41-Story High-Rise 1N4th, Joins Brooklyn Waterfront Residential Boom
Along the East River in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, Douglaston Development is building 1N4th, the newest and tallest luxury tower in the area, soaring 41 stories high with 509 rental residences. The building has topped out and leasing has begun. Occupancy is set for January 2015. The area is experiencing an aprtment building boom since a […]
Moinian Group’s 535 Fifth Avenue High-Rise Surpasses 100,000 SF of 2014 Leasing
The Moinian Group has completed a long-term renewal and expansion at its 535 Fifth Avenue high-rise, with IQPC/Penton Media now taking 28,340 square feet in the property. Under the new lease, IQPC/Penton Media will now occupy the entire 8th floor, as well as space on the 9th and 10th floors. In addition, with this latest […]
Massey Knakal Agrees to be Acquired by Cushman & Wakefield
Cushman & Wakefield has entered into an agreement to acquire Massey Knakal Realty Services, New York’s No. 1 Investment Sales firm (based on transaction volume) for more than a decade. The acquisition enhances the global commercial real estate services firm with a more formidable Capital Markets presence in the New York Tri-State region. Massey Knakal […]
Parking Garage Industry Associations Pursue Sustainability
Today, nearly every new high-rise building includes multiple sustainability features and owners of older buildings are increasingly implemeting green retrofits to keep up. But what about parking structures? Often an afterthought in the public’s mind, parking garages are an essential part of almost any high-rise project. In the past, some parking facilities received LEED certification […]
Able Engineering Services Acquires Chicago’s Hill Mechanical Operations
Able Services has reached an agreement to acquire Hill Mechanical Operations, the stationary engineering company of The Hill Group. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. With more than 17,000 employees servicing over one billion square feet of real estate, Able Services provides stationary engineering, janitorial, and building operations to all classes of commercial […]
41-Story High-Rise Under Construction in Chicago’s South Loop
Chicago-based Golub & Company together with co-developer CIM Group, has started construction on the 41-story multifamily residential tower at 1001 South State Street in Chicago’s South Loop. The 440-foot-tall building being constructed at the corner of 9th and South State Street will offer a wide range of apartment sizes and amenities. According to the developer, […]
Salesforce Purchases San Francisco’s 50 Fremont Street for $640 Million
San Francisco-based CRM company Salesforce has purchased the high-rise office building at 50 Fremont Street, where it has been the anchor tenant, from TIAA-CREF who acquired the building in 2005. The sales price was $640 million and the deal is expected to close in early 2015. Cushman & Wakefield advised Salesforce in the transaction. The […]
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 […]
Urban Renaissance Group Acquires Seattle Developer and Multiple Projects
Seattle-based real estate firm Urban Renaissance Group has acquired Touchstone, a prominent North West real estate developer. All current Touchstone employees will be retained. Touchstone’s owners Douglas Howe, Jim O’Hanlon and Shawn Parry will step back from day-to-day operation of the firm but they will continue to serve as advisors and remain invested as general […]
Ivanhoé Cambridge Buys Two Seattle Office Buildings for $280 Million
Ivanhoé Cambridge and its partner, Callahan Capital Properties, has acquired a 100% interest in two adjoining office properties in downtown Seattle, 1111 Third and Second & Spring, for approximately $280 million. 1111 Third is a 34-story, 572,500 ft2 (53 000 m2) Class-A office building that has recently undergone significant capital improvements, including an upgraded lobby […]
European Pension Fund Breaks Ground on Seattle Residential High-Rise
Construction has started on Luma, a 24-story, 168-unit condominium tower at 1321 Seneca Street in Seattle. The project, a joint venture between Los Angeles-based Lowe Enterprises and European pension fund Alecta, is the first condominium high-rise building to be developed in the First Hill neighborhood since 1982 and among the first in the downtown Seattle […]
Chinese Developer Begins Building Second Phase of L.A.’s Metropolis Complex
Phase two of downtown Los Angeles’ mixed-use Metropolis complex is underway. Chinese developer Greenland USA — a subsidiary of Shanghai-based Greenland Group, has broken ground on phase two’s high-rise residential tower which will be 39-stories tall with approximately 670,000 sq. ft. and 525 condo units. Phase one of the $1 billion dollar project broke ground […]
Los Angeles’ U.S. Bank Tower Earns LEED Gold Certification
U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles has received Gold certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Existing Buildings (EB) Rating System. U.S. Bank Tower is a 1.4 million-square-foot, 75-story office building located in Downtown Los Angeles. The tallest building in the Western U.S., it was designed by Henry N. Cobb and Harold Fredenberg […]
Window Cleaners Rescued from Southern California High-Rise
The combined efforts of Cal/OSHA, Tractel scaffolding company, and the Orange County Fire Department helped ensure two window washers were able to safely exit a 19-story building last week. The event unfolded at Irvine’s Company Office Properties’ Jamboree Center, a complex of five towers located just off of the 405 Freeway in Irvine, CA. A […]
Brian Golden Named Permanent Director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority
Brian Golden has been named permanent Director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and Economic Development Industrial Corporation (EDIC). Having served as Acting Director since January, Golden will continue to lead the efforts to reform and modernize the agency. Golden has been with the agency since 2009, having served previously as Executive Secretary for four […]
Lerch Bates Promotes Alyssa McGrath to Director of Strategic Accounts
Lerch Bates has promoted Alyssa McGrath to Director of Strategic Accounts. She will continue to be based in the consulting firm’s Boston office. In her new role, McGrath will provide leadership to and management of Lerch Bates’ consultants and administrative staff, manage the firm’s key accounts and build relationships with new pending clients utilizing diverse […]
Energy Saving (and Creating) Elevator Donated to Living Laboratory
In the heart of Boston’s Innovation District, Germany-based Fraunhofer CSE has created a “living laboratory” to conduct research for the advancement of sustainable energy systems. The lab is located in a six-story, three-bay loft brick building with classical revival-style detailing. Originally constructed in 1913 for a wholesale leather merchant, the building underwent a $27-million energy […]
New Owners Plan Upgrades for Recently Acquired San Antonio Office Tower
New York-based Clarion Partners has acquired Bank of America Plaza, a 533,465 square foot office building located in San Antonio, Texas. The firm acquired the property in a joint venture with Griffin Partners, a real estate developer, manager and leasing company that specializes in Texas and Arizona properties. The seller was Talcott Realty Investors of […]
Rosemont Realty Acquires 15-Story Kirkwood Tower in Houston
Rosemont Realty has acquired Kirkwood Tower III at 11757 Katy Freeway, in Houston, Texas. The 15-story building conatins 285,682 rentable square feet of Class A office space. It brings the company’s total square footage in the greater Houston area to nearly 2.5 million square feet in 16 properties, including Kirkwood Atrium II next door. Rosemont […]
20-Story Residential High-Rise Breaks Ground in Houston’s Museum District
StreetLights Residential (SLR) recently broke ground on a new 20-story high-rise development – The Carter. Sitting on nearly 2 acres, the project site is just off Chelsea Blvd., between Montrose and Travis St. in the Houston Museum District. SLR CEO Doug Chesnut said: “We pride ourselves on creating a luxury, hotel-like environment with each of […]
Work-Life Inspired Office Tower Planned for Dallas’ Turtle Creek Park
2727 Turtle Creek is the newest project from Dallas-based Prescott Group. The commercial development will sit on a more than 5-acre site steps away from heart of Uptown, where an urban setting is enveloped by the nature of the Katy Trail and Turtle Creek Park. The 380,000 square-foot project will offer 14-stories of office space, […]
New Owners Plan Upgrades for Recently Acquired San Antonio Office Tower
