Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Claire Khawaja of Designer Sofa Interiors has applied to demolish her existing building at 7 Peter Street and replace it with nine one-bedroom apartments and a new ground-floor retail unit.

The site of the proposed development is metres away from the recently demolished former offices of Kleinwort Benson, where Dandara are currently building 48 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

According to a design statement accompanying the Peter Street application, the existing building is of poor quality and offers little to the streetscape.

The existing walls are of masonry construction but appear to have no insulation, so we would argue the building is not suitable for modern commercial premises, the statement said.

No disabled access is achieved to the commercial premises and it should be noted the site has no parking either.

It adds that to the rear of the building which has an asbestos roof there are multiple ramschackle structures.

In conclusion, we feel the proposals set out in the application for this site meet all the Planning Departments requirements and should be approved, the statement said.

The redevelopment will retain ground-floor retail space which is important for town and the Island economy, whilst the space above will be used to help add dwellings to the Islands housing stock.

Across the street, Dandara were forced to alter their planning application to include 12 parking spaces after it was initially refused for not having any.

And, in the Peter Street application, no provision for parking has been made.

We appreciate the scheme does not have parking for the accommodation proposed but feel we have addressed this in this application. Essentially, there is no way to provide parking and maintain a proper ground-floor retail space with suitable shopfront which we feel is far more important, the statement said.

The building to be demolished is in a poor condition and its replacement will be a benefit to the town in our opinion. By adding residential accommodation above we feel the scheme maximises a site in the built-up area to its full extent and should be supported.

More here:
Plans for more apartments in the West's Centre area? - Jersey Evening Post

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COVID-19 continues to have a profound impact on constructionactivity in Canada. Governments have limited what constructionactivities can continue during the shutdown, issued emergencyorders affecting construction litigation, and changed health andsafety protocols at site.

The impacts to construction projects, litigation, and health andsafety vary across provinces and territories. Below is a guidelineresource for how each province and territory is managingCOVID-19's impact on the construction industry. For eachprovince and territory we have assembled and laid out,

1. the list of permitted construction and related servicesthat can continue;

2. the impact of emergency orders on limitation periodsand procedural deadlines for construction litigation; and

3. the recommended guidelines for increased health andsafety practices for construction sites.

Should you have any questions about whether your constructionproject can continue during the pandemic, or how these orders mayaffect your existing or future litigation, please feel free tocontact us. We will keep this bulletin updated on a weeklybasis.

To locate a particular province or territory in the list, pleaseclick it in the list below:

A)Ontario

B) Quebec

C) BritishColumbia

D)Alberta

E)Saskatchewan

F)Manitoba

G) NewBrunswick

H) NovaScotia

I) Prince EdwardIsland

J)Newfoundland

K) Yukon

L) NorthwestTerritories

M)Nunavut

The list of construction and related activities that maycontinue in Ontario during the pandemic are listed below.Ontario's complete list of essential services can be found here.

Construction Services

1. Construction projects and services associated with thehealthcare sector, including new facilities, expansions,renovations and conversion of spaces that could be repurposed forhealth care space.

2. Construction projects and services required to ensuresafe and reliable operations of, or to provide new capacity in,critical provincial infrastructure, including transit,transportation, energy and justice sectors beyond the day-to-daymaintenance.

3. Construction projects and services that support theoperations of, and provide new capacity in, schools, colleges,universities, municipal infrastructure and child care centreswithin the meaning of the Child Care and Early Years Act,2014.

4. Critical industrial construction activities required for,

5. Construction projects that are due to be completedbefore October 4, 2020 and that would provide additional capacityin the production, processing, manufacturing or distribution offood, beverages or agricultural products.

6. Construction projects that were started before April 4,2020, and that would:

7. Residential construction projects where,

8. Construction to prepare a site for an institutional,commercial, industrial or residential development, including anynecessary excavation, grading, roads or utilitiesinfrastructure.

9. Construction and maintenance activities necessary totemporarily close construction sites that have paused or are notactive and to ensure ongoing public safety.

Construction Related Services

10. Lawn care services and landscaping services.

11. Maintenance, repair and property management servicesstrictly necessary to manage and maintain the safety, security,sanitation and essential operation of institutional, commercial,industrial and residential properties and buildings.

12. Businesses that supply other essential businesses oressential services within Ontario, or that supply businesses orservices that have been declared essential in a jurisdictionoutside of Ontario, with the support, products, supplies, systems,or services, including processing, packaging, warehousing,distribution, delivery, and maintenance necessary to operate.

