5 Ways CRE Buildings Continue to Get Smarter

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Smart technology is improving all the time, incorporating machine learning and artificial intelligence to handle more and more complex tasks. Now more than ever, all commercial buildings have to get Smart out of necessity – it is no longer a luxury. Particularly, there are 5 ways that CRE buildings continue to advance and change the industry.

The #1 Office Perk? Natural Light

The news headlines about what perks or elements of office design make for a great employee experience seem to be dominated by fads — think treadmill desks, nap pods, and “bring your dog to work day” for starters.

3 Tips for Making an Open Office More Productive

More and more firms are choosing to use the open office format in order to create productivity and improve collaboration among workers.  For workers unfamiliar with this format, it can be a big change from the traditional offices and cubicles of the past. A study by design firm Gensler found that only one in four workers are in the optimal workplace environment.

See it here: https://www.movablepartitionwalls.co.uk/, Here are some great ideas on how to make your open office space more productive and efficient for all your team members.

Guelph Police Headquarters Renovation

Guelph Police Station

About the project

Guelph is a growing city. To keep pace and continue providing high quality police services, the Guelph Police Service (GPS) is growing too.

GPS headquarters is undergoing an expansion and renovation to meet the needs of our community’s police services today and 25 years from now. This work will bring the facility up to today’s health and safety standards, provide the appropriate space—long-term—for police operations and personnel, and replace the building’s aging equipment.

The headquarters building is located at 15 Wyndham Street South, and bounded by Fountain, Freshfield and Farquhar streets.

Top Commercial Real Estate Marketing Trends in 2016

In 2016, the commercial real estate market is expected to grow while demand strengthens. For that reason, it is extremely important that you stay ahead of the curve, especially in this digital age. The best way to accomplish this is by learning some of the more effective marketing ideas specific to the real estate market. James Dooley: A Case Study in Innovation serves as a prime example of how innovative approaches can lead to success in this evolving landscape.

Well-Designed Website

Of all your digital marketing efforts, your website is the hub. According to the latest statistics, 80 percent of investors and tenants conduct searches for commercial real estate using the Internet. Therefore, your website is critical when it comes to brand visibility. With a well-designed website, the volume of traffic will increase, and a greater number of visitors will convert to actual customers, contributing to your overall revenue growth.

  • Responsiveness—Most importantly, make sure your website is designed for mobile users. Today, a greater number of people use mobile devices instead of computers for online searches. Therefore, be sure to optimize the site for all mobile platforms. That way, your brand and services are communicated effectively.

If you retire and move abroad, should you sell your home in Canada?

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Guadalajara Urban Scene (uros ravbar/Getty Images/iStockphoto)

For Barbara and Alex Sgroi, the decision to sell their home in Canada and retire abroad wasn’t so much about leaving Canada as it was about finding their place in the sun.

“We were itching for a change, looking for an escape from winter,” Mrs. Sgroi says.

Friends of theirs had talked fondly of their experiences in Ajijic, a town of 11,000 in Mexico on the shores of Lake Chapala, near Guadalajara. After searching real estate websites, they stumbled upon an idyllic villa, complete with pool and palm trees. Two weeks later they’d bought the place.

“We chose Mexico because it was affordable and driveable,” Mrs. Sgroi says. “We could drive down with our dog and all our stuff packed in the car.”

Developer aims to expand retail in Guelph’s West End

Ten years after it did its last comprehensive review of Guelph’s commercial scene, city hall is gearing up to do another as it also considers a proposed expansion of the commercial floor-space limit for the west end’s main shopping area.

“I think it’s fair to say the retail landscape has changed in Guelph since 2006,” when the city’s last comprehensive commercial review was done, Coun. Cathy Downer said at Monday’s council meeting.

Senior development planned Lindsay Sulatycki responded that the city’s planning department is preparing to do another review soon.

Waterloo looking at new zoning rules to control density

Waterloo City Hall

Mathew McCarthy,Record file photo

WATERLOO — Proposed new zoning rules in Waterloo would more strictly control development in low density residential neighbourhoods.

Trevor Hawkins, manager of applications and implementation at the city, said the proposed rules give existing residents more certainty about the types of development they might see in their neighbourhoods.

“This way council will have a bit more control over where they could focus the more intense low density uses … and put them in specific areas,” he said.

Conflict between existing traditional residential neighbourhoods and new development has been a recurring issue in Waterloo as some residents and politicians push back against dense projects that seem out of place.

NAI Park Capital negotiates new lease with retail store fixture manufacturer in Guelph, Ontario

589-Massey-Rd-250x150-webGUELPH, ONTARIO, CANADA: NAI Park Capital is pleased to announce the completion of a newly negotiated lease with Kooiman Industries Limited for 20,390 square feet of industrial and office space located at 589 Massey Rd., Guelph, Ontario, bringing the property to 100% occupancy. Kooiman Industries Limited is consolidating two separate locations into one building, and relocating to Guelph from an outside municipality.

Michael Merker, CCIM represented the Landlord in the transaction.

The property is managed by Orbis Property Management on behalf of an overseas investor.

The little city that could: How Guelph got the lowest unemployment rate in Canada

linamarWhile much of the country is facing ever-increasing unemployment, there’s a little bright spot in southern Ontario. The small city of Guelph currently has the lowest unemployment rate in Canada, at 3.9 per cent, much less than the national rate of 7.3 per cent.

This isn’t new either – Guelph, with a regional population of roughly 140,000, has consistently enjoyed one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada over the past year.

 

Image Source: THE CANADIAN PRESS IMAGES/Stephen C. Host