New York-based Clarion Partners has acquired Bank of America Plaza, a 533,465 square foot office building located in San Antonio, Texas. The firm acquired the property in a joint venture with Griffin Partners, a real estate developer, manager and leasing company that specializes in Texas and Arizona properties. The seller was Talcott Realty Investors of […]
KBS Acquires Uptown Dallas High-Rise Office Tower
KBS Capital Advisors has closed on its acquisiton of 3811 Turtle Creek, a 296,000-square-foot, Class AA office tower in Dallas’ Uptown area. HFF marketed the asset on behalf of the seller, MetLife Real Estate Investors. The purchase price was not disclosed. HFF’s debt placement team also secured a seven-year, 3.55 percent, fixed-rate acquisition financing on […]
New York Firm Purchases Philadelphia High-Rise, Plans Major Renovations
1635 Market Street in Center City Philadelphia has been purchased by New York real estate investment firm Nightingale Properties. Nightingale’s CEO, Elie Schwartz, has committed to $5 million in major renovations, to begin immediately. CBRE’s Kevin Maloney, Mark Adzick, George Cauffman, and Joe Wolff will market the newly branded property. “This is an exciting opportunity […]
Bought in a Foreclosure Sale, New Owner is Renovating Historic Pittsburgh High-Rise
Built in 1916 by the industrialist Henry Clay Frick, Pittsburgh’s Union Trust Building is undergoing an extensive rehabilitation and repositioning by its new owner. Since acquiring the 15-story Flemish-Gothic building at a foreclosure auction in April for $14 million, The Davis Companies has been restoring the historic property for the demands of the 21st century […]
1515 Market Street in Downtown Philadelphia Sold for $85 Million
Boston-based Winthrop Realty Trust has sold its high-rise office building located at 1515 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for $85 million to Accesso Partners of Hallandale Beach, Florida. After paying off the mortgage and closing costs, Winthrop will net $40.8 million. Stockton Real Estate Advisors owned the building prior to Winthrop but defaulted on a $70 […]
Joint Venture Buys Fort Lauderdale’s New River Center for $108 Million
Fort Lauderdale-based Stiles and Prudential Real Estate Investors have acquired 200 East Las Olas, also known as New River Center, a 20-story trophy Class A office tower located on Las Olas Boulevard Fort Lauderdale’s central business district. Developed by Stiles in 1990, the high-rise office is currently 86% leased and encompasses 281,713 rentable square feet. […]
Highwood Properties Acquires Downtown Orlando Office Building
Raleigh, North Carolina-based Highwoods Properties has acquired Lincoln Plaza, a 16-story, 246,000 square foot, Class A, multi-customer office building with embedded 625 space parking structure, in downtown Orlando, Florida. The purchase price was $68.3 million for the property which was built in 2000 and designed by Baker Barrios Architects. Highwood now owns 1.5 million square […]
Luxury High-Rise Residential Development Planned for 1201 Brickell Bay Drive, Miami
Frank McCourt’s MG Properties, has entered into a partnership with Florida East Coast Realty, a South Florida-based real estate development firm, and Corigin Real Estate Group, a division of Corigin, a New York-based real estate development and investment firm, to develop 1201 Brickell Bay Drive, a 1.8 million square foot, luxury residential development project on […]
JLL Lands Leasing Assignment for Atlanta’s Six Tower Peachtree Center
JLL has been awarded exclusive leasing assignments for the six-tower, 2.4 million-square-foot Peachtree Center in downtown Atlanta. The six towers average around 30-floors each. JLL was also awarded the leasing assignment for the four-building, 558,617-square-foot Satellite Place in Duluth, and the two-building, 266,054-square-foot Deerfield Corporate Centre in Alpharetta. JLL received the assignments from Banyan Street […]
Atlanta’s Bank of America Plaza Reduces Indoor Water Use by 51%
Bank of America Plaza-Atlanta saw a 51% reduction in indoor water use for plumbing fixtures over the past year, following a comprehensive upgrade of flush and flow fixtures throughout the building. The high-rise office tower is the tallest building in the Southeastern United States with 1.3 million square feet of prime office space in 55 […]
Waterton Associates Buys Atlanta High-Rise Apartment Building for $33.25 Million
An affiliate of Chicago-based Waterton Associates has paid $33.25 million for 2460 Peachtree Apartments, a 19-story, 236-unit, Class A multi-housing property in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood. Working on behalf of Waterton, HFF arranged a seven-year loan with Freddie Mac’s (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation) CME Program to finance the purchase. The securitized loan will be serviced […]
Otis Installs 1,000 Specialized Skyscraper Elevators in Just Three Years
Otis High Rise Elevator recently arranged the delivery of the 1,000th Skyrise elevator, marking three years of success for their skyscraper-specific elevator system. Introduced in 2011, the Skyrise elevator was designed to address the unique challenges of skyscrapers as the world’s cities continue to rise skyward. According to global industry studies, 28 buildings over 1,300 […]
Rope-Free Elevator Will Allow Multiple High-Speed Cabs in One Shaft
After 160 years, is the era of the rope-dependent elevator now over? ThyssenKrupp is working on placing linear motors in elevator cabins, transforming conventional vertical transportation. The company claims that its MULTI elevator technology will increase transport capacities and efficiency while reducing the elevator footprint and peak loads from the power supply in buildings. Several […]
UK Firm Manufactures World’s Biggest Elevator Buffer
After two years of research and development, and an investment in excess of £1.5 million (US $2.4M), UK energy absorption technology firm Oleo International has had its new HSL 115 and HSL 72 high speed elevator buffers certified to recognized industry standards. This means that these buffers, an enabling technology for the installation of high […]
Optical Turnstile Reads QR Code from Visitor Smartphone to Allow Entry
Smarter Security, a provider of entrance control and outdoor security solutions, has announced the availability of FastScan TVS PS, which is the latest model of the tenant/visitor system the company first released in 2008. The PS model allows the use of two modern technologies, QR codes and smartphones, to assist visitors in quickly and securely […]
222 Broadway Installing a Remotely-Managed Security System
Datawatch Systems will soon be installing a remotely-managed access control system for 222 Broadway in Lower Manhattan. The 32-story, 756,138-square-foot office building is owned by L&L Holdings. Components of the security installation include new turnstiles and an upgraded access control and CCTV system. The security upgrade is part of a major renovation to the building’s […]
Cushman & Wakefield Names Three Key Members of Risk Management Services
Cushman & Wakefield, the world’s largest privately-held commercial real estate services firm, today announced three new appointments to the Risk Management Services (RMS) division, headed by former New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly. New York Police Department (NYPD) veterans Phil T. Pulaski and Michael J. Farrell join as Managing Directors and David C. […]
Able Engineering Services Acquires Chicago’s Hill Mechanical Operations
Able Services has reached an agreement to acquire Hill Mechanical Operations, the stationary engineering company of The Hill Group. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. With more than 17,000 employees servicing over one billion square feet of real estate, Able Services provides stationary engineering, janitorial, and building operations to all classes of commercial […]
Atlanta’s Bank of America Plaza Reduces Indoor Water Use by 51%
Bank of America Plaza-Atlanta saw a 51% reduction in indoor water use for plumbing fixtures over the past year, following a comprehensive upgrade of flush and flow fixtures throughout the building. The high-rise office tower is the tallest building in the Southeastern United States with 1.3 million square feet of prime office space in 55 […]
Budgeting for Cold Weather Care and Maintenance
Planning ahead for key seasonal product and service purchases can lead to steep discounts and reduced operating costs this winter. Winter means colder temperatures, increased rainfall and snowfall and, for many high-rise facilities, paying for the seasonal products and services they need to combat the effects of winter weather on their daily operations. Fortunately, by […]
Ian Buchanan is a Business Research Analyst for IBISWorld.
