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How do you afford a new facility?
Solution: Project Partners consolidated two facilities—corporate headquarters and manufacturing—into one 175,000 SF facility in Westwood, MA. This semiconductor test equipment manufacturer was able to save over $300,000 in capital expenditure by financing the risk of some of their mechanical and electrical systems upgrade. Project Partners sourced this creative financing program for them. Negotiating as the owner's representative, they were able to do so impartially since they had no ties to vendors.
How do you move with no computer downtime?
Solution: Murphy’s Law never pops up at an opportune time. The client had the need for a no-downtime move and every possible contingency intervened to create chaos. The contractor had no interest in ensuring the telecommunications and IT requirements were integrated with the construction plan. The architect only considered the IT area as another room to be built. In order to include the IT area into the plans, the power designed into the plan was preliminary, overkill—and, needless to say, over budget. The IT department was not only moving the equipment and doing a parallel changeover but also bringing up a new level of the software at the same time; this all in a data processing environment that ran 7x24 (all day, every day). The IT requirements changed daily and the WAN (wide-area network—also 7x24) had not been included in the plan. The potential for budget overrun was great just considering the cost of retrofitting a data center could actually double the expense. Finally, to make matters even worse, the new building’s maintenance department ran their annual power shutdown (8 hours) with only two weeks notice to these new tenants. Project Partners, as the owner’s representative, became the liaison between the architect, contractor and the IT department, between the new building maintenance department and all of the vendors and their schedules, and between the IT department and the cabling contractor as well as regularly updating the owner on any issues that required executive changes to the schedule.
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Do you know what you don’t know?
Solution: A company providing personal response services outgrew their current facility. They were expecting a minimal upgrade of finishes, furnishings and equipment. By partnering with Project Partners, this company (projects in both Cambridge, MA and Framingham, MA) received assistance with lease negotiations and a space program based on not only their current needs, but also their future requirements to meet their business plan. By working with Paul Banville (who prides himself on giving clients principal involvement rather than using a client for a training site), they received assistance in developing a physical infrastructure for their critical life-support call center, compiled an asset management program, and disposal of their used assets. As a result, the company’s Framingham facility obtained 33% more usable space while saving more than $750,000 per year in facilities and lease expenses. Finally, he brought to their attention the inefficiency of the Cambridge facility’s mechanical systems that the landlord was providing, particularly in view of the fact they would be paying for that inefficiency. On behalf of the tenant, Project Partners suggested a more efficient system with sufficient cost savings with an acceptable ROI.
How do you know what you need?
Solution: A local image-processing manufacturer (Bedford, MA) had exactly that problem. Their lease had expired and they wanted to be in their new facility in 90 days. What they didn't understand was the cost implications of improving the new site. They were going to be faced with out-of-pocket expense to improve the electrical capabilities of the new site to support their normal operations. Project Partners worked with them to find an alternative site that was more costly initially but saved more money in the long run. Again, value received was in excess to their expectations when they received assistance in their alternative site search, a space program designed for their current and future needs, assistant in selecting the architect, building program specifications, budgeting and scheduling for the improvements and the move, a facility management program for the new facility, and sourcing and purchase of a new telephone system.
How will you be sure you’ll receive everything you need from the landlord?
Solution: A Boston insurance provider to the medical professions needed to expand and upgrade their facility but had very little budgeted for it. Project Partners worked with them to restructure their lease. As a result, they received a tenant allowance. Though the budget was still tight, Project Partners renovated their entire facility while they continued to occupy the space. And, the whole project was brought in on budget.
Can you really complete a 10-week project in 5 weeks?
Solution: An agency of the state believed they would be assigned the resources to manage and complete their renovation project. They were on deadline due to the state's fiscal year ending and the funding had to be allocated. Unfortunately, they were advised the resources were not available and the project would have to be delayed until funding could be found in another fiscal year. The agency chose not to be deterred and looked for a creative partner with the ability to deliver the services necessary in the 5-week timeframe. Project Partners was able to supply not only someone who could manage the project but also supplied the expertise level necessary to coordinate all vendors and contractors amicably.
