike Brady from the Brady Bunch. But family members noticed he would take empty cardboard boxes and draw windows and doors on them to build models of houses. They honored his Christmas requests for Lincoln Logs, LEGOs, and other types of building and construction toys. In fact, they probably aren’t terribly surprised that Weir went on to become director of architecture and design for Stone Martin Builders, a nationally ranked home developer based in Opelika, Alabama.

In a way, Weir and his colleagues at Stone Martin build for 21st century Brady Bunches. Stylish and

contemporary, most of the company’s homes are three-, four- and five-bedroom single family structures in Craftsman, Italianate, farmhouse, and cottage styles in roughly the $300,000 to $600,000 range. Constructed as subdivisions, the homes are clustered around community amenities that include clubhouses and recreation, with pools, splash pads, pickleball courts, walking and fitness trails, playgrounds, and soccer fields.

One of Weir’s early responsibilities when he joined the company in 2011 was to develop a plan portfolio, something that had to be “production friendly.” The company, which builds in Alabama and Georgia, benefits from economies of scale. However, with a broad design portfolio (what Weir calls their “library of homes”), the appearance is far from that of

“We created a lean council to connect with the subcontractors and learn where we could improve our operations, including with design. It’s definitely improved our relationships with the subs, and we found we had previously left money on the table.”

“Our sales team is on the front line. They know.”

▼ The Kensington model has 10 foot ceilings and wood flooring throughout the foyer, dining, and living room.

Courtesy of Stone Martin Builders

cookie-cutter villages. He works with outside firms for some portions of the work—exterior concepts, permitting and code requirements, ADA compliance, etc.—while he bears greater design responsibilities for the shared amenities.

The company was founded in 2006 and has been riding a wave of success. It has been ranked in Builder Magazine’s top 100 home builders in the past two years. And, while times have been good for Stone Martin, its leadership recognizes the economic cycles will inevitably have valleys as well as peaks. So, over the past year, the company has been building lowerpriced homes designed by Weir, in sizes ranging from 1,200 to 2,000 square feet and priced from $200,000 to $300,000. They are also dipping their toes in the water of the rental housing market, recognizing that there is a growing market for leased single-family homes.

How does Weir keep up with what the market needs and wants? “Our sales team is on the front line,” Weir says. “They know.” That kind of feedback is important to the design process. For example, Weir explains that walk-in showers are now preferred over bathtubs in primary suites. Also in demand: home offices, homeschool stations, replacing dining rooms with flexible space, and EV charging outlets in garages.

In the hot and humid southeastern climate, the company has advanced sustainability features, with spray-foam insulation, “California corners” (an energysaving framing technique in building), multi-zone thermostats, low-E windows, tankless water heaters, LED lighting, Energy Star-rated appliances, and Hardie board siding that is sustainably sourced, produced, and distributed. By the end of the decade, Weir predicts homes will come with solar systems as a standard feature, along with extensive systems automation, flexible layouts—and probably fewer square feet.

The current building environment was not spared by the global supply chain disruptions resulting from the pandemic. Weir says it led to some design adaptations (e.g., using two single windows when doubles were not available) and cautioning customers about closing date uncertainties. But it was also a time for the company to conduct a “lean blitz,” which was essentially a drive to improve efficiencies, eliminate waste, and end inconsistencies.

“Scheduling was one of the biggest issues,” Weir says. “We created a lean council to connect with the subcontractors and learn where we could improve our operations, including with design. It’s definitely improved our relationships with the subs, and we found we had previously left money on the table.”

Weir is a proud graduate of Southern University in Baton Rouge, a historically Black land grant school. Despite the career successes of alumni including Weir, the architecture program was closed in 2013 after years of reduced state funding that steered aspiring architects instead to Louisiana State University. “I went to Southern because it was what I could afford,” he says.

Weir is involved with his local Southern alumni chapter and hopes to see the architecture program restored. The university was the best choice for the kid who learned about architecture from TV and designed his first homes from cardboard boxes—and Weir would like for future generations to have that same opportunity.

At Professional Design Services, we strive to provide you with the best-designed plan for your next project. From the deck off your back door to the perfect custom home, your project will be handled with 60-plus combined years of experience in residential design. The details are just as important. That’s why we offer 3-D visualization with every project. You can even tour your home in VR before it’s even built! Learn more at ProDesignServices.net.

▲ A new home awaits with the Manchester model available at Stone Martin Builders.

Building History

Judson McIntire has the awesome task of planning, designing, and constructing some of America’s most revered structures that make up the Smithsonian Institution. Forces of nature don’t always make his job easy.

By Russ Klettke

It is said that monuments are built for the living, not the dead. And that is largely true of the 19 museums, research institutes, and the National Zoological Park that comprise the “monuments” of the Smithsonian Institution—collectively, these get 30 million inperson visitors each year, plus 178 million unique visitors to collection websites. But as the US approaches its 250th birthday in 2026, these collections also play an important role for those who no longer draw breath by immortalizing their legacies and impact on the nation’s history.

One person who knows this well, and is very much alive, is Judson “Jud” McIntire. He has spent nearly 30 years in the planning and management of the Smithsonian’s capital program as an architect and associate director for program and project management in the institution’s office of planning, design, and construction.

McIntire is quick to point out that the considerable assets under his guidance have the support of a broad team of planners, architects, engineers, and other specialists. As well he should—the structures and collections that fall under the Smithsonian are extensive and carry a deep responsibility to the American experiment.

Among the monumental structures McIntire has worked on, he recommends the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), which opened in 2016. It was created by legislation in 2003 and is the museum sited closest to the Washington Monument.

The structure’s Lead Designer, David Adjaye, and Lead Architect, Philip Freelon, drew inspiration from three-tiered crowns from West Africa. The structure is wrapped in an ornamental bronze-colored metal lattice, paying homage to intricate ironwork crafted by enslaved African Americans in the American South.

The NMAAHC stands out from the nearby classical stylings and white stone-clad monuments built nearby to presidents Lincoln and Jefferson, as well as that wellknown obelisk honoring George Washington.

It’s a bit closer in hue to “the Castle,” the building most associated with the Smithsonian, and modern designs afforded the Hirshhorn Museum, the Museum of the American Indian, and the National Air and Space Museum, all Smithsonian facilities that line the National Mall.

McIntire is intimately involved in the development process of such buildings, be it new structures or renovations of existing properties (the Castle is currently undergoing a major revitalization that will take several years). The way he describes it, these capitol projects—as they are all in view of the Capitol—come about through a collaborative process with literally dozens of interests that almost perfectly mirror democracy itself.

“It’s not always easy or comfortable,” says McIntire about the myriad interests in siting, design, environmental, historic preservation, traffic, and other critical details of every project that on average require a decade to complete, from concept to grand opening. “But we consider everyone a valuable partner. And every project is almost always better as a result.”

As an example of how challenging this can be, consider the matter of loading docks. On hallowed ground such as the National Mall, those functional, backdoor entries are underground and out of sight. But lapping nearby is the Tidal Basin, constructed in 1887, famously encircled by cherry trees, and subject to ocean tides as it connects to the Chesapeake Bay via the Potomac River.

Daily high tides and heavy rain increasingly flood the walkways and now adversely affect the cherry trees; the National Park Service, which maintains the Basin, has its own battles to fight there. Meanwhile the concurrent high water table and occasionally

A Favorite Display

Judson McIntire is reluctant to name a single Smithsonian facility he loves the most. But he is particularly proud to have worked on the display chamber for conservation of the “Star Spangled Banner” US flag, which inspired Francis Scott Key’s national anthem. After hanging vertically for decades, the 30’ by 34’ battle- and time-scarred flag underwent years of preservation work; since 2008 it lies at a shallow angle in a specially constructed, climate-controlled chamber at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

heavy precipitation—both effects of climate change— require very specific measures, such as cisterns and pumps, to keep the water outside and away from the Smithsonian’s priceless artifacts.

“Flood resilience is very important to us,” McIntire notes. “We have to plan for it.”

But it’s the popularity of the Smithsonian structures that probably drive most of what McIntire and his team accomplish, increasing the offerings and access to these vital assets. For example, the Castle structure is being revitalized to add more public exhibit and convening space while moving administrative functions elsewhere. And given the nature of what these structures hold, the place they have in the education of a nation and its children, that makes the Smithsonian an ever-changing, ever-growing institution.

“It’s not always easy or comfortable. But we consider everyone a valuable partner. And every project is almost always better as a result.”

Jim Preston

▶ The Peacock Room at The Smithsonian Institution features a Chinese porcelain collection among gilded avian motifs, making the room itself a national wonder.

Judson McIntire Associate Director for Program Management, Office of Planning, Design & Construction

Sustain Renew Reimagine

Modernizing renovations and new buildings are constructed to achieve LEED Gold certifications. And a planned renewal of the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden is expected to receive a SITES certification, the landscape sustainability rating system for healthy ecosystems.

Looking ahead, two new Smithsonian museums, the National Museum of the American Latino, and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, are in the site selection process with several potential sites near the Washington Monument and the Tidal Basin.

McIntire knows his work will live on to the benefit of future generations. Already, his grandchildren visit some of the grand buildings he’s been involved with, and—should those tidal waters be kept at bay—there’s a good chance their children and grandchildren will as well.

www.quinnevans.com

The Smithsonian Institution

Twin Peaks’ cozy lodge theme invites vistiors into their sports bar where they can enjoy beers at 29 degrees Fahrenheit.

David Wallace

From Scratch

Paul Stevens joined Twin Peaks for a chance to move fast and build the young brand from the ground up. Eight years later, it’s thriving.

By Billy Yost

Paul Stevens always heard the stories. Throughout his 12 years at one of the nation’s largest restaurant chains, he heard a great deal about the early years of the company, when there were still only thirty or so locations of the then-upstart chain. The days when everyone was involved with everything, and decisions were made by a small, smart group of people.

“[Later] my former company was this massive organization, and we were all focused on a small slice of the pie,” Stevens explains. “I just always imagined being somewhere that would have been like all of those ‘early years’ stories I’d heard about: a place where you can be entrepreneurial and move fast.”

That’s partly what drew Stevens to Twin Peaks in 2014. The young brand was making a name for itself as a fast riser in the casual dining and sports viewing experience space. Unlike any of its competition, however, Twin Peaks’ food was made from scratch. The brand had around 45 restaurants at that moment in time. Eight years and two promotions later, Stevens is senior director of design and development, and the number of Twin Peaks restaurants is approaching 100, with international development starting to kick into gear.