Budgeting for Cold Weather Care and Maintenance
Planning ahead for key seasonal product and service purchases can lead to steep discounts and reduced operating costs this winter. Winter means colder temperatures, increased rainfall and snowfall and, for many high-rise facilities, paying for the seasonal products and services they need to combat the effects of winter weather on their daily operations. Fortunately, by […]
Ian Buchanan is a Business Research Analyst for IBISWorld.
Los Angeles High-Rise Installs HVAC Opimization Software
Constellation Place in Century City, CA is known for its progressive environmental efforts. From solar panels and fuel cells to high-efficiency plumbing and lighting, this 35-story JMB Realty Corp. architectural landmark is setting the bar in efficiency. It is the recipient of the BOMA 360 Performance Program Designation and is officially certified by the city […]
Empire State Building Cuts $7.5M in Energy Costs Over Past Three Years
The Empire State Building has surpassed the energy savings guaranteed through its innovative energy-efficiency program for the third consecutive year. This year, the iconic property beat its energy-efficiency guarantee by 15.9 percent, saving $2.8 million. Over the past three years, the program has generated a total of approximately $7.5 million in energy savings at the […]
Interior Renovations Complete at Manhattan’s 575 Lexington Avenue
Interior design firm Mancini Duffy has completed the transformation of Normandy Real Estate Partners’ 35-story, 749,040 square-foot office high-rise, 575 Lexington Avenue. Normandy acquired the property from Silverstein Properties in 2012 for $360 million — $56 million less than Silverstein Properties paid for it in 2006 The interior renovation included creating an inviting lobby, new […]
Six of L.A.’s Top Architects Design “Next Generation of High-Rise Office Space”
Six of Los Angeles’ leading architectural firms have conceptualized innovative office suites for Brookfield Property Partners as part of an initiative called DesignHive by Brookfield. Designed to showcase the next generation of high-rise office space, the project is being developed to provide a visual experience for leasing innovative and progressive work environments in two of […]
Pandora Media Completes New Headquarters at 125 Park Avenue
Pandora Media has completed the build-out of their East Coast headquarters at SL Green’s 125 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. B.R. Fries provided construction management services, craft-oriented creative solutions, and overall project direction. The space includes 55,000-square-feet across two-floors. “We’re pleased to undertake projects like Pandora Media’s new offices, where cutting-edge workplace concepts merge with […]
Vancouver, B.C. High-Rise Features a Plant Covered “Green Wall”
700 West 8th – 2411 Heather Street are two high-rise condo buildings designed by Henriquez Partners Architects and developed by Peterson Group and Westbank. Located in West Vancouver, British Columbia at the edge of False Creek, the towers offer beautiful city views and feature a newly designed “green wall” on the exterior of the 2411 […]
Budgeting for Cold Weather Care and Maintenance
Planning ahead for key seasonal product and service purchases can lead to steep discounts and reduced operating costs this winter. Winter means colder temperatures, increased rainfall and snowfall and, for many high-rise facilities, paying for the seasonal products and services they need to combat the effects of winter weather on their daily operations. Fortunately, by […]
Ian Buchanan is a Business Research Analyst for IBISWorld.
Vertical Transportation Consultant Lerch Bates Opens First Hawaii Office
Lerch Bates has opened a new office in Honolulu, Hawaii, and appointed Ryan See consultant, elevator consulting group, to manage the firm’s operations in the state. The addition of the Honolulu office increases the total number of domestic Lerch Bates offices to 25 and 34 internationally. See joins the world’s largest and oldest vertical transportation […]
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 […]
Guidelines for Infection Control Cleaning
The winter months are when schools, healthcare facilities, offices, and many other types of locations become very concerned about infection control. Fortunately, cleaning professionals can play one of the most important roles in helping to reduce illness and infections. “There are many steps cleaning professionals can take to help improve cleaning results and at the […]
San Francisco Goodwill Placing Collection Bins in Multi-Family High-Rises
SFGoodwill is launching a new initiative that will make donating textiles as convenient as dropping a bottle in a recycling bin. Designed to serve multi-unit apartment towers, the Goodwill goBINTM lets residents donate – and do good – without leaving their buildings. Clothing, shoes, and accessories can be dropped in anytime, eliminating the weekend trip […]
Changes Proposed in NYC Building Code to Aid High-Rise Emergency Evacuation
The Department of City Planning (DCP), in collaboration with the Department of Buildings (DOB) and the Fire Department (FDNY), is proposing a city-wide Zoning Text Amendment to facilitate and make effective additional safety measures that are part of New York City’s 2014 Building Code. As part of the 2014 update to the New York City […]
Window Cleaners Rescued from Southern California High-Rise
The combined efforts of Cal/OSHA, Tractel scaffolding company, and the Orange County Fire Department helped ensure two window washers were able to safely exit a 19-story building last week. The event unfolded at Irvine’s Company Office Properties’ Jamboree Center, a complex of five towers located just off of the 405 Freeway in Irvine, CA. A […]
Historic Chicago High-Rise Uses New Software to Assist First Responders
209 East Lake Shore Drive in Chicago is adopting new software technology to help protect guests, staff and property. The software will make available to the Chicago fire and police departments critical knowledge of the luxury apartments and grounds - an important tool for a city with more than 700 non-sprinklered heritage high-rises. Designed by […]
Historic Chicago High-Rise Uses New Software to Assist First Responders
209 East Lake Shore Drive in Chicago is adopting new software technology to help protect guests, staff and property. The software will make available to the Chicago fire and police departments critical knowledge of the luxury apartments and grounds - an important tool for a city with more than 700 non-sprinklered heritage high-rises. Designed by […]
ThyssenKrupp Elevator Developing “Game-Changing” Maintenance Solutions
ThyssenKrupp Elevator maintains more than 1.1 million elevators worldwide, including those at some of the world’s most iconic buildings, like the new One World Trade Center in New York. At the 102-story skyscraper, ThyssenKrupp’s elevators will carry an estimated 3.5 million people every year. Traveling at 23 miles an hour, the building’s elevators are the […]
Vacant for 18 Years, Downtown Cleveland High-Rise Set to Reopen
