HACKENSACK, N.J. -- City detectives are investigating the burglary of six offices inside a Hudson Street building in Hackensack that occurred after midnight on Sunday. The thieves stole a reported $40,000 in collectible coins and a painting worth several thousand dollars.

Cops responded to a burglar alarm activation at 560 Hudson Street, a four-story office building, at around 2:45 a.m. Police said the front door had been left unlocked when they arrived and noted damage to the interior doors and locks of five offices, but nothing was reported missing from them per the tenants.

Gilbert Construction, who occupies the sixth office, reported damage to their door and said $40,000 that they paid in collectible coins kept in boxes out in the open and a painting worth several thousand dollars were robbed. According to a press release from the Hackensack Police Department, the tenant could not provide a description of the missing items.

Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to call Crime Stoppers of Bergenfield, Englewood, Teaneck, Hackensack and Bogota with tips. Cash rewards of up to $1,000 are being offered. Tips can be made anonymously at bergencrimestoppers.org or by calling 844-466-6789 around the clock.

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Thieves Break Into Hackensack Office Building Stealing $40000 In Collectible Coins, Painting 'Worth Thousands' - TAPinto.net

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. March 4-10 is Women in Construction Week.

Women make up less than 10% of the construction labor force.

Two of them women that add to that statistic are Teresa Riley, a project administrator at Triangle Associates, and Tanya Wiseman, a drywall finisher with Bouma.

Both Riley and Wiseman fell into the construction line of work.

"Well when I started my husband and them did it, and they needed more workers so I volunteered and here I am," share Wiseman.

"I did not go to school for construction, I actually have a medical background," laughs Riley.

"So its a big change from what I went to school for versus what I am doing, but I started at a low level office position and moved up into a project administrator position."

Both of these women worked their way to where they are now, and during National Women in Construction.. or "WIC Week, theyre inviting other women to join them.

Riley says, "You know its just like any other industry. Anything a man can do a woman can do too as long as she puts her mind to it and goes out there and tries."

"I was nervous coming into it because I know its a guys trade, but us women can do it too," adds Wiseman.

Opportunities for getting into construction include trade schools, and apprenticeships, many of which only take eight-weeks to complete.

"You can get into construction pretty much any way. You know somebody who does it and you say, Hey Im interested in becoming a painter, how do I do that? Im interested in becoming an electrician how do I do that?," says Riley.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry is expected to see a 12% employment growth between 2016 and 2026.

The need for hard-female-workers is there, will you pick up the joint knife?

"Women can do construction," says Riley.

"If youre really interested in doing something, you just gotta get out there and ask the questions."

The National Association of Women in Construction offers scholarships for women entering the field every year. Click here for more information.

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Grand Rapids The toughest 10%: How women are building a bigger presence in construction Sarah Grimmer - Fox17

Nearly one year ago, I wrote an article for VIATechniks The Edge Blog on BD+C entitled, The construction industry has a problem, and women are going to solve it,which included a call to action for the industry to amplify the voice of women as a key strategy of empowerment. In the midst of Women in Construction Week, I am taking a moment to do just that!

Through the stories of 17 women in design, construction and real estate, we highlight the incredible contributions that a diverse, inclusive, and empowered workforce can have. Weve compiled each womans compelling journey and personal insights into Chapter 1 of an eBook. I urge you to spend the time to read their stories I promise you will be inspired by the powerful force that diversity plays in design & construction.

