January-February 2021

THE MOST VALUABLE REAL ESTATE IN AMERICA AMAZ NG BU LDINGS

THE ARCHITECTURE OF BOSTON YOU NEED (OR MIGHT WANT) TO KN W

THE MEDAL OF HONOR MUSEUM A PROFILE OF VIÑOLY ARCHITECTS ARTCH TECTURE

THE TALLEST BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD EGAL VIEW WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY

THE WORLD'S SMALLEST 100 COUNTRIES THE MOTTOS OF THE 50 STATES

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF THE PANDEMIC TR E DAT THE ARCHITECTURE OF BUDAPEST

REAL ESTATE F THE FU URE PROFILES OF SURV VAL

The VOICE OF REAL ESTATE IN TEXAS

from the pages of

Give yourself the gift of smiles – smiles that keep on giving. J

A handsome, artbook-style volume with the best Diversions to appear in over the last decade. A compendium you will treasure for years to come.

· A collector's edition.

· Over 375 humorous entries.

Available on Amazon.com, at BarnesAndNoble.com and in the Apple Book Store.

"This collection is laugh-out-loud funny!" Kirkland Review of Books

"Prescription: Read 3-4 pages a day for a month. It’ll brighten your day! And make it last a month." Susan Carnegie, The Montreal Voice

"This is simply genius. I kept on laughing the whole day when I read it."

Maria Tariq

"...absolutely hilarious! I laughed so hard that it brought tears to my eyes."

Randal Maynard

A Compilation of Sarcasm, Word Play, and Witticisms from the pages of Amazon.com BarnesAndNoble.com Apple Book Store.

THE BLUEPRINT

THE TOP 10 LEED-CERTIFIED BUILDINGS IN TEXAS

16

THE MOST VALUABLE REAL ESTATE IN AMERICA

Visual Capitalist’s graphic view of the 30 most valuable U.S. cities by total real estate value.

12 20

RAFAEL VIÑOLY ARCHITECTS

A profile of the versatile internationally renowned firm whose pragmatic overview expands the need for creativity rather than limits it.

FEATURES

THE MOST POPULAR ATTRACTIONS – STATE BY STATE A map to fascinate (and help make collectible - J).

28

A TRADEMARK TEXAS IDEA

Trademark property’s insightfully and creatively adapted to the changes made necessary by COVID-19.

31

THE WORLD’S SMALLEST COUNTRIES

Another list to fascinate (and help make collectible - J).

35 36

FOCUSING ON SAFETY TECH TO MAKE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSES ATTRACTIVE Kevin Libeg explains what it takes in today’s market to make your business more attractive to insurance companies.

THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

The home of the official portraits of the presidents of the United States.

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE ADVICE

A review of a new book by Terry Painter (and a contest prize).

PROFILES OF SURV VAL

Contributing Editor Roxana Tofan’s second entry in a new series of success stories in the time of coronavirus with a look at Jeff Weller of Lion Real Estate Group.

THE ARCHITECTURE OF BUDAPEST

A pictorial look at the capital and largest city of Hungary.

THE ARCHITECTURE OF BOSTON

A pictorial look at the architecture of the city known as the ‘Cradle of Liberty’.

39 40 42 44 46

THE JACQUES ROUGERIE FOUNDATION AWARDS

A pictorial look at the 2020 international architecture and art prizes.

Contributing

49

THE PAGE Short biographies of two renowned American men of words – Noah Webster and Peter Mark Roget.

EGAL VIEW – OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE MODERN

TEXAS LANDLORD

CHECK US OUT ON

ABOUT US

Now in our 29th year, we’ve outgrown the ability the list all of our real estate affiliated associations and include their logos on just one page. reaches over 50,000 Texas real estate professionals quarterly! We proudly serve and service any and all real estate associations in the state of Texas - including (but not necessarily limited to) the ones you see here. If your group isn’t shown and you’d like for us to include pictures, information and event-coverage, please let us know. Email: editor@crestnetwork.com or call the number above.

EXECUTIVE STAFF

ANDREW A. FELDER: Publisher/Managing Editor. aafelder@crestpublicationsgroup.com

XENIA MONTERO: Graphic Designer. xeniam.design@gmail.com

ANNETTE LAWLESS: Social Media Manager. annettelawless@hotmail.com

MARK ANGLE: Director of Business Development. mark@crestnetwork.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

ANGELA O’BYRNE, AIA: Amazing Buildings.

ROSE-MARY RUMBLEY: Herstory.

ANTHONY BARBIERI: Legal.

JULIE BRAND LYNCH: Professionals on the Move.

ROXANA TOFAN: Profiles of Survival.

ADVISORY BOARD

ANDY GABEHART: President & CEO of Office Interiors Group, 247Workspace.com, United Electronics Recycling.

KIM GHEZ: Director of Marketing, Presidio Title.

KRISTIN HIETT, CAE: Executive Director/CEO – IREM Dallas Chapter.

KIM HOPKINS: Executive Director, CREW Dallas.

JONATHAN KRAATZ: Executive Director, USGBC Texas Chapter.

MYCHELE LORD: CEO, Lord Green Strategies.

DOUG MCMURRY: Executive Vice President, San Antonio AGC.

LAURA MCDONALD STEWART, RID, FASID, ILDA LEED AP:

Editor of PLINTH and CHINTZ, an interior design blog.

JESSICA WARRIOR: Director of Property Management, Granite Properties.

STAFF, EDITORS & ADVISORY BOARD

Get the app!

(Search: Crest Network)

AFFILIATE ASSOCIATIONS

...truly a brighter, lighter side of real estate. Marti C. (Freehold, NJ)

A cover to cover gem!

Mike F. (Arlington, TX)

You can’t go anywhere without seeing a copy of .

Chad R. (Fort Worth, TX)

...entertaining and informative. Carla C. (New Braunfels, TX)

distribute, republish, display, or in any way commercially exploit any of the Content or infringe upon trademarks or service marks contained in such Content. GENERAL DISCLAIMER AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: magazine contains facts, views, opinions, statements and recommendations of third party individuals and organizations. The publisher does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement or other information displayed and any reliance upon same shall be at the viewer’s sole risk. The publisher makes no guarantees or representations as to, and shall have no liability for, any content delivered by any third party, including, without limitation, the accuracy, subject matter, quality or timeliness of any Content. Change of address: Mail to address above or email editor@crestpublicationsgroup.com

Laura McDonald

Andy Gabehart. Kim Ghez. Kristin Hiett. Kim Hopkins. Jonathan Kraatz. Mychele Lord. Doug McMurry. Stewart. Jessica Warrior.

Rose-Mary

Anthony Julie Brand

Andrew A. Felder. Xenia Montero. Annette Lawless. Mark Angle. Angela O’Byrne. Rumbley. Barbieri. Lynch. Roxana Tofan.

Our Digital Edition is an exact replica of the printed magazine, only better! Browse, save articles, or even check the archives for something you want to read again!

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

ANTHONY BARBIERI (P. 50) is a shareholder at Kessler Collins, where he enjoys a broad legal practice. He has been a speaker for ICSC, IREM, and BOMA, has taught continuing legal education seminars, and has been named a Texas Super Lawyer Rising Star for many years, as well as being a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. He and his wife, Cathy, enjoy traveling and spending time with their extended families, getting involved in their church and supporting the community through various programs – including raising awareness of muscular dystrophy, education and exercise to fight heart disease, providing care and treatment for autism, and counseling domestic-violence victims. He is also a Contributing Editor of and his Legal View appears in every issue.

JOHN HEFT (P. 34) is a Senior Vice President in RT’s Environmental and Construction Professional Liability (RT ECP) Practice. He has nearly 30 years of environmental underwriting experience that includes a solid base of real estate-focused work for a major brokerage firm, an insurance carrier and an environmental consultant. At RT ECP, he is responsible for developing and managing the real estate book of business; identifying and developing new and existing retail broker-age relationships; and providing insurance and optimal risk management solutions to retail brokers and clients. His specialty is the development of prospective portfolio environmental insurance programs that address the legacy liability issues surrounding contaminated properties.

KEVIN LIBEG (P. 35) has more than 10 years of experience in risk management. He is the Underwriting Supervisor of the Specialty Construction team within Argo Construction, a business unit of Argo Group. They specialize in primary general liability coverage as well as supported excess capacity on all submissions that exceed $25 million in sales outside of New York, with a focus on trade contractors and general contractors.

ANGELA O’BYRNE (P. 32) is the president of national architecture, design-build, and real estate development firm Perez, APC. She champions the principles of smart growth in her home community of New Orleans and in her frequent travels across the country and abroad. Born in Cali, Colombia, Angela is a licensed architect in over a dozen states, a licensed general contractor in Louisiana, a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and a member of the National CREW Network (Commercial Real Estate Women) Board of Directors. A singer, golfer, music-lover, and globetrotter, she relishes spending free time with her three grown children and large extended family. She is a Contributing Editor of and her Amazing Buildings feature appears in every issue.

HELP WANTED

ROSE-MARY RUMBLEY (P. 48) holds a Ph.D. in communications from the University of North Texas. She is a well-known speaker in Texas and enjoys researching each and every topic. She is a Contributing Editor of and Herstory appears in every issue.

ROXANA TOFAN (P. 40) is the owner of Clear Integrity Group in San Antonio, Texas and the company’s principal broker in Texas, Ohio and South Carolina. Her main focus is multifamily commercial brokerage in San Antonio area and property management. She enjoys taking over nonperforming properties and turning them around. She is also a Contributing Editor of and her Profiles of Survivors will appear in every issue. In addition to her company, her passion is giving back to the community as she volunteers for various support organizations such as Boy Scouts of America, Special Olympics, Alzheimer’s Association and supporting the military. She loves to travel with her teenage children and supporting their extra-curricular activities.

If you’re reading this, you know people in this industry – people who provide products or services, people who could benefit by broadening their customer base, people who will thank you for introducing them to .

You can be employed full time, employed part-time, unemployed, disabl-ed, retired – it doesn’t matter! You can earn generous commissions selling advertising in , Texas’s most widely read real estate publication.

Just call 682.224.5855 or email editor@crestnetwork.com and mention this ad to learn more about this advertising sales opportunity.

YOU NEED (OR MIGHT WANT) TO KNOW Editor’s note

ANDREW FELDER aafelder@crestpublicationsgroup.com Managing Editor & Publisher

You think the last words to the Star-Spangled Banner are, “Gentlemen, start your engines.”

You lit a match in the bathroom and your house exploded right off its wheels.

You take a six-pack cooler to church.

The blue book value of your truck goes up and down, depending on how much gas it has in it.

You have to go outside to get something out of the fridge.

One of your kids was born on a pool table.

You need one more hole punched in your card to get a freebie at the House of Tattoos.

YOU KNOW YOU’RE A REDNECK IF:

You let Your 12-Year-old daughter smoke at the table - in front of her kids.

You think Genitalia is an Italian airline.

A Halloween pumpkin on your front porch has more teeth than your spouse.

Last year you hid your Easter eggs under cow pies. You've been married 3 times and still have the same in-laws. You think a woman who is ‘out of your league’ bowls on a different night.

Jack Daniels makes your list of ‘Most Admired People’. You wonder how service stations keep their restrooms so clean. Someone in your family died right after saying, “Hey y'all. Watch this!”

You've got more than one brother named Darryl. You think that Dom Perignon is a mafia leader. Your wife's hairdo was once ruined by a ceiling fan. You go to your family reunion looking for a date. Your high school prom had a daycare.

You have flowers planted in a bathroom fixture in your front yard. You dated one of your parent’s current spouses in high school. You think loading the dishwasher means getting your wife drunk. Your school fight song is ‘Dueling Banjos.’

Your toilet paper has page numbers on it.

You can't get married to your sweetheart, 'cause there's a law against it. All

VIAGRA –IN NEED OF A SLOGAN? BORROW ONE.

10. Viagra. Whaazzzzz UP!

9. Viagra. The quicker pecker upper.

8. Viagra. Like a rock!

7. Viagra – when it absolutely, positively has to be there tonight.

6. Viagra. Be all that you can be.

5. Viagra. Reach out and touch someone.

4. Viagra. Strong enough for a man but made for a woman!

3. Viagra. Tastes great. More filling.

2. Viagra. We bring good things to life.

1. This is your penis. This is your penis on drugs.

the toilets in New York's police stations have been stolen.

The police have nothing to go on.

I have a dog to provide me with unconditional love, but I also have a cat to remind me that I don’t deserve it. It’s all about balance.

I’d never heard of the UNESCO Design Cities program before. Thanks for introducing it to me – or me to it.

Katelyn Mackenzie, Atlanta, GA

From Santa Claus on the cover to Frank Lloyd Wright and Hiroshima on the inside – another super issue, packed with information and fun!

Brad Romero, Austin, TX

I always enjoy the humor in the Editor’s Note and ‘Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?’ was right up there with the best of them. But I’m mostly writing to compliment the person (Xenia Montero) who does the layout and design for . It is very attractive and a great complement to the content!

Rachel Constantine, New York, NY

Over the course of this miserable year, your Lighter Side of the Pandemic diversions have been the source of many smiles in our home. Thank you!

Frank Underwood, Dallas, TX

'A GENERAL BEFORE HIS KING' BY TIM

DAVIS

Tim Davis's “A General Before His King” is a historical depiction of George Washington's prayer in late November 1777 before the history-changing battle at Valley Forge. Meticulous research was done to ensure the accuracy of the scene, depicting Washington's actual clothes, sword, horse, tack and the location in which it occurred. Tim plans to add other depictions of turning points in American History.

AFFILI TE NEWS

AIA DALLAS CHAPTER AWARD WINNERS

President's Medal in Recognition of Outstanding Achievement and Service to the Profession

Alejandro Hernández, AIA

Associate of the Year

Katie Hitt, Assoc. AIA

Young Architect of the Year

Alex Quintanilla, AIA

Allied Member of the Year

Bonick Landscaping

President Citation for Outstanding Contributions to E/D/I Initiatives

Alex Quintanilla, AIA / Shahad Sadeq, Assoc. AIA

Presidential Citation for Outstanding Contributions to the Tour of Homes

Ryan Thomason, Assoc. AIA

Presidential Citation for Outstanding Contributions to AD EX Summer Camps

Tracey Giardina / Brien Graham, AIA / Katie Hitt, Assoc. AIA / John Joiner, Assoc. AIA / Sangeetha Karthik, AIA / Michael Maddox, AIA / Danielle Odis / Oswaldo Rivera-Ortiz, Assoc. AIA

Presidential Citation for Outstanding Contributions to the TxA Convention

Alejandro Hernández, AIA / Chip Gordon, Assoc. AIA / Clemente Jaquez, AIA / Kyle Kenerley, AIA / Samantha Markham, AIA / Nick Thorn, AIA

Presidential Citation for Outstanding Contributions to AD EX + AIA Dallas IT

Jakob Luttrull

Presidential Citation for Outstanding Service in Advocacy and Outreach

Norman Alston, FAIA

Watch each recipient accepting their award here!

DIVERSI NS HE SAID | SHE SAID

He said: “Since I first laid eyes on you, I’ve wanted to make love to you really badly.”

She said: “Well, you succeeded.”

2021 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

A couple is lying in bed. He turns to her and says, “I’m going to make you the happiest woman in the world.”

She says, “I’ll miss you.”

“It’s just too hot to wear clothes today,” he said as he stepped out of the shower. “Honey, what do you think the neighbors would think if I mowed the lawn like this?”

“Probably that I married you for your money,” she replied.

He said: “Shall we try swapping positions tonight?”

She said: “That’s a good idea. You stand by the ironing board while I sit on the sofa and fart.”

He said: “What have you been doing with all of the grocery money I give you?”

She said: “Turn sideways and look in the mirror.”

From the laundry room, he shouted, “What setting do I use on the washing machine?”

“It depends,” she called back. “What does it say on your shirt?”

“University of Oklahoma”, he yelled. She thought, ‘...and they say blondes are dumb.’

to me. It means a lot.

é (L-R) Krista Dorn, Melissa Coo, Laurie Montgomery, Heidi Sher, and Laura Fuller.

é (L-R): Tucker Jordan (Marksman Security) Industry Partner Advisor; Bethany Freeman, CPM, Vice President; Carla Eakman, Secretary/Treasurer; Greg Wingate, CPM , President; Melinda Payne, CPM, Executive Director.

é (L-R) Rebecca Hutchins, Michael Harrison, and Eileen Kondoff.

é (L-R) Ricky Hebert, Christy Rhone, and Chris Clements.

YOU NEED (OR MIGHT WANT) TO KNOW YOU NEED (OR MIGHT WANT) TO KN W

THE SOURCE OF POWER

texas produces more electricitY than any other state and, since 2001, natural gas has been the top generation source. Coal is in second place, but its share has declined while wind power has increased. Wind surpassed nuclear as the third large source of electricity (in Texas) in 2014 and Texas now produces more power from wind that any other state. (Source: NY Times)

MENTAL HEALTH

Signed into law in October of 2020, the National Suicide

Hotline Designation Act is intend-ed to a create a 911 equivalent for anyone experiencing a mental health emergency (e.g., suicide ideation). Obviously more reflex-ive than the 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the three-digit number (988) is expected to be effect by July of 2022. It will connect callers with specialists at crisis centers and, according to Regina Miranda (a suicide researcher at Hunter College), “this three-digit number has the potential to make a substantial difference.”

his pants, in the US they remind him, “Your fly is open.”

