September-October 2022

AMAZ NG BU LDINGS

IMPORTANT VOICES – LIZ CHENEY AND ADAM KINZINGER

THE WORLD’S LARGEST REITS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES

KING GEORGE III - THE LAST KING OF AMERICA AMERICA’S FAVORITE RCHITECTURE

THE ARCHITECTURE OF ISTANBUL

REAL ESTATE F THE FU URE YOU NEED (OR MIGHT WANT) TO KN W ARTCH TECTURE

THE WAR NEXT DOOR: A ROMANIAN - AMERICAN VIEW OF THE UKRAINIAN WAR

ESG LEADERSHIP THROUGH BOLD TRANSPARENCY AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND FEARS OF A MARKET CRASH TR E DAT

THE OTHER-WORLDLY WORDS OF YOGI BERRA THE FIGHT TO HELP HOMELESS VETERANS

THE VOICE OF REAL ESTATE

The Best Diversions

Give yourself the gift of smiles. 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.

"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

From Where I Sit FREE

The Editor’s Page in is almost totally devoted to humor and wisdom and this is a collection of some of the best of them. www.crestnetwork.com get the digital book for free!

Vertical Lines

from the pages of

"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

also from The CREST Publications Group

My Hand Book Leading With My Heart

"Incisive yet expansive - as if the psychology of R.D. Laing encountered the self-exploration of Hugh Prather to help readers delve into their own thought, experiences and behaviours."

The Rockford Tribune

"Curiously intense and ironic. This is a work that will make you think and feel and you will revisit it over and over.

Marion Danziger, The Toronto Town Crier

“An often off-color (but always entertaining and almost always hilarious) collection of jokes that you will read, enjoy – and probably tell –over and over.”

Joey Cousins, The Greenwich Times

"It matters not who we have been, or why, with whom, or how. What matters is that we have met and who we are from now."

Original reflections on new love, its flame, intensity, and all-consuming spirit. Short, poetic expressions of heartfelt longing, passion, and desire. Intimate expressions of tenderness and adoration, accompanied by romantic pictures. A wonderful gift for someone you love.

“So simple. So eloquent and beautiful. Absolutely wonderful!”

Allison Templeton

A Book

"A perfect companion to Vertical Lineshumor in bite-sized pieces.”

Ellen Campbell, Sinclair Book Reviews

unite! this!

"Dyslexics of the world, untie!”

Punsters of the world, read shit!" L. Bartow. The Network Bookshelf

24 THE WORLD’S LARGEST REITS

A Visual Capitalist graphic depicts the top ten.

26 THE INTERNATIONAL TOBY AWARDS

A pictorial of the Building Owners and Managers Association 2022 award winners.

30 AMERICA’S FAVORITE RCHITECTURE

Part 4 of a series — a pictorial of #s 46-60 in an AIA survey.

32 AMAZING BUILDINGS

Contributing Editor Angela O’Byrne looks at Culture Island: Designing the New Abu Dhabi.

16

REAL ESTATE F THE FU URE Desert Rock Mountain Resort

THE BLUEPRINT

39 THE LONE STAR STATE’S FIGHT TO HELP HOMELESS VETERANS

Retired Brigadier General TJ Edwards looks at the special efforts of San Antonio (Military City USA).

40 UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES

Part 4 of a pictorial series — the 33 designated sites of the United Kingdom.

44 IMPORTANT VOICES

The closing statements of Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger at the January 6th’s committee hearing on July 21st.

20

THE ARCHITECTURE OF ISTANBUL

A pictorial of a city that is part in Europe and part in Asia.

34 THE WAR NEXT DOOR EXCLUSIVE!

Contributing Editor Roxana Tofan visited her homeland of Romania this summer and provides us with a personal and compelling view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

37 PROFILES OF SURV VAL

The last in the series of Contributing Editor Roxana Tofan’s success stories in the time of coronavirus – this time Mitzi Hill of New Braunfels.

46 A TALE OF TWO MAPS: HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND FEARS OF A MARKET CRASH

Alyssa Greenfell and Jackson Carpenter offer graphic insights into today’s home market.

50 ESG LEADERSHIP THOUGH BOLD TRANSPARENCY AND STAKE HOLDER LEADERSHIP

AMLI’s Erin Hatcher looks at the importance of Environment, Social and Governance reporting in the real estate industry today.

52 ARTCH TECTURE

Wendy Norton’s paintings are eye-catching and inspiring.

54 THE OTHER- WORLDLY WORDS OF YOGI BERRA

Some of the most memorable malapropisms from the baseball great.

56

Contributing Editor Rose-Mary Rumbley looks at King George III – the last king of America.

26

THE INTERNATIONAL TOBY AWARDS

A pictorial of the Building Owners and Managers Association 2022 award winners.

ABOUT US

Now in our 30th year, reaches over 500,000+ architects, engineers, developers, brokers, construction managers, property and facility managers, bankers, lawyers, appraisers, investors, service providers, and many more throughout the U.S. via subscription and social media! We proudly serve and service any and all real estate associations bimonthly. If your group would like to be included, please let us know. Email: editor@crestnetwork.com or call the number above.

EXECUTIVE STAFF

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

XENIA MONTERO: Associate Editor and Art Director. xeniam.design@gmail.com

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

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

LANA CALLOWAY: Business Development Manager. lana@crestnetwork.com

MARIA TARIQ: Technical Director, Book Division. mariatariq070213@hotmail.com

ADVISORY BOARD

There’s more in our web edition at www.crestnetwork.com

CHECK US OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

KIM GHEZ, Director of Marketing, Presidio Title.

KIM HOPKINS, Executive Director, CREW Dallas.

LINDSEY KOREN, Director of Communications, American Society of Interior Designers.

JONATHAN KRAATZ, Executive Director, USGBC Texas.

AIMÉE LEE, National Accounts Director, Recycle Across America.

DOUG MCMURRY, Executive Vice President, San Antonio AGC.

LESLIE ROBINETT, Marketing and Communications Manager, International Facility Management Association.

LAURA MACDONALD STEWART, RID, FASID, IIDA, LEED AP, Editor of Plinth & Chintz.

MICHELLE THATCHER, CEO, The U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce.

JESSICA WARRIOR, Director of Property Management, Granite Properties.