Roshan Mehdizadeh Corsiglia | Global Governance Executive, Real Estate, Google

Mollie Fadule | Head of Affordable Housing, Katerra

Elissa Flandro | Customer Success Manager, Autodesk

Kirsten Hull | VP Development, EQ Office

Andie Larson | Construction Solutions Manager | Fieldwire

Myesha McClendon | Vice President, Milhouse Engineering and Construction

Alexis McGuffin | VP Business DevelopmentandPartnerships, Lendlease

Danielle O'Connell | Sr. Manager, Innovation Services, Skanska

Sabrina Odah | Smart Lab Director, Suffolk

Salla Palos | Director of Transformation Services, Microsoft

Jamie Redmond | Director of Operations, Redmond Construction

Erica Storck | General Manager, Kapture Prefab

Morgan Traynor | Senior Director of Operational Excellence, Ryan Companies

Trina Warren | Senior Project Manager, Devcon Construction

Leshya Wig | Partner, Wig Properties

Thea Williamson | Senior Design Project Manager, Shake Shack

Sharing these stories is more important than many may realize. Alexis McGuffin, Vice President, Business Development & Partnerships at Lendlease says, How often I hear very successful women say they got lucky in their career advancement, as if it were an accident! I just happened to be in the right place at the right time I dont buy it; I think it takes hard work and preparation to be able to capitalize on an opportunity when it arises. Lets take credit for that to encourage the next generation. By telling our stories and by listening to and sharing each others stories, we celebrate and appreciate the contributions of women in construction. We inspire our next wave of leaders. We encourage the next generation (men and women alike) to join an industry that directly impacts the health, safety, and quality of life of the world.

I am honored to be able to share these remarkable leaders stories, and thankful to BD+C for giving me this platform. Stories of women like Thea Williamson, Senior Design Project Manager at Shake Shack, who turned challenge into success. Williamson was a 17-year-old runaway who didnt like her circumstances, so she left, afraid of nothing. At one point, she was only able to have one meal a day. She never said no to an opportunity. Williamson reflects, Some of my greatest moments were welcomed during challenges; such as being promoted to a part time instructor within my union school, becoming a manager for a drafting and fabrication shop in my 20s, and ultimately saying goodbye to my union and entering the corporate world on my 30th birthday. When I look back on my career, I can clearly see how every moment and every experience truly shaped my current reality for the good. But the positivity I allow it to bring to my reality is a choice.

As Sabrina Odah, Smart Lab Director at Suffolk Construction puts it, Our industry is experiencing an increase in labor shortage and a flatline in productivity. Global infrastructure investment will double over the next 15 years. Diversity in the workplace increases innovation, creativity, and productivity. Lets shift the discussion from whether we should to how we can create a more diverse and inclusive workplace across all roles and leadership positions. Not only will this improve the bottom line, but also, its the right thing to do.

We said it before, and we will say it again. The industry has a problem. The industry dynamics which Odah mentions have created a mismatch between supply and demand in construction globally. And we simply cannot close this gap if we continue to alienate half of our potential workforce. Solving this problem is within your control and I compel you to view it as your responsibility. Your action, or inaction, DOES have an impact.

Jamie Redmond, Director of Operations at Redmond Construction has led targeted efforts to increase diversity and inclusion at her firm. This year was really special because I got to see our new hiring practices pay off, notes Redmond. Our Project Team is now 50% female, and we hired our first female Superintendent. Similarly, Kirsten Hull, Vice President of Development at Equity Office notes that 60% of the project leads on EQ Offices Willis Tower redevelopment from ownership to architects, project managers, GCs, and engineers, are women.

Mollie Fadule, Head of Affordable Housing at Katerra says, Theres untapped opportunity for women to have voice and help to lead the change underway in the construction industry. The challenges we are working to confront in the construction industry are massive. If we can bring diverse perspectives and knowledge from outside the industry, in addition to new technologies, we can enact change that brings broad benefits for society. I believe women will be instrumental in the transformation of this industry.

Beyond just a focus on women, people more broadly are at the center of the solution. Salla Palos, Director of Transformation Services at Microsoft says People must begin advocating for people. Everyone should advocate for others to get a variety of voices heard. How might we be inclusive as an industry? The industry must amplify the voice of those who offer solutions. If the industry keeps repeating the same process with the same tools, how can it expect a different outcome?

Lendleases Alexis McGuffin in a Virtual Reality safety simulation.

As the industry evolves and innovation takes hold, we are seeing women play a leading role in this change. Morgan Traynor, Senior Director of Operational Excellence at Ryan Companies sees this firsthand in her groups partnership with Ryans innovation team. The Operational Excellence team at Ryan takes those next big ideas and implements them across Ryans national platform. When speaking of the critical components of successful change management, Traynor says taking the technology or tool or process and being able to communicate expectations, fully train, and then support individuals and teammates along the way are key roles I see women playing in the innovation and technology space.