13. Stores that sell hardware products.

14. Garden centres and plant nurseries.

15. Business that provide land registration services.

16. Businessesthat deliver or support the deliveryof services including:

On March 16, 2020, the Ontario Government issued an emergencyorder suspending all limitation periods and procedural deadlines inlitigation. However, effective April 16, the Ontario Governmentexempted the limitation periods and procedural deadlines in theConstruction Act from the emergency order. For more details onthese changes and the impact on liens, holdbacks and constructionlitigation generally, please see our prior bulletin on this topichere: Show Me the Money Government of Ontario to AmendEmergency Order to Allow Release of Holdbacks. The completeregulation exempting the Construction Act that took effectApril 16 can be found here.

See here for the Chief Prevention Officer's guidance to theconstruction sector in Ontario on health and safety related toCOVID-19.

1. List of Permitted Construction and Related Services

Starting May 11, 2020, all construction industry worksites fromall sectors of the construction industry including residential,civil engineering and roads, institutional, commercial andindustrial can resume their activities (however, admin staff mustcontinue teleworking).

A summary of the more limited construction and relatedactivities that may continue in Quebec until May 11, 2020 arelisted below.

Construction Activities

1. Construction firms, for emergency repairs or to ensuresafety

2. Electricians, plumbers and other trades (emergencyservices only)

3. Equipment rental firms

4. Landscaping and landscape maintenance (includingnurseries, garden centres and businesses selling swimmingpools)

5. Construction and renovation of residential dwellings,for any immovable where the taking of possession of a residentialunit must take place on or before 31 July 2020, including thesupply of goods and services that may be required for the work,including the services of real estate agents, land surveyors,building inspectors and assessors, and chartered appraisers

Construction Related Activities

6. Maintenance of essential public infrastructures inproper working order (bridges, municipal buildings, etc.).

7. Construction, maintenance and upkeep of essentialactivities in connection, in particular, with public and privateinfrastructures that may create a risk for public health and safety(private dams, management of hazardous and radioactive waste,etc).

8. Cleaning, upkeep and pest management.

9. Building maintenance (elevators, ventilation, alarmsystems, etc).

10. Household appliance maintenance and repair.

Quebec's complete list of essential workplaces can be foundhere.

By Order number 2020-4251, the Chief Justice of Qubecand the Minister of Justice suspended prescription periods(limitation periods), forfeiture periods and procedural deadlinesuntil the public health emergency is lifted or otherwise amended byfurther order.

Construction hypothec periods are forfeiture periods and aretherefore suspended under the Order. However, contractors are beingadvised to act as if the deadlines still apply and to registertheir notice of hypothec, and notice of intention to exercise ahypothecary right within the requisite time periods (the landregistrar is still open to receive notices).

Additional guidance on how to calculate delays is expected fromthe Government once the suspension is lifted.

The COVID-19 Guides for Construction sites (French Only)published by the Safety of Labour Board (CNESST) on health andsafety can be found here and here.

A summary of construction and related activities that maycontinue in British Columbia during the pandemic are listed below.British Columbia's complete list of essential workplaces can befound here.

Construction and Related Activities

1. Construction work, construction firms, skilled trades,and professionals, and; construction and light industrial machineryand equipment rental.

2. Plumbers, electricians, elevator maintenance providers,property management services, building systems maintenance andrepair technicians, engineers, fire safety and sprinkler systems,and other service providers who provide services that are necessaryto maintaining the safety, sanitation, and daily essentialoperation of residences and commercial buildings.

3. Land registration services.

4. Workers who provide or support inspections to ensureworksites are safe for workers; and who investigate, process andmanage claims for workplace accidents, including services relatedto the care, treatment and provision of workers' compensationbenefits to those impacted.

NOTE: Unlike some other provinces, which have mandated theclosure of any type of business not deemed "essential" or"allowable", British Columbia does not mandate suchclosures across-the-board. A business or service that is not an"essential service" may remain open in British Columbiaprovides that such business or service can comply with therecommendations of the PHO. However, such businesses may be orderedto close by a specific order of the PHO.

Ministerial Order 86/2020 suspended limitationperiods and procedural time periods from March 26, 2020 until thestate of emergency is over (which as of April 21, 2020 is scheduledfor May 29, 2020, see here).