Stevens and his team have managed this growth while staying agile. A couple of key decision-makers are responsible for most moves, and Stevens says the relentless pursuit of improvement and the commitment demonstrated by a team of true entrepreneurs is what keeps his team so lean.

“Some organizations have [a] design-bycommittee [approach], so you’ve got marketing types and focus groups that will evaluate your designs, keeping a scorecard on reactions to your colors, and you end up running every idea up the flagpole,” Stevens says.

“We don’t have any of that. We’re driven to win by our leadership, and we’re willing to try something new.”

Stevens says he always thinks of something his boss told him. Winning by three points is a good thing, but Twin Peaks wants to win 10-0. That mindset drives his team to examine outcomes to figure out where they could do better. The director’s own work doesn’t end when a restaurant design is completed and the doors are opened to customers.

“I will design a kitchen layout based on the knowledge that I get working with my culinary and operations leaders. We then will go back three or six months after opening and see how the staff is actually using it,” Stevens explains. “It gives you a better-informed understanding for future designs, and that whole philosophy applies to all aspects of our building design. It makes for a lot of air travel, but it’s been a key to our success.”

Stevens’s team has had particularly good luck with restaurant conversions. In a landscape where 80 percent of restaurants fail within the first five years of opening, there are a lot of second-chance spaces available for Twin Peaks to convert—and they’ve been perfecting the art of creating value out of failure.

“It genuinely pains me to redesign a space that I may have helped build out a decade ago,” Stevens says. “But Twin Peaks has been able to be successful in so many different types of buildings that we know how to take advantage of opportunities that others might not see.”

The senior director says franchisees are increasingly seeing Twin Peaks outpacing its competition, and they want to get in on the action. If you’re in the casual dining space, there’s a good chance your franchisees have at least had a conversation about converting. They’ve seen how Twin Peaks has been able to take vacant space and turn it into gold.

Paul Stevens Senior Director of Design & Development

Case in point: the Man Cave. Birthed initially in the suburbs of Atlanta, the Man Cave was created to utilize a converted dining room that had far too much space.

“A franchisee decided to try and create a secondary space where you could sit on a leather couch with your buddies and enjoy a premium cocktail, and maybe even a cigar,” Stevens says. “It’s away from the main dining area and can act as a VIP dining area with upscale finishes and upscale service. We took that initial idea and tweaked it a bit until we got the results we needed.”

The idea has hit big, and Stevens is currently in the process of designing a prototype that can be part of future builds where the opportunity exists. It’s the entrepreneurial spirit exemplified. A small team created a great idea, executed on it, and watched it bloom.

With great success comes more challenges, of course. Stevens’s team is now helping Twin Peaks expand internationally, with a 30-restaurant deal in

“All of our food is made from scratch. Our kitchens are substantial . . .If it wasn’t for the excellent food and the service, I don’t think we would have built such lasting success.”

Twin Peaks

David Wallace

differently SEE LUXURY VINYL

place for Mexico. The first three projects are all located within Mexico City, and one in Cancun is about to open.

To make it on the global stage, it’s vital to find the right partners, Stevens says. His team has to create the infrastructure, find the supply chain for food, and locate the right fixtures, furniture, and kitchen equipment. All those efforts require strong partnerships.

The kitchen and the food are two points that Stevens mentions frequently. While the brand might be known for its cold beer and attractive servers, Stevens thinks that the food and service are what has made Twin Peaks so successful.

“People try and compare us to a Hooters, and I just don’t see it that way,” Stevens says. “All of our food is made from scratch, and we continually innovate new food items. Our kitchens are substantial, and we prioritize executing a superior menu. If it wasn’t for the excellent food and the service, I don’t think we would have built such lasting success.”

That success held even during the disastrous pandemic years, which shuttered many restaurants. In a particularly challenging time for anyone in the restaurant industry, Twin Peaks seems to be towering above its competition.

In an industry where style, resilience, and ease of maintenance is vital, Karndean Designflooring is a proven choice for the demands of fine dining, bars and restaurants, as seen in Twin Peaks locations throughout the country.

In a sector where style, resilience and ease of maintenance is

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choice for the demands of fine dining, bars and restaurants. As seen in Twin Peaks locations throughout the country. www.karndeancommercial.com

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TriMark has been one of the country’s largest providers for over half a century of design services, equipment, and supplies to the foodservice industry. TriMark offers foodservice operators an unparalleled level of service by combining the hands-on support and local market knowledge of a strong regional supplier with the purchasing strength, industry expertise, delivery, warranty service, service and repair, and installation capabilities of a national company.

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vital,

Designflooring is

proven

Christine

Bishara-Murtagh

builds and designs for the most vulnerable at AHRC New York City

By Billy Yost

Reaching the Peak

Since 1949, AHRC New York City has been a fierce advocate for the neurodivergent population. While the mission may be three-quarters of a century old, the approach continues to be evolved and perfected for both those AHRC serves and those within the organization. In May 2021, AHRC NYC was recognized as one of Forbes’s Best Employers for Women and, in both 2021 and 2022, as one of Americas Best Midsize Employers.

In 2021, AHRC NYC also won a workplace innovation award from the International Facility Management Association. One of the major contributing factors was the complete redesign and reconstruction of AHRC’s NYC headquarters, which also serves as the location for the organization’s family clinical services, referral and information center, program record unit, and training and conference rooms.

Christine Bishara-Murtagh knows a thing or two about the redesign and renovation. It was her first project after being named associate vice president of design, construction, and capital at AHRC NYC. “It wasn’t just about designing office space, or a clinic, or a training center,” she explains. “It was all of these things, and it required wearing a lot of hats throughout the process. And it meant you had to do more listening than instructing.”

Bishara-Murtagh has spent the better part of her career working on behalf of others. She built over 150 different playgrounds in NYC in conjunction with Andrea Wenner’s nonprofit Out 2 Play, all while working for Margulies Hoelzi Architecture. She eventually realized that the nonprofit world aligned with her own personal values, which Bishara-Murtagh cultivated from an early age while serving in soup kitchens with her parents and doing other community-oriented work. She came to AHRC NYC 12 years ago and has risen through four promotions to her current role. But titles aren’t really what concerns her.

“You can make your mark in many different ways, and why not have it be supporting the most vulnerable population?” Bishara-Murtagh asks. “It’s not about the title. You should respect everyone for who they are and what they bring to the table.”

Taking on the headquarters redesign and renovation in 2019 was no small feat, regardless of her title. Bishara-Murtagh’s supervisor had recently retired, and she had only been in her new role four

▲ Since 1949, AHRC has been serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing in-home support in New York City. Dylan Watton

months before the pandemic swept the world. The entire project occurred during the most transformative environment of modern history.

In lieu of carpeting in the office spaces, AHRC NYC—along with the architectural firm Think! Architecture & Design PLLC—chose sustainable flooring material (Bishara-Murtagh has a significant background in sustainability and environmental management). An open-floor concept was adopted, with additional “phone booths” available for more private conversations. Adjustable desks were integrated. Technology was integrated throughout the space, including but not limited to wave-to-open devices that enable doors to assist people with mobility issues.

Antimicrobial paint and fabrics were used for the entire project to keep the space functional as well as attractive. But Bishara-Murtagh’s team also went to great pains to not make any space feel too impersonal. “We talked a lot about lighting, colors, and connections between programs as well as flow for the people we support. Many can be sensitive to environmental changes that other people might not even think about,” Bishara-Murtagh says. “A lot of our people need different kinds of support, from physical to emotional. Our goal was to create a space where everyone feels safe and supported, and that can mean different things for different people.”

As big of a project as it was, this wasn’t the only AHRC NYC item on Bishara-Murtagh’s plate.

“It wasn’t just that project,” she says. “We had many residential constructions and rehabilitation jobs going on concurrently. Houses didn’t stop needing work in

The Importance of Me Time

At 40, Christine Bishara-Murtagh continues to seek out new experiences—this time with her daughter. She spends up to nine hours a week at karate classes, sometimes with her eight-year-old daughter and other times kicking tail all on her own. It’s time to reflect, to exercise, and be disciplined.

“I haven’t always been great about taking time for myself,” Bishara-Murtagh says. “As I get older, I find that taking that time makes me a better mother, a better colleague, and a better person all around.”

“Our goal was to create a space where everyone feels safe and supported, and that can mean different things for different people.”

▼ Providing community support starts with creating comfortable communal spaces for incoming clients.

recognition of the pandemic. We even opened a school during that time in Staten Island, where there was a huge need for services.”

Twelve years is a long time for anyone. What has kept Bishara-Murtagh working in the ‘always-cashstrapped, always less with more’ nonprofit space?

The architect-by-trade says that the people she serves have kept her at AHRC NYC. “Everyone gets out of architecture school and wants to create the most beautiful space in the world,” she says. “You may not become a household name, but to the people we support here, I’m making a difference. I’m able to change their world.”

GC Plumbing & Heating congratulates Christine Bishara-Murtagh, associate VP of design, construction and capital at AHRC New York City, for her recognition in American Builders Quarterly. We look forward to working together.

Christine Bishara-Murtagh Associate VP of Design, Construction & Capital AHRC New York City

▲ Renovated meeting spaces offer a chance for clients and coworkers to find connection.

Dylan Watton

The Crown Jewel

Tracy Zaslow adjusted well to a sweeping change in business strategy by refocusing her retail expertise to design a major corporate headquarters renovation

By Peter Fabris

Tracy Zaslow

◀ At Luxury Brand Holdings, the sky’s the limit for increasing their internet presence and creating physical retail locations.

Luxury Brand Holdings has been diligently focused on building a robust internet presence over the last 20 years, but it also built and refreshed a collection of upscale retail stores. Tracy Zaslow, the jewelry retailer’s director of design and construction, has always acknowledged that the brand’s brick and mortar business was not the company’s main revenue generator.

Since her hiring in 2000, her focus has been to direct the design, construction, and visual for all retail projects. However, a plan to gradually close stores was underway when business shifts during the pandemic drove growth in internet sales and hastened the company’s move to shut down all but one of its stores.

This strategy shift could have marked the end of Zaslow’s career with the company known for the Ross Simons jewelry brand. Instead, the company’s evolving business model created new opportunities to exercise and stretch her design skills to address new challenges.

As the company’s catalog and digital business grew, it needed to hire more people to support these channels. So, Zaslow stepped up to guide the transformation of Luxury Brand Holdings’ old headquarters in Cranston, Rhode Island, into a modern, more efficient space needed for a new generation of workers.

“Digital marketing requires a younger, more techsavvy team,” Zaslow observes. These employees, who may consider working for the likes of internet retail leaders such as Amazon or Wayfair, expect to work in a modern, stylish office environment.

