Best Architectural Designs

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Empire State Building

At 350 Fifth Avenue between West 33 and West 34 Streets, this Art Deco building has a steel frame plus granite, limestone, and mullions with aluminum. Dating back to 1930-1931, the skyscraper has 102 floors, is 1252 feet high, and has 6,500 windows with sandblasted spandrels that created the facade’s unique vertical striping.

This was the tallest building in New York City for over 40 years until 1972 when the North Tower of the World Trade Center was completed. Following the harrowing events of 9/11, the Empire State Building became NYC’s tallest building for the second time.

It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1986, was ranked number one in 2007 by the AIA on the List of America’s Favorite Architecture, and was named by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the Modern World’s Seven Wonders.

Chrysler Building

This is another skyscraper with Art Deco architecture and is located on Manhattan’s east side at Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street. Standing 1,048 feet high, having 77 floors, and dated 1928-1930 at a cost then of $20,000,000, it was the tallest building in the world before the completion of the Empire State Building in 1931. Steel gargoyles which depict American eagles stare out over the city, and there are sculptures of Chrysler automobile radiator caps and car wheel ornaments.

The entrance lobby is three stories in height, was refurbished in 1978, is shaped like a triangle with entrances coming in on all three sides, and is lavishly decorated with Moroccan red marble walls and Art Deco items of blue marble, onyx, and steel.

It is still the world’s tallest BRICK building, it has 3,826,000 bricks, is an outstanding example of Art Deco, and is mentioned by a multitude of architects to be one of NYC’s finest buildings.

Grand Central Terminal

At Midtown Manhattan’s 42nd Street and Third Avenue, and often inaccurately referred to as Grand Central Station, it dates back to 1903-1913 and has a Beaux-Arts stone facade style. Built in the heyday when long-distance passenger trains were so popular, it is still the world’s largest train station with below-ground 44 platforms with 67 tracks on two levels with upper-level 41 tracks and lower-level 16 tracks.

Real Estate Myths Debunked

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Whether you’re trying to sell your home or looking for a home to buy, there is a great deal of misinformation out there. It’s important to learn the truth, because believing in one of these myths could force you to commit a costly mistake.
Sell Your Home for More Than it’s Worth
This is a common myth and it could actually hurt the sale of your home. Some people believe that setting an asking price above the home’s market value can help you sell your home for the price you really want. While it’s true that buyers try to negotiate the final price, trying to sell for too much can chase away potential buyers.
Buyers Do Better Without an Agent
The idea behind this myth is that the real estate agent’s fee will be spared. This is a false assumption. Real estate agents working for the buyer and seller share a percentage of the sale. In a case where the buyer isn’t working with an agent, the seller’s agent gets the full share.
Sellers Don’t Need a Real Estate Agent
While technically true, trying to sell your home won’t save you much money. The buyer will expect a discount from a seller working without an agent, so the money you save on the agent’s commission will be lost to the buyer. Additionally, you’ll have to be able to do everything an agent can do from listing the property online to handling the closing.
Sellers Should Remodel Their Kitchen and Bath
This is frequently recommended, but it may actually be bad advice. Buyers may have their own plans for the kitchen and bath, so putting in the work ahead of time could negatively impact a sale. Especially if they don’t share your tastes, they may prefer to look for a home that hasn’t been updated recently.
Sellers Can Expect to Earn Back What They Spend on Renovations
While it will be noticed, if the roof is in bad shape or the air conditioning doesn’t work, fixing these big ticket items won’t help you raise the value of your home. Buyers may feel it’s your responsibility to repair these things before putting the home on the market, so they usually won’t be willing to pay more for an updated home. However, if you don’t fix these things, you may actually lose value in your home.
There are more myths flourishing in the real estate industry, so always check to be sure something is true. If you don’t do enough research, you may find that it cost you money instead of helping you save. Always direct questions to a qualified and experienced real estate agent to avoid making devastating mistakes.

Renting Vs. Owning: What’s The Difference?