WHAT OUR READERS ARE saying

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

ANGELA O’BYRNE, AIA: Amazing Buildings.

ROSE-MARY RUMBLEY: Herstory.

ANTHONY BARBIERI: Legal.

ROXANA TOFAN: Profiles of Survival.

third party, including, without limitation, the accuracy, subject matter, quality or timeliness of any Content. Change of address: Mail to address above or email

Rose-Mary Rumbley Anthony Barbieri

Angela O’Byrne

Roxana Tofan

Andrew A. Felder Xenia Montero

Maria Tariq Mark Angle

Annette Lawless

Our PDF edition is an exact replica of the printed magazine and our web edition has many more articles and features. Browse, search, and save your favorites, or check the archives for something you want to read again!

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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.

BRIGADIER GENERAL

THOMAS J. EDWARDS (P. 39) recently retired from the Army after 30 years of service and moved to San Antonio, Texas in May of 2022. He is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Military Officers’ Association of America, and the 82d Airborne Division Association. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina, and master’s degrees from Oklahoma University, the Naval War College, and the Army War College.

ALYSSA GRENFELL AND JACKSON CARPENTER (P. 46) are the cofounders and editors of FI/RE Manual, a financial independence education website. They are passionate about helping people to build sustainable wealth and find financial freedom. Alyssa also owns and operates a regional property management company. Jackson is the Vice President of Strategy for a global marketing firm.

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. 37) 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 Survival 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.

THE UPSIDE OF DOWNTIME...

Fans of will love these compilations of humor from the last decade. The Best of Diversions is just that – the very best of the hilarious Diversions that have appeared on the pages of the magazine. Vertical Lines is over a hundred pages of wit, witticisms and sarcasm that have appeared between the

the network bookshelf on days off on off-days on rainy Sundays if you’re alone if you need a break to pass the time to brighten your day to sharpen your skills to open your mind to make you smile turn to www.crestnetwork.com

ERIN HATCHER (P. 50) is Vice President-Sustainability at AMLI Residential, developer, owner and manager of environmentally responsible, luxury apartment communities. With a focus on building certifications and investor reporting, she leads the establishment and integration of AMLI’s ESG strategy. Erin leverages her unique skillset and experience in this highly collaborative role that works across AMLI’s active markets with internal development, construction, and operation teams. She received her BFA in Interior Design from the Illinois Institute of Art – Chicago, is LEED Accredited Professional and has obtained her certification as a Construction Documents Technologist.

pages (”in the gutter”, as they say). They are both available at your favorite online bookseller and you can see samples at the link here My Handbook is… well… look at the cover comments and a few sample pages. You’ll know soon enough if it’s for you.

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

BY ANDREW FELDER Managing Editor & Publisher aafelder@crestnetwork.com

THE FIRST TIME

It’s your first time. As you lie back, your muscles tighten. You put him off for a while searching for an excuse, but he refuses to be swayed as he approaches you. He asks if you’re afraid and you shake your head bravely.

IS MORE LESS?

Phones- Wireless

Cooking - Fireless Cars - Keyless

Food - Fatless

Tires -Tubeless Dress - Sleeveless

Youth - Jobless Leaders - Shameless

Relationships - Meaningless Attitudes - Careless Babies - Fatherless Feelings - Heartless Education - Valueless Children – Mannerless

We are SPEECHLESS, Government is CLUELESS, Our Politicians are WORTHLESS!

And I'm scared Shitless!

EVER WONDER WHY?

…the sun lightens our hair but darkens our skin.

…you never see the headline 'Psychic Wins Lottery.’

…'abbreviated' is such a long word .

…doctors call what they do 'practice.’

…lemon juice is made with artificial flavor, but dishwashing liquid is made with real lemons.

…the person who invests all your money is called a broker.

…the time of day with the slowest traffic is called rush hour.

…there isn’t mouse-flavored cat food.

…Noah didn’t swat those two mosquitoes.

…they sterilize the needle for lethal injections.

… they don’t make the whole plane out of the same stuff as the nearly indestructible data-recorder black box.

…sheep don’t shrink in the rain.

…they’re called ‘apartments’ when they’re all stuck together. …if ‘con’ is the opposite of ‘pro’, isn’t ‘congress’ the opposite of ‘progress?’

…if flying is so safe, why do they call the ‘airport’ the ‘terminal?’

He has had more experience, but it’s the first time his finger has found the right place. He probes deeply and you shiver; your body tenses; but he’s gentle, like he promised he’d be. He looks deeply into your eyes and tells you to trust him; he’s done this many times before. His cool smile relaxes you, and you open wider to give him more room for an easy entrance. You begin to plead and beg him to hurry, but he slowly takes his time, wanting to cause you as little pain as possible.

As he presses closer, going deeper, you feel the tissue give way. Pain surges throughout your body and you feel the slight trickle of blood as he continues. He looks at you, concerned, and asks if it’s too painful. Your eyes are filled with tears, but you shake your head and nod for him to go on. He begins moving in and out with skill, but you are now too numb to feel him within you.

After a few frenzied moments, you feel something bursting within you and he pulls it out of you. You lay panting, glad to have it over. He looks at you and, smiling warmly, tells you with a chuckle that you’ve been his most stubborn, yet most rewarding experience. You smile and thank your dentist. After all, it was your first time to have a tooth pulled.

Naughty. What were you thinking?

ONLY IN THIS CRAZY WORLD

Only in this crazy world ......do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage. Only in this crazy world......do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet Coke.

Only in this crazy world ......do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.

Only in this crazy world …...do we have to buy hot dogs in packages of ten and hot dog buns in packages of eight.

Only in this crazy world......do banks leave vault doors open and chain the pens to the counters. Only in this crazy world ......do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.

Please Read This!

(On A Serious Note)

There are several changes we want to point out for your reading enjoyment.

The Blueprint and Masthead pages have been redesigned for the print edition.

Professionals on the Move will only appear in the web edition of the publication.

Diversions and Vertical Lines will only appear in the print/pdf edition.

 Herstory and History will only appear in the print/pdf edition.

As our circulation and geographical bases grow, you will notice other enhancements, but we wanted to make sure you can always find your favorite sections.

Definition: Retired: I was tired yesterday and I’m tired again today.