In the UK they say, “Your Flies Are Undone!” And before WWII (in England), they used to say, “There’s a star in the East.” Buttons, zipper, Velcro or whatever it is, it would still be called a fly or zipper. The word "fly" was coined to indicate a tent flap in 1810. As typical in languages, the word was probably associated with the action of an open tent flap (that when it flapped would appear to fly).

EQUAL TIME, WOMAN

FURLOUGHED EMPLOYEES

YOUR FLY IS OPEN, MAN

When a man has forgotten to zip

The bra gets its name from the French word "brassière" which came from the older word "bracière" which meant "arm protector." A bracière was a type of military armor worn over a soldier's chest, but this would eventually be applied to a kind of corset worn by women. Bras have gained importance beyond their mere functionality as a garment – but you already know that!

THE TOP 10 LEED-CERTIFIED BUILDINGS IN TEXAS

Generally, a furlough means that a worker’s hours have been suspended, that he or she has to take some unpaid time off. A furloughed worker is still considered to be an active employee and is eligible for (at least) some benefits (most importantly, health benefits). The word ‘furlough’ doesn’t have a legal (and uniform) meaning, but the understanding between the employer and the employee is that the employee will be cal-led back to work. Be

The future, the present and the past walked into a bar. Things got a little tense.

é Third + Shoal in Austin.

é Bank of America Tower in Houston.

careful, however, because a furlough can lead to termination, particularly in these uncertain times when an anticipated short-term furlough goes on and on and on.

Furloughed workers aren’t paid for the time they don’t work, though they are still employees. However, if they are called back to work, even for a short time, they must be paid their regular salary or rate. Furloughed workers can (and should) apply for unemployment benefits; they are eligible. And an employer cannot

restrict furloughed employees from taking other work outside the company. (This presumes that there is not a non-competition agreement in place. If there is, you should consult an employment attorney with regard to your rights.)

NEBRASKA MAY HAVE THE RIGHT IDEA

The Nebraska state legislature is the only unicameral state legislature in the United States. It was designed in the 1930s with features to encourage and promote deliberative democracy by fostering transparency and minimizing (often divisive) party politics. All of the legislators are called senators and they operate in a system that is set up to encourage genuine deliberation - something which, presumably, is good for everyone.

The unicameral legislature was conceived and promoted by George Norris, who represented Nebraska in the U.S. Congress from 1903 to 1943 (first as a Republican member of the House, then as a Republican senator, and finally as an Independent senator). In 1934, Nebraskans voted to replace their bicameral legislature with a unicameral one beginning in 1937. began operation in 1937. It has a single chamber consisting of 49 senators (representing 49 legislative districts), half of whom are elected every two years. The Lieutenant Governor is the President of the Legislature and the official presiding officer. When presiding, the Lieutenant Governor may vote to break a tie in the Legislature but may not break a tie when the vote is on the final passage of a bill.

Every bill is assigned to a committee which holds a public hearing, and bills approved by the committees are heard on the floor, where all 49 senators can participate at each stage of deliberation. There are no secret processes or committees to resolve differences in bills passed by two chambers. The Nebraska senators are elected on a nonpartisan basis. All candidates run in the same primary; the top two go onto the general election. (They might be a Republican and a Democrat, but they also could both be members of the same party.)

For your consideration: 36 bicameral state legislatures have the responsibility to draw state legislative district lines. (After the 2020 election, Republicans control 24 of these.) In the other jurisdic tions, no individual drawing the lines can be a legislator or public official. (Note: These numbers are different for congressional districts.) the oddity of the shapes – the colored areas - of the state senate districts in Texas (where there is a bicame ral legislature, and partisan groups rede sign the districts after each census) and that of Nebraska (where there is a unicameral legis lature which redesigns the districts only when warranted).

KILLING ME (NOT SO) SOFTLY

According to the Associated Press, the Justice Department quietly amended its execution protocols, so as to no longer require federal death sentences to be carried out by lethal injection. This clears the way to use other methods – such as firing squads and poison gas. The amended rule – which went into effect

on December 24th – allows the U.S. government to conduct executions by lethal injections or to use “any other manner prescribed by the law of the state in which the sentence was imposed.” This means that in a number of states, electrocution, inhaling nitrogen gas or death by firing squad will be permitted.

(Note: The first prisoner executed by lethal injection in the United States was in Texas in 1982. Hanging is still a lawful means of execution in Texas.) n

1. Architecture

2. Fine painting

3. Sculpture

4. Music

5. Dance

6. Drama

7. Poetry and literature.

1. Pride 5. Gluttony

2. Greed 6. Wrath

3. Lust 7. Sloth

4. Envy

U.S. Recycling is in a Crisis.

So let's fix it, shall we?

Sad news: Due to di erent and confusing labels on recycling bins, U.S. recycling is in trouble. But don't despair — help is on the way!

Good news: The nonpro t Recycle Across America® has created standardized recycling labels that make it easy to recycle right! Millions of standardized labels are already being displayed on recycling bins society-wide — in airports, stadiums, schools, national parks, businesses, and homes. The standardized labels are proving to be the most important and e ective way to x this crisis.

You can help - text FIX IT to 40649, and when someone o ers you single-use plastic like a plastic bag or straw, please, refuse it, don’t use it!™

To learn more about the standardized labels for recycling bins and how to recycle right, visit RecycleAcrossAmerica.org.

Text FIX IT to 40649

to ask community leaders to join the

t solution to x the confusion at the bin.

Kristen Bell

Actress and Volunteer “Let’s

Recycle Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to expediting environmental progress by introducing society-wide standardized labels on recycling bins to make it easy and possible for the public to begin to recycle right® – wherever they might be.

"Let's recycle right ! " ® Society-wide standardized labels on bins make it easy.

My girlfriend treats me like God. She ignores my existence and only talks to me when she needs something.

Bangkok temple: IT IS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER A WOMAN, EVEN A FOREIGNER, IF DRESSED AS A MAN.

Cocktail lounge, Norway: LADIES ARE REQUESTED NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE BAR.

Doctor's office, Rome: SPECIALIST IN WOMEN AND OTHER DISEASES.

Dry cleaners, Bangkok: DROP YOUR TROUSERS HERE FOR THE BEST RESULTS.

Nairobi restaurant: CUSTOMERS WHO FIND OUR WAITRESSES RUDE, OUGHT TO SEE THE MANAGER!

On the main road to Mombasa, leaving Nairobi:

TAKE NOTICE: WHEN THIS SIGN IS UNDER WATER, THIS ROAD IS IMPASSABLE.

Mombasa restaurant: OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND WEEKENDS.

Cemetery in Beirut: PERSONS ARE PROHIBITED FROM PICKING FLOWERS, FROM ANY BUT THEIR OWN GRAVES.

Tokyo hotel's rules and regulations: GUESTS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO SMOKE OR DO OTHER DISGUSTING BEHAVIOURS IN BED.

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:  OUR WINES LEAVE YOU NOTHING TO HOPE FOR.

Tokyo bar: SPECIAL COCKTAILS FOR THE LADIES WITH NUTS.

Hotel, Yugoslavia: THE FLATTENING OF UNDERWEAR WITH PLEASURE IS THE JOB OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

Hotel, Japan: YOU ARE INVITED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

DIVERSI NS

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF THE PANDEMIC – PART 6

What types of jokes are allowed during quarantine? Inside jokes!

The dumbest thing I ever bought was a 2020 planner.

I was so bored, I called Jake from State Farm just to talk to someone. He asked me what I was wearing.

2019: Stay away from negative people. 2020: Stay away from positive people.

This morning I saw a neighbor talking to her dog. It was obvious she thought her dog understood her. I went into my house and told my cat. We laughed a lot.

Never in a million years could I have imagined I would go to a bank teller wearing a mask and ask for money.

Quarantine seems like a Netflix series. Just when you think it's over, they release the next season.

To all the ladies that were praying for their husbands to spend more time with them... how are you doing?

So many coronavirus jokes out there. It’s a pundemic!

Moscow hotel, across from a Russian Orthodox Monastery: YOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT THE CEMETERY, WHERE FAMOUS RUSSIAN AND SOVIET COMPOSERS, ARTISTS, AND WRITERS ARE BURIED DAILY, EXCEPT THURSDAY.

A sign in Germany's Black Forest: IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN ON OUR BLACK FOREST CAMPING SITE, THAT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT SEX, FOR INSTANCE MEN AND WOMEN, LIVE TOGETHER IN ONE TENT, UNLESS THEY ARE MARRIED WITH EACH OTHER FOR THIS PURPOSE.

Hotel, Zurich: BECAUSE OF THE IMPROPRIETY OF ENTERTAINING GUESTS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX IN THE BEDROOM, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE LOBBY BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE.

Advertisement for donkey rides, Thailand: WOULD YOU LIKE TO RIDE ON YOUR OWN ASS?

Airline ticket office, Copenhagen: WE TAKE YOUR BAGS AND SEND THEM IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

Laundry in Rome: LADIES, LEAVE YOUR CLOTHES HERE AND THEN SPEND THE AFTERNOON HAVING A GOOD TIME.

In an Abu Dhabi shop window: IF THE FRONT IS CLOSED, PLEASE ENTER THROUGH MY BACKSIDE.

TR E DAT: WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?

WHY ARE PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC EYE

SAID TO BE 'IN THE LIMELIGHT'?

Because, invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and theatres by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, a performer 'in the limelight' was the center of attention.

WHY DO SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT USE 'MAYDAY' AS THEIR CALL FOR HELP?

BECAUSE MAYDAY COMES FROM THE FRENCH WORD M'AIDEZ - MEANING ' HELP ME' - AND IT IS PRONOUNCED, APPROXIMATELY, 'MAYDAY.'

Why do Xs at the end of a letter signify kisses?

Because, in the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?

Because, in earlier times, it was common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would only touch or clink the host's glass with his own.

Big Cheeks, a grandson of slaves, was a boy born in a poor neighborhood of New Orleans known as the "Back of Town." His father abandoned the family when he was an infant. His mother became a prostitute and he and his sister went to live with their grandmother. At a young age, he proved to be gifted in music and with three other kids he sang in the streets of New Orleans. His first earnings were coins that were thrown to them. The Karnofsky family, who had emigrated from Lithuania to the USA, took pity on the 7-year-old boy and brought him into their home, where, for the first time in his life, he was treated with kindness and tenderness. Mrs. Karnovsky sang him a Russian lullaby and later he learned to sing and play several Russian and Jewish songs. The Karnofskys adopted him and bought his first musical instrument, and when that little Black boy grew up, he wrote a book about this Jewish family who had adopted him in 1907. In memory of this family and until the end of his life, he wore a Star of David and said that in this family, he had learned "how to live real life and determination.” The little boy was named Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong. He proudly spoke Yiddish fluently. And "Satchmo" is Yiddish for "Big Cheeks".

Why is someone who is feeling great 'on cloud nine'?

Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?

Because, when buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right. And that's where women's buttons have remained since.'

Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called 'passing the buck'?

Because, in card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing, he would 'pass the buck' to the next player.

Where did the golf term 'Caddie' come from?

Because types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.

Why are many coin collection jar banks shaped like pigs?

Because, long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called 'pygg'. When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as 'pygg banks.' When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a container that resembled a pig. And it caught on.

When Mary Queen of Scots went to France as a young girl, King Louis learned that she loved the Scots’ game 'golf.' He had the first course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland (which turned out not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day' and the Scots changed it to caddie.

Few women admit their age; few men act it.

in november, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) announced the launch of the Curtis Infrastructure Initiative, a multi-year initiative to identify and promote infrastructure solutions to create equitable, resilient cities and enhance long-term community value.

The program aims to provide research and practical tools to help ULI members advance infrastructure investment and new solutions to local infrastructure issues, along with directly supporting member engagement at the local level through engagement with the organization’s 52 district councils. In the first year alone, between $15,000 to $25,000 will be provided to six of those councils to launch a series of technical assistance and capacity building projects that will provide recommendations and take local action to address complex infrastructure challenges. Additional grants will be awards in future years.

To secure the funding, each District Council has been asked to submit proposals, which focus on creating impact through the implementation of a plan of action that will result in outcomes such as shifts in policy and practice, change in community/ industry prioritization, change in design/planning, and/or new infrastructure projects. The Curtis Infrastructure Initiative will take lessons learned from these projects to develop a toolkit for infrastructure implementation to provide replicable solutions. The term “infrastructure” includes transportation, critical utilities (energy, water, waste, and telecommunications), and the key spaces that build community (anchor institutions, housing, and parks and open space).

Overseeing the strategic direction and providing program guidance will be the Curtis Infrastructure Initiative’s Global Advisory Board, comprising leading figures in the real estate and land use industry who will serve terms of up to three years on a voluntary basis. The board consists of:

• Craig Lewis, principal, Stantec, who will chair the board.

• Patrick Callahan, Americas Executive Committee Member, founder and chief executive officer, Urban Renaissance Group.

• Debra Campbell, city manager of Asheville, North Carolina.

• Stephen Engblom, executive vice president, AECOM.

• Todd Mansfield, former ULI Global Chairman, chairman and chief executive officer, Crescent Communities.

• Kelly Nagel, senior vice president, Stoltz Real Estate Partners.

• Mike Parker, Americas infrastructure leader, EY.

• Tyrone Rachal, president, Urban Key Capital Partners.

• Leslie Woo, Americas Executive Committee Member and chief executive officer, CivicAction and CivicAction Leadership Foundation.

The six district councils which will initially be funded by the Initiative are: Cincinnati, Louisiana, Minnesota, Toronto, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio.

In DFW, the district council will conduct a technical assistance panel to recommend infrastructure priorities within Fort Worth’s historically Black Stop Six neighborhood as part of the city’s match for a significant HUD grant. The project will involve civic leaders and community voices in determining the best way to allocate the local funds for infrastructure to support equitable investment.

In San Antonio, the district council will convene a task force to explore innovative and equitable mobility services to maximize transportation tax revenue, reduce vehicle miles travelled and expand first and last mile solutions within the VIA Metropolitan Transit system. This includes the goal to provide better access to education across the city and region.

The Curtis Infrastructure Initiative is named after the late James (Jim) J. Curtis III, who was a former ULI Foundation Chairman as well as managing partner at Bristol Group, a San Francisco–based real estate investment and development firm, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 65. He was well known for being intensely passionate about his interests–including ULI, which he had been a member of for nearly 40 years–and believed that “we shape our infrastructure, and thereafter our infrastructure shapes us.” n

RAFAEL VIÑOLY ARCHITECTS

Founded in 1983 and based in New York City — with offices in London, Manchester, Abu Dhabi, Buenos Aires, and Cupertino — this internationally renowned architectural firm has projects spanning six continents. The practice’s key trademark is its ability to reinvent institutional typologies and integrate the public realm into civic buildings, including award-winning courthouses, museums, performing arts centers, convention centers, athletic facilities, banks, hotels, hospitals, laboratories, recreational venues, residential complexes, and commercial, industrial, and educational facilities. Projects range in scale from laboratory casework to large urban commercial and institutional master plans and historical restorations.

For over thirty years, Rafael Viñoly Architects has developed a design methodology that adapts to a project’s limitations and transcends them. Essential to this methodology is the idea that design is more than the product of any single person’s vision— that it should be the result of a collaborative process that elevates the goals of the stakeholders beyond the specifics of each independent requirement into a cohesive whole. Lead Designer Rafael Viñoly interprets and inspires by anticipating the consequences of each stakeholder’s view in physical and performance terms in order to produce a building that is functional, economical, efficient, and secure as well as inspiring, transparent, welcoming, and appropriate.

The firm is managed by the Vice President Jay Bargmann, who also administers projects jointly with each of the firm’s project directors. This structure guarantees consistency and high standards of design and documentation and enables the firm to maintain its longstanding record of successfully completed fast-track, designbuild projects, as well as conventionally scheduled and organized assignments worldwide.

The firm considers design as an integrated field in which programming, function, implementation, engineering, economic feasibility, and cultural impact are not independent concerns or disciplines but elements which should be equally evaluated and addressed. This approach requires versatility, expertise, and above all a pragmatic overview that expands the need for creativity rather than limits it.

Designs are evaluated against parameters of functionality, operations, construction cost, urban significance, civic compatibility, and schedule. Each of the firm’s designs are studied three-dimensionally in models and rendered in plan and section. The firm’s goal is to build a structure based on the principle that the disciplines of planning, programming and architectural design are inextricably woven with engineering and other specialized services such as lighting and acoustics. Issues are addressed in their totality as a composite of

aesthetic, functional, social, technical and economic factors. Rafael Viñoly Architects’ openness in explaining the mechanisms of architectural thinking is the way to avoid exerting an exaggerated control over the process and to generate a sense of collective ownership in the decision-making process.