On April 15, 2020, Ministerial Order 98/2020 amended MO 86/2020,lifting the suspension of limitation and procedural time periodsunder the Builders Lien Act (as well as those under Division 5 ofPart 5 of the Strata Property Act) effective April 15, 2020. Oncelifted, it appears that parties will have the same amount of timeto meet a deadline that had been remaining before the suspensionbegan on March 26, 2020.

Please see here for the health and safety measures the BritishColumbian Government has indicated all construction sites shouldfollow: Guidance for Construction Sites Operating duringCOVID-19 Pandemic.

A summary of construction and related activities that maycontinue in Alberta during the pandemic are listed below.Alberta's list of essential workplaces can be found here.

Construction Activities

1. Construction projects and services associated with thehealthcare sector, including new facilities, expansions,renovations and conversion of spaces that could be repurposed forhealth care space.

2. Construction projects and services required to ensuresafe and reliable operations of critical provincial and municipalinfrastructure, including transit, transportation, energy andjustice sectors beyond day-to-day maintenance.

3. Construction work and services, including demolitionservices, in the industrial, commercial, institutional andresidential sectors.

4. Construction work and services that supports health andsafety environmental rehabilitation projects.

5. Construction projects to repair or render operable /safe any public conveyance, including elevators, escalators and skilifts.

6. Construction projects and services that are required toensure safe and reliable operations of critical energyinfrastructure or support supply chains.

7. Any other construction project that can safelyabide by the CMOH Public Health guidelines/directives.

Construction Related Activities

8. Land registration services.

9. Businesses that support the safe operations ofresidences and essential businesses.

10. Road and transportation construction and maintenance

11. The operation, maintenance and repair of criticalinfrastructure (railways, dams, bridges, highways, flood controlstructures, irrigation and water management structures, etc.).

12. Motor vehicle, auto-supply, auto and motor-vehicle-repair,including bicycle repair, aircraft repair, heavy equipment repair,watercraft/marine craft repairs, car and truck dealerships andrelated facilities.

13. Hardware stores and stores that provide hardware productsnecessary to the essential operations of residences andbusinesses.

14. Safety supply stores (safety gear and Personal ProtectiveEquipment).

NOTE: If a business is not listed here as an essential service,it can still continue to operate if: (i) it is not specificallyprohibited from offering services in a location accessible to thepublic; and (ii) the business doesn't fall under previous business, workplace and facilityclosures.

A business must still follow all other public health orders andguidelines for workplaces, including: (i)maintaining physical distancing; and (ii) prohibiting people fromcoming to work sick. Workplaces that are not otherwise restrictedor ordered to cease offering close-contact services or servicesaccessible by the public can have more than 15 workers on a worksite as long as they follow all public health guidelines, includingphysical distancing measures.

On March 30, 2020, a Ministerial Order suspended limitationperiods retroactively from March 17 June 1, 2020. ThisOrder only applies to enactments listed in Appendix "A"to the Order, which list does not include the Builders'Lien Act. As a result, limitation periods under theBuilder's Lien Act are not suspended.

However, the Order also suspends all procedural time periods inactive or intended proceedings from March 17-June 1, 2020. Unlikefor limitation periods, the Order does not specify that thissuspension applies only to the enactments in Appendix"A".

It is accordingly unclear whether the suspension of proceduraltime periods applies to every proceeding under the Builders'Lien Act or otherwise. Given this lack of clarity, parties shouldmeet the deadlines in the Builders' Lien Act.

Alberta's Workplace Guidance for Business Owners can befound here.

A summary of construction and related activities that maycontinue in Saskatchewan during the pandemic are listed below.Saskatchewan's list of essential services can be found here.

Construction and Related Activities

1. Construction firms.

2. Services performed by trades people, residential andcommercial installation and landscaping services.

3. Rental equipment.

Continue reading here:
Construction Through COVID-19 In Canada: A Guideline For What Each Province And Territory Is Doing [Current As At May 4, 2020] - Real Estate and...

Advance Market Analytics released a comprehensive research document of 200+ pages on Antibacterial Coatings Market offers a detailed overview of the factors influencing the global business scope. The study segments key regions that includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific with country level break-up and provide volume* and value related cross segmented information by each country.

