Seattle DJC.com native enterprise information and knowledge – Actual Property

May 27, 2021

Diverse spaces are the key to normalizing urban cores

BY CHARLIE FOUSHEE
Skanska USA Commercial Development

For more than a year we have seen a lot of messages asking if there are still any office supplies left. The line between work and home is blurred and COVID-19 has only catapulted that trend. While commute times have certainly improved, many aspects of work-life balance have not improved.

But just like Mark Twain, who is often quoted as saying “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated”, is the alleged downfall of downtown.

In fact, I think it will be good urban development ??? and in particular a well-designed and attractive floor space and a public space ?? This will help restore the vibrancy of the inner cities and bring back workers, neighbors and tourists.

To be honest, there is no such thing as a perfect place to work. While many things can be done from the office or from home, none are ideal for all types of work. More and more potential tenants with whom we speak have expressed the need for a variety of jobs in the buildings they rent. For them, it’s about offering their employees comfort and space to network, collaborate and stimulate creative ideas.

On the first floor of 400 Fairview, Skanska has developed a lively market hall with a collection of local foods.

This diversity of the environment has become a hallmark of our work and has led to spaces such as the Urban Village, the Tenant Lounge and the 19th floor deck in 2 + U, the Market Hall in 400 Fairview and the Living Room and Plaza, the we will soon be building at The Eight in Bellevue. In addition, these areas are not only important for tenants, but also for the surrounding area and the entire urban fabric of our cities. We regularly see people from the neighborhoods around the buildings coming into these public spaces to eat, shop, work and connect with each other, which is not possible in a traditional office lobby that requires key card access to do that Entering buildings at all.

Humans are social animals by nature, so that means we need spaces ?? Now more than ever? where we can be together and that gives us a reason to get back together. It’s one thing to step into a traditional building and go into the office, but we find the idea of ​​transitions and the merging of different uses naturally interesting, both from a design and a communal use perspective. Easy access to a mix of retail, hospitality and the arts is essential in bringing communities together, which is an essential component of a thriving urban center.

That means, as developers, we need to create travel destinations and experiences that are worth returning to. While we want people to enjoy our spaces because of their unique design, we are also very proud of the work we do to create inviting spaces for everyone ?? which fit into the culture and the fabric of the immediate environment.

2 + U is the high-rise office and retail village named for its location on Second Avenue between Union Street and University Street in downtown Seattle. Tenants are Indeed.com, Dropbox, Qualtrics, Ethan Stowell’s Tavolata and Caffe Ladro.

From our point of view, a large part of urban development consists of finding a connection between the city, the district and the tenants. This is a sweet spot that Skanska strives for in every project we do.

At 400 Fairview this was the covered aft deck, the Market Hall and arguably the most diverse shopping and dining experience in one place in town. At 2 + U on the groundplane is the Urban Village which is home to local favorites like Caffe Ladro, Valiant Barber & Supply, Tavolata, Porter, an amazing art experience managed by Shunpike and the Downtown Seattle Association. At Stone 34, this meant bringing to life the vision of the local community of a seamless transition to the nearby Burke-Gilman Trail. And in our upcoming development of The Eight, we will focus on building a connection with nature ?? a small “park in the city” ?? and spacious and flexible spaces for collaboration like the living room and plaza.

The groundbreaking ceremony for Skanska’s The Eight office development in Bellevue will take place in June.

Stone34, home of Brooks headquarters and the Trailhead business, was the first commercial building to complete Seattle’s “Deep Green” pilot program.

As our cities grow, more and more tenants ask about the ecological footprint and sustainability plan for a building. For example, Stone 34 was Seattle’s first Living Building pilot, and I’m proud that every office building Skanska has developed in the Puget Sound area is at least LEED Gold certified. In fact, 2 + U recently achieved LEED Platinum status and achieved all credits for optimizing energy performance, a significant step towards Skanska’s corporate goal of being net zero by 2045.

Of course, the importance of healthy spaces in current public health circumstances cannot be underestimated. That doesn’t mean antiseptic and sterile rooms, but a combination of evolving technologies that we can implement in our buildings. For example, systems that enable us to bring more fresh outside air into the house, better filter systems in buildings and the integration of contactless technology, but also things like easy access to outside spaces and natural daylight. The health of the users of our buildings is too important not to have these factors at the fore when planning our developments, and knowing that the builders are doing this gives people the peace of mind that they are returning to a safe space.

With so many people being pushed out of their normal routines and daily life in our inner city cores, we need a reason to come back. We need rooms where everyone is welcome, not just the key card holders. We need to be less isolated, to be a community again and to be more open to interacting with each other and our surroundings in new and different ways. At Skanska we plan to be a part of that future and after a year away from the office we are very much looking forward to it.

Charlie Foushee is Vice President Development at Skanska USA Commercial Development.

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