1/ 20 Fenchurch Street London, United Kingdom

An innovative tower concept that departs from conventional architectural expression by enlarging the floor plates at the top of the building, creating additional floor area to the valuable upper stories. The tower is crowned by a three-level Sky Garden, London’s first free, public green space and observation deck at the top of a building.

Women sometimes make fools of men, but most guys are the do-it-yourself type.

With great reflexes comes great response ability.

2/ The Stavros Niarchos FoundationDavid Rockefeller River Campus at The Rockefeller University

New York, New York

A new laboratory, educational and campus life facilities are accommodated in a horizontal expansion that bridges over the adjacent FDR drive and generously extends the University’s landmarked gardens to the edge of the East River.

3/ New Stanford Hospital

Stanford, California

A universal module measuring roughly 120 by 120 feet is deployed in a checkerboard pattern to generate a floor plan that can be easily adapted for a variety of uses and allows both for incremental expansion of the hospital building and a horizontal development strategy that complements the low-rise campus context of the university and its Medical Center.

4/ New York University Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, UAE

A split-level, pedestrian-oriented network of 29 academic, arts, residential, student life, and research buildings integrate regional and Western planning typologies to create a comfortable microclimate that enables a flowering of intellectual liberalism in the heart of the Middle East.

5/ Carrasco International Airport

Montevideo, Uruguay

The gentle curve and low profile of the airport’s monolithic roof is inspired by the rolling dunes along Uruguay’s coastline. While the architectural solution for the airport is modern in its conception of space, function, and structure, the roof is regionally inspired and draws its strength from its relationship to the surrounding topography.

6/ 432 Park Avenue

New York, New York, USA

A 1,396-foot-tall tower defined by a grid of 110-square-foot windows that enclose an exposed concrete structural frame bounded to a slim concrete core, creating column-free interiors for the building’s 104 luxury residences.

7/ Tokyo International Forum

Tokyo, Japan

A unique civic complex on a 6.7-acre site that is fully accessible to the public yet sheltered from the frenetic pace of its urban surroundings. The city’s pre-eminent arts center hosts a variety of global exchange and cultural events in a complex that includes one of the most daring structures ever built in Japan.

8/ Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Campus

Ashburn, Virginia

A leading-edge, naturally lit laboratory built into the natural contours of the site in rural Virginia and features what was the largest green roof in the world at the time it was built. The bucolic campus encompasses conference and dining facilities as well as short, medium, and long-term residential units for visiting researchers. n

REAL ESTATE F THE FU URE THE WANDA SHOPPING MALL

(A CONCEPTUAL PLAN FOR A CHINESE ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITION)

by YEAH Architects

Yeah is a london based practice with integrated services including architecture, interior design, master-planning and urban design, landscape design. The practice has won several awards and one project (Sustainable Shopping Centre) is what you see here - the shopping center of the future.

The growth of online shopping has transformed the world’s retail markets, especially shopping centers. Large stores have been shrinking their footprints and experimenting with using physical stores to complement their online sales.

Creating a unique shopping experience is key to creating a successful scheme - combining it with leisure, lifestyle, and making it more personal to the community. The shopping centers of the future will become community hubs, bringing everything that people need including working space, shopping, leisure, public spaces together in one place – with a smaller footprint, be self-sustainable, re-usable, adaptable to social needs, and flexible enough to respond to changes of use.

The design here is a sphere, not only because it is unique and looks spectacular, but also because it allows for a smaller footprint; it is less expensive to build than a traditional shopping center; and it is disaster-proof, energy efficient and has endless design possibilities. The mixed-use functionality stacks vertically, with the retail portion at mid-level being the largest floorplate. At the ground floor, visitors will be greeted by art spaces and public galleries.

The layout is an infinite loop, with retail and food and beverage components in the outer

and inner part of the ring. Once a customer is finished with his/her shopping, the large public garden above the retail floors offer a break and amazing views, including lush green spaces and restaurants with an alfresco dining experience. Offices and apartments can be inserted in the upper levels, offering fantastic views - both inwards and outwards. And, on the top floor, there is a vertical farm to promote sustainable neighborhoods and healthy lifestyles.

(www.yeaharchitects.com)

See a video of the shopping center here. n

I'm in a long-distance relationship. My girlfriend is in the future.

è Manuel Caicoya, Founder and Principal Partner

THE FIVE TALLEST BUILDINGS ON EVERY CONTINENT

NORTH AMERICA

1/ One World Trade CenterNew York City, US (2014) 1,776 ft

2/ Central Park Tower - New York City, US (2020) 1,550 ft

3/ Willis Tower - Chicago, US (1974) 1,451 ft

4/ 111 W. 57th Street - New York City, US (2020) 1,428 ft

5/ One Vanderbilt - New York City, US (2020) 1,401 ft

SOUTH AMERICA

1/ Gran Torre SantiagoSantiago, Chile (2014) 984 ft

2/ Yachthouse Residence Club Towers 1 and 2 - Balneário Camboriú, Brazil (2020) 922 ft

3/ Alvear Tower - Buenos Aires, Argentina (2017) 784 ft

4/ Infinity Coast - Balneário Camboriú, Brazil (2019) 771 ft

5/ Parque Central Complex: East Tower - Caracas, Venezuela (1983) 738 ft

ASIA

1/ Burj Kalifa - Dubai, UAE (2010) 2,715 ft

2/ Shanghai Tower - Shanghai, China (2016) 2,073 ft

3/ Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel - Mecca, Saudi Arabia (2012) 1,971 ft

4/ Goldin Finance 117 - Tianjin, China (2018) 1,958 ft

5/ Ping An Finance CenterShenzhen, China (2017) 1,965 ft

OCEANIA

1/ Q1 - Queensland, Australia (2005) 1,058 ft

2/ Australia 108 - Melbourne, Australia (2020) 1,039 ft

3/ Eureka Tower - Melbourne, Australia (2006) 974.4 ft

4/ Crown Sydney - Sydney, Australia (2020) 869.1 ft

5/ Aurora Melbourne Central - Melbourne, Australia (2019) 889.1 ft

AFRICA

1/ The Leonardo - Johannesburg, South Africa (2019) 768 ft

2/ Carlton Centre - Johannesburg, South Africa (1973) 732 ft

3/ Britam Tower - Nairobi, Kenya (2017) 660 ft

4/ Pointe City Apartments,Johannesburg, South Africa (1975) 568 ft

5/ UAP Tower - Nairobi, Kenya (2016) 535 ft

EUROPE

1/ Lakhta Center - Saint Petersburg, Russia (2019) 1,517 ft

2/ Federation Tower: East Tower - Moscow, Russia (2016) 1,226 ft

3/ Oko: South Tower - Moscow, Russia (2015) 1,162 ft

4/ Neva Tower 2 - Moscow, Russia (2019) 1,132 ft

5/ Mercury City TowerMoscow, Russia (2013) 1,112 ft

ANTARCTICA

The tallest buildings are the Long Duration Balloon Payload Preparation Buildings in McMurdo Station City, a research center on the southern tip of Ross Island. Completed in 2005, the buildings (both 49 feet tall) are part of a U.S. Research Centre, operated by the National Science Foundation (NSF). They are moveable buildings built on skis placed on a berm.

LOOKING AHEAD

Jeddah Tower (previously known as Kingdom Tower is a stalled construction project in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It is planned to be the world's first 1 km (3,281 ft) high building, but was halted in January of 2018. The design (which is supposed to surpass the Burj Khalif in Dubai by 276 feet) was created by American architect Adrian Smith (who also designed the Burj Khalifa). Construction has not yet resumed.n

TITLE AFFILI TE NEWS

NO MORE THAN 50% OF WORKFORCE WILL BE BACK ONSITE UNTIL AT LEAST JUNE

while 14% forecast an increase. However, of those, 23% say that it will be a decrease of 10% or less, 27% say that it will be a decrease of 10 to 30%, and 20% say that it will be a decrease of greater than 30%.

In other findings:

in a surveY oF corporate real estate professionals on the effects of the pandemic, 50% of the respondents said that it would be at least until June when more than 50% of workers return onsite. 17% say that it will be later than that. In September, CoreNet Global conducted a survey of its worldwide membership to gain insight on how the ongoing COVID-19 crisis is impacting corporate real estate management. One hundred two members responded to the survey, which was an update to the previous survey conducted between May 27th and 16 June 16th.

And when workers do return, the office is likely to be a place for collaboration and teamwork, rather than individual work, say 86% of the respondents.

When asked “Is the 9-5, Monday-Friday work pattern with a commute a thing of the past?” some 64% answered “Yes,” up from 58% in the previous survey. 36% of respondents answered “No,” down from 42% in the previous survey.

Survey respondents reported that, moving forward, their company’s employees will spend about 50% of their time in a traditional office, 42% of their time in a home-based office or other remote location, and 7% of their time in a co-working space.

46% of survey respondents report that their company’s use of co-working spaces will remain the same following the COVID19 crisis, while 28% anticipate a decrease and 26% anticipate an increase.

AVERAGE CORPORATE REAL ESTATE FOOTPRINT

70% of survey respondents think their corporate real estate footprint will shrink over the next two years. 16% expect no change in the footprint during the next two years,

• 34% of survey respondents are not providing a per-employee financial allowance for home office setup (e.g., technology, furniture). 17% are providing between $100 and $250, and 17% are providing between $250 and $500. 7% of respondents’ per-employee allocation is less than $100, and 5% are providing more than $500. Almost one-fifth (19 percent) are providing assistance on an as-needed basis.

• 62% of survey respondents report that they would now consider hiring full-time employees without consideration of location (e.g., under the assumption that they would be able to work remotely 100% of the time), down from 69%in the previous survey. 38% indicated that they would not consider hiring full-time employees on that basis, up from 31% in the previous survey.

• 71% of survey respondents reported that their company will not shy away from city-center locations in densely packed urban areas that require the use of public transport (unchanged from the previous survey). 29% of respondents indicated that their company would shy away from such locations in the future (unchanged from the previous survey).

• When asked “Will pandemic readiness on the part of cities and localities become more of a factor in your company’s siteselection plans?” 66% said “Yes” (up from 50% in the previous survey). 34% said “No” (down from 50% in the previous survey).

• 67& of respondents think the COVID19 crisis will lead to more on-shoring or re-shoring of manufacturing, up from 44% in the previous survey. n

A TRADEMARK TEXAS IDEA

the holidaY season certainlY looked different for everyone this year, but the innovative retail management team at Trademark Property made insightful changes to maintain the magic of the holiday season while accommodating changes in community needs and regulations, encouraging safe social distancing and accommodating the goals of their retail tenants.

The Trademark team worked to create meaningful and magical experiences at all of their Texas properties while following all CDC and community public health guidelines. The varied installations and experiences they created at Galleria Dallas, Watters Creek in Allen, Market Street-The Woodlands and La Palmera in Corpus Christi are indicative of the innovative and forward-thinking leadership from top to bottom of the organization.

safety. Trademark worked with the designers at Alpine to create a socially-distanced, ADA compliant sleigh set. Santa was positioned and elevated on a 6-foot distanced throne. A non-reflective plexiscreen created added protection. By using an advance reservation platform, Santa knew each child’s name, the names of siblings and pets, and had prompts to help the child discuss his or her Christmas wishes. Families lauded the installation for its innovation, hygiene and sense of magic.

Galleria Dallas was also forced to create socially distanced versions of its most attended events, including their Grand Tree Lighting. Traditionally, thousands of families would have crowded around the Galleria Ice Skating Center to watch world-class skaters as they performed around the country’s tallest indoor Christmas tree. This year, the center partnered with the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center to create a socially distanced private event that maintained the magic of the season in a more intimate fashion. The center also hosted Chamberlain Ballet as they performed a socially-distanced version of The Nutcracker and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and their Concert Truck. The most successful new socially distanced installation was a partnership with SnowDay Dallas, an immersive experience which drew thousands of guests to visit with reserved times to manage traffic.

“It was important to Galleria Dallas to maintain the magic of the season,” explained Galleria Dallas Director of Marketing Megan Townsend. “We were thrilled to be able to help the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center raise funds while hosting an amazing skate show and tree lighting experience.”

One of the biggest challenges facing Galleria Dallas and other shopping centers was how to offer families a Santa experience while respecting parent’s desires to keep themselves and their children safe during COVID. Trademark’s Director of Guest Experience Stephany Ruiz took the challenge on headfirst for Galleria Dallas and other Trademark destinations. The Santa Express at Platform 12.24 at Galleria Dallas is a carefully curated digital Santa experience designed to maintain the magic while ensuring

Despite COVID-19, La Palmera in Corpus Christi found a safe way to welcome Santa, and thousands of guests, by replacing its traditional parade and party with Santa’s Arrival Drive N’ Wave Parade. Nearly 1,200 vehicles lined up to take their turn driving the socially distanced, audio-guided parade route along the front of the mall, enjoying musical performances, entertainment, holiday characters and Santa himself. The two-hour event was so popular with residents, it was extended an additional hour to accommodate the demand.

In my spare time I like to read, write, and fall in love with unavailable people.

Two blondes fell down a hole. One said, "It's dark in here. Isn't it?" The other replied, "I don't know. I can't see."

Watters Creek in Allen, shifted its traditional holiday kids program, Elves Inc., to be a to-go experience in light of this year’s limitations. Traditionally, children and their families would gather together at the center to craft and have fun; but this year, holiday craft project kits were packaged and distributed to parents and kids so they could have fun, be creative and continue this fun tradition at home. Providing at-home projects still allowed families to have engaging, hands-on activities to do together.

At Market Street-The Woodlands, their annual Tree Lighting celebration kicked off on Friday, November 20 with a video that honored community healthcare workers and showcased the tree being turned on for the first time this season on Market Street’s social media channels. Following the private lighting, guests were invited to enjoy the festive light display daily from one of the marked social distance circles. The giant tree has been a popular destination for videos and photos!

Chuck Steelman, Vice President of Experience for Trademark Property, recognizes the important impact that meaningful engagement creates within communities. “As retail properties evolve, it is critical that we continue to serve as community gathering places where shoppers are encouraged to engage and participate,” explained Steelman. “Experiential marketing is shaping the future of retail, and we plan to remain on the forefront of that evolution.” n

A NON-TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO BUSINESS COLLECTIONS

Business-to-business debts require special, focused expertise and finesse... and the selection of your commercial collection service is an important decision. It revolves around Service, Trust and Recovery. Rates are important, and recovery is the objective (the bottom line)... but there is more to it.

The company you choose will be handling your money, talking to your customers, and representing you in the marketplace. You want your money as soon as possible – but you don’t want to lose clients.

At

Arsenal Business Collections (ABC)

, you’re never out-of-pocket for our services. We collect (at prearranged terms) and when – and only when –we succeed (i.e., once we collect money owed to you), do we get paid. There is no fee UNLESS and UNTIL we collect!

Our payment is contingent upon your recovery – so our success is integrally tied to yours.

As a privately-owned company, we make decisions based on what is best for clients, not shareholders or outside investors. Our focus is exclusively on improving your bottom line, and we have the knowledge and experience to deliver exceptional results.

THE WORLD’S 100 SMALLEST COUNTRIES (IN SQUARE MILES)

1. Vatican City 0.19

2. Monaco 0.78

3. Nauru 8.1

4. Tuvalu 10

5. San Marino 24

6. Liechtenstein 62

7. Marshall Islands 70

8. Saint Kitts and Nevis 101

9. Maldives 120

10. Malta 122

11. Grenada 133

12. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 150 13. Barbados 170

14. Antigua and Barbuda 171 15. Seychelles 175

16. Palau 177

17. Andorra 181

18. Saint Lucia 238

19. Federated States of Micronesia 271

20. Singapore 280

21. Tonga 288

22. Dominica 290 23. Bahrain 300

24. Kiribati 313

25. São Tomé and Príncipe 372 26. Comoros

ANGELA O’BYRNE aobyrne@e-perez.com

A MODERN HOME FOR ANCIENT RELICS THE GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM

bY most estimates, the Great Pyramid of Giza—one of the most enduring icons of architecture and a pinnacle of human achievement—took between ten and twenty years to build. While the method and circumstances of the pyramid’s construction are still a matter of spirited debate, it seems clear that the structure went up in a flurry, rising taller above Cairo with each passing day.

Less than a mile away, the Grand Egyptian Museum is on track to take significantly longer than the pyramid complex it celebrates. Kicking off in 2002, the ambitious project was originally slated to open back in 2011, but a series of financial challenges and logistical delays have hampered its progress.

The new museum is envisioned as a significant upgrade to the existing Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo, (pictured at right) which was built in 1902 and now lags behind in modern security, preservation, and curatorial practices. Compared with its Grand counterpart, the original museum now seems almost hopelessly quaint, a regional curiosity or a relic of another era.

Today, the $795 million Grand Egyptian Museum is hurtling toward an early-2021 opening date—though smart money would leave the door open for another postponement. While various 90-something “percentage complete” estimates have been tossed

around by officials, the Coronavirus pandemic proved to be the final nail in the project’s 2020 sarcophagus.

