Builders, Developers Focus On Ways
To Save Costs, Build More Housing Units
In Oakland, Bay Area
With rising construction costs, a costly entitlement process and labor shortages, Bay Area developers are looking into new ways to build housing more cost-effectively. Developers are utilizing density bonuses, adding more efficiencies into construction, exploring modular units and prefab and experimenting with new techniques to keep costs down and get more projects off the ground.
Even though there are 17,000 units at different planning stages in Oakland, many of these units rent in the $3K to $4K range, which is not affordable for a majority of people in the Bay Area, oWow founder Danny Haber said…
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220-Room Hotel Proposed In Downtown San Jose
KT Urban has proposed a high-rise hotel in downtown San Jose, blocks away from the future Google transit village and Adobe Systems campus. The 11-story, 220-room hotel would be built at a vacant parcel at 8 North Almaden Blvd. at…
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What A Licensing Agreement Can Mean For Your Building's Connectivity Needs
Cellular connectivity has moved higher on the office tenant wish list.
In addition to amenities and an ideal location, tenants look to properties with access to reliable cellular connectivity. To meet tenant demand, more building owners are installing in-building cellular solutions. …
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Rent Control Headed To California's November Ballot
Proponents of expanded rent control in California want voters to decide whether to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. More than 300 renters, landlords and housing advocates held marches Monday at the state Capitol and at the Los Angeles and Oakland city halls to…
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Strong Q1 Office Fundamentals Suggest ‘Market Still Has Room For Expansion'
Office leasing activity across the nation advanced in the first quarter, with tenants absorbing 5.2M SF, up from the negative 406K SF absorbed during the same period last year, Newmark Knight Frank reports.
Rents and vacancy rates in the 56 markets Newmark tracks remained stable, with average rents increasing modestly by 2.9% to $27.68 and vacancies inching down 10 basis points to 13.5% compared to the year-ago quarter.
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Fear Of The Steel Tariff Is Compounding Already-Escalating Materials Pricing
The price for steel drywall studs at Chicago's Reinke Supply has increased 30% so far this year — and manager Dave Herhold said there is nothing he or his customers can do about it.
"Everybody hates it, including us," Herhold said. "Our hands are tied. Right now, we are at the mercy of metal fabricators and have no choice but to raise prices."
The tariffs on steel imports come at an inopportune time for a construction industry already dealing with rising costs, including in steel. Hot rolled steel futures traded for $870/ton as of April 20, up from $650/ton in December. The soaring pricing is having a ripple effect across the industry.
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