Luxury Brand Holdings’ home was decidedly not that. Checkerboard tile flooring, restrooms with pink tiles reminiscent of a 1950s time warp, and a stark warehouse vibe permeated the facility.

Indeed, until recently, aesthetics had not been a priority for company leadership. “It was an old family business growing organically and clearly not focused on the workspace,” Zaslow says. It was all about just getting the job done. A new president, though, shifted gears. “He understood the value of an environment that fosters collaboration and an upbeat workplace with a more current vibe, “she says.

One option was to move the headquarters to a newer building, but that plan had drawbacks. “It is not the type of business that you can easily move,” she says. “We have a heavy need for vault space, and we ship a ton of packages, so we needed the space to accommodate that.” Moving would be very disruptive and require costly customizations at a new site, so leaders opted to stay put.

That meant Zaslow’s talents would be needed to transform the old facility, and new leadership gave her leeway to craft plans. “The president was willing to have me lead the direction of renovations,” she says. “I understand the company and proactively bring to attention and deliver effective changes to the areas of focus that would benefit [from it the most].”

Almost every square foot of the facility needed a refresh, and Zaslow set out to transform it on a reasonable budget while minimizing disruption to operations. Her guiding principle was encapsulation— upgrading flooring, walls, finishes, ceilings with as little demolition and tear out of existing material as possible.

For example, rather than removing the pink ceramic tiles in restrooms, contractors put a skim coat over them and laid dark, slate colored vinyl tiles over it. Similarly, rather than ripping out existing counters in some areas, recladding vertical surfaces and installing

engineered stone countertops over the existing countertops prevented landfill, while minimizing disruption.

To brighten and liven up the dark main warehouse hallway that lacked windows, Zaslow specified faux skylights in the ceiling with warm, natural finishes, and eco-friendly materials.

The new business strategy has demanded an expanded, revamped space for a critical function— the creative studio that houses photographers, digital image retouching, designers, and copywriters. As Luxury Brand Holdings’ online and catalog sales has grown, it brought more production functions in-house. “We needed to gain more control and turn the work around faster,” Zaslow says.

Zaslow is designing new office and collaboration studios within a large, underutilized warehouse space. This space will be equipped with generous lighting fixtures for flexible photography sets, and shared equipment storage spaces.

Another function, a jewelry repair shop, also required an upgrade. The undersized space where craftsmen performed meticulous repairs of necklaces, lockets, and other adornments, was woefully inadequate for this growing part of the business. Jewelry benches where the craftsmen worked were falling apart, Zaslow says. The space was too small, not arranged very efficiently, and new equipment including laser printers for imaging on jewelry, and new engraving machines had to be incorporated.

Zaslow embarked on a thorough analysis of operations workflow in the repair shop with its chief. They looked at every workstation—cleaning, polishing, repairing stations, etc.—and devised a more efficient layout to minimize how many steps workers needed to take to perform different types of repairs.

The newly built and expanded repair shop demonstrates the advantages of two decades of design work for the same company. Even though Zaslow works remotely and has never had her own office at Luxury Brand Holdings’ headquarters, she has known many of the key decision makers for years and is intimately familiar with the company’s strategy and business practices. Despite her early apprehension over the business’s altered course, remaining with the company has worked out well.

“I was disappointed that the company was taking the foot off the gas pedal on retail sites, but I was

“[Our president] understood the value of an environment that fosters collaboration in an upbeat workplace with a more current vibe.”

Tracy Zaslow Director of Design & Construction Luxury Brand Holdings

able to shift to workspace design and exercise new problem-solving skills,” she says. The future may be a bit uncertain, but there is a possibility that her retail acumen may once again come into play.

“We have had a couple of conversations about potential pop-up shops in locations where we had a retail presence in the past,” she says. “That would remind people in those areas about the brand, and we could present new product lines and drive people to our internet site.” Certainly, Zaslow would welcome new opportunities to exercise her creativity. She clearly thrives on such challenges.

Doing Well by

Francisco

By Zach Baliva

Zepeda

aren’t just building affordable housing—they’re adding a social impact component to help Los Angeles address problems with unhoused populations and affordable housing

Courtesy of Francisco Zepeda

Doing Good

Unlike many people who live in Southern California, Francisco Zepeda isn’t a transplant. An Angeleno through and through, he’s watched his beloved city of Los Angeles change over the last few decades. The Staples Center (now the Crypto.com Arena) helped revive the downtown area. Public transportation has improved. The tech industry has arrived. But at the same time, spikes in housing costs and homelessness have stretched social safety nets and driven people out of the state.

According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), the 2022 homeless population in LA County totals almost 70,000. That’s more than a four percent increase over the 2022 number. The LA County Homeless Initiative says the county “needs to add approximately 499,430 affordable homes to meet the current demand among renter households at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income.”

Today, Zepeda serves as vice president of construction at SoLa Impact, a unique collection of social impact real estate funds created to address the homelessness and affordable housing crises in and around Los Angeles. For the homegrown leader, the job is a dream come true. “I’ve seen the unhoused population grow and watched people get priced out of their neighborhoods. You can’t avoid seeing it. Taking on a role here is an amazing opportunity for me to give back to the place where I grew up,” he says.

Zepeda, an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, earned his general contractor’s license in the early 2000s. He served in construction management for Kaiser Permanente for nearly a decade. But until he joined SoLa, he hadn’t encountered an organization with such a meaningful social impact component.

SoLa Impact is bringing affordable housing to the LA area in a unique way. Unlike other developers that rely on grants and public funding, the company is doing it all with private equity. This approach allows SoLa Impact to build projects faster, because Zepeda and his team aren’t subject to some of the bottlenecks that exist within the bureaucracy of public agencies. While other developers tackle two to four projects at a time, SoLa takes on more than 20; it’s both the largest developer of affordable housing and the largest Section 8 landlord in Los Angeles.

A portfolio of more than 2,000 apartments in Los Angeles is helping SoLa Impact solve the homelessness and affordable housing problems. It’s a commitment Zepeda takes seriously. “We’re not just building projects; we’re getting people housed. We don’t finish buildings and hand them off; we also manage our properties,” he explains. The strategy allows SoLa to serve unhoused people directly in partnership with 30 agencies that match their clients to the company’s properties. Sixty percent of SoLa’s residents were previously unhoused, and the

“We’re not just building projects; we are getting people housed.”

company also provides wraparound services for trauma and other underlying issues.

Its projects transform entire neighborhoods. Project Triple Main will bring 87 one-, two-, and three-bedroom low-income units to families and individuals in South Los Angeles. The building, which replaces a junkyard, features a green rooftop deck with panoramic downtown views. Its location next to a public transit system will help residents get to grocery stores, medical appointments, jobs, and other needs seamlessly.

As VP of construction, Zepeda helps SoLa Impact fund and fulfill its mission by finding new ways to reduce costs. SoLa builds at under $300,000 per unit, which is less than half of the market rate. How? Through standardization, efficiency bulk ordering, and modular construction. When lumber costs were getting high, Zepeda bought and stored enough material for three buildings and saved over $1 million. The company also works with “mom and pop” contractors and “right-sized” companies that have lower overhead and discounted rates.

A mission of “doing well by doing good” is propelling SoLa Impact forward on the social impact side, where the company is focused not only on housing, but also on economic development, education, and community partnerships. A five-acre campus known as the Beehive

is home to 100,000 square feet of commercial space and 60,000 square feet of courtyards and open space. It features six red-brick warehouses for initiatives like the SoLa Tech and Entrepreneurship Center, where over a thousand young people from predominantly black and brown communities get certified in robotics, coding, and software development every year. The 20,000-square-foot Tech Center, completed in partnership with Riot Games and Snap, features 30 iMacs, 30 MacBooks, 15 iPads, 30 PCs, Oculus Quest VR headsets, a podcast studio, an entire gaming center, and more. SoLa gives students up to $300,000 in scholarships each year, while also providing professional development, mentoring relationships, and internships.

These projects and community-based initiatives have made SoLa Impact into one of the nation’s biggest minority-led developers, and the future continues to get brighter. The organization has many projects coming online this year and next, including Project MLK, a 70-unit building with ground-floor retail that will improve the Crenshaw neighborhood. Zepeda is looking forward to meeting residents when the project and other facilities open their doors. “Each of the people we serve has a story, and visiting our sites is rewarding because I get to see how we’ve been a part of those stories,” he says. “And that’s what I love about what we’re able to do in our communities.”

ACS is a world-class organization, delivering high-quality commercial and residential construction with integrity, consistency and value. Our services include construction management, general contracting, sub-contracted ‘hard bid’ trade work, dewatering, excavation and grading, reinforced concrete, masonry, site work, and more. With several Fortune 500 companies, federal agencies, and city governments counted among its clients, ACS has proven its capacity to excel even when faced with the most challenging of projects. The future looks bright for ACS.

CRATE Modular is a volumetric steel modular manufacturer based in Carson, CA, producing large projects with State of California approval. CRATE can build for any sector and has completed projects for affordable housing, education, hospitality, market rate, multi-family, and commercial modular. Our innovative approach eliminates workflow inefficiencies, shortens the development cycle, reduces waste and produces stronger buildings compared to conventional site-built construction. CRATE’s modular building structures are delivered ready-to-install to our forward-thinking developer partners.

▲ The Crenshaw Lofts include a ground floor retail space for residents.

Courtesy of Francisco Zepeda

“Taking

an amazing way

me to give back to the place where I grew up.”

Francisco Zepeda VP of Construction SoLa Impact

Sweetwater Sound, the largest online retailer of musical instruments and sound equipment in the US, operates out of a complex of buildings in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Matt Knipstein makes sure the facilities hit all the right notes.

By Russ Klettke

▼ Sweetwater is often the go-to spot for celebrities to test out instruments and sound equipment.

Courtesy of Matt Knipstein

Where Musical Dreams

If Matt Knipstein had started working in his capacity as senior director of campus facilities and maintenance for Sweetwater Sound back when the company launched in 1979 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, his responsibilities would have included one groovy Volkswagen microbus and a garage recording studio.

That’s not what happened, of course. Knipstein joined the online retailer of musical instruments and sound equipment in 2015, initially as director of mechanical operations, when the company had about 1,000 employees.

Since then, that number has grown to 3,000 people working in various capacities across six buildings that include a 40,000-square-foot retail store, a 750,000-square-foot distribution center, administrative offices, a gym, racquetball courts, and a food court that welcomes employees and townspeople alike. In addition, its media center and recording facility have been used in the flesh by Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Daniels, Guns N’ Roses’ Slash, Buddy Guy, ZZ Top, Vince Gill, among others.