Two such leaders in construction innovation are Elissa Flandro, Customer Success Manager at Autodesk and Andie Larson, Construction Solutions Manager at Fieldwire. According to Flandro, Construction often gets a bad reputation for being resistant to change, but my encounters have always been extremely positive. I think industry professionals are excited to learn and be a part of the change. Despite the excitement and enthusiasm, this change is not easy. There is a deep level of complexity that the industry is challenged with. As Larson says, There are a lot of moving parts and pieces in the real estate/ design/ construction industry. Based off a McKinsey study, here is how an average day on site is spent: 30% of a workday is allocated to direct wrench time, 40% preparing for tasks, gathering equipment and materials, and transitioning from one area to the next, and 30% idle time. I started my career at a modular construction company, realizing that modular construction has the ability to address this problem.

And this brings us to a key theme we uncovered with the featured women. Each one is actively molding her career and taking leadership positions to be an unstoppable force for change, not just in the construction industry but in our world at large.

For some, this impact starts from a personal perspective. For example, take Roshan Mehdizadeh Corsiglia, Global Governance Executive, Real Estate at Google. Corsiglia is a first generation American, and San Jose, CA is where her family made their place in the United States. She is currently helping create the new Google HQ and is making sure her daughter sees this project take shape. Corsiglia notes, For my daughter, that will mean growing up in a city where her family has had a direct impact on the civic life of this wonderfully vibrant and varied community.

Leshya Wig, Partner at Wig Properties is playing a role in addressing our nations issue with affordable housing, an often overlooked yet vital component of social mobility. As Wig describes, Affordable housing is a massive problem in our communities, and it appears as if it is getting worse, not better. Amazing companies such as Katerra and McKinstry have been working to address these issues from a constructability standpoint. We need that important work to continue. But we also need to tackle this problem with local cities, to ensure that developers are incentivized to build housing so that the housing supply can continue to build, which will help keep prices down. So, she is doing just that. I have been advocating for changes to local land use codes, that can be provided at no cost to the local jurisdictions, for areas of the city that have been identified as appropriate for denser development, while also ensuring we respect the boundaries of our single family neighborhoods.

A sustainable first design for the Award-Winning Chicago Riverwalk by Carol Ross Barney. Photo Credit: Ross Barney Architects

Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, Founder & Principal of Ross Barney Architects says, I think there is a single problem that we face and that is climate change. And I believe that we must solve it now. Our current leaders are tragically wrong to think that anything is more important. Every project we do is considered through the lens of sustainability first. If we do not meet these challenges, we dont have a future.

Outside of work, these women continue to embody change they want to see in the world. Erica Storck, General Manager at Kapture Prefab LLC says, I believe we need to expose young girls to the industry and debunk the perception that construction isnt for them. It is for this reason that she has partnered with Charlotte, NC based non-profit, Dottie Rose, which introduces girls to STEM. This summer youll find Eric doing a weeklong camp to blend STEM and construction so the girls can see first-hand the potential they have in our industry.

Devcon Constructions Trina Warren with her team at Habitat for Humanity in Paraguay.

Similarly, Trina Warren, Senior Project Manager at Devcon Construction has travelled the world giving freely of her time to leave the places she has visited better than before she was there. I love to volunteer for good causes, so utilizing my construction background makes Habitat for Humanity a perfect fit and is a chance to get my hands dirty. I have volunteered for local community builds and have also travelled to Nepal and Paraguay to build homes. My most recent trip to Paraguay involved hand digging foundations and septic tanks, rock subgrade, concrete work, and lots of masonry work in 105 degree temperatures. But, we had a fun & hard-working international volunteer team and we had a blast building a new home for the family. The opportunity to meet and help a community is so rewarding.

While I am a firm believer in seizing opportunities, taking risks to push your limits, and being bold enough, brave enough to be the change you want to see, I also realize that no one can do it alone. EQ Offices Kirsten Hull is, as she puts it, a strong believer in the power of connections. Throughout her career, important inflection points have been influenced by mentors and sponsors. Hull reflects, In more recent days, it is Lisa Picard, as EQ Offices CEO, who has inspired me as a mentor and leader, pushing our teams to prioritize curiosity, creativity, and a customer-centric approach. Living these values are synonymous with inclusivity and diversity of thought, perspective, and experience, and where there is both the widest gap -- and greatest opportunity -- in development and construction.