The (July-August) contest (Official Baby Boomers Qualifying Exam was fun. That I found it so easy is proof, I guess, that I really am a baby boomer. And the Generational Chart that accompanied the Millennials Driving the Real Estate Market article reminded me of just how long ago I came of age. Yikes!

Charles Edmondson, Philadelphia, PA Ed. Congratulations, Charles. You must be aging wisely; you were one of our contest winners.

I had never heard of Recycle Across America before – and I found the interview with its Executive Director (Ms. Hedlund) very interesting. Recycling is such an important thing— and it really requires so little effort. I’m going to make it a point to learn more and spread the word.

Heather Wentworth, Memphis, TN Ed. You will soon be able to see Mitch Hedlund interviewed about a variety of recycling topics by Actress Joelle Carter (both of whom are pictured in that interview) exclusively in a webinar on our website.

The excerpts from Matthew McConaughey’s speech really moved me. What happened in Uvalde was absolutely horrific, but it’s wonderful to see a public figure speak so reasonably about gun control. I wish he was running for Governor.

Carol McWilliams, The Woodlands, TX

A great read.

Susan Ballard, Dallas, TX (on Linked In)

ON THE COVER

CORRECTIONS & AMPLIFICATIONS

On the Blueprint, a picture was erroneously identified as appearing on page 36. That picture was related to an article in an earlier issue.

One of the contest winners was misspelled. The winner was Lilith Blake (not Lilli).

The Brooklyn Bridge has always intrigued me. Its neo-gothic arches are incredibly captivating and beautiful. New York will always hold a special place in my heart and is one of my favorite cities to paint. I am a native New Yorker and spent many years living and working in Manhattan When I painted this, I was really missing New York. I wanted to convey a sense of mystique and romance in the air. A New York couple strolling down the bridge on a winter afternoon. The pinkish grey overcast sky gives the painting a moody feel, as well as the snow drifts along the bridge. The small pop of red in the woman’s coat serves as a focal point and the hint of red in the American flag draws your eye upward toward the beautiful arches. This painting is special to me and is in currently in my private collection.

‘NEW YORK 2 BROOKLYN’ by Wendy Norton

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WHAT IS WITH THIS HEAT?!?! WE ASKED AN EXPERT

the central part of the United States is burning! It seems that every day the temperature goes over 100º Fahrenheit. On July 21st, the temperature in our headquarters in Fort Worth reached 107º! Yet, for some reason, at that same hour of the day, it was 70º in Mexico City and 65º degrees in Quito, Ecuador - which is only 15 miles from the equator! We decided to reach out to an expert— Senior Meteorologist Jack Boston of KAKE (the ABC Affiliate) in Wichita, KS, where they were also experiencing record high temperatures. Here’s what he had to say:

“The reason both locations, Mexico City, Mexico and Quito, Ecuador have much lower temperatures that Fort Worth, Texas is really very simple! It is due to the differences in elevation. The temperature 99 percent of the time is warmest at the surface at any given location. In general, the lapse rate is 9.8 degrees Celsius per 1000 meter increase in elevation (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit per 1000 feet). This is the rate the temperature decreases as you move upwards from the surface.

The elevation of Fort Worth, Texas is 653 feet above sea level while Mexico City's elevation is 7,249 feet above Sea Level, 6,596 feet higher which would make it 35.1 degrees Fahrenheit cooler given the lapse rate. Quito, Ecuador's elevation is 9,350 feet, 8,697 feet higher, which would make it 47 degrees cooler, all other factors excluded, but I think you can see that these are pretty close to the differences you described.”

THE DOOMSDAY VAULT

Deep in the bowels of an icy mountain on an island above the Arctic Circle between Norway and the North Pole lies a resource of vital importance for the future of humankind. It’s not coal, oil, or precious minerals, but seeds.

Millions of these tiny brown specks, from more than 930,000 varieties of food crops, are stored in the Global Seed Vault on Spitsbergen, part of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. It is essentially a huge safety deposit box, holding the world’s largest collection of agricultural biodiversity. “Inside this building is 13,000 years of agricultural history,” says Brian Lainoff, lead partnerships coordinator of the Crop Trust, which manages the vault.

DOXING

Doxing (or doxxing) —short for "dropping dox"—is the act of publicly revealing previously private personal information about an individual or organization, usually via the Internet. It is an online attack in which hackers dig up personal information and documents (which explains the ‘dox’ part of ‘dropping dox’) often to shame, harass, embarrass, intimidate, or even coerce or extort a victim. Once people have been exposed through doxing, they may be targeted for harassment through various methods (e.g., in-person, fake signups for mail and pizza deliv-eries, or through swatting—dispatching armed police to their house through spoofed tips).

Over the past 50 years, agricultural practices have changed dramatically, with technological advances allowing large-scale crop production. But while crop yields have increased, biodiversity has decreased to the point that now only about 30 crops provide 95% of human food-energy needs. Only 10% of the rice varieties that China used in the 1950s are still used today, for example. The U.S. has lost over 90% of its fruit and vegetable varieties since the 1900s. This monoculture nature of agriculture leaves food supplies more susceptible to threats such as diseases and drought.

In an age of heightened geopolitical tensions and uncertainty, the Svalbard vault is an unusual and hopeful exercise in international cooperation for the good of humankind. Any organization or country can send seeds to it, and there are no restrictions because of politics or the requirements of diplomacy. Red wooden boxes from North Korea sit alongside black boxes from the U.S. Over on the next aisle, boxes of seeds from Ukraine sit atop seeds from Russia. “The seeds don’t care that there are North Korean seeds and South Korean seeds in the same aisle,” Lainoff says. “They are cold and safe up there, and that’s all that really matters.”

There’s a fine line between numerator and denominator. (Only a fraction of people will find that funny.)

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

Did vou hear about the Italian chef who died? He pasta way. We cannoli do so much. His legacy will become a pizza history. He ran out of thyme.

There are three different systems for measuring heat energy (temperature): Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin. In scientific measures, it is most common to use either the Kelvin or Celsius scale as a unit of temperature measurement. Because the difference between the freezing point of water and the boiling point of water is 100° on both the Celsius and Kelvin scales, the size of a degree Celsius (°C) and a Kelvin (K) are precisely the same. In contrast, both a degree of Celsius and a Kelvin are 9/5 the size of a degree Fahrenheit (°F). In the Celsius scale, the boiling point of water is 100°C, and the freezing point is at 0°C, while in the Fahrenheit scale the boiling point of water is measured at 212°F and freezing point at 32°F.

