Multiple-Car Elevator Systems on the Rise

The idea of having an elevator with two independent cabs operating in the same shaft dates back to the 1920s, when Sprague’s Dual Elevator System operated in a 20-story Pittsburgh building. It was taken out of service in 1931 and it wasn’t until 2002, when ThyssenKrupp Elevator AG announced its multiple-car elevator system, that we’d […]

Wireless Emergency Communications Move to Elevators

Building owners often pay hundreds – if not thousands – of dollars each month for the multiple phone lines that ensure communications in their multiple elevators. During an emergency, passengers rely on these elevator phones in case of entrapment or an emergency. They’re a necessary expense, but wouldn’t it be great to be able to […]

High-Tech: One WTC’s Elevator System is Most Advanced in Western Hemisphere

During lunchtime on the construction site of One World Trade Center (OWTC) in Lower Manhattan, crew members and the design team usually spend their break on the 103rd floor. They roll up the construction plans, close their laptops, and eat the sandwiches they’ve brought with them. On a clear day, the view is spectacular: the […]

High-Rise Security Requires Proactive Preparation, Execution

You would never allow a potentially dangerous stranger to enter your home and wander around it without supervision, so why do we often permit such security lapses in the workplace? After all, not only do we spend more time at the job than at home, but the threats in the workplace are, in many ways, […]

Stand-Outs: High-Rise Managers Share Their Team’s Best Practices

Owning or managing a tall building is a lot like operating a small city. Being responsible for the services and infrastructure that keep occupants and tenants in business is a big job. So why not take some suggestions and help from your colleagues when you can get it?

We found some examples of best practices that are being incorporated in high-rise facilities, and arranged them into categories.

High-Rise Hotels That Get IT

High-def flat screens embedded into bathroom mirrors. Electronic doorbell systems that feature guest presence detection and tray removal tracking. Energy management systems that set lighting and temperature levels based on whether guests are in the room, out of the room, or checked out. All of these technologies are being incorporated into upscale…

Buildings Need to Breathe for Maximum Efficiency

When benchmarking more than 400 buildings for New York City’s Local Law 84 this year, we found that median energy consumption for buildings taller than 20 stories was 87 kBtu per square foot. The minimum and maximum ranges were between 50 and 258 kBtu per square foot. What causes such a big difference in energy […]

Southern California High-Rise Hotel Installs Innovative Piping System

Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center, CA, takes its commitment to building a better playground seriously. The entertainment company’s most recent project encompasses a new 21-story Resort Tower that will accompany the existing casino and hotel. The resort recently changed its name. It was formerly known as Harrah’s Rincon, after the American Indian reservation […]

Inside HRF: What’s New in Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems (VRF)?

Using refrigerant as the cooling and heating medium, Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) zoning systems cool or heat each room or zone individually only to the level needed. VRF systems work in both new construction and retrofit projects, and are most often seen in healthcare, education, hospitality, multifamily, and mixed-use facilities. The technology has been available […]

Rise to the Challenge: Three High-Rise Owners Turn Obstacles into Opportunities

Facilities management – especially when it comes to high-rise buildings – is often a game of discovery and problem-solving. But the answers aren’t always clear-cut. Lights being left on, extreme weather, or increased plug load may be to blame for a sudden spike in energy use. HVAC problems could be caused by solar heat gain, tenants overriding central controls, or lack of maintenance. High water bills could be due to leaky toilets, high water pressure, or irrigation […]

Buildings Need to Breathe for Maximum Efficiency

When benchmarking more than 400 buildings for New York City’s Local Law 84 this year, we found that median energy consumption for buildings taller than 20 stories was 87 kBtu per square foot. The minimum and maximum ranges were between 50 and 258 kBtu per square foot. What causes such a big difference in energy […]

High Performance: What Does it Mean for Tall Buildings?

What does “high performance” mean for high-rise towers? Does it involve 100% uptime, net zero energy, or green building projects? Is it a tower with low environmental impact and a healthy indoor atmosphere?

