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 […]

Elevator Modernization: Tips on Project Planning, Budgeting, and Management

“Think about a LinkedIn or Shutterstock employee,” says Thomas Durels, executive vice president, chief of property operations and leasing for Empire State Realty Trust. “Those are our tenants; they’re working at the Empire State Building any time, day or night. They’re traveling to and from restaurants, a fitness center, conference space, and their workspaces – all under one roof. We’re contributing to their productivity by making sure they don’t have to wait in line for…

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 […]

Embrace Sit-Stand Workstations for Good Health

Office work tends to be a sedentary activity. Today, more than 86% of office tenants are sitting at work all day, every day. When coupled with the time spent sitting in traffic or in front of the TV, that number jumps to more than 13 hours each day. And a recent Ergotron study found that […]

Inside HRF: What’s New in Daylight Harvesting Controls?

Daylight harvesting systems use daylight to offset the amount of electric lighting needed in a building. Daylight harvesting is achieved by integrating lighting control systems that can dim or switch electric lighting on and off in response to daylight availability. (Dimming control systems require dimming ballasts.) If a dimming system is well-calibrated, tenants and occupants […]

The High Life: Luxury Residential Towers Challenge Designers and Managers

“Cities are becoming the place to be,” says Gary Pomerantz, executive vice president at WSP Group. “If you’re going to bring local wealth back into the cities from the suburbs, you have to offer something as luxurious as what can be found in a single-family home with acres of land and beautiful views.”

Residential high-rises used to be reserved for affordable housing…

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 Hotel Analyzes Window Film Effectiveness

What’s the best way to prove that your green investments are paying off? To measure the savings on utility bills, and improvements that tenants are experiencing as a result of your investment.

Whether you’re cutting back on energy use due to mandates or voluntary efforts, quantifying the savings from your green initiatives can help determine whether the purchases are truly worth it (or at least offset implementation costs). This data can go a long way toward supporting other green investments in the future as well. It can also be a solid indicator of improved building performance, which could make your facility more attractive to tenants or prospective buyers.

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.

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.

32 Avenue of the Americas to Host New State-of-the-Art Data Center

In a significant transaction for the technology industry in New York City and Lower Manhattan, Telx, a leading provider of interconnection and data center services, has “plugged in” to the Rudin Family’s 32 Avenue of the Americas in TriBeCa. The cloud enablement provider has signed a 20-year, 45,000 square-foot lease for the entire 10th floor […]

Corcoran’s Bill Cunningham Hired as President of Trump International Realty

The Trump Organization announced today that it has appointed Bill Cunningham as president of its luxury brokerage firm, Trump International Realty. Cunningham will be charged with overseeing all operations and management of Trump International Realty which is headquartered in New York City at 108 Central Park South along with additional offices in New York City, […]

REBNY Honors “Most Ingenious Deals of the Year” and Other Awards

Last night the real estate industry honored five of the city’s most ingenious dealmakers for their ground-breaking transactions in 2013, at The Real Estate Board of New York’s (REBNY) 70th Annual Commercial Sales Brokers Committee Cocktail party at the 101 club. The winners of 2013’s Ingenious Deal of the Year Awards are: Mary Ann Tighe […]

Savanna And KBS Capital Advisors Acquire110 William Street in Manhattan

Savanna has acquired 110 William Street in a joint venture with KBS Capital Advisors for $261.1 million, or $281 per square foot. Swig Equities and the Dubai Investment Group were the sellers of the 32-story, 928,000 square foot office tower located at the corner of William and John Streets in Downtown Manhattan’s Financial District. Douglas […]

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 […]

Once Distressed Chicago Apartment Development Sold for a Profit

Abacus Capital Group LLC has purchased Trio Apartments in Chicago’s West Loop Multifamily submarket for about $40 million. Trio is a 100-unit, boutique-style luxury downtown apartment tower. HFF marketed the property on behalf of the seller, a joint venture between AEW Capital Management, L.P. and Marquette Companies. the deal has been in the works since […]

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 […]

Columbia Property Trust Acquires San Francisco High-Rise for $228.8 Million

Columbia Property Trust, Inc. has acquired 221 Main Street, a 16-story, 387,943-square-foot, LEED Platinum Class-A office tower in San Francisco, California, for a total purchase price of $228.8 million. The purchase price includes the Company’s assumption of a $73.0 million interest-only loan secured by the property that matures in May 2017 and bears interest at […]