After sitting vacant for nearly two decades, the former AmeriTrust Tower in downtown Cleveland is almost ready to reopen as part of a mixed-use complex at the intersection of E. 9th and Euclid . Cleveland-based GEIS Companies teamed up with Sandvick Architects of Cleveland to bring new life to this long overlooked area of the […]
Vancouver, B.C. High-Rise Features a Plant Covered “Green Wall”
700 West 8th – 2411 Heather Street are two high-rise condo buildings designed by Henriquez Partners Architects and developed by Peterson Group and Westbank. Located in West Vancouver, British Columbia at the edge of False Creek, the towers offer beautiful city views and feature a newly designed “green wall” on the exterior of the 2411 […]
High-Cost: The World’s Most Expensive Skyscrapers
All over the world, we are seeing gigantic high-rise projects coming into existence that try to outdo each other in height. It is not just in terms of their physical dimensions, however, that skyscrapers are constantly setting new records – the costs of the buildings, too, are continuously reaching new and dizzying heights. The smartest […]
Milan High-Rise With 900 Trees Planted on Terraces Wins Highrise Award
Bosco Verticale, a residential high-rise development with its own urban forest in Milan, has been awarded the International Highrise Award 2014. The award was presented by the City of Frankfurt am Main together with Deutsches Architekturmuseum and DekaBank. Designed by Boeri Studio and developed by Hines, this vertical forest in the heart of one of […]
Chinese Developer Begins Building Second Phase of L.A.’s Metropolis Complex
Phase two of downtown Los Angeles’ mixed-use Metropolis complex is underway. Chinese developer Greenland USA — a subsidiary of Shanghai-based Greenland Group, has broken ground on phase two’s high-rise residential tower which will be 39-stories tall with approximately 670,000 sq. ft. and 525 condo units. Phase one of the $1 billion dollar project broke ground […]
41-Story High-Rise Under Construction in Chicago’s South Loop
Chicago-based Golub & Company together with co-developer CIM Group, has started construction on the 41-story multifamily residential tower at 1001 South State Street in Chicago’s South Loop. The 440-foot-tall building being constructed at the corner of 9th and South State Street will offer a wide range of apartment sizes and amenities. According to the developer, […]
European Pension Fund Breaks Ground on Seattle Residential High-Rise
Construction has started on Luma, a 24-story, 168-unit condominium tower at 1321 Seneca Street in Seattle. The project, a joint venture between Los Angeles-based Lowe Enterprises and European pension fund Alecta, is the first condominium high-rise building to be developed in the First Hill neighborhood since 1982 and among the first in the downtown Seattle […]
Need Elevator Access Control? Schindler Introduces an App for That
More and more people living in growing cities today want to get safely and securely to where they need to be. And it’s to further reduce the associated waiting times at security gates, entrance doors and elevators – and simultaneously enhance building security – that Schindler’s Transit Management Group has developed the myPORT smartphone app. […]
Energy Efficient Alternative to Linear Fluorescent Lights
New light fixtures have been introduced to provide an energy efficient alternative to Linear Fluorescent recessed fixtures. The fixtures, from Halco Lighting Technologies, are called ProLED Panel Light fixtures. Halco offers two unique styles – the Panel and Volumetric Series. The Panel Light Series provides a sleek, classic look while the Volumetric Light Series’ architectural […]
Elevator Display Delivers RSS Feed with Wireless Connectivity
E-Motive’s new iS2 multimedia elevator LCD displays is now available from Janus Elevator Products. The iS2 is the first display to combine RSS feed technology, wireless connectivity and eco-friendly features. The full-color TFT display provides customized in-car entertainment and information. With high processing capability, the iS2 renders quality high-definition video content and images. The RSS […]
Achieving Elevator Efficiency in High-Rises
Elevators in high-rise buildings carry an immense amount of traffic for long distances throughout a typical day. Efficiency – through optimized energy usage, maintenance, and even design – can lead to substantial savings in both operational costs and riders’ time. Elevators and Energy All elevators use energy. Although levels of energy efficiency may vary among […]
Sasha Bailey, LEED AP BD+C is the Strategic Communications Manager for ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas. Email her at [email protected]. ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas has been involved with some of the highest profile high rises in North America, including One World Trade Center in New York, Toronto's Shangri-La Hotel, and the Great American Tower (Cincinnati's tallest building), among others.
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 […]
Tom Worthington owns ESRM Communications, based in Fort Lauderdale, FL (www.ESRMphones.com).
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, […]
As the Director of Program Development for ABM Security Services, Paul Penzone is responsible for developing programs that will enhance the skillset and services provided by ABM Security Services on behalf of its clients. Paul’s unique skillset is the culmination if his experience in law enforcement, multi-jurisdictional investigations, program development and operations. Paul spent 21 years with the Phoenix Police Department, retiring as a sergeant in 2009. During his career, he worked in training, gang enforcement, street crimes, narcotics, and as a Federal Task Force Agent with the DEA.
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.
An award winning editor, Leah spent over eight years in senior
editorial positions at both BUILDINGS magazine and ARCHI-TECH
magazine. Her work has been incorporated into training and
educational programs around the country. She is a graduate of
University of Iowa. She is Editor at Large for High Rise Facilities.
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…
An award winning editor, Leah spent over eight years in senior
editorial positions at both BUILDINGS magazine and ARCHI-TECH
magazine. Her work has been incorporated into training and
educational programs around the country. She is a graduate of
University of Iowa. She is Editor at Large for High Rise Facilities.
Taking Net Zero Water to New Heights
Net zero energy has been a hot topic in the commercial buildings industry, but energy isn’t the only commodity in the spotlight anymore. There’s a new phrase on the scene: net zero water. “As the Living Building Challenge has become more popular, so has the concept of net zero water,” explains Jacob Arlein, partner and […]
An award winning editor, Leah spent over eight years in senior
editorial positions at both BUILDINGS magazine and ARCHI-TECH
magazine. Her work has been incorporated into training and
educational programs around the country. She is a graduate of
University of Iowa. She is Editor at Large for High Rise Facilities.
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 […]
Keirnyn Ross, CEM, is manager of energy engineering at Greenwich Energy Solutions.
