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BUSINESS NEWS CAPITOL CROSSING PROJECT RECEIVES USGBC NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION AWARD Dewberry , a privately held professional services firm, has announced that Capitol Crossing – 200 Massachusetts Avenue was recently awarded the 2020 Community Leader Award for Innovative Design, New Construction- Commercial by the U.S. Green Building Council National Capital Region chapter. Dewberry provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services for the LEEDPlatinum project. Award winners were announced at USGBC’s annual event, “A Midsummer Night’s Green” in July. The virtual event featured recognition for buildings across the Washington, D.C., area. Capitol Crossing is one of the largest active development projects in Washington, D.C., spanning three city blocks. Once complete, the development will feature five mixed-use buildings with office, residential, and retail space. 200 Massachusetts Ave. is the first of five buildings to be completed in the Capitol Crossing project. Dewberry provided MEP services for the 12-story building. The building was commended for design innovations
resulting in part from its location and the challenges that the site provided, requiring construction directly over I-395. Dewberry’s heating, ventilation, and air- conditioning design resulted in 15 points for energy optimization toward the LEED Platinum certification as the design demonstrated a 32.5 percent savings in energy over the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers baseline code- minimum requirements. HVAC enhancements that led to the high energy efficiency include a high-efficiency, low temperature, wide temperature-differential chilled water system with energy/heat recovery dedicated outdoor air systems units; low temperature air handling units; and a series of fan terminals to eliminate re-heat. “We had the opportunity to solve some unique MEP challenges posed by working over a highway,” says Dewberry Senior Project Manager Kevin McNiff, PE. “We accomplished this by creating simplified and economical solutions. The MEP design also provided accommodations for multiple expansive restaurants on the first floor of 200 Massachusetts Ave. We are presently
providing the MEP engineering services for the first two. In addition, the care we put into the design allows for maximum flexibility for two future buildings in the Center Block. Once completed, I believe that Capitol Crossing will be one of the most recognizable developments in the entire city, and I feel honored to have been part of it.” In addition to the work performed on 200 and 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Dewberry is also providing MEP services across the entire development. Dewberry is a leading, market-facing firm with a proven history of providing professional services to a wide variety of public- and private-sector clients. Recognized for combining unsurpassed commitment to client service with deep subject matter expertise, Dewberry is dedicated to solving clients’ most complex challenges and transforming their communities. Established in 1956, Dewberry is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, with more than 50 locations and more than 2,000 professionals nationwide.
MARK ZWEIG, from page 9
create distance from their predecessor. Some successors tend to do this and it’s almost always a mistake. The reason usually is based on ego or a desire to put their own stamp on the company, but it’s the last thing they should probably do. What may be forgotten is the predecessor had their own relationships with the people of the organization and any perceived attacks on them will create morale problems with those who cared for and respected the predecessor. Not to mention it just makes the successor look bad and untrustworthy if they would do that to the person responsible for elevating them. 9)The successor stays on a quest to constantly identify the things the company did that made them successful so they can be sure to keep doing them, while at the same time working to change the things that are no longer appropriate because of a changing business environment and world. This is perhaps the most difficult task of all for a successor. You don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water. At the same time, you may and probably do need to make some changes. Discerning between the two takes some real wisdom on the part of the successor. They don’t all have it – at least at first. That’s why it may be important for them to act with adequate deliberation – especially for their first year or two in their new role. Of course if the financial situation the firm finds itself in is dire, the successor will have to act more quickly. One thing is for certain. It takes a lot of work from both predecessors and successors to make ANY transition successful. The relationship – if it is going to survive – will take a lot of empathy and mutual respect from both parties. Leaders – pick your successors wisely. And successors – act wisely once you get in the job. MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.
essential for the successor. They can’t behave in such a way that they seem to think they already know everything they will need to know to do the job. 6)The leader who is making the transition doesn’t expect everything to be exactly the same as when they did the job, and they allow the successor to do their job. This is really hard for many older leaders in A/E firms but is absolutely necessary if they are going to give their successor a real chance to succeed. And even if they disagree with changes being made, other than expressing that to their successors, they should keep that to themselves. This gets particularly difficult if the financial results of the business go in the tank and the successor is depending on a strong performance from the firm so they are able to make their ongoing buyback payments related to the transition. 7)When members of the organization try to go around the new boss to the old boss, the old boss discourages that. The predecessor needs to send the complainer or problem identifier to the successor or whomever would be more appropriate. This is so important. Anything less will communicate that the transition really wasn’t real. 8)The successor, once in the job, doesn’t try to vilify or “It takes a lot of work from both predecessors and successors to make any transition successful. The relationship – if it is going to survive – will take a lot of empathy and mutual respect from both parties.”
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THE ZWEIG LETTER NOVEMBER 2, 2020, ISSUE 1366
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