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Many people are torn between the prospect of owning a home versus the carefree lifestyle of simply renting. The pros and cons of both renting and owning have been laid out below in a simple and concise manner.
Upfront Costs

When calculating the upfront cost of renting a home or an apartment, the figures are relatively affordable. Renting only requires a light contract with first and last months rent along with a security deposit in order to successfully obtain said property. Alternatively, homeownership tends to be very heavy in regards to upfront costs. When going through the process of purchasing a home, a person is usually required to pay a certain percentage of the mortgage immediately including any and all closing costs.
Fluctuating Monthly Expenses

One advantage of owning a home is that the monthly mortgage payment is set by the bank who issued the mortgage. Depending on the type of interest rate that was negotiated, the monthly mortgage payment can remain steady for many months depending on how housing costs rise and fall. Alternatively, when paying rent to a landlord, the rent can be increased at the whim of a landlord but only if they follow proper legal regulations regarding rent increases. If someone is renting without a contract, the renter is at the complete mercy of the landlord in regards to the monthly rental rate.
Repairs and Renovations

A homeowner is financially and physically responsible for all repairs to the home. The bright side to this is that they also have the freedom to redesign, redecorate, or renovate the home as much as they desire. A person who rents isn’t usually afforded the same privilege. Landlords may impose strict rules in the rental contract regarding changes to the home or apartment, preventing the renter from painting, remodeling, or redecorating. On the other hand, renters aren’t responsible for any repairs and can usually apply for replacement appliances and fixtures if covered by the rental agreement.
Relocating

When renting a home or an apartment, deciding to pick up and move to a different city or state is relatively simple. A person can sublet the remainder of their lease to a third party and skip town before their rental contract has expired. On the other hand, a homeowner doesn’t have that same luxury. A homeowner must first prepare their home to be sold and ensure it has enough equity to be marketable. This could take months or years to accomplish.
Choosing whether to become a homeowner versus remaining a renter really depends on the type of lifestyle you live and whether you prefer security or freedom.

How Tech May Impact the Real Estate Market Over the Next Year

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Technology’s impact on the real estate industry is gradually starting to take hold. To stay competitive, many real estate professionals and companies are changing their business models or the way they do business. With technology rapidly changing consumer behavior, real estate professionals must adapt to the digital innovations that are beginning to define the sector. Here are some tech trends real estate professionals can expect to happen this year and beyond.

Machine Learning/AI
Real estate pros are constantly looking for ways to streamline their processes, and many in the industry are counting on machine learning and AI to improve efficiency. Many agents and brokers now use artificial intelligence to match properties to a homebuyer’s specific requests. Additionally, many companies are finding ways to use machine learning and AI to spot trends in housing markets. The goal would be to use data backed by facts instead of relying on a hunch to make home buying and selling decisions.

Chatbots
Artificial intelligence is what programmers and computer scientists use to process natural language in the form of chatbots. This technology is one of the fastest growing trends in the customer service industry, and the real estate market is certainly no exception. Companies are looking for ways to use AI and chatbots to automate engagement between agents and brokers. They also hope to use chatbots to transform lead generation in an effort to streamline their marketing efforts. Chatbots are proving themselves as an invaluable tool in answering customers’ simple queries about home availability and pricing.

Blockchain Technology
By now, many people are familiar with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, but they may be unfamiliar with the technology that fuels cryptocurrencies. Known as blockchain, this technology is far more than a cryptocurrency payment gateway. Instead, it is a powerful decentralized database that could hold important records on virtually any property in the world. If real estate professionals implement the technology, it could provide a fraud-proof way to access far more data on homeowners and properties.

The real estate industry could see some dramatic changes in the way companies conduct business over the next several years due to the rapid rise of technology. However, many real estate experts agree that the industry is overdue for a tech shakeup. Although the future of real estate and technology is uncertain, companies will have to adapt as AI and machine learning continues to evolve.

Urban Land Institute Announces Real Estate Development Finalists

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architecture

The Urban Land Institute’s Global Awards for Excellence recognizes and rewards excellence in project development. Since 1997, this prestigious awards program has been honoring projects developed in private, public, and nonprofit sectors. The Urban Land Institute (ULI) allows nomination to be open to all and a jury, which is not limited to ULI members, choose the finalist and winners of the competition. The jury consists of members from various professions including but not limited to real estate development, land development, public affairs, and designs.