The people who influence our lives take many forms family, friends, colleagues, mentors, sponsors, or even cheerleaders as Danielle OConnell, Senior Manager, Innovation Services at Skanska USA so aptly describes it. Great relationships are so important with both men and women in the office and in the field. I have one ally, or I might even call him a cheerleader, who really stands out - Mike Zeppieri. He is always keeping an ear out for opportunities for me and is truly invested in my growth and development in the company.

As I interviewed our 17 featured women, I was struck by the gratitude they felt towards those they viewed as mentors and sponsors, and how this in turn fueled their desire to pay it forward. Take Myesha McClendon, Vice President at Millhouse Engineering & Construction, for example. McClendon says, Design and Construction are male dominated fields, so Im excited to be able to encourage young women to pursue engineering and to serve as an example of whats possible. I have worked to fund the Myesha and Michelle McClendon scholarship fund that provides tuition assistance for women pursuing degrees in engineering.

When we take a moment to reflect on these womens stories, we see what Melinda Gates calls the moment of lift how empowering women changes the world. Please join me in taking a moment to celebrate and appreciate these women as well as the women in your own personal circles who impact your families, teams, companies, and communities. And if nothing else, remember that this is a conversation that must continue after Women in Construction Week 2020 comes to a close!

About the AuthorDanielle Dy Buncio is the Co-Founder and CEO of VIATechnik. Prior to VIATechnik Danielle managed large-scale building and infrastructure projects in Silicon Valley, Chicago, and Sydney. Danielle also serves on the Board of Directors of Ryan Companies US, a $2B real estate development, construction, and design firm and JF Brennan, a 100-year-old heavy civil and marine contractor. Danielle is a 2018 Building Design + Construction 40 under 40 honoree and a 2019 ENR National Top 20 under 40. She received a BS in Civil Engineering from Stanford and an MBA from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management. Danielle remembers her first job site at age 3 shortly after her parents founded a heavy civil construction company in Chicago. From a young age, Danielle was fortunate to be surrounded by strong female role models in Civil Engineering and Construction including her mother, Leticia Villasenor, and her aunt, Lydia Galvani.

VIATechnik is the global leader in virtual design and construction, with nearly 200 digital experts in nine global offices. We are on a mission to transform the analog world of design and construction into a digital platform, enabling efficient design, industrialized construction, and a digital real estate service model. Through this transformation, we believe we can solve the worlds housing and infrastructure challenges, deliver spaces that nurture life, commerce, and relationships. We are proud that women at VIATechnik comprise over 30% of our team, 3X the national average. VIATechnik is a WBE firm certified by the WBENC.

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These 17 women are changing the face of construction - Building Design + Construction

AUSTIN (KXAN) An Austin-based construction company and contractors gathered Thursday at Austin Police Department headquarters and asked APD to create a task force and coordinate with other agencies to solve a series of construction site thefts.

Its not okay. Its not okay for us. Its not okay for my guys. Its definitely not okay for the community, said Eric Perucca, Owner of Hands & Feet Framing and Drywall.

Jon Standley with Motivado Group said he believes the thefts have been ongoing since January 2019, and there have been 36 separate incidents of construction materials stolen from sites.

We have been begging for help daily, but the Mayor and Police Chief are simply not taking this seriously, said Standley. This is a crime wave and these thefts are adding to the cost of building critically needed housing and office space in Austin.

In February, suspects broke into a construction site in broad daylight and stole materials worth close to $100,000. The incident was caught on camera, catching the getaway truck the suspects used. Motivado Group offered a $2,500 reward to anyone who might recognize the truck, or the people in the video, and can help lead police to an arrest.

It is time for the City of Austin to take this seriously, said Standley. If we do not get helpsoon, we will be forced to hire teams of armed guards with directions to protect life andproperty.

Perucca explained, This doesnt affect big businesses. This affects small businesses.

He told KXAN any time someone steals lumber, it creates a domino effect.

Because it can take weeks to replace the material, drywallers, plumbers and electricians who were lined up and ready to go cant work.

These are small time people who are trying to make a living, trying to make their lives work, and they get put on hold for a week, thats a big interruption, he said.

Wayne Dolcefino with Dolcefino Consulting said what the suspects are stealing are entire framing packages of houses. He said, One house framing package could cost $30,000. It gets stolen. It delays that project by weeks. It increases the cost of projects. These folks are building apartments, town homes and homes all across this area.

Standley told KXAN I think this is a systematic problem.

