TZL 1412 (web)

2

BUSINESS NEWS RICH & ASSOCIATES DESIGNS PARKING FOR SOMA PROJECT THAT’S TRANSFORMING DETROIT’S SOMA DISTRICT Rich & Associates , the world’s oldest firm dedicated solely to parking design, planning, and management, announced that Phase 1 of the SoMa district development has been completed with the construction of the six-story mixed-use parking structure. Rich & Associates, as consultants to lead architects Neumann/Smith Architecture , served as parking consultant and structural engineer for the 213,099-square-foot parking structure, which offers 591 parking spaces with office, retail, and restaurant space occupying the ground level. “This project will transform the SoMo district of Midtown Detroit, and we are proud to have

played a key role in its development,” said David Rich, vice president of Rich & Associates. “The SoMa parking structure represents a 20- year collaboration between Neumann/Smith Architecture and Rich & Associates that includes the successful completion of 12 parking structures.” Rich & Associates is the nation’s foremost parking consulting firm, providing customized solutions for every type of parking need. Founded in 1963, Rich & Associates’ industry- leading role as planners, designers, developers, and operators comes from its focused expertise in the ever-changing field of parking and mobility. In keeping with its founding principles, the firm provides innovative approaches to all aspects of parking.

Interested in learning more

about the projects and ideas driving the AEC industry forward? Learn more with Civil+Structural Engineer Media.

CHAD CLINEHENS, from page 1

as they better understand the firm, the operating environment, and how things might affect them. ❚ ❚ Confront underperformance. One of the biggest issues in recent years has been around firms dealing with underperformers. This has tended to trend down over the past three years, tracking with industry data that shows AEC firms getting busier. When we’re busy, we tend to keep our heads down to get the work done and are less likely to confront issues. This is especially true if it means we may lose an employee, which could mean lost production capacity. With concern about burnout at an all-time high, confronting issues tends to become less of a priority. The reality is that many employees at all levels of the org chart feel the effects of a team member who is not performing or is toxic. When we do not confront these issues, it demotivates our greatest people. Confront problems in your firm and your productivity will increase. ❚ ❚ Develop flexible policies that reflect your ideal culture. The latest data suggests that the work situation, possibly just the uncertainty around everything, has worn on employees and they are feeling less effective as time goes on. This means firms have got to figure out how to most effectively work in a COVID world, whether in the office, at home, or a combination of both. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to how firms should return to the office or what long-term, flexible work-from-home policies should look like. You’ve got to figure out what’s important to your clients, what your people want, and how you want to be positioned in the marketplace. Peaks and valleys in COVID may be with us for a while, as we’ve seen in just the past several weeks with the delta variant. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, make sure the message reinforces trust in employees – employees like to feel trusted, just like you want to feel trusted by your clients. We will share a lot more data and trends from this and other awards programs at our in-person ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala at the Hyatt Regency in Denver from November 3-5. The conference was designed earlier this year at the peak of the pandemic, so regardless of where we are in November, the space and experience will adapt to keep attendees safe and to allow us to have a great in- person experience. Click here for more information on the conference. I hope to see you in Denver! CHAD CLINEHENS is Zweig Group’s president and CEO. Contact him at cclinehens@zweiggroup.com .

PO Box 1528 Fayetteville, AR 72702

Chad Clinehens | Publisher cclinehens@zweiggroup.com Sara Parkman | Senior Editor & Designer sparkman@zweiggroup.com Christina Zweig | Contributing Editor czweig@zweiggroup.com Liisa Andreassen | Correspondent landreassen@zweiggroup.com

Tel: 800-466-6275 Fax: 800-842-1560

Email: info@zweiggroup.com Online: thezweigletter.com Twitter: twitter.com/zweigletter Facebook: facebook.com/Zweig- Group-1030428053722402

Published continuously since 1992 by Zweig Group, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA. ISSN 1068-1310. Issued weekly (48 issues/year) $250 for one-year print subscription; free electronic subscription at thezweigletter.com/subscribe © Copyright 2021, Zweig Group. All rights reserved.

Zweig Group’s 2021 ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala Zweig Group is thrilled to announce that the annual in-person ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala will return in Denver, November 3-5, restoring the full agenda. This includes bringing back the iconic black-tie awards gala celebrating the 2021 winners of the Hot Firm list, Best Firms To Work For, Marketing Excellence, Rising Stars, Top New Ventures, and the Jerry Allen Courage In Leadership Awards. Click here to learn more or to register for the AEC industry’s top in-person learning and networking event of the year.

© Copyright 2021. Zweig Group. All rights reserved.

THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 11, 2021, ISSUE 1412

Made with FlippingBook Annual report