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AkzoNobel N.V. (Netherlands)

BASF SE (Germany)

Diamond Vogel (United States)

Axalta Coating Systems (United States)

Nippon Paint Company Ltd (Japan)

PPG Industries Inc. (United States)

Royal DSM (Netherlands)

RPM International Inc. (United States)

The Dow Chemical Company (United States)

The Sherwin-Williams Company (United States

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Antimicrobial coatings are defined as consisting of a chemical compound which inhibits the growth of microorganisms on the applied surface. It is used to prevent the growth of bacteria and germs on several surfaces. Various benefits of using antimicrobial coatings such as lasting protection against microbes, longer lifespan, cost-effective, improved cleanliness and health, additional infrastructure value and others. Increase in prevalence of implant-associated infections, the surge in global geriatric population, the increase in the number of implantation surgeries, as well as a high incidence of implant-associated infections are some of the major drivers which are propelling the growth of the market. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 13.8% from 2018 to 2026.

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Original Source: https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/antibacterial-coatings-marketcurrent-impact-to-make-big-changes-2020-04-10Contact Us:Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)AMA Research & Media LLPUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA 08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@advancemarketanalytics.com

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The rest is here:
Macroview: Antibacterial Coatings Market - this time might be different - MR Invasion

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The owner-developer of The Waterfront property located south of the Tilghman Street Bridge on the Lehigh River secured a 12-month extension to his original funding agreement with the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority (ANIZDA) Wednesday.

The owner also secured a near $2-million increase to his original credit line in order to begin construction on at least one of two proposed office buildings expected to materialize in the very near future.

"One of these buildings is going up and we're starting construction this year," said Mark Jaindl, CEO of Jaindl Enterprises of Allentown, who originally signed at the very end of 2015 to secure NIZ funding to develop a significant portion of the riverfront on the west shore of the Lehigh River on the downtown's eastern end.

Plagued with some unexpected and numerous but necessary infrastructure improvements at the site, construction of several commercial, residential, and parking structures has been delayed to date. However, Jaindl said one undisclosed large tenant for the 645 office building and between 16 to 20 smaller ones for the 615 address are in the works.

The near $2-million approved credit facility increase will be used for design services and building foundation construction elements.

It also will cover HVAC upgrades including air filtration and circulation enhancements, the result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, Jaindl said.

He added construction will not resume for another two weeks on the ongoing improvements to the Tilghman Street Bridge whose completion is forecast to be within the next six to twelve months, according to his construction contract.

In other business, the board approved a request by downtown Allentown developer Center City Investment Corp. for a 17th modification to its current $125 million credit facility amount to include a reduction to an $85 million principle loan amount for projects.

ANIZDA solicitor Jerry Frank said the newest funding agreement between Center City and the authority will be a combined document consolidated with two other agreements.

Read the rest here:
Jaindl predicts construction of at least one waterfront building to begin shortly - 69News WFMZ-TV

Best listening experience is on Chrome, Firefox or Safari. Subscribe to Federal Drives daily audio interviews onApple PodcastsorPodcastOne.

When the Agriculture Department launched its One Neighborhood initiative just over a year ago, the broad goal focused on two Cs: Collaboration and cost savings.

Now a year later, the initial success of One Neighborhood convinced Congress to increase the agencys discretionary funding for renovating and fixing its buildings to $128 million, which is twice as much as the agency received in 2019.

Don Bice, who recently left after 32 years in government, including the last two-plus years as USDAs acting deputy assistant secretary for administration, said the impact of the One Neighborhood initiative convinced Congress to open up its wallet a little wider.

What we are doing is getting rid of four leases in the National Capital Region and saving somewhere between $30 million and $40 million annually by moving people into our existing vacant space in both our headquarters complex in Washington, D.C., and in our George Washington Carver Center in Beltsville, Maryland. We are filling in our empty seats to save money and invest that into modernizing our buildings, Bice said in an interview before he left government. We also are using authorities that our appropriators gave us that allows us to use unobligated and expired balances that have already been appropriated and putting those into a non-recurring expense fund that we can then use to modernize our buildings.

Those four leases equal about 430,656 square feet of leased office space, USDA said in its 2019 sustainability report.

Bice, who joined Morgan Franklin, a consulting firm, where he will focus on good government and customer service issues in April, said the estimates to update USDAs headquarters building was $800 million. He said that was a lot to ask Congress for at any one time.

Instead, the One Neighborhood approach is taking a piecemeal approach to modernization from both a facility perspective and moving organizations closer together.

Officials like to use the example of the Foreign Agricultural Service, whose employees work in offices on six different floors of the USDA South Building., of why this One Neighborhood effort is critical to improve the agencys effectiveness.