“We’re constantly asking our clients what ‘high performance’ means to them, because some people see it as only tangible things with…

LEDs in the Spotlight: High-Rise Offices Save Energy with New Lighting

Providing energy efficiency and cutting-edge design, LED ambient and task lighting are increasingly being incorporated into high-rise buildings – from the boardroom to the break room. Lighting is one of the largest energy users within a typical commercial high-rise, and LEDs offer superb efficiency and control while enhancing aesthetics. In an era where energy conservation […]

Rise to the Challenge: Three High-Rise Owners Turn Obstacles into Opportunities

Facilities management – especially when it comes to high-rise buildings – is often a game of discovery and problem-solving. But the answers aren’t always clear-cut. Lights being left on, extreme weather, or increased plug load may be to blame for a sudden spike in energy use. HVAC problems could be caused by solar heat gain, tenants overriding central controls, or lack of maintenance. High water bills could be due to leaky toilets, high water pressure, or irrigation […]

Chicago High-Rise Owner Turns Under-Used Top Floor Into ‘Wow’ Suite

A classic Mies van der Rohe-style building, 401 North Michigan was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in the 1960s. Formerly known as the Equitable Building, the 35-story tower sits on the second largest plaza in Chicago. “Pioneer Court is second in size only to the Daley Plaza,” says Eric Taylor, assistant vice president at Zeller Realty Group. “The building purposely has a large plaza area so it could be set back from the road.” [...]

Combat Thermal Stack Effect for Comfort and HVAC Efficiency

Stack effect occurs in all high-rises (and all buildings) in which temperature differences exist: warm air rises when it’s surrounded by cold air because of its lower density, and this phenomenon is what results in the thermal stack effect. Rising warm air reduces pressure in the base of the building, drawing cold air in through open […]

Buildings Need to Breathe for Maximum Efficiency

When benchmarking more than 400 buildings for New York City’s Local Law 84 this year, we found that median energy consumption for buildings taller than 20 stories was 87 kBtu per square foot. The minimum and maximum ranges were between 50 and 258 kBtu per square foot. What causes such a big difference in energy […]

Height of Hospitality: The Unique Challenges of High-Rise Hotels

High-rise hotels offer up some unique challenges. Regardless of the economy, guest satisfaction scores correlate with guest retention, length of stay, and overall hotel success – which ultimately contribute to a healthier bottom line. And facilities management plays an important role in making sure guests are satisfied with hotel facilities and amenities. So how do you overcome common high-rise hotel design and operations challenges to stand out as one of the [...]

Rise to the Challenge: Three High-Rise Owners Turn Obstacles into Opportunities

Facilities management – especially when it comes to high-rise buildings – is often a game of discovery and problem-solving. But the answers aren’t always clear-cut. Lights being left on, extreme weather, or increased plug load may be to blame for a sudden spike in energy use. HVAC problems could be caused by solar heat gain, tenants overriding central controls, or lack of maintenance. High water bills could be due to leaky toilets, high water pressure, or irrigation […]

Best Practices in “Green Cleaning” Restrooms

Most green cleaning programs focus on chemical choices. And that’s a great place to start. However, a more successful program—especially for restrooms—goes beyond by incorporating other approaches: proper equipment, procedures and processes, and training. All minimize the impact of cleaning on the health of janitors, building occupants, and visitors, while protecting the environment as a […]

High-Rise On-Site Composting Gets a Reality Check

New York City’s five boroughs produce an estimated 36,200 tons of garbage daily, totaling 13.2 million tons annually. Many commercial buildings have adopted recycling programs that focus on plastics, aluminum, and paper, but programs for compostable waste aren’t often utilized. Some waste management companies will separate wet trash pick-ups and divert compostable material to an […]

Photoluminescent Egress Path Markings Aid Emergency Evacuation

When the first terrorist bomb attack happened at the New York City World Trade Center (WTC) in 1993, the explosion in the parking garage disabled the WTC’s main electrical power line and knocked out the emergency lighting. The smoke generated rose up to the 93rd floor of both WTC towers, even in the emergency staircases. […]

Fire Protection Assessments in High-Rise Buildings

High-rise facilities typically employ numerous safeguards above and beyond most non-high-rise buildings. Additional requirements regarding the number of fire sprinkler risers, sprinkler system design, and required number of exits are also imposed on “very tall” or “super high-rise” buildings (high-rises more than 420 feet in height). Fire protection assessments (FPAs) – essentially comprehensive fire and […]

