On the Floor
If it weren't for folks talking about low-flow aerators and HVAC tune-ups, we might have thought we were on line for Epcot's Soarin' flight simulator. (Also the line wasn't four and a half hours long so that also tipped us off.) Luckily, we didn't need a FastPass to get into the Every Building Conference & Expo floor, which opened yesterday afternoon.
The latest and greatest in property and facilities management is on display in 400 exhibits, and we were on hand to snap some of the action (and to score some complimentary hand sanitizer, of course... there are lots of hands to shake).
On the expo floor, we bumped into Colliers’ Jackson Taunton IV and Holladay Properties’ Laura Ragans. Jackson says he’s finally seeing rent growth, but Laura’s celebrating a less tangible gain: The firm’s latest Kingsley surveys showed that her MOBs in Central Florida received the highest year-over-year increase in tenant satisfaction across the company’s 18M SF portfolio. (It's pretty important to keep doctors happy, especially dentists.)
These lovely ladies traveled from deep in the heart of Texas—Westdale Real Estate’s Christie Streicher and BOMA/Fort Worth’s Michelle Lynn. Michelle tells us her town is buzzing with a new plaza, which has added lots of new retail and office. Meanwhile, Christie (who manages properties in San Antonio and Houston) says she went two years without any construction, so it’s very nice to see cranes and tenants expanding. (In real estate mythology, the crane is a sacred bird, which signifies strength and growth.)
Representing Georgia are Parmenter Realty managing director of facilities and sustainability Steve Harrison, HighGrove Partners VP Gib Durden, and CPT director of property management Todd Mitchell. Todd tells us he has five BOMA 360 designated buildings this year, with two renewals. But Steve topped him, with 17 BOMA 360 buildings (including eight renewals). Gib says he’s loving the conference so far, especially the sessions and opportunity to network.
Allegion’s Brad Aikin showed off the latest technology in electronic access control, and it’s not just for perimeter locks anymore. He says his system is easy to install (it fits on a standard cylindrical lock and takes 15 minutes with a screwdriver), and use and management is a breeze. Tenants can gain access with keycards or their smartphones, and cloud-based infrastructure means property managers can change who has access in real time. (That’s great for conference rooms or to deactivate a lost key card.) Best of all, it keeps data for you—who enters the building, how long it’s left open, and so forth—and raises the alarm if it’s kicked in. (Now your building can have the same security as the casino in Ocean's Eleven.)
BOMA has a new focus on industrial real estate, which brought these DCT pros out from around the country for their first-ever BOMA conference. Here’s Denver’s Charla Rios, Atlanta’s Ann Shell-Johnson, Chicago’s Vicki Stevens, and Orlando’s Lissette Gaskill and Thomas Matthews (who tells us he actually just moved from Cincinnati, so he still earns points for traveling). Some of the industrial tracks this year include the current status and future expectations for the sector, as well as focus on Energy Star certification. There'll also be a building tour of the 1.2M SF Southridge Commerce Park tomorrow.
The folks at Kimberly-Clark Professional want to see your great moments from this year’s conference; snap a pic, send it their way, and it’ll be displayed on these screens—you just might also win a Starbucks gift card. Stephanie Magnan and Sara Herron say their firm is all about creating exceptional workplaces by making people’s lives healthier across property types. Kimberly Clark has programs geared to schools, offices, healthcare, and high-travel areas like stadiums.