It can be a 10 or 15 minute walk to go from one part of an organization to another. That isnt conducive to good collaboration when you have to do things like that to interact with your fellow employees, Bice said. We are moving people into neighborhoods. So all the FAS employees will be in one neighborhood so it will be easier for them to collaborate, easier for them to manage and interact with each other. And ultimately, we will be more efficient because rather than having to go floor-to-floor, it might be across the hall or two or three doors down. That will have a lasting impact on how we do business at the department.

He said he knows there are some disbelievers as USDA has been talking about renovations for 20 years but made few real changes.

I think what we will end up doing is putting people in a position of being closer to their fellow employees in their fellow agency, closer to sister agencies that they do business with more often so its a lot easier to interact and collaborate, he said.

Bice said the initial renovation contract will focus on a wing of the South Building. And then as more money becomes available whether through Congress or through savings from reducing lease space, USDA will continue to refurbish other parts of headquarters.

USDA will award a contract in the near future for the first part of the headquarters renovation and then future projects will take about a year as long as there is funding. Bice said in about two years all of the George Washington Carver Center will be completed.

The most important thing is for people to see that we are going to be doing these things so they know it is coming, he said. There are some short term uncomfortableness of trying to fit people into the building before we can give them the nicer space we need to give them. I want to make sure we are well on our way so people can see the space, visit the space and they know what they will be getting.

Part of what is driving the reorganization and modernization is a 2019 survey of employees about what they would like the new building to look like. Bice said because the headquarters facility is nearly 100 years old, traditional amenities like break rooms or places for microwaves or coffee makers dont exist.

He said another example of the inadequacy of the current building is around the conference rooms. Many are designed to hold 20-to-30 people, but employees are looking something more akin to a three-to-five-person room.

When we get this first wing done, they will see what it can look like with a modernized space and they will see the benefits and beauty of huddle spaces and other areas they can collaborate in, Bice said. We will lift up the technology in those conference rooms. Right now its a system of haves and have-nots when it comes to the kinds of technology that we might have in different conference rooms because they are managed by all sorts of different organizations inside the department. We are going to make sure that our chief information officers office manages all our technology in all of our conference rooms and our office of operations does all of the ordering, cleaning and that sort of thing in all of our conference rooms. We will lift all of the conference rooms to technology that is interoperable and that can be utilized across the country.

Bice said the One Neighborhood effort is part of a larger initiative to challenge employees and executives to think differently for what the future of USDA would look like.

I think its a culture change that started in the previous administration and continued in this one, and will continue in whatever the next administration whether the change comes in a year or four years you cant go backwards in how you deliver administrative services. I think we made a lot of great strides in how we deliver services that only will be improved the longer that those things are in place, he said. We stopped looking at things based on the individual agencies we manage. We came in, and what I pitched and the secretary and other policy folks went along with, was an idea that we needed to look differently at how we delivered our administrative services.

Bice said that keeping the administrative services and the mission delivery people connected is important, and USDA created business centers at [the] mission area level. They are now consolidating and delivering all the administrative services at the mission area level.

We are keeping the connection between the mission delivery and the administrative services so they feel like there is a responsiveness and responsive party they can reach out to, to get things done, he said.

Continued here:
In 2020, USDAs One Neighborhood initiative will show what the future looks like - Federal News Network

The City of Boston is getting ready to let construction work resume.

The Walsh administration Tuesday outlined plans to gradually restart many building projects over the next few weeks, with work on most so-called essential projects including large housing developments able to get underway by the end of the month.

In a memo to contractors and developers, the citys chief of operations, Patrick Brophy, laid out dates when projects can resume, as long as they file detailed COVID-19 safety plans with the city. Site work, to prepare for a return to construction, could begin as soon as Tuesday. Certain projects road and street work, hospitals, and small residential projects and open-air work such as digging foundations and erecting steel can start on May 18. Other state-defined essential projects, which include large housing developments, can resume on May 26. That, Brophy wrote, should give contractors time to design safety plans and train their workers in them.

Projects that dont meet the states definition of essential such as office buildings or hotels, for now will not be able to go forward until the state eases its restrictions, Brophy wrote.