Fear the Fire, Not the Fire Alarm

The first time an end user – a facility manager, security guard or building owner – is faced with operating a fire alarm control panel might easily be in an emergency situation. In the midst of such a crisis, it is not the best time to determine which of 20 or 30 different buttons to push. Overly complex fire alarm interfaces make users vulnerable to “floating finger syndrome” –

Enterprise Radio Access Networks for Tall Buildings

In any metropolitan area, iconic green high-rises are a powerful testament to architectural innovation. They have created working environments that allow businesses and economies to grow. However – in the arms race between designing and constructing green buildings that consume as little energy as possible and keeping up with mobile technologies – most new buildings […]

Inside High-Rise Facilities: In-Building Wireless Systems

Concrete, brick, steel, and low-e glass can all block or distort signals – whether wireless, cellular, or RF. In tall towers that accommodate a large number of tenants or occupants, the demand on wireless infrastructure can also slow or impair signal strength. Combine these two factors, and reliable signal strength is an issue that many […]

Height of Hospitality: The Unique Challenges of High-Rise Hotels

High-rise hotels offer up some unique challenges. Regardless of the economy, guest satisfaction scores correlate with guest retention, length of stay, and overall hotel success – which ultimately contribute to a healthier bottom line. And facilities management plays an important role in making sure guests are satisfied with hotel facilities and amenities. So how do you overcome common high-rise hotel design and operations challenges to stand out as one of the [...]

For Sale: 1896 Lord’s Court Tower, Once the Tallest in Lower Manhattan

Brooklyn-based real estate firm Weiss Realty has retained Eastern Consolidated to market 40-42 Exchange Place, a 20-story office building with ground floor retail in Lower Manhattan. The Weiss family has owned the high-rise for about 25 years. Expected to fetch around $140 million, the building primed for a major office building reposition, or conversion to […]

Thor Equities Acquires 26-Story High-Rise at 530 Fifth Avenue for $595 Million

Thor Equities has closed on the acquisition of 530 Fifth Avenue in New York City from a partnership comprised of Rockwood Capital, Jamestown, Crown Acquisitions and Murray Hill Properties. The sale price was $595 million. The 26-story office and retail high-rise occupies the entire western block of Fifth Avenue between 44th and 45th Streets. Rockwood, […]

JLL Hires Lucy Carter as Senior Vice President in New York

JLL has hired Lucy Carter as a senior vice president in its Project and Development Services group in New York. Her responsibilities include new business development, strategic sourcing and resource alignment across the firm’s New York tri-state operations. Carter has more than 20 years of experience in new business development, marketing and corporate communications within […]

LEDs in the Spotlight: High-Rise Offices Save Energy with New Lighting

Providing energy efficiency and cutting-edge design, LED ambient and task lighting are increasingly being incorporated into high-rise buildings – from the boardroom to the break room. Lighting is one of the largest energy users within a typical commercial high-rise, and LEDs offer superb efficiency and control while enhancing aesthetics. In an era where energy conservation […]

55 West Monroe in Chicago Loop Sold for $244 Million

The Hearn Company and Mount Kellett Capital Management have sold 55 West Monroe, a high-rise located in Chicago’s Central Business District’s Central Loop, to John Hancock, the U.S. division of Manulife Financial Corporation, for $244 million. HEARN and Mount Kellett have owned the property through a joint venture since 2011. Stephen Hearn, President and CEO […]

Coworking Center to Open at One South Wacker Office Tower in Chicago

As part of a dramatic repositioning of its acquisition of its 1.2 million square foot office building at One South Wacker Drive in Chicago, an Harbor Group International has signed New York’s Serendipity Labs to open and manage a 30,000 square foot co-working lounge and conference center on the Mezzanine level and second floor of […]

Yelp to Become Anchor Tenant at 55 Hawthorne Street in San Francisco

Yelp has signed a 102,324 square foot lease at 55 Hawthorne Street in San Francisco. The multinational business reviews giant will become anchor tenant occupying 74% of recently acquired office tower. Lease terms were undisclosed. Yelp will occupy approximately 74% of the 11-story, 138,092 square foot office tower which was built in 1970 and features […]

Cushman & Wakefield Named Leasing Agent for 650 California Street

Cushman & Wakefield has been appointed exclusive leasing agent for the office high-rise 650 California Street in San Francisco. Atlanta-based Columbia Property Trust recently purchased the building from New York City-based Tishman Speyer and Prudential Real Estate. The 478,392 sq. ft., 33-story, Class-A building is located within the highly desirable Financial District sub-market in downtown […]