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 […]
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 […]
An award winning editor, Leah spent over eight years in senior
editorial positions at both BUILDINGS magazine and ARCHI-TECH
magazine. Her work has been incorporated into training and
educational programs around the country. She is a graduate of
University of Iowa. She is Editor at Large for High Rise Facilities.
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 […]
Keirnyn Ross, CEM, is manager of energy engineering at Greenwich Energy Solutions.
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…
An award winning editor, Leah spent over eight years in senior
editorial positions at both BUILDINGS magazine and ARCHI-TECH
magazine. Her work has been incorporated into training and
educational programs around the country. She is a graduate of
University of Iowa. She is Editor at Large for High Rise Facilities.
Integrated Pest Management Offers Preventive Approach to Pest Control
Preventing and eliminating pest infestations in a high-rise environment is critical for protecting tenants and property. No one wants to live in a building where there is even a rumor of infestation by roaches, rodents, or other pests. Yet, building management may find it difficult to control individual tenant behavior that exposes the property to […]
Timothy Larson is QA Manager at Rentokil, the world’s largest commercial pest control company, based in Reading, PA. For more information, visit www.rentokil.com/us.
From the Ground Up: Sustainable Flooring
Apartment and condominium hunters are presented with numerous options that impact their overall selection decisions. Things like cost, size, amenities, and location are often primary considerations. Despite accounting for more surface area than anything in a residence (except for the walls), flooring’s contribution to the space is often overlooked. This oversight could be a mistake […]
Bruce Ziegler is Tarkett North America’s director of product development – residential.
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 […]
Dave Kaminski is the commercial office manager for GE Lighting in Cleveland.
Building Owners Responsible for Safety of Window Cleaners
We’ve all seen them hanging from the side of a building and thought to ourselves, “Man, I would never do that. Those guys must be crazy.” Well, to be honest, some of them are, but most are not. The fact is, the profession of washing windows on high-rise buildings is actually very safe when all […]
Kynan Wynne has 22 years in the window cleaning industry, seven years in the fall protection industry, and is a former president of the International Window Cleaning Association.Wynne is currently the vice president of Rooftop Anchor, Inc. Brent LaPorte has 21 years of experience in the fall protection industry and is currently Rooftop Anchor’s national sales consultant.
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 […]
Keirnyn Ross, CEM, is manager of energy engineering at Greenwich Energy Solutions.
Integrated Pest Management Offers Preventive Approach to Pest Control
Preventing and eliminating pest infestations in a high-rise environment is critical for protecting tenants and property. No one wants to live in a building where there is even a rumor of infestation by roaches, rodents, or other pests. Yet, building management may find it difficult to control individual tenant behavior that exposes the property to […]
Timothy Larson is QA Manager at Rentokil, the world’s largest commercial pest control company, based in Reading, PA. For more information, visit www.rentokil.com/us.
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 […]
An award winning editor, Leah spent over eight years in senior
editorial positions at both BUILDINGS magazine and ARCHI-TECH
magazine. Her work has been incorporated into training and
educational programs around the country. She is a graduate of
University of Iowa. She is Editor at Large for High Rise Facilities.
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 […]
Alan France is the Director of Sustainability, Environmental Services for ABM, one of the largest facility management services providers in the U.S. He has developed and implemented ABM’s sustainable policies, procedures and tools used by ABM’s service teams under the ABM GreenCare® program umbrella in over 400 million square feet of commercial space. France is responsible for ABM’s internal sustainability initiatives, metrics and reporting centered on the four principles of Responsibility in the Workplace, Marketplace, Environment and Community. For more information, go to http://www.abm.com/pages/green-cleaning-sustainability-commitment.aspx.
High-Rise Emergency Notification Options
When the fire alarm sounds, what do you do? An advantage of voice evacuation and emergency communication systems (ECS) is that they provide a high-rise building’s occupants specific and detailed instructions on what to do. In case of fire or other emergency, the best course of action might be to evacuate the building – or […]
Dan Corbett is the product manager for Notifier by Honeywell.
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. […]
Marina Batzke is General Manager of American Permalight, Inc., based in Torrance, California; incorporated since 1988; Manufacturers of Photoluminescent UL924-listed Signs and UL1994-listed Egress Path Markings. Marina Batzke is ASTM Committee E12.13 ‘Photoluminescent Safety Products’ Chair, member of the UL Standard Technical Panels UL924 and UL1994, and NFPA member.
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 […]
Scott Heyworth, P.E., of FP2Fire, Inc. is a registered Fire Protection Engineer, licensed in California (1999) and Florida (2009). He has more than 18 years’ experience working in code enforcement and code consulting, specializing in plan review, field inspection, acceptance testing, hazardous materials, fire hazard analyses, and fire protection assessments. For more information, visit www.fp2fire.com.
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 […]
Art King is SpiderCloud Wireless’s director of enterprise services and technologies. Prior to joining SpiderCloud, Art was the mobility/collaboration lead in global architecture for Nike Inc., where he actively led architectural engineering for global IT infrastructure covering 4,000+ sites across 49 countries.
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 [...]
An award winning editor, Leah spent over eight years in senior
editorial positions at both BUILDINGS magazine and ARCHI-TECH
magazine. Her work has been incorporated into training and
educational programs around the country. She is a graduate of
University of Iowa. She is Editor at Large for High Rise Facilities.
Parking Garage Industry Associations Pursue Sustainability
Today, nearly every new high-rise building includes multiple sustainability features and owners of older buildings are increasingly implemeting green retrofits to keep up. But what about parking structures? Often an afterthought in the public’s mind, parking garages are an essential part of almost any high-rise project. In the past, some parking facilities received LEED certification […]
Tapping Your Human Capital to Drive Green Building Performance
Owners and tenants of the more than 22,000 LEED Certified buildings worldwide invested in greener buildings for expected benefits, such as lower utility bills and a better occupant experience. Now that many buildings have a few years of real performance data available, the media and the market have found some green buildings aren’t meeting their […]
Jessica Green is the Seattle regional director at Brightworks Sustainability Advisors, a provider of end-to-end sustainability services in the built environment and for organizational strategy.
Atlanta’s Bank of America Plaza Reduces Indoor Water Use by 51%
Bank of America Plaza-Atlanta saw a 51% reduction in indoor water use for plumbing fixtures over the past year, following a comprehensive upgrade of flush and flow fixtures throughout the building. The high-rise office tower is the tallest building in the Southeastern United States with 1.3 million square feet of prime office space in 55 […]
Skyscraper Museum to Present Series of Programs About Times Square Preservation
In conjunction with its exhibition “Times Square, 1984,” The Skyscraper Museum in lower Manhattan is presenting a series of programs that reunite key actors in the transformation of Times Square over the past three decades. Each evening focuses on a set of issues and questions that ask the original authors, including government officials, planners, urban […]
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 […]
Skyscraper Museum Exhibit Shows Reimagined Times Square in 1984
Times Square today is bright and crowded – the most visited place on the planet, filled with electric signs, entertainment venues and retail outlets. But thirty years ago, the future of Times Square was in limbo as residents, the City and developers sparred over how best to redevelop the area. In the 1960s, Times Square […]
Having been in the B2B publishing industry for over fifteen years, Travis has written hundreds of articles related to facilities management and building ownership and is the publisher and editorial director for High Rise Facilities magazine. He lives in Southern California with his wife and children and enjoys surfing, sailing, golfing, and of course touring tall buildings.
