Safe and Secure
Security. It tops residents' wish lists of amenities. But it's the last thing owners and managers want leasing agents to talk about when selling a community. Promising security could lead to liability if something happens on site. "When you talk about security, [owners] have a tendency to freak out," says Michael Elmore, product manager for Ameristar Fence Products based in Tulsa, Okla. "Everybody is scared of liability." Read more
High Hopes
How would you like to cut construction costs by 20 percent without affecting the value of your project? That's what Genesis Real Estate Group, the Dallas-based developers of Ocean Villas, managed to do by continually evaluating design and construction options right up to the completion of the foundation. This process is known as value engineering. One of the main goals of the community, a two-tower, 19-story condominium project in Long Beach, Calif., was to reduce overall construction time so occupancy could begin as soon as possible. Genesis and EDI Architecture Inc. determined early in the development stage that using a tunnelform system would meet an aggressive construction schedule and save approximately 30 percent in direct construction costs. With the tunnelform system, walls and floors are poured simultaneously. This not only reduces construction time but also eliminates as much as 60 percent of interior partition framing and drywall. Read more
On the Rise
Giving a tour of Realty Management Services Inc.'s corporate headquarters, Beth Ross proudly points out the tell-tale signs of expansion – crooked hallways formed from adding office space over the years and the separate entrance into the human resources department, even though it is on the same floor. It's as if each imperfection marks a stepping stone for this vibrant property management company, which Ross started in 1988 with three employees operating out of her basement. Read more