Scale Tilting in Favor Of Landlords in Several Major U.S. Office Markets

The delicate balance between a landlord-favorable market and a tenant-favorable market is approaching a tipping point in several major U.S. cities, according to CBRE’s latest OccupierView report, which analyzes the nation’s office markets from the tenant perspective. Tightening conditions are challenging tenants in most downtown areas from both cost and availability perspectives, the report finds, […]

Scale Tilting in Favor Of Landlords in Several Major U.S. Office Markets

The delicate balance between a landlord-favorable market and a tenant-favorable market is approaching a tipping point in several major U.S. cities, according to CBRE’s latest OccupierView report, which analyzes the nation’s office markets from the tenant perspective. Tightening conditions are challenging tenants in most downtown areas from both cost and availability perspectives, the report finds, […]

Restoration Completed at Seattle’s First Skyscraper

The Courtyard Seattle Downtown/Pioneer Square has completed a 19-month, $750,000 restoration of its historic building. The downtown Seattle hotel, at 612 Second Ave., is an adaptive reuse of the 1904 Historic Alaska Building. While the restored Pioneer Square hotel today houses smartly redesigned rooms, a high-tech lobby and numerous modern amenities, the building’s historic roots […]

Changing Skylines: Tall Building Construction is on the Rise

With everything the U.S. economy has endured in the last decade, who would have thought that the development and construction of high-rise towers in major cities would be on the rise? Despite the recession, the events of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the real estate market collapse, a recent report from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) – Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2013 – says that high-rise construction is increasing again across the country. [...]

Sales Center Opens for 60-Story Millennium Tower Boston

Millennium Partners has opened a sales center for Millennium Tower Boston, a residential high-rise under construction at 1 Franklin Street. The sales center is located at 40 Franklin Street across from the site of the former Filene’s Department Store and Burnham Building. The 60-story Millennium Tower Boston, designed by Blake Middleton of Handel Architects, will […]

Topping-Off of Boston’s Twenty Two Liberty Residential High-Rise

The Fallon Company has installed the final iron beams atop Twenty Two Liberty, a 14-story luxury residential tower at Fan Pier overlooking the Boston Harbor. The topping off marks the latest stage of progress at Fan Pier, one of the country’s largest mixed-use development sites that features a mix of residential and commercial buildings, upscale […]

CBRE Global Investors Acquires 100 High Street in Boston

CBRE Global Investors has acquired 100 High Street in Boston, Massachusetts, the 28-story trophy office tower and associated 273-space below-grade parking garage, from Oxford Properties. The Cushman & Wakefield team led by President Robert Griffin, Vice Chairman Edward Maher and Executive Director Matt Pullen oversaw the transaction. 100 High Street is a distinctive blue-glass, 546,336 […]

Balfour Beatty to Construct High-Rise Houston Hospital Expansion

The largest medical center in the world will soon be even larger. Memorial Hermann Healthcare System (MHHS) in Houston has selected Balfour Beatty Construction to provide preconstruction and construction services for a major renovation and high-rise expansion of the Texas Medical Center campus. The $533 million master plan project includes construction of the Hermann Pavilion […]

Stream Realty Partners Sells Houston High-Rise to Principal Financial Group

After an extensive renovation and re-branding, Stream Realty Partners and DRA Advisors have sold The Bellevue, a 120,000 square foot office building at 2323 S. Shepherd in the River Oaks community of Houston, to Principal Financial Group. The purchase price was not disclosed. Stream acquired the 14-story building in 2011 from Younan Properties Inc. The […]

Q&A: Danny Rodriguez, VP Engineering, MetroNational

Even though Danny Rodriguez, vice president of engineering for MetroNational in Houston, has worked for the same company for nearly three decades, no two days are ever the same as he manages buildings ranging in size from to one story to 33 stories. “I cover the whole gamut in terms of building size, from high-rise […]

PM Realty Group Decides to Manage Residential High-Rises In-House

Houston-based PM Realty Group (PMRG), has brought property management services in-house for its multi-family division. The firm has hired 30-year industry veteran Joan Maxwell as Senior Vice President who will work with PMRG Executive Vice President Bryant Nail to expand the business in key markets through the United States, the company announced. Prior to joining […]

