Luxury Living Without High-End Costs
By combining the design principles of luxury living and affordable and market-rate rental communities for diverse populations, Boston-based Beacon Communities LLC has created a new standard for multifamily housing with its "Living Well by Design" concept. This philosophy is reflected in Rosemont Square in Randolph, Mass., a working-class suburb just south of Boston.
Perspective: Blending Residential with Mixed-Use
Mixed-use developments are reaching greater acceptance driven by the collective impact of higher land prices, resident demands for convenience, public planning initiatives, advancing principles of new urbanism and an ongoing demand for urban redevelopment. Many of these mixed-use undertakings consider residential occupancies a major, if not central, component. Blends of retail, office, hospitality, entertainment and occasional public purpose functions have been joined with residential occupancies to make 24/7 settings that produce complete living communities in compact executions that invite pedestrian interface between all activities.
Drive Your Buildings to Peak Operating Efficiency and Save Money
Let’s rethink the way we measure building efficiency. As an industry, we have already developed effective programs to certify buildings as green and reward major development and infrastructure initiatives. These are important and they should be continued. However, if we are truly going to address the issue of building efficiently and making meaningful changes to protect the ecology of our planet, we also have to analyze the day-to-day results achieved from tweaking building functions as needed and reward those individuals who are actually driving the buildings to peak operating efficiency. We need to recognize the important role of the "building efficiency driver."
Kettler Execs Share Management Insights
McLean, Va.--Kettler, a developer, builder and property manager, recently took home several Pillars of the Industry awards including one for Property Management Company of the Year, sponsored by Time Warner Cable, and one for Property Manager of the Year–Site for Michelle Priesner (who earned top in-house honors for property management in 2006). How does this company achieve its winning results? MHN spoke with both Cindy Clare, president of Kettler Management, based in McLean, Va., and Michelle Priesner, ARM, property manager at an Arlington, Va. high rise, to get their insights into the multi-faceted and demanding world of property management.
Abu Dhabi Prepares for Solar/Zero Carbon City
Abu Dhabi, UAE--London-based architect/master planner Foster + Partners continues tomake green strides around the world. The Masdar Initiative, a mixed-usecommunity being developed by The Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company will becompleted in 2016.
Winning Advice for Property Managers
Pinnacle Investment Manager Kevin M. Charcut recently took home the "Regional Property Manager of the Year" award at the Pillars of the Industry awards. Based out of Minneapolis, Charcut manages a Midwest portfolio of nine assets, consisting of 2,868 affordable and market-rate units in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, along with a 71-person team for Pinnacle, an American Management Services Company. How does he achieve market-beating results and inspire his property management team?
Demographics and Demand Drive Floor Plan Evolution
There was a time in the multifamily universe when product differentiation was not the holy grail of apartment design. In fact, one size basically fit all. Then a remarkable phenomenon occurred: diversity struck!
Local Investor Scoops Up Property in Midwest Market with Attractive Potential
St. Charles, Ill.—This market has seen some rent decreases in the past year, but that may just mean it is a good time to make apartment investments.
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Kenneth Olson, POKO Partners LLC
Developers Can Charge Higher Rents for Mixed-Use Developments, Say Speakers at NAHB's Pillar's Conference
Colorado Springs, Colo.—Testimonials from developers lend support to the notion that the monetary benefits of mixed-use developments are greater than for pure apartment projects.
Architecture Trends That Help Condo Developers Thrive In a Down Market
Los Angeles--In today’s competitive housing market, architects are quickly learning new concepts to help buyers. We’ve identified four trends that are increasingly being adopted by our developer clients.
Five Ways to ‘Green’ Your Landscape
There are several steps that developers and property managers can do to incorporate sustainable, green land planning and landscaping into their properties to help mitigate the threat of global climate change and improve .
Less Capital Allocations for Multifamily This Year
Orlando, Fla.— In the current environment, it may be more imperative than ever that multi-housing developers have to “play smart.” The fact of the matter is, capital suppliers are concentrating their attention on only certain deals, confirms Martin Kamm, managing director of Jones Lang LaSalle, a real estate investment manager and advisor.
Ardent Residential Teams with Post Properties to Develop $125M Four Seasons Residences Town Lake Austin
Luxury Living to Reach New Heights in Downtown Austin
7 Savvy Practices for More Efficient Resident Screening
To help you improve your property's screening procedures and overall bottom-line performance, we’ve boiled things down to seven savvy practices. These are some of the most effective ways that property managers can apply new technologies and data standards to their advantage.
Green Cleaning Strategies
March is the time for "the wearing of the green" on St. Patrick’s Day, so it seems only appropriate for this enewsletter to focus on a green topic: green cleaning.
IREM Launches Internship Program for Real Estate Management
Chicago--Staffing is always an issue on multifamily properties, so the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) has introduced a timely solution. IREM recently launched an internship program that introduces newcomers to the field of real estate management.
Spruce Up for Springtime
Spring House, Pa--March 20 marks the first day of spring, so it's time to plan those seasonal updates. The popular paint palettes of blues, greens and browns encompass colors inspired by the sky, sea and earth, which are often used along with metallics and brights to add "pop" and excitement. These eco-friendly tones have steadily gained popularity in recent years, and people have taken this trend a step farther by extending it to the type of paint they choose.
Deloitte Exec Acknowledges Credit Squeeze has Led to Decline in Valuations
New York, N.Y.—Deloitte’s analysis of the commercial real estate market at this point in time still yields a positive picture.
Condo Development: Time to Live to Fight Another Day
Yes, condominiums in down markets can be recovered. Jonathan Lee, assistant vice president at the financing brokerage George Smith Partners, describes the background of the current multifamily for-sale market situation. And he delineates the various financing options and solutions available to developers holding “problem condos.”
NAHMA Singles Out Top-Quality Multifamily Affordable Housing
Alexandria, Va.—The National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA) recently announced that five property owners and/or managers are winners of its 2007 Communities of Quality Awards. NAHMA’s 15th annual awards program recognizes excellence in the physical, financial and social condition of federally subsidized properties. Property owners and managers also compete on the basis of the quality of life they offer to residents, the level of resident involvement in community life and the nature of collaborations with other organizations and agencies that contribute to the betterment of the lives of residents and the larger community.
Creating Urban Magic: 12 Tips for Successful Redevelopment
The transformation of an aging structure into a shiny new “A” property doesn’t happen with the wave of a magic wand. It is a detailed and laborious process laced with much more financial risk than new construction
SPECIAL REPORT: Designers Dish on Hot Kitchen Trends at Builders Show
Orlando, Fla.--With kitchens more open to other living spaces, there is a trend to darker, richer wood tones for cabinetry, reported Connie Edwards (pictured), CKD, CBD, and director of design for Timberlake Cabinetry, during a seminar here at Orlando's Orange County Convention Center as part of the multi-faceted 64th annual International Builders Show (IBS), sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders.
KeyBank Aims to Triple Multifamily Financing in '08, Benefiting from the Reconfigured Marketplace
Source: Multi-HousingNews.com
2008 Tax Legislation Outlook
The outlook for the enactment of any major tax legislation in 2008 must be viewed through two prisms—the federal budget deficit and the looming November elections. However, several initiatives are of particular interest to the real estate community, such as carried interest and estate tax reform.The outlook for the enactment of any major tax legislation in 2008 must be viewed through two prisms—the federal budget deficit and the looming November elections. However, several initiatives are of particular interest to the real estate community, such as carried interest and estate tax reform.
