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…

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 […]

Restroom Faucets Get Smart

It may seem like all touchless restroom faucet fixtures are created equal (and have been that way for the past few years). Recently, however, manufacturers have unveiled new technology that offers helpful benefits and savings for facilities professionals. The latest commercial faucet lines offer smart fixtures that don’t just dispense water for hand-washing – they […]

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…

Power Down to Reduce “Phantom Energy” Use

Don’t forget to pull the plug and turn out the lights! While the concept is known by different names – phantom load, vampire power, standby mode – at the end of the day, “phantom energy” does the same thing: it pulls unnecessary extra energy from the grid into commercial buildings when you aren’t looking. Many […]

Don’t Overlook These Energy-Saving Opportunities

Facilities managers of large commercial buildings can’t open a trade publication or scan an industry website without reading something about energy-saving products, practices, or protocols … and with good reason. In 2011, commercial buildings accounted for nearly one-fifth of the total energy used in the United States, with an aggregate expenditure of more than $132 […]

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[...]

Brooklyn High-Rise May Save $700k with Parking Garage Lighting Upgrade

It took 15 years for developer Joshua Muss to turn a small city-owned park on top of an underground parking garage into the high-rise complex that is aptly named Brooklyn Renaissance Plaza. Muss’s vision was widely hailed as key to revitalizing the heart of Downtown Brooklyn but it was a long struggle to bring the […]

Doing More with Less Office Space

It’s a question that commercial office owners need to confront when evaluating their building’s marketability: Exactly how does the new age of work and increased density requirements impact my property? Regardless of location, today’s corporate users are focusing on productivity, flexibility, cost control, employee recruitment and sustainability. Perhaps the most important of these is cost […]

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[...]

People Who Live in Glass Houses… Keep the Blinds Closed

Investing in something you don’t use seems like a waste of money and resources… but that’s what appears to be happening in New York City (and probably in other U.S. cities, too). A December 2013 study led by the Urban Green Council (UGC) looked at 55 buildings throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens to see if […]

Automated Window and Facade Cleaning System Offers Safety and Savings

2 Broadway in New York City is a high-rise office tower that opened in 1959 and was renovated in 1999. As part of the renovation, a new glass curtain wall with stainless steel mullions was installed replacing operable windows. The original window cleaning method was completed by two window cleaners using a portable scaffold supported […]

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 […]

UFAD Robot Cleans Beneath Raised Floor Systems

Martins Maintenance is one of the largest family-run commercial cleaning companies in the northeast with over 200 clients in 10 states. Among those clients is a Fortune 500 company occupying a high-rise office building. The firm called on the aid of Manuel Martins Jr. and Jordan Amaral to help solve an interesting problem at their […]

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.

Fire and Life Safety Auditing of Tenant Space Presents Challenges

The auditing of tenant space with regards to fire & life safety can be a challenge. There’s the delicate balance of trying to view all interior rooms and areas of the space being audited, be it small or large, and doing so without disrupting the tenants business in any manner. A look at key items […]

High-Rise Pre-Incident Plans Assist First Responders

Excellent response to emergency situations is never an accident. In order to ensure first responders are in the best position to save lives and property, property managers should fulfill the crucial responsibility of pre-incident planning their facilities. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has outlined pre-plan standards for fire departments to evaluate protection systems, building […]

Preparing for the Next Big Storm: NYC Task Force Examines Disaster Readiness

A few obvious factors come to mind when high-rise building owners and managers think about preparing for and recovering from a natural disaster: creating emergency plans, establishing reliable back-up power, forming business continuity strategies to preserve data… and the list goes on. But as New York continues its recovery from Hurricane Sandy, the recommendations released in a report from Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn are a good reminder that there are other things to think about when preparing your facility for a possible disaster.

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[...]

Making Wireless Work at Floor 50 and Beyond

When potential tenants come knocking, a marquee address, square-footage, floor plans and breathtaking high-rise views aren’t the only things they are looking for. Today business and residential lessors place a high value on cellular voice and broadband mobile data coverage. Landline telephones are rapidly becoming a thing-of-the-past for homes and for an increasing number of […]

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.

23-Story 200 W. Monroe Street in Chicago Sold for $100 Million

Less than two years after acquiring a 23-story office building at 200 West Monroe Street in Chicago for $75 million, a joint venture of Philadelphia-based Lubert-Adler and The Farbman Group has sold the asset for $100 million, or $186/sf. Beacon Investment Partners LLC partnered with Tel Aviv-based Harel Insurance Investments and Financial Services Ltd. to […]

Lerch Bates Appoints Jim Turner Project Manager, Great Lakes Region

Lerch Bates announced that vertical transportation industry leader Jim Turner has been named project manager, elevator consulting group, in its Great Lakes area office. Turner joins the world’s oldest and largest consulting firm for vertical transportation, façade access and building logistics armed with more than 22 years of comprehensive experience in the elevator and escalator […]

Danny Nikitas Appointed Managing Director of Avison Young’s Chicago Office

Industry veteran Danny Nikitas has been hired as Managing Director of Avison Young’s Chicago office. With more than 25 years of commercial real estate industry experience, most recently as an Executive Vice-President with MB Real Estate in Chicago, Nikitas also joins Avison Young as a Principal. In his new role, Nikitas will manage Avison Young’s […]