Whenever it does open, the massive building will house some of the world’s most famous treasures, including the complete collection of Tutankhamun artifacts (together again for

Music makes every day better, especially if you turn it up just loud enough to drown out all the people around you.

é Egyptian Museum of Cairo.

Angela O’Byrne, FAIA, is President of Perez, APC, a 70+ year-old architecture, planning, interior design, and construction firm. She is also a Contributing Editor of

Q: What's the difference between a bird and a fly?

A: A bird can fly, but a fly can't bird.

the first time since their excavation) and a 30-foot, 83-ton granite statue of Ramses II that used to stand above a Cairo roundabout.

The building’s initial design came from Dublin-based Heneghen and Peng, who won the project in an international design competition. While the aesthetics of the project have evolved over the past decade, the cumulative effect is still striking. A massive wedge of a building, the effect is somewhere between the Seven Wonders of the World and the Las Vegas strip.

Built on an incline from the Nile basin to the desert plateau where Giza’s pyramids sit, the 5.2 million square-foot structure boasts an imposing, translucent facade that incorporates plenty of pyramidshaped forms, creating geometric harmony with its neighbor. Built from insulated concrete to combat the harsh desert weather, the scale of the building is appropriately grand, with lofty exhibit halls bathed in natural light.

With room for 100,000 artifacts, the world-class museum is expected to see between five and eight million visitors a year. Hosting an unparalleled collection—on par with the Louvre or the Metropolitan Museum of Art—the Grand Egyptian Museum could prove to be a serious tourist driver for Egypt as a whole, as the museum’s extensive holdings are properly experienced as a multi-day affair. Consequently, Egypt is in talks to create a 52-acre hotel district near the attraction, ensuring that Giza is no longer just a tour bus stopover, but instead a destination in its own right.

As one might expect, the project is not without controversy. In a country characterized by regular political unrest, an enormous and

opulent tourist attraction is bound to raise eyebrows, a symbol of a country torn between its international reputation and its domestic politics. It was on the doorstep of the original Egyptian Museum, in Tahrir Square, that a 2011 popular revolution ignited, capturing the world’s attention. And it was the target of that same uprising, Hosni Mubarak, who laid the foundation stone for the Grand Egyptian Museum back in 2002.

Ancient Egypt will always captivate us. When 59 sarcophagi were discovered in October, the story became world news—as did the news of where they’d end up on display - the Grand Egyptian Museum. For centuries, the cultural riches of Egypt have been scattered across the world, removed from their original context. It seems that “Egypt” has become a wing of every museum in the world instead of a real place.

While the Grand Egyptian Museum’s legacy might be a complicated one, it does at least provide a single spiritual headquarters for our fascination with a civilization that feels both impossibly distant and tantalizingly recent. And while the building itself may be breathtaking and impressive, its most worthwhile feature might just be the panoramic view it offers of the pyramids. As with all great museums, the artifacts are the star. The building is a frame to support them. n

JOHN J. HEFT john.heft@rtspecialty.com MS CRIS, Senior Vice President of RT Specialty’s Environmental and Construction Professional Practice.

in addition to the coronavirus pandemic currently plaguing the nation, parents, students, teachers and office workers are now facing a wide variety of related healthcare issues as they slowly return to schools and their places of business.

Closed throughout the outbreak, the Center for Disease Control recently warned of the reopening of buildings filled with stagnant or standing water conditions. [1] As reported by CBS news, “Traces of Legionella — the bacteria responsible for Legionnaires disease — have been found at multiple schools in Ohio and Pennsylvania after months of sitting empty during the pandemic-related lockdowns.” [2] In fact, even the CDC “closed several buildings it leases in Atlanta because Legionella bacteria have been found in their water systems -- bacteria that likely grew because of the prolonged pandemic shutdown.” [3]

An extremely severe type of pneumonia caused by the legionella bacteria, Legionnaires’ disease, while still relatively rare, has actually trended upward since 2000. Even before the pandemic, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 9,933 cases of Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever in 2018 alone. [4] This is a significant increase from 2016 when the confirmed number was 6,100. [5] As a result, concerns are on the rise nationwide for everyone ranging from healthcare to insurance providers.

LEGIONNAIRE’S DISEASE: THE WAITING DANGER AN INSURANCE EXPERT’S VIEW

UNDERSTANDING LEGIONELLA RISKS

Legionella is bred in water and spread through the inhalation of infected vapor droplets. Fortunately, it is not transmitted through personal contact or even through a sip from the infected person’s glass, cup or water bottle. However, individuals that are exposed to the disease through inhalation can succumb to flu-like symptoms that include a severe cough, shortness of breath, high fever, nausea, vomiting, muscle pains and headaches. Young children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems are most susceptible with symptoms revealing themselves within three days of exposure. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), about one in 10 Legionella cases lead to death.

Breeding grounds for the bacteria are prevalent in pools of warm, stagnant water such as hot tubs, hot water tanks/heaters, old piping for showers/faucets and the cooling towers of air conditioning systems as identified by the 1976 Philadelphia Legionnaires' disease outbreak. This is partly due to the warm water temperatures found in each of these areas, which make it nearly impossible for the proper dispersal of disinfectants that would normally kill the germs.

As a result, hospitals and hotels are particularly vulnerable to the bodily injury claims associated with legionella. This is especially true when

it comes to end-units with curved piping that is not actively cleaned with legionella management protocols. Other ideal breeding grounds for the disease include spas, fountains, water piping and virtually any other facility location that can contain pools of warm, stagnant water that are not flushed on a daily basis.

Fortunately, an effective array of protocols has been developed to combat the spread of the legionella bacteria. At the most basic level, faucets should be allowed to run for a few minutes to flush the bacteria from piping. Hot tub users need also to carefully follow the stringent cleaning instructions of manufacturers. Most importantly, Legionella water management and sampling programs should be implemented to address the building areas most likely to breed and spread Legionella bacteria.

THE NEED FOR PROPER COVERAGE

Pollution Legal Liability (PLL) claims on RT’s ECP book of roughly 1,000 insureds who purchase PLL were analyzed from 2014 to 2019. This included the type and percentage of claims impacting the spectrum of real estate industries including Commercial and Habitational Real Estate; Hospitality, Healthcare; Education; Manufacturing and Municipal. Some of the most notable findings are as follows:

• 36% of the claims were related to Microbial Matter

• 24% were from spills/leaks

• 19% of the claims resulted in soil/ groundwater contamination

• The remaining claims include Legionella, asbestos/lead-based paint, vapor intrusion, transportation and underground storage tanks.

In addition, the frequency and severity of claims dramatically increased from 2017 to 2020 with seven- and eight- figure microbial claims dominating the hospitality, habitational, and healthcare spaces. More than 80% of these claims were for clean-up, business interruption,

and restoration costs, Subsequently, the combination of regulatory, contractual, lender requirements, and risk management motivators have created an increased demand for PLL policies. This is due to the policy’s ability to address the known pollution conditions identified in contaminated property transfers and manage the expenses related to the on- and off-site clean-up/remediation of properties, third-party bodily injuries, property damage and legal defense activities.

Also provided under the PLL policy is the coverage of legionella under the definition of a pollutant, which varies depending on the carrier. Until recently, this coverage could also be obtained at full limits with deductibles that match the other coverages defined within the policy. However, due to the recent uptick in legionella claims in hotels and hospitals, many carriers have actually begun to pull back on the amount of legionella coverage offered within their policies. This trend has accompanied an increase in deductibles that can reach up $250,000 per incident. Furthermore, there are carriers that have begun to consider sub-limiting legionella coverage with $1,000,000 aggregates, regardless of the other policy limits.

As a result, any industry or location that is potentially susceptible to the spread of legionella bacteria should have a water management plan. This includes ensuring that the proper levels of PLL coverage are in place and exist alongside well-defined risk management programs entailing the routine sampling of high-risk water pipes, water heaters and cooling towers. Combining coverage and safety measures can reduce damages if and when tragedy strikes. [1]

A committee is twelve people doing the work of one.

FOCUSING ON SAFETY TECH MAKES CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSES MORE ATTRACTIVE TO INSURERS

Kevin Libeg is the Underwriting Supervisor for Specialty Construction at the Argo Group.

help prevent injuries, protect workers and reduce risk. Just as a smartwatch can track your health, wearables like connected hard hats can track factors that impact construction risks.

to first responders. Capturing this data can help construction companies prevent instances of injury.

For decades, the construction industry has benefited from adopting technology and innovation to help design and build safer, more resilient buildings, whether through advancements in heavy equipment or by implementing modern touches like smart thermostats and intelligent lighting.

Today, however, construction companies demand tech innovations to deliver more than amenities for comfortable and productive buildings. They rely on them to help protect workers from injuries on the job site and to create a more efficient construction project. And, as new breakthroughs arrive, the construction industry can significantly enhance its worker safety approach to help reduce the frequency and severity of workplace injuries.

Indeed, these tech innovations in the construction industry help to save lives. From an insurer’s perspective, this heightened focus on safety makes the risk much more attractive. Simply put, when an insured’s safety program is complemented by these technologies, it will significantly reduce insurance premiums.

ROOM TO IMPROVE

Without question, existing safety measures – high- and low-tech – have made the job site safer and more efficient for workers. Still, the industry faces some sobering statistics. According to OSHA, one in five worker deaths each year is in construction. In 2018 alone, construction workers accounted for 1,008 (about 21%) of all fatal work injuries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The good news is that the industry is embracing smart, wearable technology to

Utilization of this technology makes the risk far more desirable to an insurer, as the likelihood of claims activity is heavily reduced from a risk management perspective. While there can be a significant cost to implement this technology, it will be minimal compared to the legal fees associated with liability lawsuits. Even a few small claims can heavily impact insurance premiums, so taking these steps to improve worker safety serves to protect a business in the long term.

• Smart clothing. In addition to connected hard hats, workers can slip on a safety vest that might look typical but is anything but ordinary. These and other types of wearables can come outfitted with a range of safety-focused tech, from biometrics and environmental sensors to GPS and location trackers to voltage detectors. When paired with a geofencing system, you can establish restricted or hazardous zones that will alert workers if they have entered those areas.

• Augmented reality. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are already making a significant mark on construction sites and worker safety. For example, AI-powered goggles can scan and monitor job sites for safety hazards or detect whether a worker is wearing the correct personal protective equipment. What’s more, AI and machine learning can elevate your safety training program to help workers identify dangerous areas and scenarios in a low risk setting.

TOP TECH FOR SAFER JOB SITES

Construction companies have an opportunity to adopt technologies with a low barrier to entry or more sophisticated, and costly, platforms. As you’ll see, it’s not necessary to make a hefty investment to see a measurable and meaningful impact on safety. The following represent today’s leading smart technologies, and any one of them can deliver immediate benefits to your business and your employees:

• Connected hard hats. Perhaps the job site’s most enduring visible protective gear, the humble hard hat has been upgraded. Today’s hard hats feature integrated sensors that can monitor a worker’s location, motion and temperature. This enables the hat to warn a supervisor that a worker might be lightheaded or overheated. The sensors can detect if a worker is fatigued or has fallen and trigger an emergency call

• Drones. No longer just a gadget for weekend enthusiasts, drones can be a major part of a site safety program. Using this affordable technology, you can monitor expansive job sites and use video cameras to locate any potentially dangerous areas without ever leaving the ground.

One of the largest general contracting firms in the country is at the forefront of technology and safety. Their focus on safety and embrace of technology has resulted in 15 years of claims-free operations. In addition, they have paid a fraction of the insurance premiums that their competitors have. If an insured is implementing this type of technology, it is reflective of the company’s overall attitude on safety.

Embracing these emerging technologies can save lives, reduce insurance premiums, and increase employee retention and morale. There is a direct correlation between an insured’s liability claims and what they pay in insurance premiums. n

PORTRAITS OF THE PRESIDENTS NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

the national portrait GallerY is a historic art museum in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1962 and opened to the public in 1968, it is part of the Smithsonian Institution, and its collections focus on images of famous Americans. The museum is housed in the historic Old Patent Office Building, as is the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

The Old Patent Office Building was renovated in 1969 by the architectural firm of Faulkner, Fryer and Vanderpool. The renovation won the American Institute of Architects National Honor Award in 1970. The following year, the NPG began to catalog and photograph all portraits in all formats held by every public and private collection and museum in the country.

Beginning with Gilbert Stuart's portrait of George Washington it has been traditional for the president of the United States to have an official portrait taken during their time in office, most commonly an oil painting. This tradition has continued to modern times, although most recently the official portrait may also be a photograph. In 2018, President Donald Trump signed a law which prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for an official portrait of any federal official or officer, including the president, the vice president, a member of Congress, the head of an executive agency, or the head of an office of the legislative branch.

The Athenaeum is considered to be Gilbert Stuart's most famous work. He started painting the Athenaeum in 1796. It depicts only Washington's head and neck while he was age 65 (about three years before his death); the rest of the painting is unfinished. It is called the "Athenaeum" because, after Stuart’s death, it was sent to the Boston Athenaeum. There, it served as the source for the engraving that would be used on the United States one-dollar bill. The painting was never actually delivered to Washington. Instead, Stuart used it as a model for many replicas, capitalizing on Washington's fame. After Washington's death, he used it to paint 130 copies which he sold for $100 each. (More than 60 of these copies still exist.) The Athenaeum Portrait was also used to produce a number of U.S. postage stamps of the 19th century and early 20th century.

I applied for a job today and they asked for three references.

I wrote, "a dictionary, a thesaurus, and a map."

é Gilbert Stuart. é The Gibbs-Coolidge Set, five oil paintings on wood of the first five Presidents, by Gilbert Stuart was acquired by NPG in 1979. All of the portraits can be seen here: The White House Historical Association Presidential Portraits

Apparently, 29% of pet owners let their pet sleep on the bed with them, so I gave it a try. My goldfish died.

PORTRAIT TRIVIA

The presidential portrait of George Washington (1st President 1789-1797) was famously rescued by First Lady Dolley Madison when the British burned down the White House in the War of 1812.

President Theodore Roosevelt's (26th President 1901-1909) official portrait was originally commissioned to Théobald Chartran in 1902, but when Roosevelt saw the final product he hated it and hid it in the darkest corner of the White House. When family members called it the "Mewing Cat" for making him look so harmless, he had it destroyed and hired John Singer Sargent to paint a more masculine portrait (the one you see here).

During Ronald Reagan's (40th President 1981-1989) presidency, he moved Coolidge's portrait from the Grand Hall into the Cabinet Room next to Thomas Jefferson's portrait. Reagan admired and quoted Coolidge.

The United States Commission of Fine Arts recommended F. Luis Mora to paint the portrait of Warren G. Harding (29th President 1921-1923). The portrait was painted from photographs.

President Herbert Hoover's (31st President 1929-1933) official portrait was completed 23 years after he left office. The first official portrait was painted by John Christen Johansen in 1941. Hoover, however, later commissioned a second portrait that was completed in 1956 by Elmer Wesley Greene. At Hoover's request, this painting replaced the original, and currently stands as the official White House portrait.

The presidential portrait of Bill Clinton (42nd President 1993-2001) was painted by Simmie Knox. Before that, a portrait had been commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian Institute. Years following its initial unveiling, the artist revealed that he'd added a subtle shadow on the left-hand side of the painting to reference the Monica Lewinsky scandal and how it was, "a metaphor in that it represents a shadow on the office he held, or on him." According to Shanks, Clinton "hate[d] the portrait" and wanted it removed from the National Portrait Gallery. As of 2015, it remained in their collection but was not on display.

President John F. Kennedy's (35th president 19611963) official portrait was painted posthumously by Aaron Shikler at the request of Jacqueline Kennedy in 1970. Shikler was inspired by Ted Kennedy's somber pose at his brother's grave, his arms crossed, and his head bowed. Jackie chose that sketch as the final pose.

The official White House portrait of George W. Bush (43rd President 20012009) was painted by John Howard Sanden. In addition, Bush's portrait for the National Portrait Gallery (by Robert A. Anderson) was uncharacteristically released several weeks be-fore his administration had ended. President Bush jokingly opened the unveiling with "Welcome to my hanging."

Barack Obama was the first president to have his portrait taken with a digital camera in January 2009 by Pete Souza, the then–official White House photographer. The contemporary style broke the trend of past presidential portraits, and the Los Angeles Times wrote that it "cheerfully bucked the trend" of "forgettable" recent portraits.

The first official presidential portrait of Donald Trump was released the day before his inauguration and was used for the official @POTUS Twitter account until May 5, 2017. Currently, Trump does not have a portrait painting commissioned.

Theodore Roosevelt and the portraits of presidents following Coolidge are not in the public domain, but can be viewed at:

National Portrait Gallery's "America's Presidents" collection n

é Theodore Roosevelt.

é John F. Kennedy.

é George Washington.

é Warren G. Harding.

é George W. Bush.

é Ronald Reagan.

é Bill Clinton.

é Herbert Hoover.

é Barack Obama.

é Donald Trump.

Want to be notified as soon as each new issue is available? Send your email address to editor@crestnetwork.com.

Want to read back issues or look into other CREST Publications? Go to www.crestnetwork.com.

