Office restacking is a growing trend among many businesses after the pandemic rattled our economy and changed the workplace as we know it. Companies are taking a long, hard look at their commercial real estate portfolio to assess what makes sense for their business in this new environment. Office restacking is a common business strategy used to reconfigure office space needs to improve efficiency. If you are contemplating a restack, this article has everything that you need to know.
Here’s what you can expect in this quick and easy read:
When you should (and should not) restack your office
After a turbulent 2020, 2021 is promising to be a year of rebuilding and growth in the commercial real estate industry. Confidence is rising in the market and companies are eager to return to normalcy, challenging the construction industry to meet demands after a year of idled progress. The good news is that there are reasons to be optimistic for the future of construction, but not without lingering questions. How fast are costs escalating? What sectors are hot?
Here’s what you can expect in the marketplace in Q2 in a quick and easy read.
The Federal Savings Bank chose to build their new 50,000 sf headquarters in The Fields building in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, after relocating from the West Loop. This buildout was the first of its kind in the historic building that boasts 17’ deck heights and massive floorplates, just a couple attributes that nod to the building’s history as the EW Olsen Rug factory. The HQ includes a reception and boardroom area, private offices, huddle rooms, lounges, a large pantry and all-hands assembly area, a training room and a telepresence room. The ACCEND team delivered the first generation space alongside building common corridors and restroom amenity spaces.
This design build, tenant build out features an internal stair connecting the 4th and 5th floors, polished concrete and an open ceiling concept mixed in throughout the space. Room types include conference rooms, collaboration / meeting rooms, huddle rooms and phone rooms though out with aluminum doors with sidelite fronts. The project includes a multi-functional café space that can operate as a café lunchroom as well as a large presentation space. The café has an overall Chicago vibe featuring brick column surrounds, banquette seating, a large waterfall island and a café elevation that works as both a coffee and a cocktail / beer distribution area.
The Skyline family of companies is excited to announce the opening of a new office in San Diego, CA, a major step in the company’s nationwide expansion plan. With this new location, we will service clients throughout Southern California including Orange County, the Inland Empire and San Diego, complementing the company’s existing locations in Seattle, Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area.
We are proud to announce ACCEND has been crowned the Industry Innovator of 2020! After seeing the challenges that COVID created in the workplace, our team worked hard to establish protocols and technologies to keep the construction industry thriving. Learn how ACCEND has changed the industry, allowing for businesses to adapt to the new norm.
Occupied interior renovation San Francisco-based tech firm wanted to expand to Chicago’s Fulton Market. Notable features include an Artemide light fixture imported from Italy, turf ceiling baffles and twenty-five different custom wall coverings. The space includes an open floor plan, multiple collaboration spaces, two kitchenettes and a wellness room.
As COVID cases soar around the US, it is becoming an increasing challenge for companies to keep their offices, jobsites and employees safe. While there are many precautionary behaviors employers can ask their staff to follow, (social distancing, wearing masks, sanitizing, etc.) it is imperative that employers implement additional, proactive safety measures to mitigate the risk of infection long before there is an outbreak. Our COVID-19 Task Force has spent hundreds of hours researching preventative methods to stop the spread of harmful viruses and germs. We have actively tested solutions since March and are confident in sharing these three recommendations for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in your office space or jobsite.
The construction industry is ripe with conflicting information about supply chain interruptions and delays. Some sources indicate that the supply chain outlook is positive and nearly back on track, while others predict significant delays for the remainder of the year. Our construction teams continue to monitor manufacturers and suppliers to understand the true impact on construction schedules. The truth is, supply chains are simply changing. There is unpredictability created by a number of factors including regional COVID hotspots, outbreaks in manufacturing facilities, varying regional SIP regulations, health/safety concerns and workers’ hesitation to return to factories.
The biggest factor however, creating unpredictable supply chain delays, is actually not manufacturing or production, but shipping and freight.
As everyone anxiously awaits for the Shelter in Place orders to be lifted, when returning to work it will be a challenge to maintaining social distancing. Questions will arise of how to reconfigure office space in order to provide a safe and healthy environment.
There are numerous options to consider ranging from simply removing conference room chairs all the way to installing motion-activated doors. The good news is that you have a wide range of options.
Companies with high-density workstations and open bench seating may need to pivot and reconfigure their furniture. Employers may consider A and B shifts, or alternating days of the week in order to stagger the workforce and reduce density. Some may consider creating a designated path of travel within their office to avoid people “bumping into each other” in the halls.
Below are many potential solutions to help you start thinking about how to reconfigure your own office space for re-opening.