Tech Company Expands San Francisco Lease to 218,000 Square Feet

UBER Technologies – a technology platform designed to connect drivers and riders in order to help facilitate convenient, transportation options – has expanded its lease by an additional 130,434 square feet at Hudson Pacific Properties’ 1455 Market Street property in San Francisco. In July 2013, UBER signed a lease encompassing 88,134 square feet of initial […]

$350 Million Sale of 225 Bush is Largest Office Trade in San Francisco Since 2012

Flynn Properties and GEM Realty Capital closed on the sale of 225 Bush Street, the historic office building located in San Francisco’s Central Business District, to Chinese developer, Kylli Inc. for $350 million. The transaction is the largest office sale in San Francisco since 2012. Kylli Inc., a Chinese development firm backed by Genzon Group […]

Company Expands from Taco Bell Parking Lot to San Francisco High-Rise

AnyPerk, an online platform that provides companies with employee perks and discounts, has signed a new 13,132-sq. ft. office lease at 33 New Montgomery in San Francisco. Cushman & Wakefield Senior Director Jon Dishotsky and Associate Cutter MacLeod represented AnyPerk in the transaction. The landlord, Equity Office Properties, was represented by Mark Anderson and Ross […]

Sales Center for $1.2 Billion Project Provides Buyers an Interactive Experience

Developer Kemper Freeman Jr has borrowed a page from the video game industry to solve a common real estate problem: how to sell a space that has yet to be built. Putting a high-tech spin on the traditional architectural model, the Kemper Development Company has introduced an immersive sales center experience. The multi-million dollar sales […]

University of Washington Selects Wright Runstad to Develop Seattle High-Rise

The University of Washington Board of Regents approved the selection of Wright Runstad & Company to redevelop Rainier Square, a 140,000 square foot retail property that is part of the University’s Metropolitan Tract in downtown Seattle. Wright Runstad & Company was selected through a competitive process managed by the University of Washington. With an 80-year […]

New High-Rise Office Tower Planned for Downtown Bellevue, Washington

West coast developer Schnitzer West plans to build a 16-story Class A+ office building in Bellevue, Washington. The project site is located in the central business district on the corner of 106th Avenue Northeast and Northeast Fourth Street. Plans call for a 360,000-square foot office building that will include street-level retail and a Bank of […]

Foreclosed Downtown L.A. High-Rise Has a New Owner

Los Angeles-based Jade Enterprises, a private commercial real estate investment and development company, has finally purchased Figueroa Tower, in downtown Los Angeles, in a deal that has been in the works since early 2013, pending the outcome of various foreclosure related court cases. Terms of the transaction were not immediately disclosed but court records indicate […]

Irvine Company Named San Diego’s Energy Grand Champion for Efficient Portfolio

At the ninth annual San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) Energy Showcase event on May 13th, Irvine Company Office Properties was honored by SDG&E as the Energy Grand Champion for 2013 for its outstanding results in energy efficiency and conservation. Irvine Company Office Properties was honored for enhancing its commitment to saving natural resources by […]

Finalists for Urban Green Council’s EBie Awards Announced

They’ve saved over 30 million gallons of water, enough energy for 1.7 million Americans per year, and affected over 14 million square feet of property: After months of planning and intense competition, Urban Green Council will unveil the winners of the third annual EBie Awards on June 9. The EBies award high performing existing buildings […]

Veolia’s New Boston Office Renovation Achieves LEED Gold Certification

Veolia’s new North American headquarters, at Exchange Place in Boston’s Financial District, has received LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors certification by the USGBC this month. Veolia Energy North America, operator of one the country’s largest portfolio of district energy networks and cogeneration facilities, moved into the 27,440-square-foot space, which comprises the entire 14th floor of […]

Boston RDA Approves 1.2 Million Square-Feet of Development

The Boston Redevelopment Authority Board approved a number of projects and initiatives throughout Boston last week. The ten approved development projects represent over $461.2 million of investment in the city and over 1.2 million square feet of development. When these projects break ground, they will create nearly 1,400 construction jobs. The BRA Board voted to […]

Massachusetts Hotels Must Comply with Food Waste Disposal Ban by October

Massachusetts’ statewide commercial food waste disposal ban will take effect on Oct. 1, 2014. The ban was designed to divert food waste to energy-generating and composting facilities and reduce the state’s waste stream. Large hotels are among the estimated 1,700 facilities that will be impacted. “We are committed to protecting our natural resources and creating […]

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[...]