Once upon a (albeit brief) time, Fahrenheit was the only way of measuring temperature. In 1724, Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit developed a scale to measure temperature. He set zero degrees as the lowest temperature at which he could get salt and water to mix, and he approximated the temperature of the human body as 96 degrees. Eighteen years later, Anders Celsius developed a second (and much more intuitive) system of temperature measurement—one which had an even 100-degree difference between the freezing and boiling points of water.

In the 18 years when Fahrenheit was the only temperature measurement, it gained a substantial footing around the world. The British Royal Society adopted it, and the UK spread it to its colonies, including the United States and Australia. But the compatibility of Celsius with

the nascent metric system could not be ignored (since they were both based in multiples of ten). France spearheaded the adoption of the metric system and Celsius with it, and it spread to much of the world.

At the same time, the English-speaking world continued to hang onto Fahrenheit. In the 1960s, the UK finally officially began switching over to the metric system to be in step with the rest of Europe. America, though, made no such switch. It tried (half-heartedly) in 1975 with Congress’s Metric Conversion Act. This made adopting the metric system “voluntary,” and to no one’s surprise, people had no desire to voluntarily upend the systems of measurement.

There are a few other nations that still use the Fahrenheit system as well: the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. Only three (U.S. Liberia and Myanmar) don’t use the metric system. Others use both systems— Belize, the British Virgin Islands, and Bermuda.

If you’re traveling to a country that measures temperature differently from yours, it’s helpful to know the conversion rates for Fahrenheit to Celsius and Celsius to Fahrenheit. To convert a temperature from Fahrenheit to Celsius, subtract 32, multiply by 5, and divide by 9. To convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit, multiply by 1.8 and add 32. No sweat, right?!

CELSIUS VS. FAHRENHEIT

DYSTOPIA

A dystopia is a speculated community or society that is undesirable or frightening. It is often used as an antonym of utopia (a term coined by Sir Thomas More and the title of his book — published in 1516—which created a blueprint for an ideal society with minimal crime, violence and poverty. Dystopias are often characterized by rampant fear or distress, tyrannical governments, environmental disaster, or other characteristics associated with a cataclysmic decline in society. Distinct themes typical of a dystopian society include: complete control over the people through the usage of propaganda, heavy censoring of information or denial of free thought, worshiping an unattainable goal, the complete loss of individuality, and strong enforcement of conformity.

FIRST COUSIN | SECOND COUSIN | COUSIN ONCE REMOVED

You probably know what a first cousin is: you share a set of grandparents. You may even know that a second cousin means you share a set of great-grandparents (Third cousins share a great-great-grandparent, and so on and so on).

Second cousins are family. Unlike other relations with more generational gaps and fewer ancestors in common, they are not considered to be distant relatives. In the US, it’s legal to marry your second cousin. It’s illegal to marry your first cousin in 31 states in the US (due to genetic concerns), which means it is legal in 19 states, and, by the way, Washington D.C.) [The average person has around 28 second cousins.]

A ‘removed’ cousin is someone who is in a different generation than you. (People who are one generation younger would be in the same generation as your children; people who are one generation older would be in the same generation as your parents.) There are two ways you can be first cousins once

An epizeuxis is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated in immediate succession, with no intervening words. For example: In Hamlet, Hamlet responds to a question about what he's reading by saying "Words, words, words." Winston Churchill famously said, “Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large, or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.”

An anaphora is a related figure of speech in which words repeat at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences. For example, Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech: "So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania..."

An epistrophe is a figure of speech in which one or more words repeat at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. For example, in the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln urged the American people to ensure that, "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

A diacope is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated with a small number of intervening words. The first line of Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,"

An epanalepsis is a figure of speech in which the beginning of a clause or sentence is repeated at the end of that same clause or sentence, with words intervening. Example: "The king is dead, long live the king!"

removed: 1) When your first cousin is in the same generation as your children, and that cousin has a child, that person is your first cousin once removed; and 2) When your first cousin is in the same generation as your parents and he or she has a child (i.e., the child of your parent’s aunt or uncle), that child is your first cousin once removed.

If two siblings in one family marry two siblings from another family and each couple has a child, the children are double first cousins. The word ‘double’ in addition to the first cousin term is because they share the same four grandparents. n

The officer said, "You drinking?" I said, "You buying?" We just laughed and laughed.... I need bail money.

Just a warning: If you’re buving a watch on Amazon, don’t learn the hard way like I did. If it says you can swim with it, it only means if you can swim without it.

completed last year next to the Hai River in northeastern China, the Tianjin Juilliard School is composed of four steel and concrete pavilions that are connected by glass bridges. Like its New York City

counterpart (also designed by New York studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro) it seeks “to increase engagement with the public through openness and transparency; offer informal spaces for students to mix and gather,

and provide teaching and performance spaces with world-class acoustics," said Charles Renfro.

The four pavilions contain a 690-seat concert hall, a 299-seat recital hall and a 225-seat black box theatre, alongside offices and rehearsal spaces. They are linked together by the five glass bridges, which span a 2,260-square-metre, columnfree foyer at the heart of the building.

Alongside the plaza and lobby, the school has a "digital learning environment" for the public called the Imagination Space,

in which people can learn about the schools via interactive displays which can host livestreamed concerts between both campuses. n

THE SPECTACULAR DESERT ROCK MOUNTAIN RESORT

BY THE RED SEA DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

in riyadh, saudi arabia, the Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project, The Red Sea Project (TRSP), has revealed design plans for its new mountain resort named Desert Rock in the beautiful wadi vistas in the west of the country. (In some Arabic-speaking countries, a wadi is a valley, ravine, or channel that is dry except in the rainy season.)

Created by the world-class architectural design firm, Oppenheim Architecture, Desert Rock is designed to protect and preserve the environment and will allow guests to connect with the nature and local culture of the region.

“We wanted to create a destination that allows guests to experience Saudi Arabia’s untouched beauty. Desert Rock will

provide guests with uninterrupted spectacular views while preserving the natural landscape for future generations to enjoy,” said John Pagano, CEO at TRSDC. “We have drawn inspiration from the surround-

ing environment, while providing unparalleled luxury, allowing guests to connect with nature and create memorable experiences.”

