Category Archives: Sustainable Real Estate

Cyber-Security and #CRE

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wopr

Like you, I’ve seen a lot in the press recently about cyber-attacks and computer hacking. It all sounds like a 1980’s movie. I didn’t really think I had much to worry about in the world of commercial real estate. I don’t cover the blinking lights – that’s the CTO’s role along with his or her team of consultants. Plus, aren’t the cyber bad guys after military and high-value civilian facilities such as nukes? Two things happened recently to change my mind. Allow me to share two vignettes that happened only a couple of days apart from each other. "Shall We Play A [...]

Tim Cook’s #CRE Challenge

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The Man with the iPlan

What if the CEO of the largest company in the universe called you and said he had a little project he'd like you to work on? He thinks you’re a pretty swell leader, and he wants you to shake up the office landlord business. What would you do to make Mr. Cook a happy man? Even under normal circumstance, being a landlord is a daunting challenge. Running a modern office building requires tremendous skill and knowledge in building systems, finance and budgeting, sustainability, and leasing, just to name a few issues. You also have to be part diplomat (with the fire [...]

West Bound and Down – Twelve Days without an iPhone

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Tooth of Time

I have a confession to make. For more than 17 years, I have been connected to the grid. Except for sleep, I was always tuned on. Yes, even on vacation, at night and certainly on weekends. I bet I’m not alone in this admission, but at least I can publically declare my addiction to connectivity. I was like a real estate Waffle House; always on and available. Some will say I was like their hash browns as well; scattered, smothered, covered and chopped – but that’s another story. But for 12 days in June, I had no iPhone, no computer, [...]

Let The Store Come to the People — iMilk?

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The following blog originally appeared in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on November 28th, 2011. CoreNet Global held its semi-annual summit in Atlanta recently. Thousands of corporate real estate executives, service providers and economic developers traveled to our city to learn the latest trends in corporate real estate. While normally a confab to learn and discuss ideas in the office world, the event also featured an interesting retail story in one of the keynote talks. Realcomm CEO Jim Young told an amazing story about a South Korean grocery store operator that significantly increased sales without adding one square foot of additional space (sorry, retail [...]

Back to School! – Top Eleven Things to put in your CRE backpack

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back-to-school-supplies

So my wife made the annual Pilgrimage to check off the supply list and make sure we have our own personal office supply store at home (God bless her). The children had a great time with the whole process. I can remember the time as a kid myself; the combination of excitement and trepidation as you faced the   new school year. You miss the long lazy summers, but there is something fun about a challenge and meeting new friends. I don’t think I realized it then, but every kid, just like every executive feels the same emotions at the [...]

Move Cum Laude: Graduating Into New Office Space

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cum-laude

By Ken Ashley (ATLANTA) May 23rd, 2011 Congratulations graduates! Grab the Hallmark's and leather folios. It’s that time of year; May flowers and enthusiastic graduates are synonymous and plentiful. Attention class: there’s a parallel in an office move. You’ve signed the new lease, told the employees (please see this post on change management before the lease deal is announced).   and now you feel as if you are graduating. Imagine the typical commencement speech in your head. “You’ve worked hard to get to this point and the future is your oyster.” “Many are looking at you expectantly for great results [...]

Shiny Happy People

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By Ken Ashley ATLANTA (May 7th, 2011) In a rousing opening session to the CoreNet Global Summit in Chicago’s Navy Pier, CEO Angela Cain and Chairman Lee Utke (Global Real Estate Head for Whirlpool) played the theme from the ‘80s sitcom The Jeffersons entitled “Movin on Up.” The ditty signaled real estate’s increasingly important role in Corporate America. And it certainly makes sense given the many millions in savings that real estate directors have delivered over the past several years. The Summit is held twice annually in the United States and is considered the confab for corporate real estate service providers, economic [...]

Shiny Happy People

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img_2620

By Ken Ashley ATLANTA (May 7th, 2011) In a rousing opening session to the CoreNet Global Summit in Chicago's Navy   Pier, CEO Angela Cain and Chairman Lee Utke (Global Real Estate Head for Whirlpool) played the theme from the ‘80s sitcom The Jeffersons entitled “Movin on Up.” The ditty signaled real estate’s increasingly important role in Corporate America. And it certainly makes sense given the many millions in savings that real estate directors have delivered over the past several years. The Summit is held twice annually in the United States and is considered the confab for corporate real estate service providers, [...]

The Old Gray Cube, She Ain’t What She Used to Be

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By Ken Ashley ATLANTA (June 14, 2010) We’ve run across what appears to be a really innovative idea in the commercial real estate world in the form of a new company called Loosecubes. Their website, which says it is in beta, describes them as  an “Open Market for Workspace.” We think of it as an interesting  combination of Facebook and Craigslist in the real estate arena. Essentially, one can use the site to rent a cube and “cowork” for a month or longer. Companies that have extra cubes in a low security environment can avail themselves of the opportunity to sublease on [...]