The latest survey shows that 3 out of 4 people make up 75% of the world's population.

BOOK REVIEW

A TIMELY RESOURCE FOR THE REAL ESTATE INVESTOR

anYone involved in commercial real estate will find significant value in the newly released book, The Encyclopedia of Commercial Real Estate by Terry Painter. The founder of Apartment Loan Store and Business Loan Store, Painter draws on his decades of experience closing over $4 billion in commercial real estate deals to draw back the curtain on the commercial real estate industry.

Apartment complexes, office buildings, self-storage, long-term care centers—for the right in-

vestor, commercial real estate ventures can be extremely profitable. Painter explains the process of buying, financing, managing, and selling commercial properties of all shapes and sizes.

Filled with hard-hitting advice as well as stories based on Painter’s personal experience working on hundreds of deals, readers will learn everything from raising money from investors, due diligence, developing from the ground up, repositioning a property to its highest and best use, leasing and management, and financing.

There is really no other investing opportunity that is designed

liked commercial real estate— one where you can choose the right property, add value, and be rewarded with a pay raise, increased equity, and amazing tax benefits. With commercial real estate, you get to have four sources of income: rental income, rental increases, appreciation, and depreciation. Painter helpfully points out in chapter 5 that there is actually a fifth source of income—leveraging your equity tan into a larger, more profitable property by doing a cash-out refinance or a 1031 tax-differed exchange. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

Painter provides practical advice for the experienced or novice real estate investor, outlining guidelines for getting started in commercial real estate and choosing low-risk properties, how to get the best deals on your loans, how to value a property in 15 minutes, and how to reposition a property to achieve its highest value when buying or selling.

Especially compelling in today’s climate, Painter outlines how to recession-proof a property, as well as how to buy foreclosed commercial properties at a discount at auction. As Painter explains, recessions can actually be a bonus when buying a commercial property, and many of his clients can’t wait for the next one to come around.

A timely resource for anyone involved in commercial real estate (or thinking about getting involved), The Encyclopedia of Commercial Real Estate Advice is designed to save you both time and money. It covers everything a serious investor needs to make real-world deals and decisions that lead to profit. If you are looking for a reference resource that can answer virtual any question on commercial real estate investing, this is your book. n

A copy of this book is available as a prize in this issue’s contest. (See the inside back cover.)

é Terry Painter

TITLEPROFILES OF SURV VAL

ROXANA TOFAN roxana@clearintegritygroup.com

IN THE WORLD OF COVID-19

in the world oF COVID-19, things have changed for property owners. At a time of suddenly shuttered restaurants and stores, as well as sky-high jobless rates, tenants and owners must navigate uncharted waters. As an essential service and business, multi-family housing management has had challenges of its own.

housing. We bought that on the courthouse steps for $12mil. A few years later, we were able to sell out our interests for about five times more than we made, which really taught us how important it is to have a management platform. We ended up moving in different markets and now we own and operate 5,205 multi-family units in Dallas, Austin, Nashville, Durham, Denver, Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. Our strategy is still to go into high growth markets and create a diversified portfolio.

other parts of the country, people have been unbelievably good about paying their rent. When this hit in March, I thought by April we would be out of business because people didn’t have much in savings. I was surprised at the resilience of the American people. I do believe the next couple months will be tough, but I think at the end of this thing we will come out stronger.

Roxana: Have you had any other particular limitations or challenges in operations?

As the co-founder and managing principal of Lion Real Estate Group, LLC, Jeff Weller is involved in sourcing transactions, raising investment capital, and managing the firm’s investment portfolio. Jeff recently shared with me, the company’s approach and success during the COVID times as well as his outlook for the year ahead.

Roxana: Tell me about your life before Lion Real Estate and how you and Mory came to own and operate your current portfolio. Jeff: I grew up in San Marino, east of Los Angeles. In high school I lived in Australia, then graduated from Southern Methodist University. After school, I started working in brokerage for Cushman Realty - a Tenant Rep shop which did big relocations in the US. I was an analyst doing site visits and figuring build-to-suit sites, then as a tenant representation broker. I’ve always been investing my money in apartment deals and spec home developments and interested in the investing side of things. I met Mory Barak through a mutual friend and we ended up partnering and raising capital through a group of wealthy individuals in Los Angeles to buy value add multi-family properties which was the safest way for the best risk adjusted return. When the recession hit in 2008, we ended up raising more capital, and started buying financial instruments like non-performing loans. In 2009, we turned the corner as we were brought into a bankrupt company to acquire affordable

Roxana: What are some of the things that have affected your business during COVID?

Jeff: We’ve been very blessed in the multifamily space to not be affected like other companies and businesses, but it has been a challenging year just to keep corporate morale and culture and to keep everyone paddling in the same direction. Early on we decided to give some financial incentives even with the company not doing well financially - or as well as it has done - to make sure that everyone knew that we appreciated them, so we gave out gift cards on a regular basis. We were also compassionate to our tenant base and said that we were not going to chase people for rent. We took a very calm approach of this in the early days of this and let people pay what they can pay so there is buy-in. It was a great time to build brand loyalty and build loyalty with our tenant base. I think because we were empathetic to the people working at the properties, they were able to carry that forward to the tenants. Mory and I are happy with what we do. We’re in a business we really like, and we’re creating nice housing. We’re in the investment business, and we’re creating returns for the investors, so if we have to take a little bit of a hit and do the right thing, it will be better long term.

Roxana: Have any of your properties been affected by the evictions halt?

Jeff: All of them. Based on our experience it seems that our residents in southern California are less able or willing to pay rent. This may be due to a variety of factors, including reduced income, the current political environment, and other associated effects. We tried to be compassionate, but we’re frustrated. In the

Jeff: In addition to some restrictions and some delinquencies, I thought expenses would go up and we would have more payroll, but expenses have gone down and construction cost per unit on renovations stayed flat. Those are the things that initially brought pause.

Roxana: Now that there is vaccine that will get to the American people in the next 6-12 months, how do you start looking towards the future and continue to grow your business?

Jeff: We have unbelievable investor demand for syndication investment opportunities. Because the stock market is very expensive to buy into, and the fixed income market is very dislocated, our investor base is desperate for yield, so we have a ton of dry powder. I would predict we buy somewhere around eight properties next year. We will probably spend 125 million in equity and up to 400 million in value while we strategically sell a couple of properties. Our money is definitely focused on long term and our deals are done through high net worth and family offices who are looking to hold deals over five years. Biggest challenge ahead will be finding investment opportunities that fit our investment criteria. We can still buy lower cash on cash return because when getting into a deal to be in the long run we will focus on where the property is located and pick a good location. The thing to look out for is that the interest rates may go up faster than people think. We are always able to hedge that risk by putting fixed long-term financing in and put in more capital, so we don’t have a capital call. Then, if the property performs, we can take out additional supplemental debt, but if it doesn’t perform, we know we have fixed financing so we can ride out any storm that comes our way.

Are people born with photographic memories, or does it take time to develop?

Roxana Tofan is a commercial real estate and business broker and the founder and owner of Clear Integrity Group in San Antonio. She is also a Contributing Editor of

Roxana: Tell me about your new Dallas office.

Jeff: We are moving our operations to Dallas. While there are certainly tax advantages, our main reason for this is the talent pool and being in the middle of the country. Dallas, Austin and Texas have really good talent pools and Dallas has such a great airport centrally located that gives us the ability to make day trips to our portfolio. It was a good move for us this December. I am a big fan of Dallas and our team is excited to go there and keep more money in their pocket by saving in taxes and having a better cost of living and better lifestyle. We’re excited.

Roxana: Will Lion Real Estate continue in multi-family?

Jeff: I firmly believe that multi-family properties and strong growth cities will outperform any investments people make over the next ten years. It will have the best risk adjusted returns. People always need a place to live and the rent-to-own gap has been exaggerated in these cities, so even in cities where it’s realistic to own, the rent-to-own gap is still massive - and it is getting bigger. If you look at the diversification of an apartment community, say a 300-unit property, and if you have a dislocation like COVID you might have a 10-20% swing downward in occupancy and delinquency in the worst-case scenario. But because of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, you’re able to still pay your mortgage and still pay distributions to your investors. I don’t know one other investment that gives you that kind of comfort. It used to be that multi-family was a family run business -high worth individuals. Now the institutions have come in because they figured out that the yield is so much better than in fixed income. This has added a lot of liquidity and security to the business. People who are buying multi-family don’t have to hold it for the term of the loan because exits can also be to institutions or company pension funds. It has become an institutional asset class over the last twenty years. We’ll stay in multi-family and will continue to have a lot of success raising capital from high worth individuals. We usually get capital for deals within two weeks which has been testimonial to our management team, our criteria and to the fact that this is a safe investment.

In a multi-family world that is becoming more competitive all the time, Lion Real Estate will continue to succeed because of their knowledge, expertise and approach to business. They believe in doing what they said they were going to do, having great relationships with investors and the seller community, and taking care of their team and residents while providing great homes for the residents and solids returns for their investments. n

THE FACTOR

NATIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR MUSEUM IN ARLINGTON

The leadership team of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation (NMOHMF) and Rafael Viñoly Architects (see page 20) released the first architectural renderings of the Museum’s new home in Arlington. It is dedicated to honoring the more than 3,500 brave Americans who received the nation’s highest award for valor in combat.

The Museum will sit amidst a five-acre tranquil landscape in the Arlington Entertainment District. The 101,000-square-foot footprint will encompass 25,000 square feet of exhibition galleries, a state-of-the-art Education Center, conference and event space, and an outdoor amphitheater for ceremonies. The Museum will provide an unrivaled visitor

experience with state-of-the-art permanent, interactive experiences and rotating exhibitions. Serving as a national landmark, the Museum will illustrate the historical thread of sacrifice, patriotism and courage that runs through all U.S. military service members, past and present. It will also include an education center aimed at character development in our nation’s youth. A critical part of the museum’s mission will be to use the stories of Medal of Honor recipients to inspire and motivate young people.

More hi-resolution images of the museum can be found here: spaces.hightail.com/receive/ xpm80LD0J1 n

“By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step he’s too old to go anywhere.”

(Billy Crystal)

budapest, the capital and largest city of Hungary, is full of incredible architecture that has developed for thousands of years. It dates back to before the Roman Empire, but it has seen more than its share of hardships (which have had a major impact on the city’s architecture). Most recently, it was one of the most heavily damaged cities in Europe during WWII.

THE ARCHITECTURE OF BUDAPEST

Although the cities of Buda and Pest were prosperous during the middle ages, not a lot of architecture from the medieval era remains. Around the year 1000, Stephen (István) I, King of Hungary, organized a feudal state and introduced Christianity. A few years later merchants from central and western Europe settled in Buda and Pest and, over the next few centuries, Buda became a royal town, while Pest developed into a prosperous trading center.

A few years later the construction of the /2/ Castle of Buda ordered by King Béla IV was completed.

/3/ The Chain Bridge was opened in 1849, with the aim of helping Buda and Pest merge. It was the first permanent crossing over the Danube. In 1867 Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth were crowned

in /4/ Matthias Church and the Austro-Hungarian monarchy came into being. At the time, the three separate settlements of Pest, Buda and Óbuda (literally, "Old" Buda) were united into one city with a population of more than 150,000. Budapest officially became the capital city of Hungary in 1873.

Today, Budapest is a booming metropolis of over 2 million inhabitants, with some of the greatest architecture in Central Europe.

/5/ The Hungarian Parliament Building: Constructed from 1885 through 1904 on the Pest side of the Danube, this beautiful Neo Gothic style building holds Hungary's parliament It is the third largest parliament building in the world, housing more than 600 rooms.

/6/ Fisherman’s Bastion: Built between 1895 and 1902 and in-

spired by the Neo-Romanesque architecture of early Hungary, the structure consists of seven stone lookout towers, each featuring one of the seven Hungarian chieftains who were instrumental in the creation of Hungary and settled here in AD 895.

/7/ Statue of Saint Stephen: On the grounds of Buda Castle and the adjacent Fisherman’s Bastion is the statute of Stephen I (a/k/a King Saint Stephen), who lived from 975 –1038 AD. He was the first King of Hungary from 1000 or 1001, until his death in 1038.

/8/ Liszt Academy (Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music): Founded in 1875, this is the only institution bearing the name of the great composer, who himself had an active role in establishing. The Grand Hall is a legendary concert venue in the Art Nouveau conservatory. It was reconstructed

in 2013, and 2016, the Academy won the European Heritage Label for its outstanding role on the European music scene.

/9/ Vajdahunyad Castle: Built in 1896, the romantic, relaxing castle features styles from the Middle Ages to the 18th century, expressing different styles in architecture Romanesque, Gothic Renaissance, Baroque buildings. It also has beautiful statues, many nice eating areas, a Hungarian Agricultural Museum, a beautiful park, and a small lake with ducks, fish and swans.

/10/ Budapest Nyugati Railway Station: Opened in 1877 as the replacement for a previous station, the music video for Gwen Stefani's 2008 single Early Winter was partly shot here, as were in key scenes of the 2016 movie Terminal. Inside the station is a McDonald's restaurant which has been described as the

Panoramic View of Budapest: Buda on the left, Pest on the right, separated by the Danube River. Copied from meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Mmullie_(WMF)

"most elegant" McDonald's in the world.

/11/ Hungarian National Museum: Built between 18371847, this imposing structure harkens back to when the buildings of ancient Rome inspired architecture (neoclassicism) –hence the entrance portico, the giant Corinthian columns and the circular dome of the lobby. Today it is home to a comprehensive exhibit about the history of Hungary.

/12/ Dohány Street Synagogue: This is the largest synagogue in Europe. Built in the 1850s, it features elements of Mesopotamian and Moorish architecture and, in back, built in 1931, there is a smaller building that honors the Jewish Hungarian soldiers of World War I.

/13/ Hungarian State Opera House: Rich with marble columns, gold leaf and a giant bronze chandelier, this structure is one of the most stunning venues of its kind in the world. The Renaissance Revival exterior evokes the arches of the Colosseum and features statues of famous composers (including Hungarian native Franz Liszt.

/14/ The colossal New York Palace Hotel embodies the heavy-handed historicism that reigned supreme in Budapest's architecture in this time (1890s): strong central axis, giant Greek columns, rooftop cupolas. The New York Life Insurance Company commissioned starchitect Alajos Hauszmann to design building. An iconic Budapest coffeehouse, New York Cafe, is on the ground floor and is loaded with classical ornaments.

/15/ Városmajor Church: The eye-catching classical modernism of Mussolini-era Italian architecture rippled out to Hungary, too. But instead of going for the bombastic, this (1932-1936) church impresses with less: The arched colonnades, the sleek geometric shapes clothed in travertine, the standalone bell tower, and the stillness of the area have a haunting presence.

/16/ On the more modern side, constructed between 1995-1997, is the Hungarian Police Headquarters. Colloquially known as the “Cops' Palace,” architect József Finta's best work evokes thoughts of a sphynx that fixes its vigilant gaze toward the city center.

/17/ Orczy Fórum is a massive low-income housing development (built over the period

1994-2006) which has hundreds of apartments, vast office spaces, and its own chapel. The cluster of post-modern buildings (the brainchild of György Kévés, one of Hungary's most talented and versatile architects) is a shining light in a badly neglected area.

/18/ Designed by Gábor Zoboki, Müpa Budapest is a cultural center which (built from 2002-2005), so far, is the most successful large-scale work of architecture in Budapest in the 21st century. The warm limestone exterior encloses massive floor-to-ceiling windows that permit plenty of light insider where the transition of materials is gracious: from wood to metal to glass to stone. The building is home to the Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art, and also the National Concert Hall. n

THE ARCHITECTURE OF BOSTON

the architecture oF boston is a combination ranging from the 17th-century to the present day, having evolved from a small port town to a large cosmopolitan center for education, industry, finance, and technology. The city is known for being one of the origins of Federal Architecture. Boston was founded by Puritan settlers who brought architecture from England, which ultimately morphed into colonial-style /1/ buildings when mixed with other styles such as Georgian architecture /3/. Certain buildings such as the Paul Revere House /4/, Old State House /2/ and originally Faneuil Hall /5/ embodied this style. The Boston Common was established in 1634 and is now the oldest park in the United States.

During the American Revolution, many fortifications were built, and following the war, The Massachusetts State House /6/ and the rebuilt Faneuil Hall are prime examples of Federalist architecture. The Custom House /7/ was originally built in the 1800s, but expanded to a tower by prominent firm Peabody and Stearns.

In the early 20th century, during a period of growth, Boston gained many Victorian-style public buildings. These included the, Charles Street Jail. /8/ The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, /9/ was constructed in 1870. The early

20th century introduced Art Deco buildings into the city as well as taller buildings. The original John Hancock Tower /10/ was added in 1947. Sports venues such as Fenway Park /11/ and the Boston Garden were also built during this time.

Two of the most iconic skyscrapers were built during the latter 20th Century. The Prudential Tower /12/ was completed in 1964, while the John Hancock Tower /13/ was completed in 1976. They anchor a string of skyscrapers known as the High Spine, which stands out against the surrounding Victorian-era buildings. Many of the skyscrap-

ers in the Financial District were also built during the 1960s and 1970s as part of a skyscraper boom.

