In the current post-pandemic environment, many workers continue to work remotely, and most tenants don’t need as much space as in pre-pandemic days.
The impact is higher vacancies in the office sector and owners desperately trying to retain and attract tenants. Many landlords in the war for tenants have turned to offering new workplace amenities such as conference room services, fitness centers with nutritionists, and high-end food and beverage offerings.
To provide these services, landlords engage with third-party vendors and these arrangements present the potential for some thorny legal liability, according to a column at GlobeSt.com. To prevent that, both parties must hash out details over responsibilities for the engagement to ensure that it works as expected.
For example, a contract should include clauses about who can access bank accounts and who provides accounting support for expenses and revenue. Also, the vendor must be in tune with requirements in the landlord’s insurance to prevent inadvertent actions that could negate coverage.
In addition, amenity vendors may be unfamiliar with the coordination needed to operate the building when it comes to things like elevator usage, HVAC, access to loading docks, trash disposal, and parking. Details like that, if not spelled out in advance, could lead to rancor between the landlord and vendor, or worst case, a legal confrontation.
Design and construction firms should be aware of this dynamic when renovating space for upgraded office enhancements, as it could complicate the programming process or even derail a project.
Related Stories
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Construction Management Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, Barton Malow, Hill International top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest construction management and project management firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Contractors [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Turner, Whiting-Turner, Skanska top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest contractors in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Engineering firms look to bolster growth through new services, technology [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Following solid revenue growth in 2013, the majority of U.S.-based engineering and engineering/architecture firms expect more of the same this year, according to BD+C’s 2014 Giants 300 report.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Engineering/Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, AECOM, Parsons Brinckerhoff top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest engineering/architecture firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Engineering Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Fluor, Arup, Day & Zimmermann top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest engineering firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Gensler, Perkins+Will, NBBJ top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest architecture firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
2014 Giants 300 Report
Building Design+Construction magazine's annual ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.
| Jul 17, 2014
A harmful trade-off many U.S. green buildings make
The Urban Green Council addresses a concern that many "green" buildings in the U.S. have: poor insulation.
| Jul 17, 2014
A high-rise with outdoor, vertical community space? It's possible! [slideshow]
Danish design firm C.F. Møller has developed a novel way to increase community space without compromising privacy or indoor space.
| Jul 17, 2014
How the 'pop-up' retail concept can be applied to workplace design
“Pop-up” has rapidly become one of the most pervasive design trends in recent years. It has given us pop-up shops and pop-up restaurants, but can it be applied to the professional work environment?