Austin Police said they can confirm at least four cases are related because the same vehicle is used. Other cases remain under investigation.

They said in a statement:

These investigations involve a tremendous amount of research and legwork and those take time. We are actively following up on leads though including partnering with other law enforcement agencies.

We did impound two vehicles from a construction site theft that occurred last night in the 10300 block of IH-35 Svrd SB. Neither of the vehicles is the one seen in the video. There are no individuals that have been identified/arrested as part of this incident.

We also spoke with Scott Turner with Riverside Homes. He said hes dealt with theft issues as well.

We had a home being built. It was completely finished. It was looking good. We had it on the market, ready to go, and someone who knew what they were doing, meaning they were familiar with construction, broke into the house by taking the door off the hinges and then stole the appliance package, Turner said.

He said around the time this happened to him, someone was arrested locally because they found one of the local appliances in a shop in Connecticut.

Turner said when appliances are stolen, it delays the closing process. When materials are stolen, it delays the building process.

Its very frustrating not just for the builders but also homeowners, he said. You have somebody whos ready and excited about their home, theyre ready to move in, and the next thing you know, theyve got a delay, and frankly, its a little unnerving both for the homeowner and the builder. Any time that occurs, it makes you feel a little uneasy and unsafe.

He explained because Austin areas housing supply is so low, if builders cant work and no homes go on sale, the supply would run out in a month.

Everyones doing their best to get their houses built and get homeowners in there as quickly as possible, he said.

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LIVE: Company, victim of construction site thefts holds press conference at APD headquarters - KXAN.com

YIMBY went to check in on the progress of the nine-building Essex Crossingcomplex on Manhattans Lower East Side, where two structures are getting closer to completion. The exterior of Handel Architects 180 Broome Street is almost finished, while faade work is rapidly progressing on the CetraRuddy-designed 202 Broome Street. Both mixed-usedevelopments join the six-acre master plan that is expected to cost $1 billion and will bring more than 1,000 new homes, 100,000 square feet of green space, over 350,000 square feet of offices, and 300,000 square feet of retail to the booming neighborhood. Triton Construction is the general contractor for the project.

180 Broome Street stands 26 stories and will yield 121 affordable rentals and 142 market-rate units, 10,000 square feet of retail space with 700 feet of sidewalk frontage, a 9,000-square-foot landscaped atrium, and 175,000 square feet of office space on levels two through five.

180 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

180 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

180 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

180 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

180 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

180 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

Across the street to the west is 202 Broome Street, which rises 14 stories high and will feature 175,000 square feet of Class A offices with up to 13-foot-high ceilings, 34,500 square feet of retail space, 83 residential units, and a 9,000-square-foot indoor park and recreation area called Broome Street Gardens. More of the exterior panels have been installed since YIMBYs last update.

202 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

202 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

202 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

202 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

202 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

202 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

202 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

202 Broome Street, photo by Michael Young

Developed by Delancey Street Associates,BFC Partners,L+M Development Partners,Taconic Investment Partners,The Prusik Group, andGoldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, Essex Crossing is rising from a swath of empty and undeveloped parcels at the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge. The closest subways are the J, F, M, and Z trains found at the Delancey Street/Essex Street subway station. The pedestrian and bicycle paths that lead into the Williamsburg Bridge are directly in front along Delancey Street and provide easy and scenic access to Brooklyn.

180 and 202 Broome Street are expected to be finished by the end of 2020. Essex Crossing as a whole is slated for completion by 2024.

Subscribeto YIMBYs daily e-mailFollowthe YIMBYgram for real-time photo updatesLikeYIMBY on FacebookFollowYIMBYs Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews

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Work Progresses on Essex Crossing's 180 and 202 Broome Street on the Lower East Side - New York YIMBY

The construction of a 20-storey building at the Football Association of Maldives (FAM) grounds has been contracted to South Korea's Sky Wing Global company.

FAM handed over the building project and two additional projects to the company on Monday: the construction of a four-story indoor futsal arena at the Stadium grounds and the construction of twenty turf grounds across Maldives.

The 20-story building is being constructed under a loan arrangement with the South Korean company. FAM's President Bassam Adeel Jaleel said the US$ 17 million loan will be paid back within seven years after the project is completed, using the revenue generated from the new buildings.