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Desert Rock will integrate architecture with nature as hotel and facilities will be built into the stunning Saudi mountain landscape

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INTEGRATING ARCHITECTURE WITH NATURE

Guests will enter the resort through a hidden valley nestled between the mountains. From there, they will find 48 villas and 12 hotel rooms within the mountain, located amongst the vista, with architecture fully integrated into the rock to preserve its striking silhouette, a tribute to Oppenheim Architecture’s philosophy to build with the land, not on the land.

A range of accommodations will be available, from ground level dwellings to crevice hotel suites midway up the mountain, and a select number of excavated rooms within the rock massif itself. To provide undisrupted views across the landscape, most roads leading into the resort will be pushed to the edge of the main wadi and hidden behind landscape mounds. This will also minimize sound and light pollution, allowing guests to fully absorb the dramatic desert landscape.

UNIQUE RESORT EXPERIENCE

The resort will feature state-of-the-art facilities, including a world-class spa and fitness center, remote destination dining areas as well as a feature lagoon oasis. Guests will be able to hike, use dune buggies, and star gaze as part of the site-

wide activities program. The project also aims to maintain the ancient history of the site by hiring members of the local community to act as stewards of the land and provide educational tours for visitors about the local history of the area.

SUSTAINABLY CONSTRUCTED

As part of TRSDC’s commitment to regenerative tourism, Desert Rock will be designed to achieve the highest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification level.

The architecture has been designed to reduce energy consumption and regenerate native flora. Water retention and distribution systems will be used throughout the site, with harvested rainwater used to create a more green, flourishing wadi. Alongside this, materials excavated from the site will be used to create the infrastructure. Stone will be used for interior and exterior walls and floors, while ground stone and existing sand will be used for concrete aggregate, which is the main building material for all the architecture.

Chad Oppenheim, Founder of Oppenheim Architecture, said: “Desert Rock is one of the most dramatic desert landscapes in the world, which is why we wanted to use the architecture as a way to honor and respect it. By utilizing natural materials and integrating the resort into the rock, guests can

connect physically with the destination and experience Saudi Arabia’s stunning, natural beauty.”

BREAKING NEW GROUND

Site preparation works have commenced, and construction began in July 2021. The Red Sea Project has already passed significant milestones on the destination and work is on track to welcome the first guests by the end of 2022, when the first hotels

will open. Phase One, which includes 16 hotels in total, will be completed by 2023. Upon completion in 2030, the destination will comprise 50 resorts, offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and more than 1,000 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites. The destination will also include luxury marinas, golf courses, entertainment, leisure facilities and an international airport.

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If you're struggling to remember a word, vou can just say, "I can't remember the English word for it." That wav people will think you're bilingual, instead of an idiot.

ABOUT THE RED SEA DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC - theredsea.sa) is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia.

The project is being developed over 11,000 square miles of pristine lands and waters along the country’s west coast and includes a vast archipelago of more than 90 pristine islands. It features sweeping desert dunes, mountain canyons, dormant volcanoes, and ancient cultural and heritage sites, and is designed to include hotels, residential properties, leisure, commercial and entertainment amenities, as well as supporting infrastructure that emphasizes renewable energy and water conservation and re-use, and a circular waste management system to achieve zero waste to landfill.

The 100-hectare Landscape Nursery, which will provide more than 15 million plants for the destination, is now fully operational. There are more than 8,000 workers currently on-site and 80km of new roads are now complete, including the new airport road, to better connect the destination. The Construction Village, set to house 10,000 workers, is now open and development is progressing well at the Coastal Village, which will be home to around 14,000 people who will eventually work at the destination.

For more information please contact:

Rebecca Cousins: Director – PR & Communications

Rebecca.Cousins@theredsea.sa

Joseph Cephas: Senior Vice President, Novità – PR & Communications for Oppenheim Architecture

Joseph@novitapr.com n

THE ARCHITECTURE OF ISTANBUL

in June, the United Nations formally accepted Turkey ‘s request to change its official name to “Türkiye” (the Turkish language version, pronounced TURK-ee-yeh). The idea is to eliminate the association with the bird. Name changes are nothing new here. Istanbul was known as Constantinople until 1930. In fact, Constantinople was the capital until in 1923 when the capital was moved to Ankara.

Istanbul is the largest city in Türkiye — the country's economic, cultural and historic hub. The city straddles the Bosporus strait, lying in both Europe and Asia, and has a population of over 15 million residents, comprising 19% of the population of the country. Istanbul is the most populous city in Europe and 15th-largest city in the world. (Turkish is the 13th most spoken language in the world.)

The city was founded as Byzantium in the 7th century BCE by the Greeks. In 330 CE, the Roman emperor Constantine the Great made it his imperial capital, renaming it first as New Rome and then as Constantinople (after himself). The city grew in size and influence, eventually becoming one of the most important cities in history.

Fast forward to modern times: The Ottoman Empire was occupied and partitioned after its

defeat by the Allies in World War II. However, the Turkish revolutionaries rebelled against this partitioning, fighting from 1919-1923 (in what is now known as the Turkish War of Independence). In 1923, the Ottoman government was overthrown and the monarchy abolished, and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (which remains Turkey's primary legislative body today) declared the Republic of Turkey. Ankara replaced Constantinople as the capital. In 1930, Ankara’s name was officially changed to Istanbul.

In 2010, the city was named a European Capital of Culture, and today it the world's eighth most visited city.

The architecture of Istanbul is a mixture of structures which reflect the many influences that have made an indelible mark throughout the city. The ancient part of the city (the historic peninsula) is still partially surrounded by the /01/ Walls of Constantinople, erected in the 5th century to protect the city from invasion. It had 55 gates. The architecture inside the city proper contains buildings and structures which came from Byzantine, Genoese, Ottoman, and modern Turkish sources. As a cultural and ethnic melting pot the city has many architecturally significant structures— historical mosques, churches, synagogues, palaces, castles, and towers. Istanbul has the 28th most skyscrapers in the world with 48.

One of the oldest monuments is the /02/ Serpent Column, a monument originally built to honor Apollo for the victory over the Persians at in 479 BC. The column was moved by Constantine the Great when Constantinople became the new capital, and has stood at the /03/ Hippodrome of Constantinople (built in the 3rd century) ever since. [According to legend, Mehmed II shattered the Serpent Column upon entering the city in triumph as its conqueror.

