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BUSINESS NEWS GRYPHON TECHNOLOGIES WINS A $25.5 MILLION SINGLE AWARD CONTRACT SUPPORTING THE NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER, PANAMA CITY DIVISION, EXPEDITIONARY SYSTEMS DIVISION Gryphon Technologies, LC was awarded a competitively bid single award contract to provide technical engineering support services for the Landing Craft Air Cushion and Naval Assault Craft Units. Services include maintenance, repair, and modification of LCACs assigned to NSWC PCD and to the Naval Assault Craft Units. Gryphon will conduct tests, trials, evaluations, special studies, model or prototype fabrication and testing and shock and vibration testing, supporting product improvements of components to the legacy LCAC craft and the new LCAC 100 craft being delivered in late 2017 to NSWC PCD. If all options are exercised, the contract will be complete in 2022.

“LCACs and amphibious ships are the pillars of Gryphon,” said P.J. Braden, founder and CEO of Gryphon. “We are pleased and proud that we can work with NSWC PCD in support of their mission.” The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division, Expeditionary System Division, supports Naval Sea Systems Command to provide support services for expeditionary warfare and Strategic Sealift programs. ACHATES POWER HONORED AS A 2017 CORP! MAGAZINE MICHIGAN ECONOMIC BRIGHT SPOT WINNER Achates Power, Inc. was named a Michigan Economic Bright Spot for 2017 by Corp! Magazine , a Michigan business publication. The Economic Bright Spot award is presented annually to Michigan companies that have exhibited economic growth and expansion throughout the year. Achates Power is a developer of radically improved

internal combustion engines that increase fuel efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and cost less than conventional engines. Achates Power was recognized for its accelerated growth since opening the company’s second office in 2015, located in Metro Detroit. The company has seen overall financial growth of 157 percent from 2015 to 2016, and has quickly filled its local office space faster than the anticipated three-year time frame. “There are enormous growth opportunities in Michigan for Achates Power, the recognition from Corp! Magazine as a Michigan Economic Bright Spot is just the beginning,” said David Johnson, CEO and president of Achates Power, Inc. “We anticipate our strong growth trend to continue as engine manufacturers continue to look at how to meet future emissions regulations.”

Finally, 10 years after the building was completed, a small grocery store is being built across the street. I’m seeing an increase in demand across the country for this mix of uses and planning pattern. As we look at other projects around the Reno area, we’re hearing people speak positively about what West 2nd District promises. The community is debating how these characteristics can be incorporated into lower-density housing and retail developments. Most of our buildings range from 10 to 25 stories, with one 40-story tower in the center. Can these same amenities find their way into a four- to six- story environment? We believe so, and are beginning to study a few suburban sites that can be anchored around a village center with many of the conveniences and a small grocery store, and an environment that provides the same walkability attraction as the central-city development. As autonomous vehicles begin to displace the need for a three-car garage (two cars plus a boat), we think the pattern is going to shift, and walkability – to the grocery store and other conveniences we drive to today, as well as work and school – will become a more desirable way to live than the current pattern of suburban tract houses with wide streets and sidewalks no one ever walks on. Let me know what you’re seeing in your city. If you have good examples of these patterns, send them to me. I’ll accumulate them and publish them in some form. EDWARD FRIEDRICHS, FAIA, FIIDA, is a consultant with Zweig Group and the former CEO and president of Gensler. Contact him at efriedrichs@zweiggroup.com. “We think the pattern is going to shift, and walkability will become a more desirable way to live than the current pattern of suburban tract houses with wide streets and sidewalks no one ever walks on.”

EDWARD FRIEDRICHS, from page 3

has a dramatic shortage of this urban, mixed-use pattern of development. And by walkable, I don’t mean a gridiron street plan where pedestrians and automobiles often make for an uncomfortable interface. In West 2nd, we’re closing a number of streets, making them into paseos with fountains and sidewalk restaurants and public plazas. All parking structures will be fed from the perimeter to avoid pedestrians having to wait for cars entering or exiting the parking garages. We’re finding there is a finite time for this generation of seniors to live in their new urban home. There’s a robust market for active senior housing, smaller in scale, with a different set of services. We’re curious about whether old and young people are okay living in the same neighborhood. The condominium my wife and I live in has 380 units with a broad age demographic, from college students and young professionals to seniors like us. And, by the way, everything in between. We have a few families in the building with school-age children. We’re a pet-friendly environment with lots of diversity. It makes for lively conversations and friends that cross generations. What our building lacks, though, is that walkable, urban setting. We’re on a busy street. Sidewalk cafés and restaurants are blocks away, and there are few retail convenience shops. “We’re closing a number of streets, making them into paseos with fountains and sidewalk restaurants and public plazas. All parking structures will be fed from the perimeter to avoid pedestrians having to wait for cars entering or exiting the parking garages.”

THE ZWEIG LETTER August 14, 2017, ISSUE 1212

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