Celebrities visit Sweetwater to test out some of the 34,000 guitars and other instruments as well as sound equipment at any given time. It speaks to the place that the company, which is the largest supplier of musical instruments in the country, holds in the music industry.

Come True

Accommodating customers is part of Knipstein’s job, as the construction, upkeep, and functionality of buildings and building systems can make or break the operation. But the employees are Knipstein’s top priority. This is a workplace where, as one might imagine, music is in their veins. While Knipstein isn’t a musician himself, that puts him in the minority. “Most everyone here has a love for music,” he says. “Music is how we remember our lives. I love the art of music, and we are fortunate to work where musical dreams come true.”

Knipstein says the company culture stems from its founder, Chuck Surack. He was a musician, traveling in that original microbus, who decided to stop touring and instead offer recording services. The company grew organically and through acquisitions—

earning “fastest-growing companies” status in Inc. in 1993, 1994, and 1995—and accelerating at a quicker pace with the advent of online sales in the late 1990s.

The Sweetwater campus buildings are not ordinary structures. A single eight-string electric guitar (Strandberg Boden) sells for about $3,600 from Sweetwater, while an electronic stage piano (Nord Piano 5) retails at $3,000, and a brass instrument from their newly acquired band and orchestra line can be worth as much as $7,700 (Yamaha professional double French horn). Strict temperature and humidity controls are essential in warehousing and shipping operations to protect the valuable instruments.

“We have an automated system and mechanical technician who get notifications if the air temps or humidity are off,” says Knipstein. The buildings where the instruments are housed have massive diesel generators in case of power outages.

Speaking of power, the company has recently installed no less than 900 solar panels (covering 93,000 square feet), a 1-MW system that annually displaces the carbon equivalency of burning 79,000 gallons of gasoline. Sweetwater also lays claim to the first LEED Platinum building in Indiana, with bamboo

“We live by an idea we call ‘Sweetwater Time,’ which is about our focus on customer service.”

▲ Sweetwater locations have top of the line instruments for purchase, along with dedicated sales engineers who provide advice and service at no charge.

Courtesy of Matt Knipstein

flooring, ample windows for natural light, and automated controls that adjust electric lighting according to sunshine, cloudiness, and nighttime.

Knipstein’s role in creating these green features is no less important than the ongoing maintenance of existing facilities. His own staff of about 40 people tends to janitorial functions plus electrical, mechanical, and light construction—including maintenance of fiber-optic equipment essential to the data and voice technologies on which their approximately 800 customer service representatives (and thousands of customers) depend on every day.

“We live by an idea we call ‘Sweetwater Time,’ which is about our focus on customer service,” notes Knipstein. “For my team, the customers are our employees.”

As just one example of what that looks like, Sweetwater’s food operations feed 2,000 people daily from two kitchens. That’s breakfast, lunch and dinner, six days a week, with 42 food-service personnel. In fact, the company offers “Cheeseburger Thursdays” and pizza dough is made from scratch. Employee meals are subsidized (customers from outside the company pay full price) and the facility operates in a breakeven cost-revenue structure. These food operations must meet health codes, which depend on functioning refrigeration and cooking equipment, as well as clear drain lines and sanitary garbage disposal. If Knipstein’s maintenance program were to fail, that could mean 2,000 hungry people.

That hasn’t happened, fortunately. Sweetwater’s role in the Fort Wayne community is an important part of what it does; the company is also a major contributor to area charities, particularly in the arts and music sector.

All of that wouldn’t be possible, though, without well-designed and maintained facilities—much of it just as hip as a musician’s mid-century microbus.

Matt Knipstein

Senior Director of Campus Facilities & Maintenance

Sweetwater Sound

“Music is how we remember our lives. I love the art of music, and we are fortunate to work where musical dreams come true.”

Courtesy of Matt Knipstein

Portraits

Sharing stories that detail motivations, ambitions, and missions of executives in the building industry and getting a firsthand look at what they are achieving today

Legacy Leader

Veteran designer and developer Corrina Green helps The University of Texas at San Antonio build partnerships and invest in the metro area to change the Alamo City for the better

By Zach Baliva

▼ Welcome to campus! San Pedro I is the new facility for the School of Data Science and National Security Collaboration Center.

Courtesy of UTSA

Local firm Ford, Powell & Carson created the main campus of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) with a master plan centered on a plaza flanked by seven large buildings and connected by gallerias. They designed it to recall a quaint Italian village.

Those were simpler times.

Today, with nearly 35,000 students, UTSA is the third-largest institution in The University of Texas System and among its state’s top 10 in enrollment. The institution now owns property throughout the city and has five campuses that total about 800 acres.

In 2020, Corrina Green joined as its associate vice president of real estate, construction, and planning to build upon its first campus’s legacy, help create important public-private partnerships, drive economic development and make UTSA a model for excellence in education.

She spoke with American Builders Quarterly in fall 2022 to share the latest on UTSA’s properties and buildings.

Set the stage for me. What made you want to take on your role at UTSA?

President Taylor Eighmy joined UTSA approximately three years before I arrived at the university. Dr. Eighmy set some ambitious goals and started UTSA on an exciting new trajectory—and I wanted to be a part of that.

What were some of his goals that impacted your work?

When I joined the university, we had about 30,000 students. Dr. Eighmy’s ambitious growth strategy for enrollment and expansion into the urban core, coupled with his focus on elevating our athletic programs, has set a pace to improve and expand our built environment. We are dedicated to providing more on-campus student housing to meet our growing student population and support student success.

Additionally, we are partnering with our Roadrunner Athletic Foundation on how we can monetize some of our real estate assets to help fund our athletic master plan implementation, supporting the university’s goal to move into the American Athletic Conference. Notably, we are collaborating with our academic and community partners on how we can create spaces and programs to attract more students and faculty to San Antonio’s downtown core over the next decade.

Tell me about your background and how it fits into this.

I was one of 24 applicants admitted to Drexel University’s 2+4 architecture program, and just 12 of us completed it. I first focused on high-end residential and then started doing master planning and due diligence work, which I loved. I moved to San Antonio, started in design, and got into the development side in the private sector. I was blessed to have a handful of amazing mentors over my career who provided me with invaluable lessons and guidance. I made an effort to learn all that I could from them, and this ultimately led to the transition in my career.

Additionally, I am very actively involved in the Urban Land Institute, which has had a huge impact on where I am today. I had the opportunity to be involved with public-private partnerships that support the transformation and development of urban spaces, and I am continuing this with my work at UTSA. Today, I am very active and focused on sustainable development, which can be a catalyst for economic growth.

Urban centers have been struggling. What can your team do to contribute to these important areas?

UTSA has a unique advantage because we can bring opportunities, jobs, talent, and investment to the urban core. We can take the lead because the univer-

“UTSA has a unique advantage because we can bring opportunities, jobs, talent, and investment to the urban core.”

sity is here to serve others. If we find the right private developers, the impact becomes huge because we bring their financial expertise, experience, and funds. Add in our public dollars, experience, and educational components, and the result is something remarkable.

COVID-19 hit right after you started. How did you navigate it?

We had already started spending money on some proj ects, so we had to find ways to keep people safe with out our work grinding to a halt. We did this by forming strong relationships with our design and construction partners on those projects.

One of the university’s goals is to see our enrollment reach 45,000 students by 2028. We had the opportu nity to acquire property along the San Antonio River and merge academic programs with a well-known art school. We also purchased another 6.5 acres downtown to support additional expansion.

We had to get really strategic, and that drove us to restructure our team. We created UTSA’s Real Estate, Construction and Planning department, which assembled all our project management for major capital and institutional construction over sight, planning and design department, inspections, and real estate under one umbrella to better collabo rate and support UTSA’s growth. We’re creating new automated processes, websites, and intake forms to make our team as efficient as possible.

There’s always a lot going on, but what are you most excited about right now?

We’re excited about the completion of San Pedro I, our new downtown San Antonio building for the new School of Data Science and National Security Collaboration Center. This is part of the plan to bolster the area’s development and expand our downtown footprint. Moving forward, we have plans to develop additional space downtown for innovation, entrepreneurship, and careers, building on the programs that UTSA offers in San Pedro I.

Overland Partners is a creative community of problemsolvers delivering comprehensive design services in architecture, master planning, and urban design. With a spirit of collaboration that brings our clients’ wisdom to center stage, we integrate technology, art, and craft to create places that care for the Earth and promote human flourishing. We value our partnership with the University of Texas at San Antonio and innovative leaders like Corrina Green, to deliver transformative projects that strengthen learning environments and positively impact San Antonio’s community.

Corrina Green Associate VP of Real Estate, Construction & Planning

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Red Hawk Takes Flight

The first Californians were the Miwok, and they once outnumbered all other groups in the state. Their land stretched from the Sierra Nevada to the Pacific Coast. Today, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians have created the Red Hawk Casino to “honor the past and celebrate the future.” Now, with the help of Tyler Bila, vice president of facility and security operations, they are showing off the first major expansion since Red Hawk opened in 2008.

The El Dorado County facility now boasts a brandnew hotel and amusement center, making a longstanding dream a reality for the community. Bila came to the organization when it first opened 15 years ago. He oversees a team of maintenance workers, in-house carpenters, painters, upholsterers, housekeeping professionals, and security officers that collectively handle development, renovations, and additions.

The original Red Hawk settlement is located just east of Sacramento, California. Visitors flock to the region not only for gaming but for wine tasting, hiking, rafting, shopping, and exploring all the Golden State has to offer. The original casino features nearly 90,000 square feet of gaming space, 2,500 slot machines, table games, five restaurants, retail space, a video game arcade, an indoor playground, and more.

The expansion includes a 150-room hotel, bowling alley, and an indoor electric go-kart track. “We are beyond excited to offer our casino guests and visitors to El Dorado County a new, first-class resort experience, along with thrilling entertainment and activities,” Red Hawk Casino President and CEO Bryan deLugo said in a statement with ABC News.

Williams & Paddon Architects & Planners designed the projects, which were completed by Level 10 Construction and Avanti Builders Inc. A new hotel of almost 120,000 square feet anchors the expansion. It rises five stories, with 25 suites and a total of 150 rooms. Amenities include a fitness center, outdoor terrace, and swimming pool.

Visitors enjoy panoramic views of the foothills, while both modern and tribal touches tie the space to Red Hawk, the Miwok, and the Sierra Nevada—a place they have called home for so long.