The 2000s saw a revival of skyscraper building after a dormant 1990s decade. A number of contemporary skyscrapers, such as the Millennium Tower /14/ were built, but others such as One Lincoln Street /15/ incorporated elements of past styles such as Art Deco into its design.

/1/ The colonial style Jonathan Corwin House in Salem. MA (a/k/a The Witch House) was the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin (who bought it in 1675) and is thought to have been built

between 1620 and 1642. It is the only structure still standing in Salem with direct ties to the Salem witch trials of 1692.

/2/ The Old State House was built in 1713, it was the seat of the Massachusetts General Court until 1798 and is one of the oldest public buildings in the United States. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. The Boston Massacre took place in front of this building.

/3/ King’s Chapel is a classic example of the Georgian architecture the English brought to the colonies. A main characteristic of Georgian style is symmetry

Adam & Eve were the first ones to ignore the Apple terms and conditions.

é Faneuil Hall in 1789.

é Credit: Beyond My Ken - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,

Q: What do you call bears with no ears?

A: B.

in the design, a sense of balance and formality, and a restrained elegance that the 1700s (the Age of Reason). People such as Isaac Newton were discovering the rules that ran the Universe, and architecture also reflected that sense of the order around us.

/4/ The Paul Revere House, built around 1680, was the colonial home of American patriot Paul Revere during the time of the American Revolution. A National Historic Landmark since 1961, it is now operated as a nonprofit museum by the Paul Revere Memorial Association.

/5/ Faneuil Hal is a marketplace and meeting hall located near the waterfront and today's Government Center. Opened in 1743, it was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams, James Otis, and others encouraging independence from Great Britain. Today it is part of Boston National Historical Park and a well-known stop on the Freedom Trail. It is sometimes referred to as "the Cradle of Liberty.”

/6/ An 1827 drawing of the Massachusetts State House (as it looked in 1798) by Alexander Jackson Davis. Federal style is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the newly founded United States between 1780 and 1830, It shares its name with its era, the Federalist Era.

/7/ The Custom House Tower was constructed in 1837–47 and was designed by Ammi Burnham Young in the Greek Revival style. The tower was designed by Peabody and Stearns and was added in 1913–15. The building is part of the Custom House District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It stands 496 ft tall.

/8/ The Charles Street Jail was built 1851. It is an infamous former jail (later renovated into a luxury hotel). It is listed in the state and national Registers of Historic Places. The Liberty Hotel, as it is now known, has retained much of its historic structure, including the famed rotunda.

/9/ The Museum of Fine Arts, is the 14th largest art museum in the world, measured by public gallery area. It contains more than 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas and is visited by over 1.2 million people a year.

/10/ The Berkeley Building (the Old John Hancock Building) is 26-stories and 495-feet tall. The second of the three John Hancock buildings built in Boston, it is the 20th tallest building in the city, and it’s known for

the weather beacon at its summit, which broadcasts light patterns as weather forecasts.

/11/ Fenway Park has been the home for the Boston Red Sox since 1912. It was rebuilt in 1934 and is the oldest active ballpark in MLB. Because of its age and constrained location, the park has been renovated or expanded many times. It is the fifth smallest among MLB ballparks by seating capacity, second smallest by total capacity, and one of only eight that cannot accommodate at least 40,000 spectators.

/12/ The Prudential Tower is the 2nd-tallest building in Boston. Completed in 1964, it is 749 feet tall, with 52 floors, and 1.2 million sq ft of commercial and retail space. Including its radio mast, it is the tallest building in Boston.

/13/ 200 Clarendon Street (previously John Hancock Tower) is a 62-story, 790-foot skyscraper designed by Henry N. Cobb of the firm I. M. Pei & Partners and was completed in 1976. The American Institute of Architects presented the firm with a National Honor Award for the building. It has been the tallest building in Boston and New England since 1976.

/14/ The Millennium Tower is a 60-story 680 feet tall residential skyscraper built from 2013-2016. The building contains 442 condominiums, a Roche Bros. grocery store and Class A office space.n

THE JACQUES ROUGERIE FOUNDATIONINSTITUT DE FRANCE

2020 INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE AND ART PRIZES

the Jacques rouGerie Foundation - Institut de France International Architecture Competition supports and accompanies the development of daring and visionary biomimetic architectural projects in the sea, in space or meeting the challenge of the sea level rise. The International Prizes for Art under the Sea and Art in Space, created in 2020 in partnership with the Académie des beaux-arts, reward artists exploring new forms of expression on a global scale. ocean and space. Each year, the Institut awards six International Architecture Prizes and two International Art Prizes for a global endowment of € 50,000. Over the past 10 years, the foundation has received nearly 10,000 applications from 150 countries. Except as otherwise noted, all pictures are © Fondation Jacques Rougerie.

ARCHITECTURE AND INNOVATION FOR THE SEA

/01/ The 8th Continent by Lenka Petrakova, Slovakia

The floating station cleans the ocean and restores the balance in the marine environment.

/02/ Ægir by Henri Rousseau, Baptiste Loison and Yves Amoros, France

Human activity degrades the environment. The use of fossil fuel pollutants has a strong impact on marine flora and fauna as well as on water quality. This offers an alternative response to these issues.

/03/ Nimbus, The African Coastline by Kenton Sin and Chung Kin, USA

The Nimbus intends to recreate the principle of large-scale membrane distillation, in an attempt to resolve the water crisis in the coastal cities of sub-Saharan Africa.

/04/ The Floating Lotus by Martin Pretorius and Raphael Trischler, South Africa

Intended to be a sustainable source of electricity with facilities to accommodate agriculture, fishing and housing.

/05/ Rising with the Ocean by Alexandre Bausson and Felipe Ruiz Valenzuela, France-Chile

Floating structure progressively adapting to sea level rise, attached to mangroves like foundations, preventing erosion, while caring for the local community.

/06/ Dat Noi by Nam VU, Anna GiraudeauWarden and Marie-Line Bruneau, Vietnam / France

Rethinking a cultural and productive city for a resilient lifestyle above water.

INTERNATIONAL ART UNDER THE SEA

/07/ Grand Prize © Thomas Granovsky

Jérémy Gobé meets workers without work and materials without workers, objects without use and unshaped works. His works offer a reconnection with nature and expose global solutions to contemporary issues. In 2017, he created Corail Artefact, an art, science, industry and education project to save the coral reefs.

ARCHITECTURE AND INNOVATION FOR SPACE

/08/ Grand Prize - CORAL°lation by Oliver Jungwirth, Maria Martinez Ramirez, Dario Bergmann and Philipp Erkinger, Austria-Spain

Imagine a space station that would collect space debris and reuse it as building material. Financed by sustainable space tourism, this station will need to become an international symbol.

/09/ Project IRIS, The Lunar Village by Samer El Sayary, Egypt

An orbital elevator and space telescope, with the slogan ‘put our eye on the sky’. Various biostrategies mixed with the available technology. n

TITLEWHAT'S IN A NAME ?

STATE MOTTOS

most oF our 50 states have a state motto, as do the District of Columbia and 3 U.S. territories. A motto is a phrase intended to formally describe the general motivation or intention of an organization. State mottos can sometimes be found on state seals or state flags. Some states have officially designated a state motto by an act of the state legislature, and others only have the motto as an element of their seals. The motto of the United States itself is In God We Trust, proclaimed by Congress and

Alabama: Audemus jura nostra defendere

(Latin for “We dare to defend our rights!”)

Alaska: North to the Future

American Samoa: Samoa, Muamua Le Atua

(Samoan for “Samoa, let God be first”)

Arizona: Diat Deus (Latin for “God enriches”)

Arkansas: Regnat populous (Latin for “The People Rule”)

California: Eureka (Greek for “I have found it”)

Colorado: Nil sine numine (Latin for “Nothing without Providence” or “Nothing without the Deity”)

Connecticut: Qui transtulit sustinet (Latin for “He who is transplanted sustains”)

Delaware: Liberty and Independence

District of Columbia: Justitia Omnibus (Latin for “Justice for All”)

Florida: In God We Trust

Georgia: Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation

Hawaii: Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ‘Āina i ka Pono

(Hawaiian for “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness”

Idaho: Esto perpetua (Latin for “Let it be perpetual”)

Illinois: State sovereignty, national union

Indiana: The Crossroads of America

Iowa: Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain

Kansas: Ad astra per aspera

(Latin for “To the stars through adversity”)

signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on July 30, 1956. The motto E Pluribus Unum (Latin for "Out of many, one") was approved for use on the Great Seal of the United States (pictured here) in 1782, but it was never adopted as the national motto through legislative action. The mottos are presented here in the alphabetical order of the states. We leave it to you to consider what the creators of some of them were thinking (or drinking). n

Kentucky: United we stand, divided we fall Louisiana: Union, justice, and confidence

Maine: Dirigo (Latin for “I lead”)

Maryland: Fatti maschi, parole femmine (Italian for “Manly deeds, womanly words”)

Massachusetts: Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem (Latin for “By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty”)

Michigan: Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice and Tuebor (Latin for “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you”)

Minnesota: L’étoile du Nord (French for “The star of the North”)

Mississippi: Virtue et armis (Latin for “By valor and arms”)

Missouri: Salus populi suprema lex esto (Latin for “Let the welfare of the people be the highest law”)

Montana: Oro y Plata (Spanish for “Gold and Silver”)

Nebraska: Equality before the law

Nevada: All for our country

New Hampshire: Live free or die

New Jersey: Liberty and prosperity

New Mexico: Crescit eundo (Latin for “It grows as it goes”)

New York: Excelsior! (Greek: Ever upward)

North Carolina: Esse quam videri (Latin for “To be, rather than to seem”)

North Dakota: Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable

Ohio: With God, all things are possible

Oklahoma: Labor omnia vincit (Latin for “Hard work conquers all things”)

Oregon: Alis volat propriis (Latin for “She flies with her own wings”)

Pennsylvania: Virtue, Liberty, and Independence

Puerto Rico: Joannes Est Nomen Ejus (Latin for “John is his name”)

Rhode Island: Hope

South Carolina: Dum spiro spero (Latin for “While I breathe, I hope”)

South Dakota: Under God, the people rule

Tennessee: Agriculture and Commerce

Texas: Friendship

Utah: Industry

Vermont: Freedom and Unity

Virginia: Sic semper tyrannis (Latin for “Thus always to tyrants”)

Virgin Islands: United in Pride and Hope

Washington: Al-ki (Chinook for “By and by”)

West Virginia: Montani semper liberi (Latin for “Mountaineers are always free”)

Wisconsin: Forward

Wyoming: Equal rights n

ROSE-MARY RUMBLEY rosetalksdallas@aol.com

Rose-Mary Rumbley has written three books about her native city – Dallas. She has also written “WHAT! NO CHILI!” and a book about the 300th anniversary of the invention of the piano. She has appeared on the stage at the

Dallas Summer Musicals and at Casa Mañana and was head of the drama department at Dallas Baptist University for 12 years. Today she is on the speaking circuit and teaches drama classes at Providence Christian School. Her loving views of Texas history appear in every issue of

NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION

"a Goal without a plan is just a wish." That’s a statement made by the Prince in The Little Prince a book authored by French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry n 1943, only a year before his Lockheed P-38 vanished over the Mediterranean during a reconnaissance mission in World War II. The book, with this stirring statement, has remained a favorite throughout the years. I think of this quote when I consider all the wishes made and all the goals reached in the history of the world.

Reading glasses probably came from China where a lens that magnified was first invented When did they arrive in Europe? Most historians determine that when they study the artwork of the times. There are oil paintings with people wearing glasses dating back to the early 1600s.

Settlers in the new world learned a great deal from the Native Americans. After all, they had been living here all those years without knowing of "Western Civilization." The Botanical Medical Movement came to be. Pulverized herbs and roots and powders were proclaimed to be sure cures.

Just imagine the people of the Middle Ages! Most of them couldn't read. How could they? There were no books! As a reader, I think about them, and then I think of the ambitious, striving inventor, Johannes Gutenberg, who, in 1456, invented the printing press. His metal, movable type could print words - words that previously had been written in hand by scribes. Handwritten books were expensive and few in number. But, after this miraculous invention, books could be printed for a fraction of the cost, and many people could buy them. Everyone was reading! But guess what? Many of these readers needed glasses to see the print - another challenge for another inventor.

The Middle Ages are the period in European history from the collapse of Roman civilization in the 5th century to the period of the Renaissance (interpreted as beginning in the 13th, 14th, or 15th century, depending on the region of Europe)’

One of my favorite paintings (in the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth) is entitled, Four Figures on a Step It was painted by Bartalomé Esteban Murillo in 1655. Murillo was a leading religious painter of Seville during Spain's golden age. One of the figures in that painting is that of an older woman - a crone wearing glasses. I love to visit that painting, because that woman is wearing glasses that look like those one might purchase at the nearest Dollar Store. They don’t look like 1655! (But then, who knows what 1655 glasses should look like?)

Time passed and many, many, many astounding discoveries were made all over the world. Explorations and wars brought about all sorts of new medicines and medical procedures. One cure practiced was "bloodletting." A doctor would bleed the patient until all the bad blood was gone. However, the patient often was "gone" too! Many historians claim George Washington would have lived a little longer had he not been "bled."

On a personal note, I think of my husband's experience with a miracle medical procedure coming from a war. In 1964, he was in a head-on collision which shattered both of his legs. Skilled orthopedic surgeons glued him together, and he learned to walk and go on to live a normal life. I asked the doctor, "Where did you learn to do this?" The answer came quickly, "World War II. We just couldn't let those men suffer. We learned how to put them together again."

A young Chinese boy, who had "genius" parents, and who was also a genius himself, graduated with all sorts of degrees from universities in China. He had one problem. He wanted to see his girlfriend who lived some distance away. In his brilliant mind, he created what he called Video Telephone. On his computer, he could speak to her and SEE her as well. She could see him and respond. Eventually they married and somehow got to the United States.

In Texas, we always suffered through hot summers, but we don't suffer with the heat now. We have air-conditioning - my favorite invention. It was Willis Carrier who first said, "It's not the heat; it's the humidity!" And with that thought, he created a humidifier which became air conditioning. Carrier declared that "cooling is a necessity rather than a luxury." How true!

The movie theatres were the first places to be air conditioned. Grauman's Metropolitan Theatre in Los Angeles was the first to be cooled, and the second theatre to be cooled was the Palace Theatre in Dallas, Texas.

But what about today? Is there a dream and then a goal? Yes, definitely!

In 1995, Eric Yuan met Bill Gates who encouraged him to go to Silicon Valley and work with the other computer whizzes. He did this, but, after a while, he left to form his own company. He called it Zoom Videos There were other people working on "speaking and seeing," but his system worked. It just wasn’t in great demand.

On March 14, 2020, Covid-19 shut the nation down. People were told to stay home. How could people communicate? There must be something? Yes! Zoom!! Since the beginning of 2020, Eric Yuan's company has grown more than 360%, and he is worth 6 billion dollars. Eric had a dream, a plan, and now his company is what Time Magazine called, "an accidental beneficiary of the Covid-19." n

To the mathematicians who thought of the idea of ‘zero’…. Thanks for nothing!

é Johannes Gutenberg and the printing press

é Willis Carrier.

é Eric Yuan and his wife - the love story which inspired video chat app Zoom.

NOAH WEBSTER PETER MARK ROGET

alist party. (He wrote so much that a modern bibliography of his published works required 655 pages.)

noah webster Jr. (1758–1843) was an American lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English-language spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author. He has been called the "Father of American Scholarship and Education". His "Blue-backed Speller" books taught five generations of American children how to spell and read, and his name has become synonymous with "dictionary" in the United States, especially the modern Merriam-Webster dictionary that was first published in 1828 as An American Dictionary of the English Language

Born in West Hartford, Connecticut, Webster graduated from Yale in 1778. He passed the bar examination after studying law but was unable to find work as a lawyer. He found some financial success by opening a private school and writing a series of educational books.

In 1793, Alexander Hamilton lent him $1,500 to move to New York City to edit the leading Federalist Party newspaper. (See more about Alexander Hamilton on this page in the next issue of .) That year, he also founded New York's first daily newspaper American Minerva (later known as the Commercial Advertiser), which he edited for four years, writing the equivalent of 20 volumes of articles and editorials. He also published the semi-weekly publication The Herald, A Gazette for the country (later known as The New York Spectator). He was one of the most prolific authors in the new nation, publishing textbooks, political essays, a report on infectious diseases, and newspaper articles for his Feder-

He returned to Connecticut in 1798 and served in the Connecticut House of Representatives, and the following year he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

As a Federalist spokesman, he defended the administrations of George Washington and John Adams, especially their policy of neutrality between Britain and France, and he criticized the excesses of the French Revolution and its Reign of Terror. He later defended Jay's Treaty between the United States and Britain. As a result, he was repeatedly denounced by the Jeffersonian Republicans as "a pusillanimous, half-begotten, selfdubbed patriot," "an incurable lunatic," and "a deceitful newsmonger... Pedagogue and Quack."

