5 must reads for the AEC industry today: June 26, 2020

1. Restoration of 1930s El Paso hotel completes (BD+C)
"The project represented a cross-collaboration of tCooper Carry’s Hospitality studio and The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry."

2. Commercial Construction Index drops amid Coronavirus pandemic, but contractors poised for near-term recovery (U.S. Chamber of Cmmerce)
"Contractors quickly prioritized worker health and safety, and 1 in 3 plan to hire more workers in the next 6 months."

3. Arc offers tools, analytics for safe workplace re-entry (BD+C)
"Platform helps sustainability teams to collect data, benchmark progress, measure impact, and improve performance."

4. When Will Building New Units Make Sense Again? Apartment Developers Remain Uncertain (National Real Estate Investor)
"Developers will likely delay starting new apartment projects until they see strong employment growth."

5. For Newly Remote Workers, Small Town U.S.A. Will Lose its Appeal Soon Enough (WSJ)
“While the promise of more land, more space and less commute may sound compelling, there is the threat of boredom or, a worse fate for many, career marginalization. Working away from main offices also could be more “work” than employees bargained for."

One of the hardest decisions multifamily developers and their design teams have to make is what mix of amenities they’re going to put into each project. A lot of squiggly factors go into that decision: the type of community, the geographic market, local recreation preferences, climate/weather conditions, physical parameters, and of course the budget. The permutations are mind-boggling.