One of the most important monuments of Roman architecture in the city is the /04/ Column of Constantine, which was built in 330 by Constantine the Great. It contained artifacts belonging to Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary. Another is the he /05/ Aqueduct of Valens, Roman aqueduct system built in the late 4th century AD, to supply Constantinople – the capital of the eastern Roman empire. It remained in use for many centuries.

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The /06/ Hagia Sophia, built by Justinian (the Eastern Roman emperor) between 532 and 537, is widely regarded as the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. It was the largest ever cathedral built in the world for more than a thousand years. /07/ The Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (a/k/a Little Hagia Sophia) was built a few years before. The present-day /08/ Hagia Irene originally built by Constantine in the 4th century, but later enlarged by Justinian in the 6th century—is one of the few churches in Istanbul that has not been converted into a mosque. It was used as an arsenal for storing weapons until the 19th century and today operates as a museum and concert hall.

The most important churches which were built after the Byzantines took Constantinople back in 1261 include the /09/ Chora Church. In 1511 the church was officially converted into a mosque and named Kariye Camii. In 1945, it was converted into a museum, and named Kariye Muzesi. The /10/ Galata Tower was built in 1346 in Romanesque style as the Christea Turris (Tower of Christ); it was also a watchtower. Today the tower is an exhibition space and museum (Galata Kulesi Museum) and is one of the symbols of Istanbul.

The Ottoman Turks built the /11/ Anadoluhisarı (Anatolian Castle) on the Asian side of the Bosporus in 1394, and the /12/ Rumelihisarı (a/k/a Rumelian Castle or Boğazkesen Castle [meaning "Strait-Blocker Castle" or literally "Throat-Cutter Castle"] at

the opposite (European) shore, in 1452, a year before the conquest of Constantinople. The main purpose of these castles was to block the sea traffic of the Bosphorus during the Turkish siege of the city.

The /13/ Topkapı Palace (Cannon Gate Palace) served as the main residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans. Construction began in 1459, six years after the conquest of Constantinople. It was originally called the "New Palace and was given the name Topkapı, in the 19th century.

The /14/ Sultan Ahmed Mosque (a/k/a The Blue Mosque) is an Ottoman-era structure which still functions as a mosque. (It also attracts large numbers of tourist visitors.) constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. It contains Ahmed's tomb

/15/ Ortaköy Mosque (a/k/a Büyük Mecidiye Camii) is a mosque which was completed around 1854; it is situated in a popular location because of its distinctive view of the Bosphorus Strait and the Bosphorus Bridge.

The /16/ Dolmabahçe Palace was built in 1856, served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1922, apart from a 22-year interval (1887–1909) in which Yıldız Palace was used. (Previously, the Sultan and his family had lived at the Topkapı Palace.) n

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VALIDATING ESG COMMITMENTS with Green Building Certification

–Megan Baker, Associate Vice President for Engagement, The Green Building Initiative

The last two years have clearly demonstrated investors’ commitments to funding organizations with strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. The crescendo around ESG is tied to organizational commitments toward achieving net-zero operational objectives, which has many real estate companies setting ambitious decarbonization goals, including Colliers International Group, Empire State Realty Trust, and Hines Interests Limited Partnerships, all of which have announced net-zero targets with time horizons between 2030 and 2040.

Ensuring a comprehensive ESG strategy that plans for incremental improvements toward decarbonization targets in individual buildings and entire portfolios challenges owners and teams to balance structural safety, energy performance, occupant comfort, and the embodied carbon of envelope and interiors—all while examining renewable energy sources and navigating unique site energy issues.

To support building and portfolio owners in reaching these ambitious goals, the Green Building Initiative (GBI), an international organization dedicated to reducing climate impacts by improving the built environment, administers the Green Globes building certification and partners with project teams to provide roadmaps for collaboration between building owners, facility managers, design teams, and construction teams to create more sustainable, healthy, and resilient buildings.

GBI’s Green Globes is a science-based and comprehensive certification system that provides roadmaps for collaboration to create more sustainable, healthy, and resilient buildings. Through its internationally recognized third-party assessment process, Green Globes also validates ESG achievements tied to building improvements.

Achieving Green Globes certification can also elevate rankings in ESG schemes, such as GRESB, and support dual certification efforts, such as the pursuit of B Corp recognition. Within these two ESG evaluation systems, Green Globes counts for full credit under building certifications.

Organizations that pursue Green Globes certification also can benefit from:

• Reduced operating costs

• Qualification for tax incentives and utility rebates

• Compliance with government regulations

• Improved recruiting and retention outcomes

• Increased property marketability

For help developing and implementing a plan to reach your organization’s ESG goals, contact info@thegbi.org. We’re here to meet project teams where they are in the ESG process and add tools, like Green Globes certification, to their toolkits as they work toward reducing climate impacts and improving the built environment.

Pictured Above: Incyte’s Administrative Headquarters, located in Wilmington, Delaware, received a three Green Globes® rating under GBI’s Green Globes for Existing Buildings certification program.

THE WORLD’S LARGEST REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITS)

real estate is widely regarded as an attractive asset class for investors.

This is because it offers several benefits like diversification (due to less correlation with stocks), monthly income, and protection from inflation. The latter is known as “inflation hedging”, and stems from real estate’s tendency to appreciate during periods of rising prices.

Affordability, of course, is a major barrier to investing in most real estate. Property markets around the world have reached bubble territory, making it incredibly difficult for people to get their foot in the door.

Thankfully, there are easier ways of gaining exposure. One of these is purchasing shares in a real estate investment trust (REIT), a type of company that owns and operates income-producing real estate and is most often publicly-traded.

WHAT QUALIFIES AS REIT?

To qualify as a REIT in the U.S., a company must meet several criteria:

• Invest at least 75% of assets in real estate, cash , or U.S. Treasuries

• Derive at least 75% of gross income from rents, interest on mortgages, or real estate sales

• Pay at least 90% of taxable income in the form of shareholder dividends

• Be a taxable corporation

• Be managed by a board of directors or trustees

• Have at least 100 shareholders after one year of operations

• Have no more than half its shares held by five or fewer people

Investing in a REIT is similar to purchasing shares of any other publicly traded company. There are also exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds which may hold a basket of REITs. Lastly, note that some REITs are private, meaning they aren’t traded on stock exchanges.