Construction has been largely halted in Boston since mid-March when Walsh who was a longtime leader of the regions building trades unions became the first big-city mayor in the country to shut down job sites over coronavirus safety concerns. The move stopped the citys long-running building boom nearly overnight, and threw thousands of construction workers out of work, though it was widely hailed by the citys unionized building trades and at least grudgingly accepted by developers. Cambridge and Somerville quickly followed suit and projects there remain shut down but Governor Charlie Baker resisted calls for a statewide shutdown, saying that many essential projects should continue if they can do so safely.

In the weeks since, large construction companies, unions, and the city have been working on guidelines to safely restart, and as those have taken shape, the Walsh administration has signaled an increasing willingness to re-open. Industry experts expect construction will go ahead at a slower pace, with fewer workers on site and far stricter safety guidelines. But, they say, it can be done safely and needs to be, so that billions of dollars worth of projects can be finished.

The city plans to closely monitor construction sites to make sure safety precautions are being followed, Brophy said, and will launch a construction industry coronavirus testing site with Tufts Medical Center at the Josiah Quincy School in Chinatown.

Tim Logan can be reached at timothy.logan@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @bytimlogan.

Link:
Walsh set to ease ban on construction work in coming weeks - The Boston Globe

Chamber wants new office to be showcase for firms considering move

authors Matt Blois

Williamson Inc. is moving on up. Later this year, the county chamber of commerce plans to move across Interstate 65 to the sixth floor of the McEwen Northside building.

Chamber employees have been working from home during the coronavirus outbreak. The plan is to continue that arrangement until they move into the new office in late August or September, after construction work has been completed.

The larger office space will include a large conference room capable of hosting more than 50 people, a resource chamber members have often requested. Director of Talent Development Nick Biniker said the larger space was one important reason for the move, but added that the organization tasked with bringing new companies to Williamson County also wanted an office space showing the best the area has to offer.

"We're always courting new businesses to move to Williamson County, or businesses that are growing, showing them office developments they might want to go to, he said. For us, it's a huge benefit to be in a place that represents what new development looks like in Williamson County ... We want our office to be a little bit of a showcase of what office development looks like.

The new space will neighbor Mitsubishis headquarters and has a panoramic view of many of Cool Springs largest office buildings. The McEwen Northside development will offer restaurants and retail shops near ground level, and also includes office space, a hotel and apartments.

The development more closely resembles the next wave of construction in Cool Springs. with developments like Ovation, Aureum and the East Works District having similar features.

Were thrilled to be moving to one of the most innovative mixed-use developments in Williamson County, CEO Matt Largen said in a press release. McEwen Northside encompasses all the elements of a live-work-play environment, and sets the bar for the other mixed-use projects planned in the Franklin/Cool Springs commercial corridor.

Read this article:
Williamson Inc. to move to McEwen - Nashville Post

Rents for office space in downtown Boston could fall sharply this year as companies lay off employees and reassess how and where they work amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to a report out Wednesday.

Estimates from Moodys Analytics project a 12 percent drop in office rents in the city, one of the five steepest declines in the country, as the impact of the pandemic sweeps through the economy, and particularly through dense downtown business districts like Bostons.

It would mark the end of a long run-up in rents and demand for office space in central Boston, though the studys author, Victor Canalog, noted a 12 percent drop would be softer than the crashes of the early 1990s and 2001, and about what the region endured amid the broad economic collapse in 2008 and 2009.

In that context and given the cratering economy and job market things could look a lot worse, he said.

This is the world we live in right now, said Canalog, who is head of commercial real estate economics at Moodys. If we say Its going to be about as bad as 2008 and 2009, thats actually a good thing.

But Canalogs report points to some troubling longer-term trends for cities such as Boston, which thrive on their busy business districts. If employers embrace work-from-home technology, they may ultimately decide they need less office space in general. If, at the same time, they decide they need to spread out workers who do come into the office, it may make sense to relocate to suburban office parks where rents are typically far lower.

If its true that were going to reduce footprint, then there are going to be winners and losers, Canalog said. A company might not move from Boston to North Dakota. There are good reasons they want to be near Boston. But they might move out of downtown Boston to someplace 20 miles away, where they can get many of the same things.

But those are longer-term decisions. At the moment, seven weeks into a public health emergency that has shut down big swaths of the regions economy, the impact on Bostons office market has been muted.

Few new leases have been signed, in part due to the complications of touring and inspecting space, and also because of the broader economic uncertainty. Several large deals in downtown office towers reportedly nearing completion have been put on hold, or scuttled, while companies reassess the market.