LinkedIn Leases Entire High-Rise Under Construction at 222 Second Street in San Francisco

LinkedIn has signed a lease for the entire 26-story building under construction by Tishman Speyer at 222 Second Street in San Francisco. The City’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development estimates that the nearly 450,000 square feet of office space can accommodate approximately 2,500 employees. “As a national leader in job creation, San Francisco is […]

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 […]

55-Story Seattle Office Building to Undergo Complete Facade Restoration

Four elevations of aluminum facade are undergoing a complete restoration at 1201 Third Avenue, a 55-story office building in the heart of downtown Seattle. Built in 1988, the high-rise has experienced wear and tear over the years, creating an aged facade in need of cleaning. The architectural restoration company, Stuart Dean, will clean, refinish and […]

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 […]

U.S. Bank Renews Lease at U.S. Bank Tower in Downtown L.A.

U.S. Bank Tower in downtown Los Angeles will remain U.S. Bank Tower for at least another 10 years. The bank renewed its anchor lease with the building’s owner, Singapore-based Overseas Union Enterprise Limited (OUE), for ten-years for office and retail space totalling 105,000 square feet with an option to extend for an additional decade. Including […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Austin’s 100 Congress Earns LEED EB Certification

100 Congress in Austin, Texas has been awarded LEED EB (Existing Building) Gold status by the USGBC. The 100 Congress building is a 22-story, 411,536 square foot Class “A” office building located at the corner of 2nd Street and Congress Avenue. Designed by Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, the building has polished sunset-red granite exterior with […]

Busy Developer Building Chicago and Houston High-Rises

Illinois-based Marquette Companies anticipates breaking ground in the second quarter of 2014 on a 364-unit, 29-story apartment building with approximately 7,700 square feet of ground floor retail/restaurant space in downtown Houston. Marquette is utilizing the Downtown Living Initiative (Chapter 380), which is effectively a development grant provided to the first 2,500 units to be developed […]

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 […]

Austin’s 100 Congress Earns LEED EB Certification

100 Congress in Austin, Texas has been awarded LEED EB (Existing Building) Gold status by the USGBC. The 100 Congress building is a 22-story, 411,536 square foot Class “A” office building located at the corner of 2nd Street and Congress Avenue. Designed by Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, the building has polished sunset-red granite exterior with […]

Uptown Dallas’ Future Tallest Office Tower Signs Anchor Tenant

One of Dallas’ largest law firms, Gardere Wynne Sewell, has signed on to become the anchor tenant at a tower set to begin construction this summer. The firm is leaving Thanksgiving Tower for Crescent Real Estate’s 20-story high-rise. Gardere’s approximately 109,000 square foot lease will kick-start the development at 2021 McKinney Avenue. Gardere will move […]

A Conversation with John Kelly, Brandywine’s Director of Property Management in Philly

John Kelly left the world of property management, but it only took a few years for him to return to his roots. “I jumped into the internet world back in 2000, taking a 4- or 5-year detour with a startup company that was building cool internet co-location data centers,” says Kelly, director of property management […]

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 […]

Gina Donovan Named Executive Director FirstService Residential High-Rise Division

FirstService Residential has promoted Gina Donovan to Executive Director, High Rise Division. In this role, her focus will be to provide leadership and operational oversight to FirstService Residential associates and high rise communities in Philadelphia. Donovan has been with FirstService Residential for over a decade holding several management positions. She was recently promoted to Regional […]

ATIS Acquires Florida-Based Elevator Inspection Company

St. Louis-based ATIS Elevator Inspections, a subsidiary of American Testing & Inspection Services, continues their agressive growth by acquiring A-1 Elevator Inspection, Inc., based in the Tampa, Florida area. Last month ATIS acquired Columbia, South Carolina-based Palmetto Safety Inspections, LLC. With 7 Qualified Elevator Inspectors, A-1 has provided consulting, test witnessing, inspection and certification services […]

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 […]

New Luxury High-Rise to Bring “La Dolce Vita” to Fort Lauderdale’s Middle River

Premier Developers, best known locally for its “La Rive” condo which premiered in 2005, is introducing a new level of “la dolce vita” – Italian for “the sweet life” – to the up-and-coming Middle River area in Fort Lauderdale with RIVA, a 100-residence luxury riverfront condominium. Merging the laid-back Fort Lauderdale waterfront lifestyle with exquisitely […]

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 […]