THE TOP 10 BY MARKET CAP

Here are the world’s 10 largest publicly-traded REITs, as of March 25, 2022.

As shown above, REITs focus on different sectors of the market. Understanding their differences is an important step to consider before making an investment.

For example, Prologis manages the world’s largest portfolio of logistics real estate. This includes warehouses, distribution centers, and other supply chain facilities around the globe. It’s reasonable to assume that this REIT would benefit from further growth in ecommerce— more on this near the end.

Realty Income, on the other hand, owns a portfolio of over 11,100 commercial real estate properties in the U.S. and Europe. It rents these properties out to major brands like Walgreens and 7-Eleven, which together account for 8.1% of the REIT’s annual income.

MORE THAN JUST BUILDINGS

Cell towers and data centers may not seem like “real estate”, but they are both critical pieces of modern infrastructure that take up land.

REITs that focus on these sectors include American Tower and Crown Castle, which own wireless communications assets in

the U.S. and abroad. They are likely to benefit from the increased adoption of 5G networks and the Internet of Things (IoT).

On the other hand, Equinix and Digital Realty are focused on data centers, a fast growing industry that is benefitting from digitalization. Both of these REITs work with major tech firms such as Amazon and Google.

TRENDS TO WATCH

The demand for real estate can be heavily influenced by overarching trends found around the world. One of these is population growth and urbanization, which has drastically pushed up the cost of housing in many cities around the world.

There’s also the rising prevalence of ecommerce, which has triggered a boom in demand for warehouse space. This is best captured by Amazon’s massive growth during the COVID19 pandemic, during which the company doubled the number of its warehouse facilities. Globally, ecommerce accounts for just 19.6% of total retail sales. Should that figure continue to rise, industrial real estate prices could be in store for robust, long-term growth. n

the toby awards is more than the result of a one-year competition. It is the reward of many years of dedication and attention to detail and of relentless passion for excellence. It is truly evidence of the character of all of those who contribute to making it happen. A reputation is the opinion of others — and all the nominees have earned an outstanding reputation. Character is who you are.

Since 1985, The Outstanding Building of the Year Award has been recognizing excellence in building management, operating efficiency, tenant retention, emergency planning and community impact. It is among the most prestigious and comprehensive programs of its kind.

THE TOBY AWARDS

At the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International’s annual conference in Nashville TN, 13 commercial properties were honored with The (2022) Outstanding Building of the Year® (TOBY®) Awards. The competition featured 62 buildings from eight BOMA International regions vying in multiple categories based on property type or size. These buildings first won a TOBY Award from their BOMA local association and then went on to compete and win at the regional level. Judging is based on criteria that includes community impact, occupant and employee relations, sustainability, accessibility, emergency evacuation procedures, building personnel training programs and overall quality indicators. A team of industry experts also conducted comprehensive building inspections.

The 2022 BOMA International TOBY Award winners are:

01/ Corporate Facility: 190 Simcoe Street in Toronto. Owned by the Canada Life Assurance Company and managed by Great-West Life Realty Advisors.

02/ Earth: 11 Madison Avenue in New York City. Owned and managed by SL Green Realty Corp.

03/ Historical Building: Canada Life Building in Toronto Owned by the Canada Life Assurance Company and managed by Great-West Life Realty Advisors.

04/ Industrial Building: 6990 Creditview Road in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Owned by MNBP Single & Flex Holdings Inc. and managed by Quad Real Property Group.

05/ Mixed-Use Building: Rowes Wharf in Boston. Owned by Prime Property Fund/Residences at Rowes Wharf and managed by JLL.

06/ Renovated Building: Presidents Plaza in Chicago. Owned by Glenstar Properties LLC and Angelo Gordon & Co. LP. It is managed by Glenstar Properties.

07/ Suburban Office Park Low-Rise: Lakeview Corporate Center in Westlake Village, California. Owned by LBA Realty Fund III-Co. XII LLC and managed by LBA Realty.

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08/ Suburban Office Park Mid-Rise: Greenhill Towers in Addison, Texas. Owned by Codina Partners and managed by Crescent Property Services.

09/ Under 100,000 Square Feet: 7 Post Office Square in Boston. Owned by Nuveen Real Estate and managed by Cushman & Wakefield.

10/ 100,000-249,999 Square Feet: Granite Place at Southlake Town Square in Southlake, Texas. The property is owned and managed by Granite Properties.

11/ 250,000-499,999 Square Feet: Mandalay Tower 2 in Irving, Texas. Owned and managed by Parmenter Realty Partners.

12/ 500,000-One Million Square Feet: 150 North Michigan in Chicago. Owned by CBRE Investment Management and managed by CBRE.

13/ Over One Million Square Feet: 10 Hudson Yards in New York City. Owned by Legacy Yards Tenant LP and managed by Related Hudson Yards. n

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.

Kristen Bell

Actress and Volunteer

“Let’s recycle right!®” Spokesperson

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.

AMERICA’S FAVORITE RCHITECTURE

as part of the commemoration of the organization's 150th anniversary in 2007, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced the list of the 150 highest-ranked structures as "America's Favorite Architecture". It was based upon a study by Harris Interactive over the course of two years polling a sample of the AIA membership and later polling a sample of the public. The public's preferences were ranked using a "likeability" scale developed for the study. AIA president R.K. Stewart acknowledged that the

rankings did not represent architects' professional judgments, but instead reflected people's "emotional connections" to buildings. As a result, many buildings that architects consider highly significant did not make the list.

In our last three issues, issue, we presented the top forty-five. This is Part 4 of our 10 part series and here are 46-60. n

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AMAZ NG BU LDINGS

BY ANGELA O’BYRNE

CULTURE ISLAND: DESIGNING THE NEW ABU DHABI

for decades, dubai has enjoyed a six-star reputation for the sumptuous, the ostentatious, and the hyperbolic. Home to the world’s largest building, an archipelago of daring man-made islands, and a logic-defying indoor ski slope, the city’s unfettered fascination with the possibilities of human ingenuity and engineering have made it a dazzling international destination. In fact, Dubai’s audacious goal—to become the world’s most visited city—may soon come to fruition. It’s an impressive second act for a city whose dwindling oil reserves made a full-scale identity change a necessity.