Peter Mark Roget (1779 –1869) was a British physician, natural theologian, lexicographer and founding Secretary of The Portico Library. He is best known for publishing, in 1852, the Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases, a classified collection of related words

To the Friends of Literature in the United States, Webster's prospectus for his first dictionary of the English language, 1807–1808.

In 1806, he published his first dictionary, A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language. The following year, he started working on an expanded and comprehensive dictionary, finally publishing it in 1828. He was very influential in popularizing certain spellings in the United States and in establishing the Copyright Act of 1831, the first major statutory revision of U.S. copyright law. While working on a second volume of his dictionary, Webster died in 1843, and the rights to the dictionary were acquired by George and Charles Merriam.

The Portico Library (built between 1802-1806) mainly focused on 19th-century literature. It was designed by Thomas Harrison. Roget was its first secretary and began his thesaurus here.

Born in London, Roget’s family moved to Edinburgh in 1793 after the death of his father. He began to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh, and graduated in 1798. Not making a quick start in a medical career, in 1802 he took a position as a tutor. He moved back to London in 1808 and practiced medicine until 1840 when he retired from professional life.

By 1846, he was working on the thesaurus for which we remember him today. It is said that Roget struggled with depression for most of his life, and that the thesaurus arose partly from an effort to battle it. A biographer stated that in 1805, he began to maintain a notebook classification scheme for words, organized by meaning. During this period, he also became the first secretary of the Portico Library. (See sidebar above)

The catalogue of words was first printed in 1852, titled Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases Classified and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas and Assist in Literary Composition. During Roget's lifetime the work had twenty-eight printings. After his death it was revised and expanded by his son, John Lewis Roget (1828–1908), and later by John's son, the engineer Samuel Romilly Roget (1875–1953).n

ç Peter Mark Roget.

é Roget in 1865.

ç This 1833 portrait of Noah Webster by James Herring hangs in the National Portrait Gallery (see article on page 36).

é Alexander Hamilton portrait by John Trumbull in 1806.

YOU NEED (OR MIGHT WANT) TO KNOW EGAL VIEW

ANTHONY J. BARBIERI ajb@kesslercollins.com

OPERATING EXPENSE ISSUES FOR THE MODERN TEXAS LANDLORD

aside From rent, operatinG expenses are one of the few aspects of the landlordtenant relationship that can drastically alter the “bottom line”. During lease negotiation, both sides negotiate and debate which operating expenses the landlord must pay, and which operating expenses the tenant must pay. We all know how the game is played: the landlord begins by defining operating expenses as broadly as possible. Conversely, tenant wants to funnel down the landlord’s operating expenses as much as possible.

Many authors and commentators stress the importance of scrutinizing the lease language and focusing on such things such as capital expenses inclusions/exclusions, audits, and methods of calculating expenses. But many of the other important operating-expense concepts get very little attention, especially since Texas law puts a few wrinkles into the issue. This article will bring some of those concepts to forefront.

CERTAIN CHARGES ARE NOT ALLOWED REGARDLESS OF THE LEASE LANGUAGE

Many lease forms – especially those prepared by out-of-state lawyers and landlords – typically include broad “catch all” language that says, essentially, that the landlord can impose “reasonable charges or fees”. However, these overly broad provisions might not be enforceable because the Texas Property Code says that, except for rent or physical damage to the space, a landlord may not assess a charge unless the amount of the charge, or the method of calculating it, is stated in the lease. This law permits such charges if they are “rent”, however, instead of leaving the determination of the charge solely to landlord, the language should include some type of flat fee, or a method (such as a formula) to arrive at the charge.

MARGIN TAX

In 2006, Texas modified the way franchise taxes are determined and applied. This modified tax is typically referred to as the “margin” tax and, subject to exceptions and various other twists and turns under Texas tax law, it is a tax equal to 1% of a taxpayer’s “gross receipts”, including the landlord’s gross receipts. In addition to changing the law, the legislature also mandated a reduction in local school property taxes so that more school funding would come from the state via the new margin tax.

Landlords were obviously not happy about this change, especially since a landlord’s gross receipts consist of rent, proceeds from the sale of real property, and operating expense reimbursements. In an attempt to mitigate some of the increased tax liability, many landlords took the approach that since property taxes were going down due to the new margin tax, then tenants should pay the corresponding “margin tax”. From the landlord’s perspec-

tive, this would not result in any net change to the tenant’s operating expenses.

On the other hand, tenants argued that margin taxes are clearly franchise taxes, not property taxes, and are treated as income taxes for accounting purposes because they are based on revenue and not property value. Thus, margin taxes quickly became a hotly contested point. Due to the law that requires each lease to spell out all charges (supra), the margin-tax issue should be clearly addressed in the lease, because tenants will not be responsible for the landlord’s margin taxes unless the lease allows it.

Some landlords add express language requiring tenants to pay the margin tax, and others try to hide it by stating that the tenant must pay all ad valorem taxes and any other charges that replace or supplement ad valorem taxes. But the latter approach often leads to disputes since it is not always clear how much and to what extent the margin tax “replaces” ad valorem taxes.

Even if the parties agree to pass through the margin tax, there are a lot of issues to consider in the lease. To begin, the margin tax applies to all similar businesses in the same ownership group as the landlord. So, if the property contains multiple units, or the landlord owns multiple properties, then the lease will have to allocate relevant margin tax expenses to the applicable tenant. Some leases require the landlord to determine the tenant’s share of the margin tax as if the building were the only applicable building (thus ignoring any other entities or assets owned by the landlord it its affiliates). Additionally, if the landlord were to sell the asset, the proceeds from the sale are subject to the 1% margin tax, which may or may not be passed through to the tenant.

Intelligence is like an underwear. It is important that you have it, but not necessary that you show it off.

Anthony J. Barbieri is a shareholder of Kessler Collins, PC in Dallas, Texas. He is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America and a member of the State Bar of Texas, Dallas Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He is also a Contributing Editor of

To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.

GOING GREEN

Texans place a high value on environmental protection and sustainability. As the emphasis on sustainability increases, so will the prevalence of "green" provisions in commercial leases. As a result, negotiation and dispute about who pays for the cost of “going green” is a red-hot topic.

THE FACTOR

TENCENT SEAFRONT TOWERS SHENZHEN, CHINA

To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a little.

Many standard operating expenses charged to tenants already include certain "greenery", such as fluorescent lights and recycling. However, bulbs and recycling are only the tip of the iceberg – given the developing technology and zeal for green buildings (and the often higher rents they can fetch), landlords will want to expand the range of costs associated with seeking or maintaining a certain sustainability rating. Few tenants balk at these costs if the building is already certified, but inclusion of these costs as part of operating expenses can be contentious where the landlord is attempting to retrofit a building for environmental certification and to pass through such costs to existing tenants. In those situations, even the most environmentally conscious tenants may argue that because the building was not certified at the time of lease execution, these retrofit costs are improper; and are akin to the cost of remediating pre-existing environmental contamination or ADA noncompliance. As a result, there are a few points to keep in mind, especially if you are the tenant:

• Many tenants will want the landlord to amortize the cost of initial certification, or any attempts to update or re-commission the property.

• What if the landlord installs various energy-efficient measures and the resulting cost does not reduce expenses? In that regard, the tenant will probably want to seek some “cost neutrality” concept in their lease.

• A tenant may wish to require a “cap” so that the cost to sustain the rating does not exceed a certain percentage of the total operating expenses.

• A tenant with a “base year” concept in their lease can negotiate for increases in

the categories of base year expenses if a new sustainability-related cost are incurred after the lease is signed.

MIXED-USE MIX-UPS

As Texas becomes more transit-oriented, mixed-use developments will become more important. Users love the “something for everyone approach”, however, this approach can also create issues with operating expenses. In order to keep the peace (and attract the best tenants), multi-use or mixed-use landlords may elect to segregate how expenses are allocated. For example, consider the following:

• Excluding the floor area of non-retail areas from the calculation of taxes and insurance.

• For those non-restaurant tenants, exclude from CAM expenses the costs related to operating eating areas.

• Varying the parking charges for high density tenants vs low density tenants.

The key for landlords in these situations is to remember to allow for “cost pooling”, whereby the landlord retains the right to allocate certain operating expenses only among those tenants of the mixed or multi-use development benefiting from the applicable expense. Otherwise, the landlord risks not being able to fully recapture the cost of these items.

Ben Franklin was right – beware of little expenses. They can mean big bucks. Since everything is bigger in Texas, Landlords and tenants must pay particular attention to these details in the Lone Star State. n

Ed. Note: This piece originally appeared in the June 2015 issue of . Tony Barbieri’s article on tortious interference with contracts will appear in the next issue.

once onlY a household name to consumers in China, Tencent is now a major player in international e-commerce and web technology. The architecture of its new headquarters reflects the company's rising international influence, its networked culture and the interconnectivity of the web. The Towers redefine the high-rise as a vertical campus, with two towers linked by amenity-filled bridges that drive innovation and a sense of community. Each bridge is themed area: the highest is devoted to knowledge with libraries and conference rooms; the middle emphasizes health with an indoor track, basketball courts and a swimming pool. Outdoor gardens on the roofs of the link bridges grant employees the access to nature that is proven to increase both health and productivity.

The configuration activates movement and exchange within the workplace, creating horizontal “streetscapes” and vertical connections. Energy strategies reduce consumption and carbon emissions by 40% over a typical office tower. In addition, the slight rotation of the towers and their offset heights capture the site’s prevailing winds, ventilating the atria while minimizing exposure to direct sun. To control glare and heat-gain, the curtain wall incorporates a modular shading system that varies according to the degree of sun exposure. n

“Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.”

Benjamin Franklin

ARTCH TECTURE

TIM DAVIS A DIVERSITY OF TALENTS

Artist Tim Davis makes magic with a brush. A background of painting commissioned murals in different styles has helped him expand his boundaries in oil paintings on canvas. His own style revolves around any and all of classicism, romanticism and realism with a splash of contemporary and even the macabre. He also has a deep appreciation for history, and it shows.

tim davis was born and grew up in the Los Angeles area. He was brought up in an environment that fostered appreciation for art history and culture, artistic and musical disciplines, and is one of seven siblings, all of whom became artists.

After apprenticing for a year under a master muralist who catered to many of the west coast elite, Tim started his own business in 1995 called “Tim Davis Murals.” In the years to follow, he has painted well over 350 murals in numerous cities, and created many gallery pieces, mostly in oil.

His mural portfolio is very diverse and shows that he can imitate the style required by each project, being adaptable to the needs of his clients. Though his mural work can mostly be found in custom homes, businesses and city beautification projects, he has also worked for Fortune 500 CEOs and celebrities. He painted a 55-foot-long civic mural in Salt Lake City and designed a mural for a major Hindu temple in northern India (Prem Mandir). His Legends Corner Mural in Nashville is at the entrance of Lower Broadway next to the Ryman Auditorium, and is one of the most photographed walls in the city. He has also branched out into several other creative disciplines as well, includ-

ing sculpture, props, animatronics, recording and sound installations, but his most refined pieces are his gallery canvases.

As a songwriter and having received his academics in music, recording and multimedia, Tim approaches his gallery work differently than his commissions, like composing a musical score. He likes to substrate his work with deep and moody colors and then splash them with vivid light to create depth of contrast, overlayed with complex subtlety, manifest in his creative use of transparent glazes. In each piece there is a personal representation of light overcoming darkness similar to what happens in the physical world, but often represented in an indirect way.

Tim describes himself as a young soul when it comes to life, but an old soul when it comes to art, considering age as a dimension of beauty. In a world of generalizations, cheap divisive politics and sugary trends, he prefers to focus on a more timeless and nuanced message; that nature and humanity is universal and that the things we have in common are the most important things we have. From this philosophy, he has become an advocate for detailed beauty in art, a sort of modern reimagining of the Pre-Raphaelite sensibility. n

I have a few jokes about unemployed people, but it doesn't matter none of them work.

“Everyone on earth has been afforded a finite amount of creativity per day. It is up to us to use it wisely.”

Tim Davis

Someday you’ll go far—and I really hope you stay there.

You can contact Tim for commissions through his website: davinciworksnashville.com and order prints at: fineartamerica.com/profiles/ tim-davis

WHY ARTCH TECTURE ?

Great art is among the most sublime, meaningful, and redeeming creations of all civilization. Few endeavors can equal the power of great artwork to capture aesthetic beauty, to move and inspire, to change perceptions, and to communicate the nature of human experience. Great art is also complex, mysterious, and challenging. Filled with symbolism, cultural and historical references, and often visionary imagery, great artworks oblige us to reckon with their many meanings.

Architects and designers (many of our readers) have a lot of influence on the way we perceive the world. A structure often plays a significant part in how we experience a place. (Think of a restaurant, a museum, an arena, a stadium... even an office building - virtually anywhere!) The interior design impacts our sensory perception, our comfort, and our physical connection and there is also artistry in the exterior design. (That’s why we call it artchitecture.)

THE RES URCE PAGE

é IFMA released its annual report for fiscal year 2020 (July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020). Despite canceling four global events in the first half of 2020 due to COVID-19, IFMA focused its efforts on providing valuable online resources, creating beneficial ways to keep members informed and connected. The association welcomed 6,706 new members, a 4 percent increase over fiscal year 2019. Even amid disruption and worry, we continued doing what we’ve done for the past 40 years, providing training, knowledge sharing and support to help FMs create and maintain safe, sustainable and resilient workplaces,” wrote new President and COO Don Gilpin. “That’s IFMA’s calling – our reason for being – to be a source of information, direction and inspiration for FMs worldwide, especially in times of crisis.

é In our November-December issue, we introduced you to Resonance, a British Columbia, Canada-based international consultancy group in real estate, tourism and economic development. Now you can download their entire 2021 Best Cities Reports here and here

é Liuzhou Forest City in Guizhou, China will house 30 000 upon completion and host over a million plants of 100+ species. This city is a model for the future, as it leads the development of sustainable green cities. See it here

SH UT-OUTS

IN THE N WS

Kudos to alexa harleY, virtual design and construction (VDC) senior engineer, and Ileana Holguin, project director, for receiving 2020 Constructech Women in Construction recognition. Both are employees of McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. (the oldest privately held national construction company in the country). They were honored Nov. 12 during the Women in Construction Virtual Gala with the award recognizing the most successful women across the construction industry who take advantage of technology and represent the most innovative construction companies in the country.

as the world Grapples with multiple crises from pandemic disease and economic contraction to systemic inequity and environmental degradation, the interwoven challenges of sustainable development have never been clearer. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations are the world's common policy framework for tackling these issues.

In pursuit of these goals and the global sustainable development agenda, the Global Economy and Development program at Brookings launched the Center for Sustainable Development, naming John W. McArthur its director. The new center will generate leading research and insights pertinent to advancing global sustainable development and implementing the SDGs across all countries, including within the United States and other advanced economies.

Congratulations to Gail Vittori, co-director of Austin-based Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, who received this year’s Kate Hurst Leadership Award from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Introduced last year in memory of USGBC’s senior vice president of conferences and events, the award recognizes an inspiring woman who embodies the spirit, strength and sentiment that Hurst brought to her own work. Vittori is a LEED Fellow and former USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) chair whose own work is focused on the intersection of sustainable design, green building and human health.

To help college-bound high school seniors determine their future home for the next several years, WalletHub compared more than 400 U.S. cities – also grouped by city size – based on 30 key indicators of academic, social and economic growth potential. The data set ranges from the cost of living to the quality of higher education to the crime rate. Congratulations to Austin, the #1 Best Large College City, McKinney, the #9 Best Midsize College City, and College Station, the #6 Best Small College City. To see the complete list, visit wallethub. n

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. announced a partnership with Adaptive Construction Solutions, Inc. (ACS) to recruit and train veterans for careers in the construction trades. Together, the two organizations will identify and enroll veterans with military occupational specialties in an apprenticeship program that can lead to full-time employment with McCarthy. McCarthy also recently completed construction on the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) Nancy and Rich Kinder Building - the second phase of expansion for Texas’ oldest museum and the largest cultural project in North America. n

DIVERSI NS THE LIGHTER SIDE OF THE PANDEMIC – PART 7

Some women are warning others to tell men to stay 10 feet apart from others. They point to the fact that men think they know what 6 inches looks like.

Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine myself entering a bank, wearing a mask and asking for money.

Never thought my hands will one day consume more alcohol than my liver... ever!

I need to social distance myself from my fridge; I tested positive for excess weight!

My husband purchased a world map. He gave me a dart and said, “Throw this and wherever it lands, I’m taking you for a holiday when the pandemic is over. Turns out we’re spending two weeks behind the fridge.

é Alexa Hartley. é Ileana Holguin.

é Photo by Peter Molick, Thomas Kirk III)

McArthur

YOU NEED (OR MIGHT WANT) TO KNOW PROFESSIONALS ON THE

JULIE BRAND LYNCH

julie@LYNOUS.com

Julie Lynch is the principal of LYNOUS, a talent management firm that provides recruiting, interim staffing and training to the real estate industry. She is also a contributing editor of

01/ Tyler Maner joined Stream Realty in Houston as Managing Director.