18-Story KPMG Plaza at Tops Out in Dallas Arts District

One year after work officially began on the project, Turner Construction Company recently hosted a topping out ceremony for Phase I at Hall Arts. The high-rise office building is part of a five-acre, two-city-block, multi-use real estate project in the center of the Dallas Arts District, owned and being developed by Craig Hall and Hall […]

Austin, Texas High-Rise Nearly Complete and 95% Leased

Colorado Tower, a 29-story high-rise office building under construction at Third and Colorado streets in downtown Austin, Texas, is now 95 percent leased. The developer, Cousins Properties, has signed five new leases totaling 157,279 square feet. Leasing at the 373,000 square-foot, Class-A office development is now 95 percent, up from 51 percent on June 30, […]

Hill Int’l Leases Two Floors at Philly’s One Commerce Square for New Headquarters

Construction risk manager Hill International has signed a lease with Brandywine Realty Trust for approximately 60,000 square feet of trophy-class office space at One Commerce Square located at 2005 Market Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Hill will be moving its global corporate headquarters from Marlton, New Jersey and consolidating space with its existing Philadelphia office in […]

Developer Proposes Space Efficient Downtown Pittsburgh Office High-Rise

Pittsburgh-based Oxford Development  has proposed a  new Class-A 20-story office tower in Downtown Pittsburgh. Previously, the developer had been pitching a 33-story high-rise  to replace an existing building at 441 Smithfield Street. The new tower is being called 350 Fifth and was designed to accommodate two anchor tenants and, if built, would be Pittsburgh’s 40th […]

Changing Skylines: Tall Building Construction is on the Rise

With everything the U.S. economy has endured in the last decade, who would have thought that the development and construction of high-rise towers in major cities would be on the rise? Despite the recession, the events of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the real estate market collapse, a recent report from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) – Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2013 – says that high-rise construction is increasing again across the country. [...]

Suffolk Construction to Relocate to Miami’s One Biscayne Tower

Taylor & Mathis of Florida has signed Suffolk Construction to a lease at Miami’s One Biscayne Tower. Suffolk Construction is relocating from the airport submarket and expanding their offices into nearly 15,000 square feet downtown. “Suffolk is excited to expand into a larger and more collaborative space in Miami. Not only are the views phenomenal, […]

Property Group Partners Named Manager of West Palm Beach Office Tower

KBS Capital Advisors has named Property Group Partners manager of CityPlace Tower in West Palm Beach, Florida. Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects, CityPlace Tower is located at 525 Okeechobee Blvd. in the affluent downtown of West Palm Beach, Florida. With a total footprint of 295,933 square feet, this trophy-quality 18-story tower is the final component […]

Developer Obtains Loan to Build 51-Story Miami Residential High-Rise

A joint-venture between Eastview Development and GTIS Partners has closed on a $120 million loan from Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies to fund construction of Biscayne Beach, a 51-story, 399 unit luxury condominium under development at 711 NE 29th Street in Miami’s East Edgewater neighborhood. Construction of Biscayne Beach began in June 2014 with completion […]

Wood Partners Breaks Ground on $100 Million 33 Peachtree Place in Atlanta

Wood Partners has begun construction on 33 Peachtree Place, a $100 million, 369-unit residential and retail development on the site of a former parking lot on West Peachtree Street in Midtown Atlanta. The project will include a high-rise and mid-rise apartment building and 20,000 square feet of base-level retail space. Wood Partners expects construction on […]

Atlanta’s Bank of America Plaza Awarded Midtown EcoDistrict Luminary

Atlanta’s Bank of America Plaza has been recognized as a Midtown EcoDistrict Luminary at the Green level by Midtown Alliance. The award is given to companies and buildings that “meet high environmental performance criteria in the areas of energy, water, waste and transportation.” The Luminary program focuses on four main sustainability components: measurement, planning, performance, […]

Scale Tilting in Favor Of Landlords in Several Major U.S. Office Markets

The delicate balance between a landlord-favorable market and a tenant-favorable market is approaching a tipping point in several major U.S. cities, according to CBRE’s latest OccupierView report, which analyzes the nation’s office markets from the tenant perspective. Tightening conditions are challenging tenants in most downtown areas from both cost and availability perspectives, the report finds, […]