By Zachary Brown

In the summer of 2022, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Tribal membership and the Red Hawk Casino management team joined project crews to top off the hotel’s construction by adding their signatures to the last piece of steel before setting it in place on the top floor.

A new hotel and amusement center are elevating the guest experience at a wellknown California casino

At the Apex, an 85,000-square foot amusement center located at the casino level, guests of all ages can find the only multi-level, indoor, electric go-kart track in the state. The adjacent bowling alley features 18 lanes, four private lanes, and catering. Other highlights of the interactive space include virtual reality gaming rooms, golf simulation bays, and an extensive sports bar.

As one of the region’s largest employers since its opening in 2008, Red Hawk has maintained a commitment to giving back to the local community. It has previously partnered with organizations like Relay for Life, Wounded Warriors Family Support, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Club, El Dorado County Special Olympics, and El Dorado County Sheriff Search & Rescue.

In 2021, the Caldor Fire burned over 220,000 acres of the nearby Eldorado National Forest during wildfire season. During this time, Red Hawk supported its employees, tribal members, and others by

providing meals and hotel accommodations. The tribe also furnished supplies, portable restrooms, and mobile shower units for evacuation centers.

Leaders at Red Hawk say they designed the casino “in harmony with tradition, nature, and [their] surroundings.” The Miwok were known for building homes of interlocking poles and using various materials from their valley. That history is reflected in the new expansion, which pays homage to the past and opens new opportunities for the future.

Level 10 Construction is committed to being the best builder in the industry. From maintaining relationships and exceeding our client’s goals to developing exceptional talent, we hold ourselves to the highest possible standard. Level 10 is proud of our partnership with Tyler Bila and Red Hawk Casino. Thank you for entrusting Level 10 with the construction of your new Hotel and Entertainment Center! Learn how Level 10 can bring your visions to reality at level10gc.com.

MOVE FORWARD

In building projects, in success, or in life

The Italian translation of Avanti is 'forward' or 'ahead' the direction we move every day with our commitment to always move forward toward our goal of client satisfaction. Our mission is to deliver the highest quality construction projects and to exceed our client’s expectations.

www.avbsi.com

Home

Courtesy

Creating a Campus That Sparkles

Kim McCalla is making Morgan State University a

shining pillar of Baltimore

By Rebecca Rakowitz

As a little girl, Kim McCalla dreamed of building “cities that sparkled.” So it seemed fortuitous when she moved to Maryland and found roads made from glassphalt–a mixture of asphalt and broken glass.

“At nighttime, or when the sun hit it, it would sparkle,” she says. “I thought, ‘Oh, there are my sparkling streets!’”

Since then, McCalla has spent nearly 40 years helping the city of Baltimore shine. After working on Oriole Park from start to finish, completing projects at several nearby colleges, and renovating the city’s convention center, aquarium, and Camden Station, she was noticed by two senators.

“I received a phone call, and they said, ‘Can you please go to Morgan? We need some help over there,’” McCalla says.

Since that call in 2008, she has been the associate vice president of facilities, design, and construction management at Morgan State University (MSU). Construction and maintenance at the historically Black college and university (HBCU) have been nonstop, especially since the pandemic began. Her team just opened a 670-bed residential building that has an attached dining facility and is working on a 600-bed building next door.

They are also constructing a 150,000-squarefoot health and human services building, opening a 20,000 square-foot public safety building, designing a 250,000-square-foot science building, preparing to tear down an aging building to allow for the construction of a new building to house a school of osteopathic medicine, and acquiring 59 acres a short distance from campus and from the city of Baltimore for further development.

“So we’re busy little beavers,” the associate VP says. “I feel like the Energizer Bunny some days.”

On top of that, they are renovating residential buildings, replacing steam lines, tackling a lighting project, getting ready to redevelop parking areas, working to arrange the quad landscaping to open up the space for other functions, and finding ways to integrate

▶ Geometric lights adorn the ceilings at Calvin & Tina Tyler Hall, adding a whimsical touch to every corner of the building. Courtesy of Morgan State University

◀ Students can enjoy awe-inspiring, panormic views of the campus from Calvin & Tina Tyler Hall .

“My ‘sparkly’ has evolved into high-tech buildings that light up the skyline.”

Courtesy of Morgan State University

wellness initiatives into the buildings. They’ve designated spaces and installed equipment for physical fitness into residential and academic buildings alike.

“That way people who have been cooped up can walk on a treadmill while looking out over a park,” she says. “It’s about pressing pause, taking a mental break, and taking care of their body and mind.”

McCalla notes, however, that it’s rare for women— especially Black women—to be offered positions like hers. “I am likely one of the few African-American women in [this type] of role,” she says. The responsibilities are significant: in her work in Baltimore prior to coming to Morgan State she oversaw about $600 million worth of development, and since she’s been at the university they’ve completed (or have in progress) just over $1 billion in projects, with another $1.4 billion planned over the next 10 years. “It is my honor to be entrusted with this responsibility,” she says.

McCalla explains that she couldn’t get this massive list done without consistent, willing collaboration from architects, contractors, various campus departments, the president of the university, the Baltimore community at large, and, of course, her team.

“I have a great staff,” the executive says. “They work hard, and I’m very proud to work with them.”

McCalla sets her team up for success by “leading from behind.” It’s all about providing the next generation of project managers with the tools, training, and opportunities necessary to grow into their role, giving them the confidence to step forward on their own, and helping them when there’s been a misstep.

“If you made an error or if there are problems you do not know how to handle, I don’t care how bad it is,” she says. “Let me know as soon as possible, and we will work together to fix it.”

She teaches them to not only be truthful with her, but true to the campus, considering the most natural, intentional spots for new buildings. The placement and planning of buildings is especially important at MSU. In 2016, the university was designated a national treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

As such, McCalla and her team are always considering how they will restore and preserve historic

While

aiming for the stars and their dream careers, students have magnificent views to enjoy along the way in Calvin & Tina Tyler Hall.

buildings while blending modern buildings into the fabric of the campus. Sometimes that looks like using salvaged stones from legacy buildings, sometimes it’s about going back to original paint colors, and sometimes McCalla finds herself dragging an architect to the median of a six-lane street.

“I wanted them to see how the sun hit a particular traditional building,” she says. “The stone had some sparkle, so I wanted to find a way to capture that in the material of the new modern building.”

McCalla still finds herself looking toward what shimmers—but her interpretation of the aesthetic has changed since she was a glitter-loving youngster. “My ‘sparkly’ has evolved into high-tech buildings that light up the skyline,” she says.

It’s become not only about how things catch the light, but how they catch the hearts and minds of people on campus. “I can affect the way the campus looks and make it a beautiful, fun place that inspires people,” she says. “And make it so inviting that it puts us on the map to say, ‘Hey, we’re not just an HBCU, but a university that is meant to be out there and respected.’”

Kim McCalla Associate VP of Facilities, Design & Construction Management Morgan State University

P.A. Greene (Portrait), Courtesy of Morgan State University (Top image)

TORONTO | VANCOUVER

▼ The open floor layout of Calvin & Tina Tyler Hall invites its faculty and students to mingle in the common areas.

◀ A peaceful moment before the rush of campus activity returns to Morgan State University.

A Hands

Andrew Lee learned years ago that a desk job isn’t for him. At the Ameswell Hotel, he’s been involved in every step of the opening process—down to checking the rooms himself

By Billy Yost

▼ Take a dip in the outdoor saltwater pool or enjoy a cocktail in a private cabana at the Ameswell Hotel.

Courtesy of the Ameswell Hotel

On Approach

To say that the desk job Andrew Lee landed after moving back home to California wasn’t a good fit is an understatement. Now the director of facilities at the Ameswell Hotel in Mountain View, California, Lee has always felt best when using his hands and getting to see his progress at the end of the day in the form of something tangible.

Before the Ameswell, and before the dreaded desk job, Lee cut his teeth building and assembling trade show exhibits. He fondly recalls a time when he and his small team had to assemble 10 different booths in one month.

“We were doing 14- and 16-hour days just to stay on top of the work,” Lee remembers. But there was a significant issue when it came to Lee’s health. Georgia, where Lee was based at the time, was one of the worst places in the country for someone with asthma to live. His physician encouraged him to find a better climate. Lee and his wife moved, and he took the first job he could: the desk job.

“It was brutal,” Lee says matter-of-factly. “The commute was horrible, I was sitting behind a desk all day, and it just didn’t feel right.”

Lee decided to take a pay cut and begin as a journeyman carpenter working for a contractor. It was a chance to learn about building from every

▼ Located in Mountain View, California, the Ameswell Hotel provides a luxurious getaway for locals and visitors alike.

perspective: from grading to foundation to framing to roofing. He was promoted into a project lead role in under three years.

“I loved it,” the director says. “If contractors could pay their workers a decent wage, I might still be building homes, but I wanted to be able to provide something more for my family.”

Lee was asked to help reopen a hotel that had closed due to COVID-19—which was especially challenging since they called him exactly one week before said reopening. Lee went back to the 14-hour days, checking off an extensive list of facilities items by himself.

His hard work was noticed, and he was asked if he’d be interested in taking on a director role at a new property with about four times as many rooms as the hotel he’d just helped reopen. The Ameswell would be Lee’s biggest challenge yet.

“The first two months I was all by myself again,” Lee explains. “I was checking 255 rooms and making sure that every outlet and fixture worked, that all the access points were online throughout the building, and all of those facilities matters that have to be done before a place can open.”

The challenges of building during COVID cannot be overstated. And because the Ameswell is not a branded hotel, processes, procedures, and contractor relationships had to be built from scratch. Had Lee been building a Marriott or a Hilton, not only would he have had an established protocol, but also an entire network of builders and servicers to choose from. Merely locating people who could take on the work during COVID required a minor miracle.

“It was just one of those scenarios where you had to be willing to learn on the fly and adapt as needed,” Lee says. “It was a new role, a larger property, and this whole administrative side I needed to learn. I’m not going to pretend it wasn’t pretty tough at times.”

The result, though, is truly something to behold. The Ameswell finally opened in July 2021; it pays tribute to aeronautics and space flight, a nod to nearby Moffett Field (which has hosted NASA, naval

“I was sitting behind a desk all day, and it just didn’t feel right.”

▼ The Roger bar and restaurant serves up elegance at all levels from the architecture to the fine dining experience at The Ameswell Hotel.

Courtesy of the Ameswell Hotel

operations, and an array of military activity since World War II). It offers luxury, but without the stuffiness of some high-end hotels.

According to local publication The Mountain View Voice, heated saltwater pools and restaurants staffed by robots perfectly meld with gritty photos of Mountain View that illustrate an age before the area became a hub for tech companies like Google.