02/ Sam Abusaad joined ML Realty Partners in Dallas as Leasing Agent.

03/ Molly Carson was named chair of NAIOP’s corporate board for 2021.

04/ Dale Todd joined Stream Realty’s Industrial Development Division in Dallas.

05/ Christina Taylor joined the Sunland Group in Austin as Business Development Manager.

06/ Wayne Hills was promoted to Managing Director of Office Occupier Services for Colliers North Texas.

07/ Tom Salanty joined NAI Robert Lynn at Capital Markets president.

08/ Case McCoy was promoted to Partner at HPI Tenant Advisors in Austin.

09/ Brad Carbo was named the South Central Region Project and Development Services lead at JLL.

10/ Nikki McNish joined SWBC Ad Valorem Tax Advisors as a Business Development Consultant.

11/ Nick Cardwell joined McCord in Houston as Vice President of Digital Innovation.

12/ Tim Baker joined Weitzman as Executive Vice President | Managing Director of Acquisitions.

13/ Cherise Fleming joined Mohr Partners in Dallas as Senior Account Manager.

14/ Paul E. Ping, MAI was appointed Senior Managing Director at BBG in Dallas.

15/ Steven Crauford, P.E. was promoted to Associate Vice President at Pape-Dawson Engineers in Austin.

16/ Spencer Sults was promoted to Executive Vice President at Capitol Home Health.

17/ John Gates, based in Dallas, was promoted to CEO America markets by JLL.

18/ Stephen Smith joined the firm of Dorsey & Whitney LLP in Dallas.

19/ Scott Ferguson joined Westmount Realty Capital as Senior Director – Multifamily Acquisitions.

20/ Lauren Napper joined CBRE as a Senior Vice President in Dallas.

21/ Trey Smith joined CBRE as an Executive Vice President in Dallas.

22/ Ward Eastman joined CBRE as a Senior Vice President in Dallas.

23/ Katherine DePauw, CPM, RPA joined Rosewood Court Management as a Senior Property Manager.

24/ Randy Baird was promoted to Vice Chairman at CBRE in Dallas.

25/ John Hendricks was promoted to Senior Vice President at CBRE in Dallas.

26/ Alexandra Cullins was promoted to First Vice President at CBRE in Dallas.

27/ Krista Raymond was promoted to First Vice President at CBRE in Dallas.

28/ Andrew Lehner was promoted to First Vice President at CBRE in Dallas.

29/ Mac Morse was promoted to Senior Advisor in the Office Division of Citadel Partners in Dallas.

30/ Tyler Thomas was promoted to Senior Advisor in Citadel Partners’ Dallas office.

31/ Tye Nelson, MAI, SRA, MRICS, Esq. joined Valbridge Property Advisors in Houston.

32/ Rachael Keener joined Waterman Steele Real Estate as Vice President in Houston.

33/ Robert Williamson was promoted to Senior Vice President at Midway in Houston.

34/ Bob Hear joined Colliers International in Houston as a Senior Vice President.

35/ Todd Stewart joined Colliers International in Houston as a Senior Vice President.

36/ Chip Nash joined Colliers International in Houston as a Senior Vice President.

37/ Leasa Sullivan joined Midway as Regional Property Manager in Houston.

38/ Marty Salinas joined NAI Partners as Vice president of Valuation and Advisory Services.

39/ Kennedy Oates joined JLL as Chief Procurement Officer.

40/ Douglas Molny was named Senior Vice President of the Industrial Division at Capstone Commercial in Dallas.

41/ Kirby White was named Senior Vice President of Tenant Representation at Capstone Commercial in Dallas.

42/ Jeff Knowles was promoted to Chief Investment Officer at Transwestern Development Company in Houston.

43/ David Capps was promoted to Executive Vice President of Development at Aimbridge Hospitality in Plano.

44/ Erik Hanson, MAI was appointed Managing Director and National Practice leader of BBG’s Manufactured Housing Parks and RV Campground Service Division.

45/ Allie Smith joined IREM Dallas as Assistant Director.

46/ Aarohi Pilankar AIA, LEED AP, Associate Vice President in CallisonRTKL’s Dallas, Texas office, has joined the CREW Dallas Board of Directors for 2021. n

The other day

asked the banker to check my balance, so she pushed me.

the san antonio chapter of AGC held a special awards luncheon at the San Antonio Airport Hilton on November 12th Corbin Van Arsdale with the Texas Building Branch of AGC, Safety and Health Committee Chairman Mike Grendell, and Chapter President Luis Berumen were presenters. The national Build America and statewide Outstanding Construction Awards (OCA) programs celebrate projects. Since 1990, the local Construction Industry Awards (CIA) program has sought to recognize the companies behind the projects. And this year brought a heightened emphasis on jobsite safety as the industry secured its “essential” status.

THE OCA WINNERS

• Turner Construction Company for the USAA Kitchen Renovation in the General Contractor - Interior Finish-Out 3 ($2 - $5 M) category.

• Rosendin Electric for the Delta Sky Club Austin in the Specialty ContractorElectrical 1 ($0 - $5 M) category.

THE CIA WINNERS

• General Contractor of the Year: Turner Construction Company.

• Specialty Contractor of the Year: Alterman, Inc.

• Supplier of the Year: Architectural Division 8

THE SAFETY AWARD WINNERS

• Safe Specialty Contractor of the Year, Category I: Alterman, Inc.

• Safe Specialty Contractor of the Year, Category II: Big State Electric, Ltd.

• Safe General Contractor of the Year, Category I: Roger’s O’Brien

• Safe General Contractor of the Year, Category II: Cadence McShane Construction Co.

• Larry Westbrook Safe Superintendent of the Year: Adrian Flores with Bartlett Cocke General Contractors. n

Smoking will kill you… Bacon will kill you… And yet, smoking bacon will cure it.

Light travels faster than sound, which is why some people appear bright before they open their mouths.

the trust For public land works to protect the places people care about and to create closeto-home parks — particularly in and near cities, where 80 percent of Americans live. Its goal is to ensure that every child has easy access to a safe place to play in nature. They also conserve working farms, ranches, and forests; lands of historical and cultural importance; rivers, streams, coasts, and watersheds; and other special places where people can experience nature close at hand.

Founded in 1972 with the goal of protecting land in and around cities and pioneering new

land conservation techniques, its work has expanded to include projects from the inner city to the wilderness. In cities, they’re turning vacant lots into community-designed parks and playgrounds. And we’re addressing the looming climate crisis with strategies to help reduce greenhouse gasses, promote climate adaptation, and create park-rich, climatesmart cities.

The Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore® index is the most comprehensive tool available for evaluating park access and quality in the 100 largest U.S. cities. With the permis-

sion of and thanks to The Trust for Public Land, this is the eleventh of thirteen installments of the results of that study. For Arlington, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Garland, Houston, Irving and Laredo please see our archived editions at www.crestnetwork.com. In the issues ahead, look for Plano and San Antonio. If you can’t wait to see all of the results – or want to see where your or another city rates, go to: www.tpl.org/node/110916 n

YOU NEED (OR MIGHT WANT) TO KNOW LINK : MARKET PLACE AND DIRECTORY

CARPET CLEANING: LEGAL:

EXECUTIVE SEARCH, INTERIM PLACEMENTS & TRAINING:

PAVINGS:

EXTERIOR WALL CONSULTING:

JANITORIAL SERVICES:

MADE

PAVINGS:

What

ROOFING:

3”

THE BACK PAGE

ANSWERS FROM THE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER CONTEST – PET FRIENDLY (TV PETS)

1. Lassie

2. Married with Children

3. The Jetsons

4. The Simpsons

5. Miami Vice

6. The Munsters

7. Flipper

8. The Bugs Bunny Show

9. F-Troop

10. Empty Nest

11. Mad About You

12. Full House

13. The Family Guy

14. Mr. Ed

15. Friends

16. Green Acres

17. The Flintstones

18. Frasier

19. Peanuts

20. Scooby-doo, Where Are You!

ANSWERS FROM PAGE 57: CALL ME WHAT?

1. Bucky Beaver was the marketing icon and mascot of Ipana toothpaste commercials from the 1950s. His slogan was "Brush up, brush up, brush up. Get the New Ipana—it's dandy for your teeth!" Mr. Decay Germ (stylized as D.K. Germ) was the villain in the commercials. Bucky told him, "Mr. Decay Germ, stay away from me. I'm sick and tired of cavities. Go bother someone else now."

2. Speedy Gonzales was an animated cartoon character in the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He is portrayed as "The Fastest Mouse in all Mexico" with his major traits being the ability to run extremely fast, speaking English with an exaggerated Mexican accent and also speaking Spanish. He usually wore a yellow sombrero, white shirt and trousers.

3. Woody Woodpecker is a cartoon woodpecker that has appeared in theatrical short films distributed by Universal Studios between 1940 and 1972. He was created in 1940 by Walter Lantz and storyboard artist Ben "Bugs" Hardaway (who had previously laid the groundwork for two other screwball characters, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck in the late 1930s). Like Mickey Mouse of The Walt Disney Company and Bugs Bunny of Warner Bros., Woody Woodpecker is the official mascot of Universal Studios.

4. Sylvester is a fictional character, a tuxedo cat in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. Most of his appearances have him chasing Tweety, Speedy Gonzales, or Hippety Hopper. He appeared in 103 cartoons in the golden age of American animation, behind only superstars Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and Daffy Duck. Three of his cartoons won Academy Awards, the most for any starring Looney Tunes character: they were Tweetie Pie, Speedy Gonzales, and Birds Anonymous

5. Calvin and Hobbes was a daily American comic strip created by cartoonist Bill Watterson that was syndicated from 1985 to 1995. Set in the contemporary suburban United States, it followed the humorous antics of Calvin, a precocious, mischievous and adventurous six-year-old boy, and Hobbes, his sardonic stuffed tiger. It is often cited as "the last great newspaper comic," and had broad and enduring popularity, influence, and academic and philosophical interest. At the height of its popularity, it was featured in over 2,400 newspapers worldwide.

6. Benjamin "Benny" Ball (known to most as ‘Benny the Ball’) is one of the main characters in the Hanna-Barbera cartoon Top Cat. Benny is a member Top Cat's gang. He is his right hand man and best friend and is involved in most of Top Cat's schemes, many of which are illegal. He is a blue cat wearing a white jacket with only one button to his neck and appears innocent, naive and somewhat slow and simple-minded.

BOLO (BE ON THE LOOK

In Herstory, Contributing Editor Rose-Mary Rumbley treats us to amazing stories from three theatres in Texas. In Columbus, rich cattleman Robert Stafford built his house next to the theatre, so he could sit in a chair in his upstairs bedroom and watch the plays. In Jefferson, a lady who owned a downtown building had a onewoman-show ready whenever she wanted to perform.  She’d put out a sign - Show Now! - and open her building and welcome the audience.  And at a theater in Corpus Christi, the troops sent to fight in the Mexican War decided to put on Othello - and Lt. U.S. Grant, because of his girlish looks, played Desdemona.

Contributing Editor Angela O’Byrne’s Amazing Buildings will look at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs. The stunning building aims to be one of the most accessible museums in the world. And Contributing Editor Tony Barbieri’s Legal View will examine legal issues invol-

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR CONTEST WINNERS!

Madeline Calderon of San Antonio won BeMe headphones.

Tyrone Sanderson of Marietta, GA won the ULI publication Shared Parking. Peggy Proudfoot of Las Cruces, NM won a Brydge iPad protective case and keyboard. Carey McFadden of Sugarland won an autographed copy of Malcom Gladwell’s book What the Dog Saw Brenda Gilliland of Odessa won a pair of Nomad lightening cables. Brad Cooperman of Weatherford won a Coolibar gaiter.

OUT) FOR WHAT'S COMING NEXT

ving tortious interference with contracts. And, with permission from and thanks to The Trust for Public Land, we’ll continue to present the results of their study on parks for the twelfth of thirteen Texas cities – this time for Plano.

We’ll introduce a new feature called Whatever Happened to _______? in which we’ll look back (in words and pictures) at someone who was once famous and tell you about him or her today.

Contributing Editor Roxana Tofan’ Profiles of Survival will look Specht’s Store, a restaurant and saloon in San Antonio, at and what it is doing to survive health clos-ings and reduced patronage in the era of COVID19. In You Need (or might want) to Know, we’ll introduce you to the man for whom the Phillips screwdriver is named. And then we’ll take a look at the drink – screwdriver – as well. And then we’ll examine how the (23.5 degree) tilt of the Earth affects the weather.

On the 75th anniversary year, we’ll present a pictorial profile of CRTKL Architects, a global architecture, planning and design practice with a focus on resiliency, wellbeing and technology. And we’ll continue our look at the architectural treasures of American cities, this time of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and we’ll do the same for Islamabad, Pakistan – you will be quite surprised.

Specially contributed articles from various industry segments will continue to discuss issues presented by COVID-19 and, of course, we will have our affiliates’ awards and special events, the Wow Factor, Diversions, By the Numbers, True Dat, The History Page, Political Corner, Professionals on the Move The Resource Page, Shout-Outs, Real Estate of the Future, and much MUCH more. We get a lot into 64 pages!

C NTEST: MISS AMERICA THEN AND NOW

Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. Since 2018, there is no longer a swimsuit portion to the contest, or consideration of physical appearance. Can you match the pictures of these Miss America Pageant Winners from when they were crowned to what they look years later?

Write the letter of the corresponding picture in the space provided.

Then, scan or copy this page and send your entry to editor@crestnetwork.com or fax it to 817.924.7116 on or before February 12th for a chance to win a valuable prize. (The answers will appear in our March-April issue.)

01/ ___ Lee Meriwether represented California and became Miss America 1955.

02/ Kylene Barker represented Virginia and became Miss America 1979.

03/ ___ Maria Fletcher represented North Carolina and became Miss America 1962.

04/ ___ Vanessa Williams represented New York and became Miss America 1984.

05/ Mary Ann Mobley represented Mississippi and became Miss America in 1959.

06/ ___ Gretchen Carlson represented Minnesota and became Miss America in 1989.

07/ ___ Debra Maffett represented California and became Miss America in 1983.

08/ ___ Debbye Turner represented Missouri and became Miss America in 1990.

09/ ___ Heather Whitestone represented Alabama and became Miss America in 1995.

10/ ___ Pamela Eldred represented Michigan and became Miss America in 1970.

11/ ___ Dorothy Benham represented Minnesota and became Miss America in 1977.

12/ Elizabeth Ward Gracen represented Arkansas and became Miss America in 1982.

13/ ___ Leanza Cornett represented Florida and became Miss America in 1993.

14/ ___ Susan Akin represented Mississippi and became Miss America in 1986.

...BECAUSE SOMETIMES IS WHAT YOU KNOW

We Speak Real Estate

The Arsenal Companies are a diversified consulting, educational and publishing group, dedicated to service in the real estate industry. With national reach, regional strength and local sensibilities, we serve and service large and small companies as well as governmental entities in acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, licensing, contracting, procurement, insurance certificate tracking, educational program development, mediation services and collections.

Our Contracts and Procurement Services Division provides solutions and services that help real estate owners and companies effectively manage their contractual needs and commitments. We provide industry knowledge and we practice deal facilitation rather than obstruction. Whether you are a property, facility or asset manager, your functions are integrally related to real estate contracts. Quality management is all about contracts.

Leasing

Acquisitions, dispositions, renewals, surrenders, amendments, abstracting, administration, interpretation – our professionals are experienced in residential, commercial, industrial, professional and retail leasing issues of all kinds.

Highly respected.

Procurement

Supply Chain Management

Procurement Administration

Supplier Recognition Programs

RFI, RFP, RFQ Administration

Vendor/Supplier Resourcing

Vendor Reduction Programs

Customized Purchase Orders

Are the contracts for services and supplies which your organization uses prepared for your organization – or are they the vendor’s or contractor’s agreement forms? Wouldn’t you be better off if those agreements and purchase orders were revisited from your perspective? Isn’t it time you fortified your real estate related contracts?

Contract Negotiation and Drafting Services

Anyone with experience.

Don’t assume that problems won’t occur. Plan what you can do to avoid them. A small reduction in costs can be the equivalent of a substantial increase in value. We suggest ‘refinements’ to improve language and reduce direct and indirect costs. Our attorneys have successfully resolved leasing issues for both small and Fortune 100 corporations – effectuating $millions in savings.

Do you have contract issues that call out for review, interpretation and the advice of a specialist? Do you have a service contract which is about to expire and will need to be renewed or replaced? Do you have oversight of a real estate or facilities function which has been given savings targets? Have you considered ‘outsourcing’ this part of your real estate function but fear a loss of control?

We analyze the details of your proposed service contracts before they begin - while you still have leverage. Or, we can review your existing service contracts, help reveal cost efficiencies and/or savings opportunities. We look for pragmatic solutions that are sensitive to your business interests, anticipating issues that may arise, and we assist in minimizing those risks that cannot be avoided.

Leases are highly specialized documents. A few words can make a world of difference.