"We are building 20 storeys as we aim to take Maldivian football to another level. We require a large amount of funds [to reach this goal]. Therefore, most of the floor space will be revenue-making spaces. The generated revenue will be used to develop Maldivian football, and to make Maldives the strongest country in the region in terms of football," said Bassam.

The construction of FAM's new office building is currently ongoing at southwest area of the stadium. The construction of the building was handed over to Tibaro Private Limited. The building was expected to be completed by April this year. However, Bassam said delays were faced in the construction of the office due to the heavy rain experienced in the country at the end of last year. The contractor assures that the building will be ready for use by September, said Bassam.

Even if the completion of the office gets delayed further, the current office at the FAM grounds will be vacated by September, said Bassam, even if the association has to lease another building to use as its office.

The indoor futsal court building will be constructed on the empty grounds behind FAM's mini-turf. Two out of the four storeys of the building will be dedicated to futsal, and will include an international-standard futsal arena. A special futsal training centre will be located on one floor. The group and top floors will be used for commercial purposes, and will be leased to generate revenue.

Bassam said the design of the 20-storey building and the indoor futsal building will be revealed at the Football Awards slated for April 18.

Three out of the 20 turf grounds planned for construction are designated for the Male' region: one in Male', Villimale' and Hulhumale'. The remaining grounds will be constructed on different islands in different regions of the country.

All turf grounds will be of FIFA-approved quality, and grass, fence and lighting systems will be installed at the grounds. The construction of the first ground will begin within 77 days, said Bassam. One turf ground will be completed every month after that until all 20 grounds are completed within 20 months, he added.

"We are contemplating expanding the Maldivian Premier League to include teams from the atolls after the 20 turf grounds are completed," said Bassam.

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a day ago Construction of FAM's 20 storey building contracted to Sky Wing Global - Avas.mv

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Top 100 Office Construction Firms | Building Design ...

Construction for a new office building near the College Park Metro is set to be completed this fall, according to a statement from Greg Prossner, a vice president at Corporate Office Properties Trust.

The building, located on 4600 River Road, will include over 100,000 square feet of office space for research companies, industry partners and start-ups, said Campus Connector and Discovery District manager Sammy Popat.

The project, which includes career cybersecurity training start-up Cybrary as the anchor tenant, is part of the universitys plans to develop its Discovery District a stretch of land that spans from The Hotel to research facilities on River Road.

The goal is to create a community where research and development can be brought into the world and activated, Popat said. Where the great ideas and discoveries and breakthroughs can be developed further and commercialized to bring about impact.

Construction workers work on the site for the new COPT building. (Joe Ryan/The Diamondback)

Cybrary already occupies space on University Research Court, just down the road from the new facility. The start-ups future offices will sit on the top floor of the new building, occupying about 27,000 square feet, said Ralph Sita, the companys co-founder and president.

The company has about 2.7 million users worldwide, and adds about 2,000 more users every day, said Sita. A larger space will allow the start-up to accommodate more staff, as theyre expected to grow from 70 employees to 100 employees by the end of the year, he added.

[Read more: College Park census committee seeks to increase response rate in the city]

Just last year, Cybrary moved into their current space in College Park, which spans about 11,000 square feet. The company signed the lease for that property knowing they would be upgrading to a larger facility, Sita noted.

Cybrary first launched in 2015 in an office space in Greenbelt, Sita said. Its the worlds largest online cybersecurity education, training and career development platform, Sita said, and its growing quickly, he added.

We just keep expanding our offerings and our platform, Sita said. Its a machine, and in order to keep it going, you gotta keep finding space to move into.

The new facility is the fourth building to be developed in the Discovery District under the universitys joint-venture with COPT, said Ed Maginnis, assistant vice president for the universitys real estate office. Documents for the partnership were signed in late 2007, and three buildings have been developed along University Research Court since then, Maginnis added.

The university leases out the land to COPT, explained Maginnis, who then develops the property. Under the joint-venture, COPT will be able to develop properties on 61 acres of land, Maginnis additionally noted.

Equipment and supplies sit in the construction site for the new COPT building. (Joe Ryan/The Diamondback)

Ken Ulman, president of the Terrapin Development Company, has helped secure a diverse array of tenants for the new facilities. He said the Discovery District has been historically dominated by federal agencies, but that hed like to attract more private sector companies.