This year‘s finalist consist of real estate projects that have the best use of Twenty-six developments from around the globe have been selected as finalists in the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) 2016 Global Awards for Excellence competition.

The finalist for 2016 include:

The Hall

  • San Francisco, California, United States
  • Developers: War Horse and Tidewater Capital

Chophouse Row

  • Seattle, Washington, United States
  • Developer: Dunn & Hobbes LLC
  • Designer: SKL Architects, Graham Baba Architects, et al.

Antara

  • Mexico City, Estado de México, Mexico
  • Developer: GSM
  • Designer: Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos et al.

Daniels Spectrum

  • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Developer: Regent Park Arts Non-Profit Development Corporation (RPAD)
  • Designer: Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc.

Heart of Lake

  • Xiamen, Fujian Province, China
  • Developer: Vanke Real Estate Enterprise;
  • Designer: Robert A.M. Stern Architects, BIAD, and Olin

BBVA Bancomer Operations Center

  • Mexico City, Estado de México, Mexico
  • Developer: BBVA Bancomer
  • Designer: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)

Celadon at 9th & Broadway

  • San Diego, California, United States
  • Developer: BRIDGE Housing Corporation
  • Designer: SVA Architects and Studio E Architects

The Boucicaut Eco-Neighborhood

  • Paris, Ile-de-France, France
  • Developer: Sempariseine;
  • Designer: AUA Paul Chemetov, Jean-Francois Schmit Architectes, et al.

The Edge

  • Amsterdam, North-Holland, Netherlands
  • Developer: OVG Real Estate
  • Designer: PLP Architecture et al.

35XV

  • New York, New York, United States
  • Developer: AGA 15th Street LLC
  • Designer: FXFOWLE

345meatpacking

  • New York, New York, United States
  • Developer/Designer: DDG

For a complete list of finalist for the 2016 The Urban Land Institute’s Global Awards for Excellence, please visit Uli.org

 

Top Cities Developing Micro Apartments

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micro apt 5

 

In a previous blog, the considerations and reasons behind the popularity of micro apartments were discussed. Now let’s take a look at some of the cities across North America that are developing these unique and  cutting-edgeproperties. Keep in mind the following properties are either still being considered, in the process of being built, or have already been built:

  • Columbus, OH. A company named Connect Realty is constructing a building consisting of nearly 58 micro apartment units starting at 450 sq ft.
  • Chicago, IL. A company named, FLATS Chicago has been rebuilding  single resident occupancy buildings and transforming them into inexpensive micro apartments.
  • Orlando, FL. A German architect is planning to build a micro apartment building with units that will allow a number of transforming elements and will range from 260 to 447 sq ft.
  • Portland, OR. Portland is already well-known for its abundance of tiny houses. In recent months, many companies such as Footprint Investments have developed a number of micro styled living options including but not limited to the popular Freedom Center.
  • Denver, CO. Plans for an old hotel located in close proximity to Mile High Stadium include the Nichols Partnership and Developers Realty Capital Group transforming the property into residential building called Turntable Studios. This rental property will consist  of 170 micro apartments, some as modest as 330 sq ft.
  • Spokane, WA. The Ridpath Club Apartments in Spokane is also micro apartment building formerly known as a hotel.
  • Nashville, TN. A 500 sq ft, 146 micro apartment building unit is being constructed by Giarratana Nashville LLC.
  • Edmonton, AB. Beljan Development is requesting to build a 40 unit residential building with micro apartments no bigger than 350 sq ft.
  • Providence, RI. Providence is an inexpensive location with an abundance of properties to accommodate those who wish to partake in micro apartment style living. One of the most popular micro apartment buildings, The Arcade is unique in the sense that it provides micro loft apartments on the second and third level but still operates as a mall on the lower level.
  • Des Moines, IA. The popularity of Des Moines inexpensive micro apartment building, The Flemming, is clear to see. The building is currently no longer accepting applications for units due to being full to capacity.