JLL’s Chris Pesek on Preparing the Next Generation of Facilities Managers
Starting out as a property manager (and now serving as JLL’s managing director of integrated facility management), Chris Pesek made a rewarding career out of facilities management – and knows the next generation can, too. Chris Pesek is dedicated to making sure the next generation of workers considers facilities management as a viable career option. […]
An award winning editor, Leah spent over eight years in senior
editorial positions at both BUILDINGS magazine and ARCHI-TECH
magazine. Her work has been incorporated into training and
educational programs around the country. She is a graduate of
University of Iowa. She is Editor at Large for High Rise Facilities.
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 […]
Tony Morille, A Return to Facility Operations
Spending nearly six decades working in facility operations, Tony Morille, former director of operations for Houston’s 27-story Villa d’Este, retired in June. But he has already decided that he can’t stay away from the industry any longer.
“I had decided it was going to be fun being retired, but I’m bored,” says Morille. “I miss the sense of accomplishment. There are so many challenges in what we do – I even miss times when a [...]
An award winning editor, Leah spent over eight years in senior
editorial positions at both BUILDINGS magazine and ARCHI-TECH
magazine. Her work has been incorporated into training and
educational programs around the country. She is a graduate of
University of Iowa. She is Editor at Large for High Rise Facilities.
Need Elevator Access Control? Schindler Introduces an App for That
More and more people living in growing cities today want to get safely and securely to where they need to be. And it’s to further reduce the associated waiting times at security gates, entrance doors and elevators – and simultaneously enhance building security – that Schindler’s Transit Management Group has developed the myPORT smartphone app. […]
Energy Efficient Alternative to Linear Fluorescent Lights
New light fixtures have been introduced to provide an energy efficient alternative to Linear Fluorescent recessed fixtures. The fixtures, from Halco Lighting Technologies, are called ProLED Panel Light fixtures. Halco offers two unique styles – the Panel and Volumetric Series. The Panel Light Series provides a sleek, classic look while the Volumetric Light Series’ architectural […]
Elevator Display Delivers RSS Feed with Wireless Connectivity
E-Motive’s new iS2 multimedia elevator LCD displays is now available from Janus Elevator Products. The iS2 is the first display to combine RSS feed technology, wireless connectivity and eco-friendly features. The full-color TFT display provides customized in-car entertainment and information. With high processing capability, the iS2 renders quality high-definition video content and images. The RSS […]
41-Story High-Rise 1N4th, Joins Brooklyn Waterfront Residential Boom
Along the East River in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, Douglaston Development is building 1N4th, the newest and tallest luxury tower in the area, soaring 41 stories high with 509 rental residences. The building has topped out and leasing has begun. Occupancy is set for January 2015. The area is experiencing an aprtment building boom since a […]
Moinian Group’s 535 Fifth Avenue High-Rise Surpasses 100,000 SF of 2014 Leasing
The Moinian Group has completed a long-term renewal and expansion at its 535 Fifth Avenue high-rise, with IQPC/Penton Media now taking 28,340 square feet in the property. Under the new lease, IQPC/Penton Media will now occupy the entire 8th floor, as well as space on the 9th and 10th floors. In addition, with this latest […]
Massey Knakal Agrees to be Acquired by Cushman & Wakefield
Cushman & Wakefield has entered into an agreement to acquire Massey Knakal Realty Services, New York’s No. 1 Investment Sales firm (based on transaction volume) for more than a decade. The acquisition enhances the global commercial real estate services firm with a more formidable Capital Markets presence in the New York Tri-State region. Massey Knakal […]
Parking Garage Industry Associations Pursue Sustainability
Today, nearly every new high-rise building includes multiple sustainability features and owners of older buildings are increasingly implemeting green retrofits to keep up. But what about parking structures? Often an afterthought in the public’s mind, parking garages are an essential part of almost any high-rise project. In the past, some parking facilities received LEED certification […]
Able Engineering Services Acquires Chicago’s Hill Mechanical Operations
Able Services has reached an agreement to acquire Hill Mechanical Operations, the stationary engineering company of The Hill Group. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. With more than 17,000 employees servicing over one billion square feet of real estate, Able Services provides stationary engineering, janitorial, and building operations to all classes of commercial […]
41-Story High-Rise Under Construction in Chicago’s South Loop
Chicago-based Golub & Company together with co-developer CIM Group, has started construction on the 41-story multifamily residential tower at 1001 South State Street in Chicago’s South Loop. The 440-foot-tall building being constructed at the corner of 9th and South State Street will offer a wide range of apartment sizes and amenities. According to the developer, […]
Salesforce Purchases San Francisco’s 50 Fremont Street for $640 Million
San Francisco-based CRM company Salesforce has purchased the high-rise office building at 50 Fremont Street, where it has been the anchor tenant, from TIAA-CREF who acquired the building in 2005. The sales price was $640 million and the deal is expected to close in early 2015. Cushman & Wakefield advised Salesforce in the transaction. The […]
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 […]
Urban Renaissance Group Acquires Seattle Developer and Multiple Projects
Seattle-based real estate firm Urban Renaissance Group has acquired Touchstone, a prominent North West real estate developer. All current Touchstone employees will be retained. Touchstone’s owners Douglas Howe, Jim O’Hanlon and Shawn Parry will step back from day-to-day operation of the firm but they will continue to serve as advisors and remain invested as general […]
Ivanhoé Cambridge Buys Two Seattle Office Buildings for $280 Million
Ivanhoé Cambridge and its partner, Callahan Capital Properties, has acquired a 100% interest in two adjoining office properties in downtown Seattle, 1111 Third and Second & Spring, for approximately $280 million. 1111 Third is a 34-story, 572,500 ft2 (53 000 m2) Class-A office building that has recently undergone significant capital improvements, including an upgraded lobby […]
European Pension Fund Breaks Ground on Seattle Residential High-Rise
Construction has started on Luma, a 24-story, 168-unit condominium tower at 1321 Seneca Street in Seattle. The project, a joint venture between Los Angeles-based Lowe Enterprises and European pension fund Alecta, is the first condominium high-rise building to be developed in the First Hill neighborhood since 1982 and among the first in the downtown Seattle […]
Chinese Developer Begins Building Second Phase of L.A.’s Metropolis Complex
Phase two of downtown Los Angeles’ mixed-use Metropolis complex is underway. Chinese developer Greenland USA — a subsidiary of Shanghai-based Greenland Group, has broken ground on phase two’s high-rise residential tower which will be 39-stories tall with approximately 670,000 sq. ft. and 525 condo units. Phase one of the $1 billion dollar project broke ground […]
Los Angeles’ U.S. Bank Tower Earns LEED Gold Certification
U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles has received Gold certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Existing Buildings (EB) Rating System. U.S. Bank Tower is a 1.4 million-square-foot, 75-story office building located in Downtown Los Angeles. The tallest building in the Western U.S., it was designed by Henry N. Cobb and Harold Fredenberg […]
Window Cleaners Rescued from Southern California High-Rise
