7 must reads for the AEC industry today: June 22, 2020

1. A new ULI report chronicles the depaving of America (BD+C) 
"Other research also shows that one in three Americans doesn’t have a park within a 10-minute walk from his or her home."

2. Construction employment rises from April to May in 45 states, slips in 5 (AGC) 
"Construction employment rebounded from April to May in 45 states and the District of Columbia, following the loss of nearly one million construction jobs nationwide in April, but the gains may be short-lived, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today and a survey the association released on Thursday."

3. Beyond the pandemic: A long-term view of healthcare environments' 'new normal' (GBBN) 
"As healthcare systems emerge from the initial effects of the pandemic and begin the process of reoccupying their ambulatory facilities, we expect two significant forces to shape these spaces’ ‘new normal’"

4. New Chicago office building is one of the first in the U.S. designed for post COVID-19 environment (Forbes)
"Located in Chicago’s Fulton Market District, Fulton East (215 N. Peoria St.) is a 12-story, 90,000-square-foot office and retail building slated to open late summer 2020. The newly constructed development is also among the first commercial buildings specifically designed for a post COVID-19 world."

5. Harrowing blame game over COVID-19 toll in nursing homes (Associated Press)
"A grim blame game with partisan overtones is breaking out over COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents, a tiny slice of the population that represents a shockingly high proportion of Americans who have perished in the pandemic. The Trump administration has been pointing to a segment of the industry — facilities with low federal ratings for infection control — and to some Democratic governors who required nursing homes to take recovering coronavirus patients."

6. Without A Trace: For Tenants And Employees, Contact Tracing May Be A Tough Sell (Bisnow)
"Real estate is in a position to play a central part in the rollout of contact tracing technology: The proptech solutions that many owners have integrated into buildings have the ability to track and trace where building users go and with whom they interact."

7. CFOs Look To Further Trim Real Estate Costs (Forbes)
"According to a survey released Monday, chief financial officers are targeting real estate expenses for further cost cuts heading into the second half of the year in the latest indication that the expansion of remote work is here to stay."