North Carolina’s Airport Development Study

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North Carolina’s Airport Development Study

 CharlotteDouglasParkingDeck_4_300

 

Charlotte Douglas International Airport received its present name in 1982 and is the second biggest center point for American Airlines after Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, with administration to 175 residential and universal destinations. This airport is continuing to develop and needs to make another all-inclusive strategy to guide future advancement on the area encompassing the air terminal.

Charlotte Douglas is encompassed by extensive tracts of undeveloped area, particularly toward the west and north, and the city would like to support more improvement in those tracts. In an effort to assist with development, Charlotte City Council voted in favor of spending $900,000 worth of air terminal assets for an expert to concentrate on the range and suggest best uses for the area.

The airports lead development director, Stuart Hair, will lead the study along with MXD Development. The MXD Firm has previously made ground-breaking strategies for other air terminals and its experts will concentrate on recognizing perfect utilizations for the 20 square miles of area surrounding the freely subsidized Charlotte Douglas.The area between the airport and Catawba River has been surveyed by engineers and although it is for the most part lush and undeveloped, it offers a percentage of the biggest tracts of empty area in Mecklenburg County.

The hefty price tag came as a shock to many. Questions of whether or not nearly a million dollars was absolutely necessary to investigate how to develop the airport have been raised. Those in opposition of the study believe engineers only need proper market conditions instead of creating a master approach. However, those in favor of the development plan argue that because of the extent of the study range, broad effort and gatherings that are arranged by the specialists make the study a worthy investment.

 

The Micro Apartment Phenomena

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The Micro Apartment Phenomena

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A micro-apartment, otherwise called a microflat, is a one-room, independent living space and is intended to suit a sitting space, washroom, resting space, and kitchenette with a size of 4-10 square meters. Now and again, inhabitants might likewise have admittance to a public restroom/shower, shared kitchen, porches and rooftop gardens.

The micro-apartments are frequently intended for draw down beds or futons, collapsing tables and work areas, and additional small apparatuses. An expansive 344-square-foot micro-apartment with sliding dividers joined to the tracks by the roof has been outlined by an engineer in Hong Kong, Gary Chang. By moving the dividers around, utilizing assembled as a part of collapsing furniture and workshops, he can change the space into 24 distinct rooms, including a pantry, kitchen, library, bar, computer game room, and lounge area. 

These apartments are popping up everywhere. Micro-housing is sensible in areas with high property values, supportive infrastructure for development, accessible public transportation, stable economies, walkable neighborhoods, and cities that are have fair to high density. The ever growing community of micro-housing is a new phenomenon in development. Below are few of the reasons why:  

 

The American Dream Deferred

Owning a home with a white picket fence is slowly falling off the list of goals for many people. There is no longer a desire to have a big space in the suburbs. Instead, many are holding off on getting married and having kids to remain in a smaller residence with easy access to city life.

Less Driving, More Walking

Living near city life means driving is not a necessity. Unlike many suburban areas, city life does not require a vehicle, which ultimately eliminate the task of looking for a parking spot after a long day of work.

Same City, Cheaper Apartment
Micro-apartments offer residence in cities that would almost be unaffordable for most. Many one-bedroom city apartments can be very expensive and for budget conscious renters, this makes living in the location of their dreams nearly impossible. Nearly. Micro-apartments cost hundreds of dollars less than average sized apartments to rent monthly.

Oakland : The Rise of America’s Most Underrated City

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Carter Boehm discusses Oakland's resurging development

 

 

When people think of the Bay Area, the automatically think San Francisco, the Bay Bridge and Oakland. Things are rapidly changing in this regard. With increasing job growth leading up to 25 percent from 1990 to 2014, according to the California Center for Jobs and the Economy, due to boom in the technology sector, and a rising number of startup ecosystems in the area, Oakland is benefiting from San Francisco’s prosperity. And with 50 percent lower rates, the city has become a hotbed for San Francisco workers who can no longer afford to live in the city. Oakland, has become an alternative location for small business and startups in the area.