The combined efforts of Cal/OSHA, Tractel scaffolding company, and the Orange County Fire Department helped ensure two window washers were able to safely exit a 19-story building last week. The event unfolded at Irvine’s Company Office Properties’ Jamboree Center, a complex of five towers located just off of the 405 Freeway in Irvine, CA. A […]
Brian Golden Named Permanent Director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority
Brian Golden has been named permanent Director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and Economic Development Industrial Corporation (EDIC). Having served as Acting Director since January, Golden will continue to lead the efforts to reform and modernize the agency. Golden has been with the agency since 2009, having served previously as Executive Secretary for four […]
Lerch Bates Promotes Alyssa McGrath to Director of Strategic Accounts
Lerch Bates has promoted Alyssa McGrath to Director of Strategic Accounts. She will continue to be based in the consulting firm’s Boston office. In her new role, McGrath will provide leadership to and management of Lerch Bates’ consultants and administrative staff, manage the firm’s key accounts and build relationships with new pending clients utilizing diverse […]
Energy Saving (and Creating) Elevator Donated to Living Laboratory
In the heart of Boston’s Innovation District, Germany-based Fraunhofer CSE has created a “living laboratory” to conduct research for the advancement of sustainable energy systems. The lab is located in a six-story, three-bay loft brick building with classical revival-style detailing. Originally constructed in 1913 for a wholesale leather merchant, the building underwent a $27-million energy […]
New Owners Plan Upgrades for Recently Acquired San Antonio Office Tower
New York-based Clarion Partners has acquired Bank of America Plaza, a 533,465 square foot office building located in San Antonio, Texas. The firm acquired the property in a joint venture with Griffin Partners, a real estate developer, manager and leasing company that specializes in Texas and Arizona properties. The seller was Talcott Realty Investors of […]
Rosemont Realty Acquires 15-Story Kirkwood Tower in Houston
Rosemont Realty has acquired Kirkwood Tower III at 11757 Katy Freeway, in Houston, Texas. The 15-story building conatins 285,682 rentable square feet of Class A office space. It brings the company’s total square footage in the greater Houston area to nearly 2.5 million square feet in 16 properties, including Kirkwood Atrium II next door. Rosemont […]
20-Story Residential High-Rise Breaks Ground in Houston’s Museum District
StreetLights Residential (SLR) recently broke ground on a new 20-story high-rise development – The Carter. Sitting on nearly 2 acres, the project site is just off Chelsea Blvd., between Montrose and Travis St. in the Houston Museum District. SLR CEO Doug Chesnut said: “We pride ourselves on creating a luxury, hotel-like environment with each of […]
Work-Life Inspired Office Tower Planned for Dallas’ Turtle Creek Park
2727 Turtle Creek is the newest project from Dallas-based Prescott Group. The commercial development will sit on a more than 5-acre site steps away from heart of Uptown, where an urban setting is enveloped by the nature of the Katy Trail and Turtle Creek Park. The 380,000 square-foot project will offer 14-stories of office space, […]
New Owners Plan Upgrades for Recently Acquired San Antonio Office Tower
New York-based Clarion Partners has acquired Bank of America Plaza, a 533,465 square foot office building located in San Antonio, Texas. The firm acquired the property in a joint venture with Griffin Partners, a real estate developer, manager and leasing company that specializes in Texas and Arizona properties. The seller was Talcott Realty Investors of […]
KBS Acquires Uptown Dallas High-Rise Office Tower
KBS Capital Advisors has closed on its acquisiton of 3811 Turtle Creek, a 296,000-square-foot, Class AA office tower in Dallas’ Uptown area. HFF marketed the asset on behalf of the seller, MetLife Real Estate Investors. The purchase price was not disclosed. HFF’s debt placement team also secured a seven-year, 3.55 percent, fixed-rate acquisition financing on […]
New York Firm Purchases Philadelphia High-Rise, Plans Major Renovations
1635 Market Street in Center City Philadelphia has been purchased by New York real estate investment firm Nightingale Properties. Nightingale’s CEO, Elie Schwartz, has committed to $5 million in major renovations, to begin immediately. CBRE’s Kevin Maloney, Mark Adzick, George Cauffman, and Joe Wolff will market the newly branded property. “This is an exciting opportunity […]
Bought in a Foreclosure Sale, New Owner is Renovating Historic Pittsburgh High-Rise
Built in 1916 by the industrialist Henry Clay Frick, Pittsburgh’s Union Trust Building is undergoing an extensive rehabilitation and repositioning by its new owner. Since acquiring the 15-story Flemish-Gothic building at a foreclosure auction in April for $14 million, The Davis Companies has been restoring the historic property for the demands of the 21st century […]
1515 Market Street in Downtown Philadelphia Sold for $85 Million
Boston-based Winthrop Realty Trust has sold its high-rise office building located at 1515 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for $85 million to Accesso Partners of Hallandale Beach, Florida. After paying off the mortgage and closing costs, Winthrop will net $40.8 million. Stockton Real Estate Advisors owned the building prior to Winthrop but defaulted on a $70 […]
Joint Venture Buys Fort Lauderdale’s New River Center for $108 Million
Fort Lauderdale-based Stiles and Prudential Real Estate Investors have acquired 200 East Las Olas, also known as New River Center, a 20-story trophy Class A office tower located on Las Olas Boulevard Fort Lauderdale’s central business district. Developed by Stiles in 1990, the high-rise office is currently 86% leased and encompasses 281,713 rentable square feet. […]
Highwood Properties Acquires Downtown Orlando Office Building
Raleigh, North Carolina-based Highwoods Properties has acquired Lincoln Plaza, a 16-story, 246,000 square foot, Class A, multi-customer office building with embedded 625 space parking structure, in downtown Orlando, Florida. The purchase price was $68.3 million for the property which was built in 2000 and designed by Baker Barrios Architects. Highwood now owns 1.5 million square […]
Luxury High-Rise Residential Development Planned for 1201 Brickell Bay Drive, Miami
Frank McCourt’s MG Properties, has entered into a partnership with Florida East Coast Realty, a South Florida-based real estate development firm, and Corigin Real Estate Group, a division of Corigin, a New York-based real estate development and investment firm, to develop 1201 Brickell Bay Drive, a 1.8 million square foot, luxury residential development project on […]
JLL Lands Leasing Assignment for Atlanta’s Six Tower Peachtree Center
JLL has been awarded exclusive leasing assignments for the six-tower, 2.4 million-square-foot Peachtree Center in downtown Atlanta. The six towers average around 30-floors each. JLL was also awarded the leasing assignment for the four-building, 558,617-square-foot Satellite Place in Duluth, and the two-building, 266,054-square-foot Deerfield Corporate Centre in Alpharetta. JLL received the assignments from Banyan Street […]
Atlanta’s Bank of America Plaza Reduces Indoor Water Use by 51%
Bank of America Plaza-Atlanta saw a 51% reduction in indoor water use for plumbing fixtures over the past year, following a comprehensive upgrade of flush and flow fixtures throughout the building. The high-rise office tower is the tallest building in the Southeastern United States with 1.3 million square feet of prime office space in 55 […]
Waterton Associates Buys Atlanta High-Rise Apartment Building for $33.25 Million
An affiliate of Chicago-based Waterton Associates has paid $33.25 million for 2460 Peachtree Apartments, a 19-story, 236-unit, Class A multi-housing property in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood. Working on behalf of Waterton, HFF arranged a seven-year loan with Freddie Mac’s (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation) CME Program to finance the purchase. The securitized loan will be serviced […]
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced the newly elected and appointed officers and directors to its 2015 Board of Directors.