[Read more: UMD Senate votes to clarify when the university can revoke a former students degree]

More researchers and start-ups in the area mean more opportunities to get hands-on experience ahead of graduation, Popat said.

What you find in almost all of the companies in the Discovery District is theres some connection to the university, Ulman said. Either they want access to talent the faculty or students or theres a university professor involved or an alumni.

Companies like IonQ and Inky, for example, are located in the Discovery District. IonQ was founded by a University of Maryland professor and Inky was founded by a university alumnus. Sita, who graduated from the university in 1984, said Cybrary has hired six or seven students in the last year alone.

Well continue to keep working with the University of Maryland, Sita said. Were gonna be expanding and well continue to grow.

Read more:
A cybersecurity start-up will move to a new office building in the Discovery District - The Diamondback

With construction just starting on what will ultimately be the five-building Aperture office campus in Del Mar Heights, developers are hoping to lure a Silicon Valley or San Francisco Bay area company to move its headquarters or a big chunk of its operations to San Diego.

Were in contact with the key brokers in those markets and were chatting with them about the project, said Brig Black, executive vice president of Lincoln Property Company for Southern California.

Weve seen a significant commitment by Apple to the San Diego region and were hoping to see more tenants recognize San Diegos unique business environment, educated workforce and engineering talent coming out of our universities, Black said. This is truly going to be a cutting edge campus.

Apple last year occupied 97,000 square feet of offices in the Eastgate submarket and leased an additional 360,000 square feet in Eastgate that its expected to occupy in 2021, according to a report by the commercial real estate brokerage Cushman & Wakefield.

Lincoln Property Company bought the 15.7-acre Aperture site on Edgewood Bend Court off of State Road 56 and Carmel Valley Road in 2015.

Black declined to say how much Lincoln Property paid for the site nor would he say what it will cost to build the 640,000 square feet of office space spread over the five buildings.

Lincoln Property Company in late 2019 formed a partnership to build Aperture with Gemdale USA Corp. in a $70 million recapitalization of the project.

Gemdale USA is a subsidiary of Gemdale Corp., which describes itself as one of the largest real estate developers in China.

It took us four years to get entitled and everything else, Black said, adding that the target market is a high tech or life science tenant.

We are specifically marketing to those types of companies, Black said. We would be very excited to welcome a new technology company to San Diego.

Black said Aperture should appeal to Bay Area companies in part because of its location.

Its one of the few coastal sites left where a company can scale in size in scale with five buildings, Black said.

Although the site itself isnt waterfront, its within a short drive or bike ride to Del Mar.

The site also will have secure entrances which appeal to life science and high tech firms involved in propriety research.

Designed by Gensler architects with McCarthy Building as the contractor, Aperture is within the master planned community of Pacific Highlands Ranch. Lincoln Properties is taking the unusual step of building the first two buildings in the office park on speculation.

Typically, office developers who have tenants lined up lease all or a good portion of their projects before starting construction.

With 122,308 square feet of offices in the first building and 106,734 square feet in the second, office space in the first two Aperture buildings are expected to be ready for tenants by the second quarter of 2021.

Construction of the rest of the campus will follow once those are leased. Its going to be driven by tenant demand, Black said.

Building Aperture on spec to start creates a significant competitive advantage, said Chad Urie, a managing director of the commercial brokerage firm JLL in San Diego.

JLL is handling the leasing of Aperture.

Typically, biotech and life science companies want something in six months to a year, Urie said. If you are growing and you need space fast, were under construction. We can meet your timetable.

Demand for office space in Del Mar Heights and surrounding submarkets is intense, especially for life science and high tech firms.

The majority of all projects under construction in the nearby area have already been lease, so theres very little available in this market, said Tony Russell, also a managing director of JLL.

Aperture has been specifically designed for the life science and biotech market with ceiling heights of 10 feet, clear heights of 15 feet and large open floor plates.

The buildings will be connected by an exterior walkway with balconies meant to give them an indoor-outdoor feel.

Amenities will include a bike shop with bikes for rent, an on-site caf, a fitness center, bocce court, garden lounge, event lawn, outdoor amphitheater, organic community garden, half basketball court and half volleyball court, sand volleyball court, dog park, jogging trail and photovoltaic sun shades.