The Ameswell is already an incredibly efficient hotel. Every light in the building is LED; solar energy is also used for some of its power needs. The structure was built to LEED Silver standards and Lee is partnering with automated energy management company Enersponse to start tracking energy metrics and reducing its carbon footprint.

Lee, meanwhile, is humble about his accomplishments. “I feel proud about the way I conduct my team and how I interact with others,” he says. “But I don’t really stop to think about it much. I just get satisfaction from working with my hands, and while that may look a little different now, it’s still what drives me. I don’t need to be noticed. I just want to do a great job.”

At Butterfield Electric, Inc. our customers are our business. We go above and beyond expectations to deliver exceptional service in a reliable and professional manner. With our long-standing reputation for knowledgeable power solutions, Butterfield Electric, Inc. is the first choice in construction and service. We proudly join in celebrating Andrew Lee and The Ameswell Hotel for their recognition in American Builders Quarterly. More at: butterfieldelectric.com.

Andrew Lee Director of Facilities

The Ameswell Hotel

▼ In addition to the luxurious personal bathrooms, The Ameswell Hotel offers a variety of spa services, including massages and nutritionist appointments.

Jessica Sample (Portrait), Courtesy of the Ameswell Hotel (Bottom image)

▶ Around every bend, there is a place to ponder and reflect at the historic Art Institute of Chicago.

The Art of Accomplishment

Associate VP of Capital Programs Emily Benedict on

what it takes to maintain and evolve the historic Art Institute of Chicago despite a nontraditional résumé

By Billy Yost

Courtesy of Emily Benedict

Emily Benedict exists in a living, breathing, ever-evolving cultural institution. As associate vice president of capital programs at Chicago’s beloved Art Institute, Benedict is tasked with not only maintaining but growing one of the world’s most renowned centers of art and education.

From the first original building constructed in 1893 to its expansion over the rail lines of the Second City, Benedict must manage near-constant construction, rehabilitation, and growth plans of the Art Institute of Chicago while ensuring priceless art is left unharmed. She also ensures that the public can encounter some of the world’s greatest works unimpeded by noise or detour (or as little as possible).

Benedict has been with the Art Institute since July 2018 and she uniquely manages these efforts without aid of either a builder’s or curator’s background. She may have spent 10 years in museum settings, but Benedict has learned by being on the job, asking questions, and developing invaluable relationships in a space that can often be unwelcoming to women. The Associate VP turned what may seem like a career stumbling block into something far more interesting and successful.

“The most interesting part of this job is straddling these two worlds that are so different,” says Benedict of the museum and building worlds. “It’s my job to figure out how to bring them together. It’s very empowering and, honestly, a little addicting once you start to find some success. Whether that’s a completed build or a beautiful gallery project, all of the trials and tribulations sort of fade away once you get to see something accomplished.”

Benedict’s original interview was postponed due to one of the most pressing and complex projects she’s faced yet. The Art Institute’s original building is bookended by two massive loggias that overlook its south and north gardens. While the public is no longer allowed on the 125-year-old limestone structures, great care has to be taken to ensure the integrity of the building. That’s where it gets interesting.

In 2020, the Art Institute of Chicago acquired a memorial window attributed to Agnes F. Northrop, which was a commissioned piece for the Community Church of Providence, formerly known as Central Bapitst Church.

Courtesy of Emily Benedict

“Limestone absorbs moisture, and when the steel framing of the building also starts to take on water, they inevitably erode,” Benedict explains. “We have some 125-year-old steel beams that are integral parts of the loggias’ support. They’re eroding, and we need to come up with a solution to either replace them [or] strengthen them and ensure that they will continue to be structurally sound.”

It’s not like rehabbing a 50-year-old skyscraper where all materials and building codes have been accounted for and adhered to, the Associate VP explains. No one really knows how much waterproofing was done during the build. Benedict and her team must put in incredible amounts of homework before they can even assess what the potential problem might be. Did a tar truck not show up on an important day a century ago? Did integral structural processes get overlooked by a team working too quickly?

“It’s an incredible collaborative effort between our own building team, our structural engineers, and our contractors who find this work really interesting and historically relevant,” she reflects. “We have

“You’ll eventually become sort of indispensable even though you may not be an expert in every area. I’m not a seasoned curator or a professional construction manager, but I’m in a position where I can learn a tremendous amount from each side of the process.”

Emily

Benedict Associate VP of Capital Programs

Art Institute of Chicago

to perform surgery on the building in order to fix a structural problem without disrupting everything that’s going on around us.”

Given the amount of relationship-building and partners Benedict works with, it’s important to note just how far she has come in mitigating the challenges of being in a space that’s often dominated by men. And while Benedict has had to occasionally endure the inappropriate comment or underestimation of her capabilities, she’s also managed to move past them and flourish.

Benedict’s challenge was compounded by her nontraditional background. She had to learn by doing, and that meant asking a massive number of questions. Early on, being a young woman asking questions to a room full of men can be loaded with assumptions as to her capabilities and knowledge, but, fortunately, she did what she needed to learn and grow into increasingly more complex roles.

“If you’re a project-minded person, you really love the energy of learning and finding out answers to questions,” she says. “You’ll eventually become sort of indispensable even though you may not be an expert in every area. I’m not a seasoned curator or a professional construction manager, but I’m in a position where I can learn a tremendous amount from each side of the process. You just have to keep asking questions.”

McGuire Engineers is an experienced team of dedicated individuals who partner with our clients in developing their engineering systems with efficient, economic, and innovative solutions.

We have been partnering with the Art Institute of Chicago for over 20 years, and together, have improved the performance of the museum while saving energy and costs. We are proud to support Emily Benedict and the Museum in the planning and design of their exciting, new development project.

Turner is pleased to have worked with Emily Benedict and the Art Institute of Chicago over several years, and we proudly join in celebrating Emily and her career! Since 1924, Turner has operated in Chicago, demonstrating a depth of expertise and exceptional construction services on iconic projects that are an integral part of the fabric of The City.

Since 1990, Pepper Construction has completed more than 150 projects for the Art Institute of Chicago, spanning everything from gallery renovations, retail, mechanical upgrades, exterior façade restoration and staff offices renovations, while preserving priceless artwork and maintaining the visitor experience. One of the nation’s top 10 museum contractors, Pepper represents some of the most advanced thought leadership in our industry—investigating new technologies, evaluating new methodologies and integrating innovative solutions in the field.

Courtesy of Emily Benedict

◀ From the galleries to the exteriors, visitors can peruse art from every angle at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Constructing

At Epcon Communities, Stew

Walker builds neighborhoods of luxury, active-living developments for buyers over the age of 55

By Zach Baliva

Courtesy of Epcon Communities

◀ Vibrant greenery and comfy seating options make the Clear Creek Portico a delightful meeting spot at Epcon Communities.

Communities

The name of Epcon Communities neatly sums up its purpose: community. Epcon is more than a housebuilder; the company is focused on creating liveable neighborhoods and providing dynamic experiences that are popular with buyers over the age of 55.

As vice president of construction for Epcon Communities, Stew Walker manages the construction teams that are helping the organization expand into new markets. They’re doing so by replicating a unique methodology that Walker and his colleagues have created and perfected over many years.

Walker grew up in a small farming community near Columbus, Ohio. Although he studied communications at Ohio University, summers spent helping grounds crews prepare for the annual state fair sparked his interest in construction. Family

tradition played a part, too. His grandfather owned a lumber company and built the house that Walker grew up in. His father was a banker who financed some of the area’s well-known developers during the 1970s and 1980s. None of them were surprised when Walker graduated and started his career as a superintendent with Dublin, Ohio’s Dominion Homes.

A tenure that lasted more than 12 years took Walker into the role of director of construction, as he helped Dominion grow its volumes from approximately 300 per year in 1993 to more than 700 per year in 2005. Along the way, he implemented process improvements to handle the uptick. “Handling high volumes as a builder forces you to learn time management and organizational skills that eventually become second nature in all you do,” he says.

By 2005, Dominion had gone public and Walker was ready for a change. He joined Epcon when the

“Running your

business gives you a crash course in all the things you don’t see when you’re directing or managing a single phase.”

organization was hoping to grow its footprint and expand its unique Epcon Communities Franchising division. Walker was then responsible for construction in Central Ohio, but soon, Epcon asked him to take on a new task and find ways to open new markets.

The company bought three plots in the Carolinas to establish a new presence. Walker flew to the regions, rented hotel conference rooms, and interviewed and hired project managers, sales teams, and contractors for large-scale communities in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Charleston. Epcon did something else new—its teams moved away from multifamily units and introduced standalone homes with zero lot lines and private outdoor courtyards.

After contributing to a decade of growth at Epcon, Walker decided to start his own business in 2016. He contracted with Lowe’s stores through his company, Renovara, to install kitchens and baths. In less than six months, Walker expanded to cover numerous stores across Central Ohio, but in 2018, the big-box retailer ended the program that had kept him in business.

“Handling high volumes as a builder forces you to learn time management and organizational skills that eventually become second nature in all you do.”

▶ Epcon Communities is looking to expand their franchising division in the coming years.

▶ Recently the company purchased three plots in the Carolinas to increase their presence of standalone homes.

Courtesy of Epcon Communities

In 2021, after navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, Walker decided to return “home” by taking on his current role at Epcon Communities. His stint away from the company gave him a fresh perspective. “Running your own business gives you a crash course in all the things you don’t see when you’re directing or managing a single phase,” he says. “I feel like I went and got my PhD and then came back to my job.” The experience made Walker a more complete professional and a more well-rounded leader for Epcon.

Today, the company is more regional than the local one Walker left. In addition to maintaining and staffing its markets in Charlotte and Raleigh, Epcon opened with a similar strategy in Indianapolis in 2022 and has plans to establish itself in Atlanta and Nashville. Walker says the success has come as Epcon has delivered lifestyle communities and created an experience for active adults. “We’re not building homes for first-time buyers, we are developing neighborhoods for empty-nesters and others who appreciate customization and a simple process with a built-in community,” he explains.

More than 35,000 people now live in these homeowners-association-maintained communities built by Epcon and its franchise builders. The model puts buyers into luxurious homes and connects them with amenities like fitness facilities, bocce and pickleball courts, clubhouses, and area attractions.

Epcon Communities Franchising has grown in lockstep with the overall company. Walker and his colleagues have offered this business opportunity to targeted smaller builders looking to add to their existing portfolios as customer expectations and industry norms shift in a post-pandemic world.