This development does not come without its challenges. With a soaring crime rate, and a listing as one of America’s most dangerous cities, there is still a reluctance in the development of housing. Critics believe that the growing demand for housing can trump this. Oakland’s building costs are 30 percent lower than San Francisco, and with a tremendous amount of construction in the area, more than 1,000 residences with affordable housing will increase in the area. One company named Lane Partners is an example of the development parties looking to develop housing properties in Oakland. The project – “ A great hope for Oakland” , offers edgy architecture that is attractive to technology and solar energy companies. This developer hopes to attract high rent in the area could boost overall office space sale. Lane partners has been on the forefront of developing tech space throughout the bay area and Silicon Valley for many years, so it is no surprise that Oakland was in the direction of its expansion.

Oakland’s beauty lies in its positioning as the city as a great regional hub, reachable by air, BART or train, and with less expensive accommodation than San Francisco people can explore the joys of the Bay Area without the security of affordable housing.

As more conversions take place other development companies based in the area also look to Oakland and East Oakland’s waterfront on both sides of the Jack London Square, as a new development prospect. Oakland based Signature Development recently completed an infrastructure known as “The Hive”. The Hive is a mixed use project that transformed a city block of historic structures near the 19th Street Bart Station and retail uses, plus 105 residential units.

Another renaissance it seems, is coming to Oakland. As resident weigh in on the boom in Oakland, it seems that tensions are rising with Oakland natives hoping that the city would not be be exploited commercially like her neighbor next door.

To learn more about the development boom in Oakland, visit this article by the Urban Land Institute

Urban Design: The Importance of Vibrancy in Downtown Centers

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Downtown centers of your favorite cities are not arbitrary placements on the map.   Aside from the obvious tangible aspects of your favorite downtown locations which offer: places to live, shopping, dining and other forms of entertainment, downtowns are created for one very important reason- vibrancy.

Before we explore vibrancy, these questions may come to mind- what is involved in the makings of a downtown center? What makes a downtown area more livable? These are the questions urban planners and designers attempt to answer. Some of the best downtown locations in the United States are vibrant not only because of their strategic planning, but also the mingling and engagement this planning introduces into a city.

What is vibrancy and why does it matter?

A Vibrant downtown center is one that offers social interaction and engagement to its residents. Most city planners describe a vibrant center as an environment which is walkable, liveable and offers the residents an opportunity to play.

View of downtown Denver, Colorado

To put this in further perspective, a well designed downtown center offers what Emily Talen in her 2012 book City Rules: How regulations Affect Urban Form describes as: “Good urbanism that covers generic features of vibrant places quite well”.  Talen further explains a well designed downtown center as a, “compact urban form that encourages pedestrian activity and minimizes environmental degradation; encourages social, economic, and land use diversity; . . . connects uses and functions; has a quality public realm that provides opportunities for interaction and exchange; offers equitable access to goods, services, and facilities; and protects environmental and human health.

One important feature of a vibrant downtown center is walkability.  Another important feature of a vibrant center is the installation and development of parks, waterfronts and places for play. These places have an impact on the vibrancy of a downtown area because they increase the opportunities for interaction between residents. Planners and designers also see an increase in vibrancy when an area features historical or cultural landmarks.

If vibrancy is so important to the growth and sustainability of our downtown regions, how can the state and planning bodies promote vibrancy to add to make the lives of residents sustainable?

Here are some examples of the ways we can promote vibrancy:

Encouraging the development of higher-density housing in urban and suburban neighborhoods.

Most people adhere to the increase in higher-density option due to the consequential increase in property value, higher rent, and an increase in tax base.

Gentrification of lower income neighborhoods is also common fear when considering this option. To create a positive living environment for residents, it is also important to provide sustainable housing for low income residents who work in customer service or labor jobs, because their proximity to the city job market is important in driving revenue and developing the workforce. This can be enforced through inclusionary zoning laws and density bonuses .

Staying away from suburban development prototypes.

Suburban prototypes imposed on urban centers have been linked to a decrease in urban density, which as mentioned above is a possible key to vibrancy. Placing more importance on walkability, planners need to veer away from designing adjacent surface parking, drive-through lanes, lack of sidewalks in downtown areas,  if they aim to build a city which is walkable and subsequently vibrant.

To learn more about Vibrancy in downtown areas, visit the this article on Urban land Magzine