The agency had originally decided to let the contractor take care of all the issues that kept arising. However, they realized the construction was going forward well but the rest of the vendors required coordination to schedule deliveries, services, etc. in a timely fashion while maintaining the construction schedule. As a result, Project Partners was brought in to provide the point-of-contact. The “can do” attitude of the agency and their ability to partner with Project Partners resulted in a renovation of their area for 90 employees without disruption of their workflow or adverse effects to their budget.
The landlord will provide your solution, right?
Solution: “If I don't think about it, maybe it will go away”. Most of us prefer to deal with the things we enjoy and put off those that we don't. However, your most valuable asset—the people who are providing the services to your clients—should be given adequate workspace and a pleasant environment. You are at risk if you “leave it to chance” or, in this case, rely on the landlord to have your best interests at heart when their own may be in direct conflict with yours (e.g., they don't have the necessary space but don't want you to go elsewhere).
A software reseller in Canton, MA had the fortunate problem of phenomenal growth and they desperately needed more space. They were led to believe their landlord would take care of any space issues they had. The reseller was practically a start-up and it never entered their mind they could move into a facility for less than what they were currently paying much less contemplating a brand new facility. Project Partners partnered with the client to not only put them into a new facility at a cost less than the renovation cost but also initiated creative financing discussions which led to the real estate company developing a leaseback arrangement for them.
Problem: How does a venerable, but aging institution begin attempting to bring their campus into the 21st Century?
 Solutions: A local institution of higher education had 75-year-old buildings without a consistent annual maintenance program in place. The challenge they had was how to identify the areas which required special funding apart from those that would be covered under existing budgets. Project Partners provided a feasibility study that identified issues in detail and developed a cost-effective program to realize upgrades within their established budgets. The program also delineated what could be completed with in-house resources versus what needed to be outsourced. Finally, the program was packaged for management to understand what would require special funding to be generated.
Do you have champagne taste with a beer budget?
Solution: A medical product manufacturer of Natick, MA needed to move from a start-up environment to a crisp, corporate image with minimal out-of-pocket expense. Project Partners provided design, construction, furnishings and transition management to create their envisioned physical image under budget.
I love this old building. Can I afford to rework it?
Solution: Just finding architects and contractors willing and experienced in renovating these beautiful old building is challenging (and potentially expensive) enough without facing the upcoming painstaking permitting process. Needless to say, there are reasons for permit expediters in larger cities.
A California technology firm with a Worcester, MA location decided to open a Boston office. They faced these issues when they chose a downtown site. Their challenge was to determine what entity would best serve their interests while keeping the move frustration to a minimum level. Initial issues included stringent fire protection requirements, furniture that was fire-coded properly, needing hydraulic calculations on the building systems water flow, construction documentation complete enough to entail all fast-track permitting requirements, etc. Real estate companies, architects, contractors, and landlords all have their own agendas to fulfill. These do not necessarily correlate to those of the tenant. What the client decided was to find a company with enough combined expertise in all these areas. In Project Partners, they not only found the expertise but also someone versed in what is becoming a new niche industry—the owner's representative.
Your lease has expired. Now what?
Solution: A Cambridge, MA biotechnology firm was, at the time, a newly venture-capital-funded start-up with a need to integrate all the company's functions into one site. They were faced with double rent payments or find a new location immediately. They were watching the expense budget very closely while understanding that a move with new space and furnishings would probably be more expensive due to the short timeframe and no time allowed to shop for better prices.
Project Partners was able to assist them and stay within their budget due to relationships he has built up over the years of being an owner's representative. Separate cost centers were developed for everything they required to make the overall project manageable and controllable. As a result, Project Partners fulfilled their data and phone relocation requirements, supplied their furnishing needs with a combination of new and used furniture and completed the necessary construction to create the desired environment in their new site.
Once again the company utilized the services offered by Project Partners to complete some short-term renovations to accommodate additional personnel prior to another lease expiration. This time they wanted to upgrade their corporate environment to attract biotechnology professionals in a very competitive hiring market. However, since their current least was to expire in a year, they didn't want to expend a lot of money in anticipation of another move. Project Partners created not only a functional facility that would support their expansion requirements but also created a more closed, executive type environment with an open, airy ambiance attractive to new, professional hires.
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Solving the Problems of Companies in Transition