As a result, Epcon Communities is now known and respected as one of the leading 55+ developers in the nation. Walker and his colleagues are continuing to innovate and deliver the homes, neighborhoods, and experiences that have defined the company since it got started nearly 40 years ago.

At Signature Cabinetry, we always emphasize attractive yet functional designs using custom, semi-custom, or standard cabinetry. We invite you, your builder, designer, or remodeling contractor to meet with a design team in our showroom to begin your project. We congratulate Epcon Communities and Stew Walker for their recognition in American Builders Quarterly and look forward to our continued partnership!

Stew Walker VP of Construction Epcon Communities

▼ Epcon Communities envisions creating homes with a “built-in community” feel, in which residents can interact with their neighborhoods through shared fitness facilities and clubhouses.

Longevity Is in Adapting

When it comes to transforming communities into exciting living spaces, Frank Mancuso leads with clear communication and teamwork

By Donald Liebenson

Frank Mancuso is a passionate collector of baseball memorabilia, a hobby that began by accident. A lifelong New York Yankees fan, he went to games with his father, who “always sought out the big players to get their autographs on anything we could find—match book covers, napkins, whatever. It was like a prize.”

In addition to every ticket stub from every game he’s ever attended, Mancuso treasures most his priceless collection of baseballs autographed by such Yankee greats as Bobby Murcer, Dave Winfield, and Mickey Mantle—and of course Aaron Judge.

Along with his baseball treasures, there is something else he would never trade: his 39-year career, especially the last two decades in senior living.

Mancuso is the vice president of real estate and plant operations at Texas-based Colonial Oaks Senior Living, which operates nine communities in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. He is responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the communities as well as for all capital projects and expenditures; he is also part of the acquisition team.

“I manage a lot of projects both big and small,” he says. “When I visit sites during construction, I can see the anticipation of both residents and staff. I love to see their excitement when the buildings are completed. It makes this an exciting place to work.”

The New Jersey native became interested in buildings after high school. Construction sites and public works projects fascinated him. “I always asked a lot of questions,” he says.

What gives him the most job satisfaction is “transforming a community to provide an exciting place for our residents to live. I also love being the subject-matter expert for our executive directors as well as our leadership team.”

Mancuso is currently overseeing major renovations at the Denver-based Harvard Square Community. The project comprises carpeting throughout the community and renovating resident rooms, as well as the memory care building. He is currently planning out a substantial renovation of Colonial Oak’s Arizona property. Several other communities are also in the process of renovations.

Creating “modern and exciting” spaces for seniors has evolved over the years. Seniors today are more active and engaged than previous generations. One might say that 65 is the new 50.

Mancuso says that perhaps the biggest challenge he faces in his job is trying to make all the residents happy. “It’s the most difficult thing for us to do,” he says. “Every community is different in the sense of what the residents want. But we need to consider residents both present and future.”

“We get them involved in the process,” he continues, “and we ask for some ideas as well as share a few of the ideas that we have come up with so far. It is probably a 50/50 split that residents like what we have planned, while the other half like things just the way they are.”

As a leader, Mancuso was influenced by playing sports in his formative years. As a member of teams both good and not so good, he says, he learned teamwork.

He describes his leadership style as “git ‘er done” but without intimidation. “I want contractors to be our partners, and not look on our projects as get-rich-quick scenarios” the VP says.

Communication is key to a project’s successful fruition for Mancuso. From the pandemic and supply chain hiccups to labor issues, “as soon as an issue comes up, it is important to send a text or email or make that urgent call,” he explains. “My frankness is what I do best, and yes, sometimes it gets me into trouble. But some things you just can’t sugarcoat.”

“My frankness is what I do best, and yes, sometimes it gets me into trouble.”

In defining a project’s scope, Mancuso invites input and ideas and believes “it truly is a team effort.”

Mancuso cites several influential people and mentors in his life, ranging from his Little League coach Alan Spoto to “Mrs. Yuppa and Mrs. Meer, my favorite grammar school and high school teachers, respectively,” he says. “Throughout my career I have had bosses who have led me in the right direction and played a major part in helping me get to where I am today, which includes David Hammonds, Kenny Barton, and Jennifer Ingerson. Many coworkers, too, have shared their unique way of seeing things and helped me to see things in a different light.”

Perhaps the most valuable advice he himself imparts to people is to take a deep breath when things seem to be overwhelming. “It just makes you better,” he says. “Plus, I tell them they can always call me. And the only stupid question is the one you don’t ask.”

As a career facilities and construction professional, he continues to seek more knowledge from colleagues and professionals in the field in order for him to continue to improve on his skills. He is also as a graduate of the Leadership for Greater Syracuse Program. Mancuso prides himself on being active in his community. He has been involved in Little League activities for nearly 50 years, including serving as president. He was also active as a youth leader with United Way.

After nearly 40 years, Mancuso remains deeply engaged in his role. “The world is changing the way we do things,” he says. “We just need to adapt to it. I love what I do, or I would not be in the same field for as long as I have been.”

“When I visit sites during construction, I can see the anticipation of both residents and staff. “I love to see their excitement when the buildings are completed.”

Frank Mancuso VP of Real Estate & Plant Operations

Colonial Oaks Senior Living

Courtesy of Frank Mancuso

At T-1, we are nationally certified in all phases of commercial restoration and construction services, as well as all levels of environmental hazards. Some of these credentials include lead and asbestos abatement, mold remediation, and water mitigation.

We have specialized in assisted living facilities, memory care, medical facilities, tenant improvements, and hotels for over 15 years. We take pride in bringing REAL WORLD pricing back into the industry.

Our team believes that putting the joy and passion into doing what we love gives us the ability to create spaces for our clients to share with others. We offer our clients the highest level of commitment in project management, customer service, and quality workmanship NATIONWIDE.

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Finding the Fun in Finance

After a quarter century working in commercial lending and real estate, Jerry Lumpkins says that one key to his success is his passion for the work he does

By Karen Schwartz

Jerry Lumpkins loves what he does. After 26 years in the industry, the first vice president and Chicago commercial real estate lead at Valley National Bancorp says the secret to success is finding and pursuing one’s passion. “It’s all about enjoying what you do,” he says. “It’s not work to me; that’s what makes it enjoyable.”

Lumpkins came to Valley National (then Bank Leumi USA) about three years ago from BMO Harris. He was hired to lead the commercial real estate group in Chicago and to develop a balance sheet program. He joined in March 2020, was onboarded virtually, and was charged with building the real estate book while everything was on lockdown. They closed some $100 million the first year.

“I’ve been very happy and proud of coming over here and really, there were just a handful of commercial real estate loans on the books. Today, we’re approaching $400 million, and that was during the pandemic,” Lumpkins explains.

He credits five years in the Marine Corps with jump-starting his corporate career and helping refine his skills around structure and discipline. And he never misses a chance to actually set foot on a property. “I’ve been lending for 26 years and every deal that I finance I still go see. I touch it. I walk it,” he says. “For me, buildings [and] neighborhoods have character. There’s a lot of analysis involved in making sure you’re doing the right deal, but at the end of the day it’s also a gut call.”

When Lumpkins was growing up his father invested in single-family homes, so he’s always been around real estate. Today, he provides long-term loans to owners and investors of multifamily, industrial, mixed-use retail and office properties in the Midwest. Transactions can range from $10 million to $50 million.

“There’s a lot of value in this versus if you were to go with the agencies or a lender who will book your loan and sell the paper,” Lumpkins says. “As a result,

“You have to be proactive and constantly engage with your clients as well as the market.

You can’t be reactive.”

I’ve been able to foster some very, very long-term relationships over the 20-plus years I’ve been doing this.”

Lumpkins makes sure his team, which is made up of two producers, an underwriter, and a portfolio manager, is focused on relationships. “You have to be proactive and constantly engage with your clients as well as the market,” he explains. “You can’t be reactive.”

He also stresses the importance of closely monitoring the portfolio so there aren’t any surprises. That means going out to properties once every six months to a year and checking in with clients periodically for existing business and new opportunities.

Whether with clients or at conferences and events, being visible is a big part of the job for Lumpkins. “It’s about building your brand,” he explains. “You have to refine it and work at it and keep it relevant. I tell my team every time we go to a conference that you should have at least one or two leads, if not a deal. And have fun—because it’s a fun job.”

One of the biggest challenges he’s seen in his two-plus decades of banking was the financial crisis, he recalls, which hit when he was working at Wachovia in 2008. The bank collapsed, later to be absorbed by Wells Fargo. During that time, he learned the

importance of properly structuring deals and their related paperwork. “One of the key lessons of ’08 was keenly understanding your documentation—knowing your sponsor, really knowing your client,” he says.

With the market now in another correction, Lumpkins says he’s largely focused on existing clients. “I think ’23 is going to be very challenging,” he predicts. “It may even bleed into ’24 in terms of getting through the correction—but it’s real estate.

“Having been through three corrections previously, it gives me a sense of ‘I’ve been here before, I know what to expect,’ and that helps me lead my team to stay grounded, instead of listening to all the noise and getting caught up in the inertia of what we’re going through,” he adds.

Lumpkins is also readying himself with buying opportunities for established clients, he says, who could look at distressed sales over the next year or so.

Meanwhile, in the long term, Lumpkins looks forward to continuing to serve his clients, so they can grow their portfolios, and to helping the bank reach its goals. “I’m passionate about what I do and fiercely competitive in the market to win business,” he says.

“For me, buildings [and] neighborhoods have character. There’s a lot of analysis involved in making sure you’re doing the right deal, but at the end of the day it’s also a gut call.”

In addition to his work at Valley National, he serves on a number of boards, and is involved with nonprofits tied to community development. He has chaired several boards as well, most recently Rockford Housing Development Corp., which invests in redeveloping real estate in neglected communities. “In my retirement or next chapter, that might be something I focus more on,” he notes.

Congratulations to Jerry Lumpkins and Valley National Bancorp for being featured. Aries Capital has closed multiple bridge and permanent debt financings with them over the past three decades. Jerry has always exceeded expectations and delivered competitive terms on a timely basis with a smile. Having long-standing relationships with people we trust is fundamental for Aries Capital to successfully navigate everchanging economic conditions. Even with rising interest rates, deals can get done with the right people on the team. We look forward to working with Jerry and Valley National to deliver attractive debt and equity solutions for our commercial, selfstorage, multifamily and hotel clients nationwide.

As Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. celebrates 20 years of its Banking practice group, we recognize that a key component of our success is the makeup and character of our business partners.

Jerry Lumpkins of Valley National Bancorp is a prime example of how fortunate we have been in that department. We congratulate Jerry on his accomplishments and recognition by American Builders Quarterly and look forward to many more deals together.