But no companies have publicly backed away from signed deals to move in the next couple of years. Some tenants, particularly in tech and life sciences, continue to look for space. And developers with large towers under construction say they still plan to deliver the buildings, fully leased, if perhaps a bit delayed by construction shutdowns.

So far, building owners have been reluctant to lower rents to lure tenants, said Mark Hickey, director of market analytics in the Boston office of Costar, a real estate data firm. Instead theyre offering more concessions or longer-term leases.

But it appears they could face competition from a growing inventory of sublease space, particularly from tech companies that in recent years gobbled up large blocks of office space for future growth, which they may no longer need and may put out for lease at a discount. The real estate firm Colliers estimates there was 1.6 million square feet of sublease space on the market at the end of April, more than Boston had during the real estate crash of 2009.

Even aside from questions of supply and demand, this experience is likely to change how companies view and use office space, said Aaron Jodka, managing director of research at the Boston office of the real estate firm Colliers. The question is how.

Do tenants need more space because of distancing requirements? Or less space, because more people are working from home? he said. I dont know. Its too soon to tell.

Tim Logan can be reached at timothy.logan@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @bytimlogan.

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Study: Rents will fall at downtown office towers - The Boston Globe

The commercial real estate industry has learnt to adapt to a constant changing regulatory environment due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases both in the UK and globally. The way that buildings, and physical real estate, such as offices and construction sites, are owned managed and occupied during the crisis has been particularly impacted. Work from home has been a consistent message across the world for the office sector, and those construction sites which have been allowed to open are applying strict social distancing measures. There has been a raft of new legislation and regulations in relation to how buildings are owned, occupied and managed, often implemented at very short notice, to ensure safety and compliance during the peak stages of the lockdown.

The UK government has just released its draft plan to ease restrictions, and an increasing number of jurisdictions are taking small steps to consider what the return to work might look like in a COVID-19 environment.

Many of the return to work issues and questions the real estate industry are facing are the same, irrespective of jurisdiction. In this alert we will particularly focus on PropTech and how technology might assist the real estate sector in its return to work.

There are different definitions of PropTech, but for the purposes of this alert it is a simple definition to mean technology that can be applied to any part of the lifecycle of real estate. It can be applied to new technologies, but broadly it is any technology which encompasses the construction, investment, sustainability, management and occupation of real estate assets.

Irrespective of the regulations and/or legislation which will undoubtedly need to go alongside any return to work guidance, such as social distancing, a major factor in how smooth the return is will depend on how individuals feel about their own safety and work place wellbeing, both on the journey to work, and at the actual physical office/site environment. We wont be focussing on the aspects of travel to and from the office in this alert.

PropTech Measures Owners/Managers/Occupiers Might Consider Putting in Place to Minimise Risk and Enhance Wellbeing

We have all read about the various Apps being used by different jurisdictions which create an alert system to track suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. The UK Government is also looking at one such App for the population as a whole. There has been some discussion as to whether workplaces can implement a whole building type App, which operates on more of a micro model, identifying cases and exposure in a particular building Whether or not this assists on the return to work, or potentially creates a more anxious environment is questionable. Particularly in buildings which are mixed use, the technology might operate to disrupt rather than enhance the return. There are also legal issues such as data collection and privacy.

Tech which avoids the need for business travel to affected countries and uses video conferencing, where possible is mainstream in many offices. Enhancing and updating this tech could operate to reassure those who potentially travel widely as part of their employment. As employees have adapted to, and potentially enjoyed, home working, going forward it is likely that an office will need to offer much more than desks and meeting rooms. Augmented reality, 3D printers, environmentally sustainable spaces, with enhanced conference facilities, all utilising the best technologies, that offer much more than a home working environment could better incentivise a return. Whilst this form of PropTech is more about "enhancing" the workplace rather than dealing with "reassuring returners it is nevertheless technology which would be likely to be here to stay.

Products which collect data and monitor movements, such as the number of tenants frequenting an office buildings canteen or gym, could be helpful, without violating privacy issues. Its all about helping occupiers feel and stay safe, so data which can help with social distancing could be very useful tech.

Thermometer screenings, already used at airports in places like Singapore, can relatively easily be installed in reception entrances of office buildings in particular. Again the legal issues around data and privacy are an issue. There are also the questions as to who bears the cost, and that would likely be governed by the lease wording.