Contractor Selected to Build 30-Story Houston Office High-Rise

Crescent Real Estate Holdings has selected Balfour Beatty Construction as the general contractor for 6 Houston Center, a new Class AA high-rise office building to be located on the east side of Houston’s central business district. Groundbreaking is scheduled for this summer with an estimated $250 million construction cost. The 30-story, 600,000-square foot 6 Houston […]

Petroleum Club of Houston Leases Top Floor of 35-Story Total Plaza

The Petroleum Club of Houston has leased 30,000 square-feet, including the top floor of Total Plaza at 1201 Louisiana St. in Downtown Houston. The Petroleum Club is leaving its former location at the ExxonMobil building on Bell Street after 50 years of residence. Total Plaza is a 35-story, 892,000-square-foot office tower located in the heart […]

Luxury High-Rise Residential Tower Breaks Ground in Uptown Dallas

StreetLights Residential has broken ground on a new high-rise development adjacent to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Sitting on nearly one-acre, the project site is just off McKinney Avenue at the Maple/Routh connection and Thomas Avenue in the Uptown area of Dallas. “The project’s proximity to both Uptown and downtown Dallas provides an ideal […]

Dallas-Based Spire Realty Group Promotes Jon Ruff to President

Jon M. Ruff, formerly Senior Vice President, has been promoted to President of Dallas-based Spire Realty Group, LP. He joined the firm in 2000 as Assistant Vice President and has been a vital contributor to the company’s growth. Most recently, Mr. Ruff has been overseeing the redevelopment of City Place, the twin-tower landmark located in […]

North Dallas DoubleTree Hotel Tower Changes Hands

The DoubleTree Dallas – Campbell Centre, a 300-room, 21-story full-service hotel has been sold to Woodland, Texas-based Black Forest Ventures, a privately held asset management firm specializing in commercial real estate, hospitality, aviation and technology investments founded by Dirk Laukien. Located at 8250 North Central Expressway, the hotel is within the Campbell Centre mixed-use development […]

Sovereign Capital Plans Sale of 1818 Beneficial Bank Place in Philadelphia

San Diego-based Sovereign Capital Management Group plans to sell 1818 Beneficial Bank Place, a 37-story, Class-A office building with more than 1,000,000 square feet, located at 1818 Market Street in the Market Street West Submarket of Center City Philadelphia. Cushman & Wakefield has been engaged to take the property to market. Despite its location at […]

Brandywine Breaks Ground on Philly’s 49-Story FMC Tower at Cira Centre South

With fireworks, a 50-foot banner and a dramatic unveiling in which partner logos were unearthed at the project site at 30th and Walnut Streets, more than 200 dignitaries and guests gathered on Wednesday to mark the groundbreaking for FMC Tower at Cira Centre South – the final phase of Brandywine Realty Trust’s transformative 2.7 million […]

Aimco Renovating Two of its Philadelphia High-Rise Apartment Properties

Skanska USA won a $15.2 million contract to complete the second phase of renovations at the Sterling high-rise apartments in Philadelphia. The 29-story tower, built in 1961, has 550 apartments, 23,000 square feet of retail space and 93,000 square feet of office space. The apartments are fully occupied. In this phase of the renovation, Skanska […]

43-Story Miami Residential High-Rise is the “Comeback Kid”

The Club at Brickell Bay Plaza is a 43-story residential high-rise located in Miami’s Brickell financial district. Built in 2004, it is part of the recent development boom in the Miami area, but for years The Club was reputed as an epicenter for real estate speculators seeking large returns quickly. The ensuing mortgage crisis caused […]

John Mandigo Joins Lerch Bates Elevator Consulting Group in Miami

John Mandigo has been named project manager for Lerch Bates’ elevator consulting group in its greater Miami office. In his new role with Lerch Bates, Mandigo is tasked with providing vertical transportation consulting services for design, maintenance, due diligence and modernizations throughout Florida. He previously managed modernization and new construction projects for ThyssenKrupp Elevator in […]

Luxury Mixed Use High-Rise Approved for Miami’s Arts District

Melo Group’s father-and-sons team – spearheaded by father Jose Luis Melo and sons Carlos and Martin Melo – have won approval from the city of Miami to build a 36-story, luxury mixed-use residential high-rise at 245 NE 14 Street in Miami’s Arts & Entertainment District. The company’s past projects include 22 Skyview, 23 Biscayne Bay, […]

Groundbreaking Next Week for Midtown Atlanta Student Housing High-Rise

Dallas, Texas-based Inland American Communities Group, Inc. (IAC) will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking for its newest University House property, University House Midtown, on Wednesday, May 14th, at 10:00 a.m. Located at the corner of Spring Street and 8th Street in Atlanta, the high-rise residenctial tower will be adjacent to the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia […]

Atlanta’s 72-Story Westin Peachtree Plaza Completes $70 Million Transformation

The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Atlanta’s iconic John Portman-designed hotel, has completed the final phase of its grand $70 million renovation. In partnership with Atlanta architecture firm Cooper Cary, Atlanta interior designer Carolyn Auger of Blackdog Studio and contractor Balfour Beatty, every interior element of the hotel from the redesigned lobby, all 1,073 guest rooms and […]

Developer Reacquires Atlanta High-Rise it Built 50 Years Ago

An Atlanta-based developer, Portman Holdings, has purchased 230 Peachtree Street, a 414,768-square-foot office tower in downtown Atlanta. The 50-year-old building was first developed as an office building by Portman in 1965 as part of the Peachtree Center mixed-use development. Renovation will commence immediately to convert the 27-story building. Upon completion, office space will occupy approximately […]