Jerry Lumpkins First VP and Chicago Commercial Real Estate Lead Valley National Bancorp

Delano Porchia

A Greener World

Whether it’s Spider-Man , Ghostbusters , or James Bond , Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has continually found ways to strike gold on the big screen. But looking ahead, SPE wants its gold to be equally matched by green.

“Sony Pictures A Greener World” is the company’s environmental initiative that will help SPE reduce its ecological footprint through partnerships with organizations that combat climate change and help preserve natural resources for the health and safety of those around the world.

This initiative is, in fact, just part of its umbrella organization’s more extensive “Road to Zero,” which aims to achieve a “zero environmental footprint” for the life cycle of all of Sony’s products and businesses by 2050. A Greener World focuses on SPE’s film and television productions, supply chain, distribution, and procurement.

By Will Grant

For example, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) created sustainability guidelines and adopted green practices that have been introduced to three of its pilot shows. Those practices include a complete ban on single-use plastic, mandatory waste segregation and recycling, and sustainable materials used for set design and printing.

Additionally, a dedicated “eco-trooper” was placed on set for auditing carbon output related to electricity, fuel consumption, hotels, and housing.

Jennifer Groe has been working on the front lines of sustainability at SPE. The director of project management has been in building, facilities, and construc-

How Sony Pictures Entertainment is making its world a better place

tion for the company since 1997. Groe currently oversees all projects in SPE’s Culver City, California, portfolio, which includes its studio, offices, and leased owned properties.

Along with sustainability, wellness has also been a significant area of focus for the director. Groe recently enrolled in wellness certification, and several more on her team have either already received or are in the process of earning the certification.

Groe currently oversees a team of project managers, along with a multitude of project management companies who report directly to her. Given the volume of projects on her plate, Groe has had to create strong working relationships with those partners to create trust and consistently hit deadlines. The director says that trust is crucial because anything short of that bond will inevitably become a roadblock at some point.

Along with its broad sustainability roles, Groe is also passionate about the community work she’s able to engage in on behalf of SPE. She and her team have volunteered for the Special Olympics, engaged in painting murals at high schools, and worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

From April 2020 to April 2021, A Greener World also offered suggestions and activities for its employees in line with the United Nations Foundation. Each month, employees were provided with advice and materials on how to act in favor of the environment. The theme for May 2020 was “Conserving Energy,” while the focus of December was “Bundle Your Orders” (with the holidays in mind).

SPE also created Picture This, a celebration of creative videos that “inspire a positive future for the planet in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.” Picture This was created in partnership with the World Photography Organization and the United Nations Foundation. HaoMing Du won the organization’s grand prize in 2022 for The Longer We Wait, The More It Takes, a stop-motion production that focuses on the effects of ocean pollution.

In September 2022, Sony held its fifth-annual Sustainability Briefing and announced that it would be accelerating its target for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from 2040 to 2050.

“In line with Sony’s Purpose, to ‘fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology,’ we are developing a diverse range of businesses centered on people,” said Shiro Kambe,

senior executive vice president and corporate executive officer of Sony Group Corporation, in a statement. “Based on the recognition that a healthy global environment and social sustainability are essential for people to connect through emotion, we continue to implement various initiatives from a longterm perspective.” Our

Since 1962, Holwick Constructors has delivered highquality general contracting services to businesses throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Several of our key personnel have worked on the Sony account with Jennifer Groe since 2010. Ranging from standard tenant improvement projects to complex companywide mission critical endeavors, Jennifer and Holwick have partnered together to ensure reliable, cost-efficient results are delivered to the client. We congratulate Jennifer, thank her for her partnership, and wish her continued success.

mission is to provide exceptional general contracting services to businesses throughout Southern California.

Holwick offers comprehensive construction management and project development services. Our areas of expertise include tenant and commercial interior construction and lobby renovations. Our principals, project managers, project engineers, superintendents, and laborers all work as a cohesive team to ensure every aspect of your project is completed in a timely and cost-efficient manner.

▶ Foxwoods Resort Casino has over 3,500 slot machines that feature games such as “The Price is Right” Showcase Showdown,” “Wild Lepricoins,” and “Jurassic Park.”

Becoming the Destination

Jesse Luis develops land and enthusiasm at Foxwoods Resort Casino

By Joseph Kay

Jesse Luis has always loved the puzzles of real estate development: how businesses wind up on the land they have, how to fit a big idea into the available space, and most of all how to sell the vision to the crucial playmakers. He remembers one of his first wins: a Taco Bell location in New York City. His department head was convinced it would never work, but Luis dragged him to a nearby competitor’s location to watch the lunch rush.

His enthusiasm was contagious, and they got their location, which became the highest-grossing Taco Bell in the region at the time. “When you get a success like that, you just can’t wait to do the next one,” says Luis, laughing. From fast food, he craved bigger canvases to create hospitality experiences: first in hotels and now

at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Land in Connecticut. Serving as vice president of resort development, Luis’s charge is to make the casino the region’s top destination for fun-seekers of all sorts.

“In hospitality, you’re doing your job right when someone walks into your place and whatever problems they have, whatever issues, everything goes to the back of their mind and they become present in that space,” Luis explains. “If you can create that feeling, you’re doing your job right and that’s what we’re creating here at Foxwoods.”

In 2017, Luis received a call from a headhunter: Foxwoods Resort Casino was looking for someone with experience in hotels and developing additional

Courtesy of Foxwoods Resort Casino

land holdings. When he heard about the opportunity, he was excited for the chance to make an impact. At a place like Foxwoods, he could expand the experience, create on a grander scale, and—most importantly—give new guests reasons to come and stay.

One exciting development at Foxwoods is the Great Wolf Lodge addition. Great Wolf Lodge is a resort chain specializing in indoor water parks. The site at Foxwoods will help develop an audience less served by the casino environment: families.

“We were asking, strategically: ‘What would be a good fit here?’” he explains. “We were mostly getting people for the table games and slot machines, but Great Wolf will help diversify the offerings and get a demographic that we’re not really getting now.” Great Wolf is just one of several high-impact ongoing projects. Recently, Foxwoods celebrated its 30th anniver-

sary, and Luis is overseeing the opening of the newly renovated Rainmaker Expo Center, a new High Stakes Bingo Hall and VIP Canopy Players Lounge, the addition of the iconic fast-casual restaurant chain, Wahlburgers, the renovation of the brand-new Golden Dragon restaurant, and an $85 million investment in a new, next-generation casino concept anchored by a celebrity chef restaurant coming to the heart of the property, the Grand Pequot Tower.

It’s critical for Luis to maintain healthy relationships with a variety of contractors. His primary tactic is to get people to buy into the vision: with ingenuity, cooperation, and hard work, a hospitality destination can go from good to great. People respond to that challenge and help bring the vision to life.

The best external contractors become long-term creative partners in the work. Eric Zuena, partner at

▼ Enter the gilded world of deluxe acccommodations at Foxwoods Resorts Casino. Courtesy of Jesse Luis

▼ The rich interiors will have you feeling like a winner at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

“Think about it: you’re more likely to buy into someone who really believes in the project and believes that it’s going to be successful. It’s contagious, right?”

Ariel Merrill

| www.fza-inc.com

ZDS Architects, fulfills this role for Luis and Foxwoods. Since bringing the onsite DraftKings lounge to success, he’s helped develop the vision and execution for the Golden Dragon restaurant and Canopy Lounge.

That approach is important inside the company, too—with supervisors, direct reports, and colleagues across departments. Luis is grateful that Foxwoods CEO Jason Guyot, a member of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal nation, is personally excited about land development and future expansion. The pair work hand-in-hand to raise the destination’s profile and build the vision within the company.

“Think about it: you’re more likely to buy into someone who really believes in the project and believes that it’s going to be successful,” he says. “It’s contagious, right? That’s helped me a lot; people buy into the vision.”

Luis’s complementary skill is close listening. “When you learn to listen well, when you’re really practicing that, then you’re able to show people how your idea can benefit the land, your resort, the nation,” he says. From a shared understanding, you can develop buy-in, and when that buy-in is achieved, possibilities open up. For Foxwoods, it means that the broadening array of amenities positions their resort at the top.

“You get to a point where if you add enough unique things to your resort, it becomes very difficult for someone else to copy you—and you basically become the destination in your region,” he says. “At Foxwoods, we are really creating the greatest integrated resort experience in the Northeast. I feel like I’m making a difference and contributing to the growth of this place, and there’s no better feeling than that.”

Turner is excited to be the construction manager for the new Great Wolf Lodge at Mashantucket. Our previous projects at Foxwoods include Hard Rock Café’s interior fitout and retail space within the Rainmaker Casino. Turner is a North America-based company and leading builder in diverse market segments. We undertake large, complex projects, embrace emerging technologies, and make a difference for our clients, employees, and community. Our 12,000 employees complete $15+ billion of construction each year.

With offices in Providence, RI, and Washington, DC, ZDS is a multi-disciplinary design firm that provides architectural and interior design services to the hospitality, gaming, commercial, and multifamily sectors. Congratulations to Jesse Luis on his much-deserved recognition. We look forward to our continued partnership with Jesse and Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Jesse Luis VP of Resort Development

Foxwoods Resort Casino

Courtesy of Foxwoods Resort Casino

points of interest

Some of the quirkier takeaways from this issue

Welcome to Accessibility

Miami International Airport provides calm, stimulating spaces called “multisensory rooms” for passengers with cognitive and developmental disabilities such as autism. Here, there are sensory aids, bean bag chairs, and an open playroom for passengers to escape the overstimulation of an airport. (p.10)

Move and Be Moved

The art of Amir Fallah, Laura Haddad, and Tom Drugan will soon decorate the stations at Story Road and Eastridge in East San Jose, California, as part of a 2023 initiative by Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. The VTA will collaborate with community members, who will meet with the artists to provide inspiration for the new designs. (p.18)

Onwards and Upwards

Since 2020, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has dedicated part of its $9.6 billion, five-year investment plan to renovate or replace 27 elevators in stations such as Davis, Arlington, and Jackson Square. With this project, the MBTA strives to increase safety and reliability for its community. (p.24)

Sean Pavone/(Miami International Airport), Sundry Photography/(Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority), Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock.com

(Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority)

Our Sustainability Journey

Environmental and social responsibility is embedded into Trinseo. It is intrinsic to who we are and what we do each day, and an essential element of our core values.

STUDIO CollectionTM architectural resin, available in on trend aesthetics incorporating 40% recycled content. trinseo.com