“USGBC’s Board of Directors provides invaluable direction and perspective, collectively bringing decades of experience to the table and using their individual expertise to shape the future of the organization, the community and the green building movement as a whole,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “Delivering on the promise of developing buildings that sustain and enhance the vitality of life within a generation is no small undertaking. Our Board of Directors is comprised of representatives from many different segments of the building industry and will undoubtedly make great strides in the coming year.”
The USGBC board elected Fiona Cousins, Arup, as chair-elect.
USGBC’s membership elected the following individuals to serve as directors, for a term of three years each, effective Jan. 1, 2015:
Stephen Bushnell, Stephen Bushnell + Associates: Insurance seat (incumbent)
Linda Chipperfield, Green Seal, Inc.: Environmental Nonprofit Advocate seat (newly elected)
Amy Costello, Armstrong World Industries: Product Manufacturer seat (newly elected)
Denise Grabowski, Symbioscity: Urban/Regional Planner seat (newly elected)
Christopher Schaffner, The Green Engineer, Inc.: Sustainable Practice Leader: Engineer seat (newly elected)
In addition, at its recent meeting in New York, the Board named the following directors to fill appointed positions, each for a term of two years:
Mark James, Urban Green LLC: Sustainable Community Leader seat (formerly in the Green Affordable Housing seat)
Vance Voss, Principal Real Estate Investors: Commercial Real Estate Executive Leadership seat (newly appointed)
The Board elected Fiona Cousins, Arup, as chair-elect and Lisa Matthiessen, Integral Group, as secretary. Marge Anderson, Energy Center of Wisconsin, will serve as chair, and George Bandy, Interface, will serve as immediate past chair. Stuart Carron, ENERGIZE RE LLC, will continue as treasurer. New terms will begin Jan. 1, 2015.
“Both the promise and challenge of the future of green building are significant and I have no doubt this board is equal to the task of advancing the movement,” said Marge Anderson, USGBC Board chair. “With so many individual and yet complementary perspectives coming to the table, we are prepared to champion the inclusion of sustainable design and construction across industries, on large and small scales, in public and private spaces.”
USGBC’s Board includes elected and appointed directors who serve terms of three years and two years, respectively. The complete 2015 USGBC Board roster includes:
Officers:
Marge Anderson, Energy Center of Wisconsin, Chair
George Bandy, Interface, Immediate Past Chair
Fiona Cousins, Arup, Chair-Elect
Stuart Carron, ENERGIZE RE LLC, Treasurer: Facility Management and Operations seat
Lisa Matthiessen, Integral Group, Secretary: Sustainable Practice Leader: Architecture and Design seat
Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chairman (ex officio)
Directors:
Jeff Baer, Deutsche Bank: Real Estate Finance and Capital Markets seat
Dan Burgoyne, State of California, Department of General Services: State and Local Government Agency Employee seat
Stephen Bushnell, Stephen Bushnell + Associates: Insurance seat
Linda Chipperfield, Green Seal, Inc.: Environmental Nonprofit Advocate seat
Amy Costello, Armstrong World Industries: Product Manufacturer seat
Duygu Erten, TURKECO: International seat
Mark Frankel, New Buildings Institute: Energy seat
Denise Grabowksi, Symbioscity: Urban/Regional Planner seat
Davor Grgic, Kohler: Business to Consumer Leader seat
Mark James, Urban Green LLC: Sustainable Community Leader seat
Sara O’Mara, Choate Construction Company: Constructor of Buildings seat
Kenneth Potts, McGough Companies: Developer/Real Estate Services seat
John Quale, University of Virginia: Educator (Post-Secondary) seat
Gerrit Reinders, Telkonet: Technology seat
Christopher Schaffner, The Green Engineer, Inc.: Sustainable Practice Leader: Engineer seat
Kevin Stack, Northeast Natural Homes: Residential Construction seat
Vance Voss, Principal Real Estate Investors: Commercial Real Estate Executive Leader seat
To learn more about the Board, visit https://new.usgbc.org/about/board-of-directors.
USGBC Announces 2014 Leadership Award Winners
Opening Plenary Speakers Announced for Greenbuild 2014
USGBC to Offer Free LEED Certification to Groundbreaking Projects in New Markets
USGBC Moves Greenbuild 2016 from San Diego to Los AngelesCategory: Intelligence, People
Mixed Use: An Office High-Rise Transformed
Until 2013, AMA Plaza existed as a 52-story multi-tenant office building. It was LEED certified, had completed BOMA’s 7-Point Challenge, and earned the ENERGY STAR label. After experiencing significant vacancy rates, however, the building’s owner – 330 North Wabash Avenue LLC, a joint venture between Riverview Realty Partners (formerly Prime Group Realty LP) and Five Mile Capital partners – sold 12 floors of the 52-story building to Langham Hotels International. What once was an office tower now dedicates floors 2 through 13 to hotel rooms.
An award winning editor, Leah spent over eight years in senior
editorial positions at both BUILDINGS magazine and ARCHI-TECH
magazine. Her work has been incorporated into training and
educational programs around the country. She is a graduate of
University of Iowa. She is Editor at Large for High Rise Facilities.
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 […]
An award winning editor, Leah spent over eight years in senior
editorial positions at both BUILDINGS magazine and ARCHI-TECH
magazine. Her work has been incorporated into training and
educational programs around the country. She is a graduate of
University of Iowa. She is Editor at Large for High Rise Facilities.
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.” [...]
An award winning editor, Leah spent over eight years in senior
editorial positions at both BUILDINGS magazine and ARCHI-TECH
magazine. Her work has been incorporated into training and
educational programs around the country. She is a graduate of
University of Iowa. She is Editor at Large for High Rise Facilities.