Initially, the campus will include a one-level parking garage with an additional four-story parking garage to come with the final two buildings.

Read more:
Construction Begins on Five-Building Del Mar Heights Office Complex - NBC 7 San Diego

After months of speculation,Amazon announced last year that it had chosen Arlington, Virginia, as the site of its second U.S. headquarters.

For the current phase of the project, scheduled to be complete in 2023, the retail giant plans to build two 22-story office towers at the Metropolitan Park site in the Pentagon City neighborhood outside of Washington, D.C.The project team includes development partner JBG Smith, general contractor Clark Construction and ZGF Architects.

Clark began work on-site in mid-January with the demolition of existing warehouse structures.Here, Construction Dive talks with Clark Construction Senior Superintendent Monique Holley about working on such a high-profile project.

CONSTRUCTION DIVE: Please describe the work you are doing at the Amazon site.

Monique Holley: We are working on the successful delivery of two LEED-Platinumbuildings, 65,000 square feet of street-level retail and more than a half mile of protected bike lanes.Crews currently are working to remove and recycle construction materials an early first step in achieving the project team's goal of LEEDPlatinum certification. This spring, we will begin support of excavation, mass excavation and start work on the below-grade structure for the new office buildings.

Monique Holley

Permission granted by Clark Construction

In addition, Amazon is committed to ensuringthe community is engaged and informed throughout the construction effort and we share that commitment wholeheartedly. Our project team has already begun the process of getting better acquainted with area residents, businesses and civic associations. We are focused on being good stewards of the neighborhood, supporting local businesses and having a lasting positive impact on the surrounding community.

What is your role on the project?

HOLLEY: Specifically, my role is about motivating the people I work with to meet the tangible goals we create on-site each day. My responsibilities are tied to safety, quality control, planning and scheduling. While Im not sure Im supposed to have favorites, I really enjoy the safety and planning aspects of my work as theyre both integral to every facet of the job. Im passionate about safety and take my responsibility for maintaining a safe jobsite very personally.

Ultimately, I want everyone to go home as safe and healthy as they came to work that morning. Planning is intrinsically tied to that goal. I love to plan the work because it requires being innovative, thoroughly vetting ideas to identify new ways to make a process better and working collaboratively with people from all different disciplines to get the job done.

What are a few of the biggest challenges on this project?

HOLLEY:All construction projects have their challenges. Weve approached this job with the mindset that we need to be prepared for the challenges to come, but equally focused on capitalizing on the opportunities that lay ahead. Those opportunities come in many forms from integrating with the community around the jobsite to identifying new ways to innovate and build smarter to creating growth opportunities for small businesses or for individuals interested in building a career in our industry.

I continually challenge myself and my Clark team members, along with all of our trade partners, to present new ideas that will help us enhance the way we build, strengthen the community and ensure we deliver an experience and end product that exceeds our clients' expectations.

As a superintendent how do you motivate and inspire employees?

HOLLEY:As a leader, I greatly value communication, transparency, education and respect. I always try to be mindful of my actions and words, and work to eliminate roadblocks so that the people I work with can be successful. Ultimately, if the trades and my project team are successful, Im doing my job.

My own personal sense of pride and unwillingness to fail also remind me of how important it is to be a resource to all who need help. The best way to be that resource is to clearly communicate our work plan with all stakeholders, educate those who are managing or reviewing the quality control process, and continually look for better ways to plan the work and work the plan. I firmly believe if there is a foundation of respect in place on the jobsite, things like communication, transparency and education follow suit.

You were part of Clark's Field Development Group. How did it enhance your career?

HOLLEY:The Field Development Group (FDG) is Clark Constructions internal professional development program geared toward fine tuning the technical and leadership skills of the companys future superintendents. The program features a three-year curriculum that blends classroom learning, hands-on experience and mentoring.

I am a graduate of the FDG and currently lead our Mid-Atlantic division program, which has 55 participants spread across two classes. Being involved in the program is truly a passion of mine. The FDG gave me a better understanding of the technical skills needed to plan a job more efficiently, it helped me expand my Clark network and better leverage company resources, and ultimately helped me understand who I wanted to be as a field leader, which was an evolutionary process. I am so grateful for the experience.

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What's it like to kick off construction for Clark at Amazon's HQ2? - Construction Dive