Technology which provides contactless entry into and throughout a building already exists. Questions around who should bear the cost of enhancements, where existing building owners install new technology, will depend on the wording of leases and service charge clauses. PropTech does not have to come at an additional cost, but for existing buildings that may need some enhancements to help people feel safe in their return, it is likely that some of the costs can be recouped through service charge lease provisions. Our lawyers can help with particular questions on this.

Internet connectivity has been an issue for many of those working from home. An office that makes best use of enhanced connectivity will be more attractive than those offices which dont.

Reduced hot-desking and alternatives to social distancing where it is not possible, are among measures reportedly being considered by the UK government, to let workplaces reopen. Those operators of co-working spaces are more likely to really benefit from the not just nice to have but need to have technologies, which would enable the co-working model to operate. Hygiene will likely become part of a wider wellness agenda and PropTech which monitors and demonstrates hygiene ratings, identifies areas which need cleaning, and potentially even picks up and identifies virus could be essential in a co-working COVID-19 environment.

Just as we have seen with the sustainability agenda parties often seem to need financial stimulus or government intervention to drive new initiatives. Digitising a property asset, allowing data analytics for example to better operate a building and make it more sustainable, is technology which we already have, but is not always as widespread in the non trophy asset type properties.

It might be that in the future we see more incentives offered to owners and occupiers to tech up a building, just as we have seen with the carrot and stick type approach in making buildings greener. We already know that building owners and managers can save money on energy consumption within a building that is more smart and can respond to lower occupation rates. Technologies which can monitor occupants and respond accordingly, are able to manage an asset more dynamically. Improving the quality of the air for example is something which occupants of a building are much more likely to be interested in during COVID-19. When a building saves energy it reduces CO2 so it also enhances the green credentials of the building. Sustainable buildings have long since been seen as an attractive proposition, particularly in light of the legislation, but in a pandemic environment, those technologies are more likely to be seen as must haves. When it comes to who bears the cost, then as with many of these technologies it will come down to a number of factors, and the legal drafting.

We have referred to some existing PropTech solutions which might operate to aid all those involved in the real estate lifecycle to feel safe on their return to work. Looking forward, many have commented that the COVID-19 pandemic could have changed how and why we choose to work in a physical office environment.

In a post COVID-19 world, collaboration between owners, occupiers and managers is likely to be the best way forward in creating sustainable long term solutions for all. The office of tomorrow could look very different as a result of COVID-19, but real estate fundamentals are likely to remain the same.

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UK PropTech and Returning to Normal in Real Estate - The National Law Review

Swedish National Courts Administration Building. Image courtesy of Henning Larsen Architects

With a building permit now in hand, Swedish real estate company Castellum AB is primed to commence construction of the new Swedish National Courts Administration building in Malm, Sweden. Construction of the 285,200-square-foot office project, which carries a development cost of 1.3 billion Kronor, or approximately $131.7 million, will get underway during the second quarter of 2020.

READ ALSO: Pandemic Unlikely to End Construction in 2020

The Courts building will sprout up near a rail station within the flourishing Nyhamnen district, one of Malmos most important development regions. Designed by architectural firm Henning Larsen, the property will meet the courts essential criteria for security and accessibility. The building will also adhere to high sustainability standards with Miljbyggnad Gold certification for energy efficiency and sound material usage. The build-to-suit will be home to more than 600 employees, which will make it one of the largest workplaces for lawyers in northern Europe. Interpreters, the Swedish Police and staff of the Swedish Prison and Probation Service will also have accommodations in the new facility, which, in addition to administrative offices, will feature negotiation areas and public spaces.

As lead tenant, the National Courts Administration will occupy approximately 258,300 square feet of the new office property under a 20-year lease agreement with Castellum to commence upon occupancy. Castellum expects to develop the Courts building over a two-and-a-half-year period, with a scheduled delivery near the close of 2022.

Sunny Sweden has not escaped the ravages of COVID-19. The health-care capacity is under pressure and the number of new people infected has not decreased, as noted in a Cushman & Wakefield market update released April 30. And while the real estate transaction market is mostly on hold across the country, the office sector is seeing some indications of life. Office occupiers have moved from crisis mode to planning mode. For the past two weeks some have undertaken viewings again; previous ongoing projects are now moving along, and new ones are starting, according to the Cushman & Wakefield report. The National Courts Administration building will have roughly 26,900 square feet of office space available for lease to other businesses. Castellum is presently conducting discussions with potential tenants.

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Castellum to Break Ground on $131M Swedish National Courts Building - Commercial Property Executive