Dubai isn’t the only city in the United Arab Emirates undergoing a world-welcoming reimagining. South of Dubai, along the Persian Gulf, lies another burgeoning (though decidedly more traditional) metropolis: Abu Dhabi. While still an oil-focused Emirate, it’s clear that the UAE’s second most populous city is also ready to attract the world to its doorstep. However, while Dubai has honed the art of conspicuous consumption, Abu Dhabi is betting big on another tourist draw: culture. If Dubai is famous for its hotels and shopping malls, Abu Dhabi will make its mark with museums and gift shops.

At the heart of Abu Dhabi’s cultural efforts is Saadiyat Island, a district undergoing a $27 billion development effort. The district will collect a staggering array of institutions—including a Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum and a Zaha Hadiddesigned performing arts center—in a bid to attract the culturecurious to visit Abu Dhabi.

This year will mark the fifth anniversary of the crown jewel of Saadiyat Island: The Louvre Abu Dhabi. Founded by an intergovernmental agreement between France and Abu Dhabi, this Louvre boasts more than 700 pieces of artwork in its permanent collection and has become the most-visited museum in the Arab World. All told, the UAE will pay nearly a billion Euros for France’s partnership, consulting, and use of the Louvre name.

Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, the $650 million building is defined by a massive, ornate dome that hovers above the galleries’ massing and the waters of the Gulf. Inspired by the cupolas common in Islamic architecture, Nouvel’s roof is an intricate marvel of engineering. It nests nine layers of geometric latticework to disperse hundreds of beams of light from the hot desert sun. Meant to evoke light passing through date palm fronds in an oasis, the dome alone weighs 8,000 tons and allows less than 2% of sunlight to pass through its aluminum “stars” at any given time.

If the Louvre is Saadiyat Island’s established anchor tenant, its new neighbor, Abrahamic Family House, is the newest attraction. Set to open this year, the project is an interfaith complex built to host three houses of worship: St. Francis of Assisi Church, Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque and Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue. In a region often charged by religious tensions, the complex’s message—inspired by a 2019 joint statement between Pope Francis and Ahmed el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of

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Designed by Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye, the complex seeks to balance the common thread between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism while also embodying their singular traits. Each of the three structures is shaped like a cube and is identical in size. However, each of the three buildings has a distinct facade, characterized by their own pillars, openings, and geometry. The overall effect emphasizes commonality over difference, eschewing centuries of baroque religious motifs in favor of minimal, geometric forms.

All three temples sit atop a large plinth structure that serves as a secular visitors’ center, encouraging visitors to mingle and find literal common ground. The precise and balanced effect is intentional. “As an architect I want to create a building that starts to dissolve the notion of hierarchical difference,” says Adjaye. “It should represent universality and totality – something greater, that enhances the richness of human life.”

Both the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Abrahamic Family House promise roughly the same thing: cultural compatibility. Like Dubai’s luxury brands, they provide wary travelers with familiar footholds. Oases in the desert, they offer symbols and experiences travelers might

expect in Europe: a church, a synagogue, a Van Gogh. The only question is whether visitors to Abu Dhabi will feel like they learned about the genuine culture of their destination amongst all of the culture carefully curated to lure them there in the first place. n

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 aobyrne@e-perez.com

al-Azhar, is a clear one: we have more in common than we may think.

BY ROXANA TOFAN

THE WAR NEXT DOOR

i grew up in Romania under the communist rule of Nicolae Ceausescu. Food was allocated and there were long lines for everything. My parents would wake up (pic 1) early in the morning to get in line for food. The regime would often cut electricity off from citizens without warning. For most part, back then our parents did not tell us about the Secret Police, re-education prisons, the work camps, or the everyday hardships they had to deal with to put food on the table. Periodically we were taken out of school to march in parades and recite poems to the “great leader.”

When I was 9 years old in 1989, people sick of living in oppression overturned Romania’s communist government. I remember lying on my stomach in our apartment with my sister and mom waiting for dad to take us out of town. Bullets were flying in our neighborhood between the police and a military base across the street. I remember days later watching Nicolae Ceausescu’s and his wife Elena’s execution on TV from my grandma’s village where our parents took us for safety. My family and I emigrated to the United States nine years after the revolution for the liberties and opportunities the U.S. offers.

I am proud to live in the U.S. today. I will always honor having Romanian roots, and deeply appreciative of my parents for bringing me to the best country in the world. The American pride, passion, freedoms, opportunities, and liberty to become all you can dream. It is real. I love this country! Over the last two and a half decades, I remained current on news from Eastern Europe thanks to my dad. My dad used to watch local and world news from Romanian and American TV Stations. I listened to him talk about communism, Vladimir Putin, and the Russia’s untiring propaganda efforts.

When the war in Ukraine hit, it was notable to watch differences in news coverage between American TV stations and European TV stations. Romanian war news was raw and often critical of Russia. Romanian TV shared extra stories highlighting war’s devastation and human suffering. American TV news coverage on the war was less graphic and specific. A macro versus micro look. Romania shares a border with Ukraine—a total border of 381 miles, including 181 miles of rivers and 21 miles of the Black Sea.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights verified a total of 5,237 civilian deaths during Russia's military attack on Ukraine as of July 24, 2022. Of them, 348 were children. Furthermore, 7,035 people were reported to have been injured. However, they acknowledged that the real numbers were probably higher. Several reports indicate that the Ukrainian government reported 10,000 Ukrainian forces killed, 30,000 wounded and 7,200 missing while US estimates 75,000 Russian and their allied forces killed and wounded.

Well over 12 million Ukrainians have fled their home since the Russian invasion in February. Many went to neighboring Romania. Here, people arrive at the border crossing in Sighetu Marmatiei, Romania, They have entered Romania through its four land border check-points with Ukraine and also through its checkpoints with Moldova.

I never thought I’d be the type of person to get up early in the morning to exercise. I was right.

There are 3 guys on a boat with 4 cigarettes, but they have nothing to light them with, so thev throw a cigarette overboard and the boat becomes a cigarette lighter.

Perhaps the Romanian perspective is different because this war is too close to home. And too soon after its 1989 revolt against communism. Romania has a long history of fighting against Russian aggression. Vladimir Putin signed a friendship and cooperation treaty with Ukraine (January 2003) and Romania (July 2003). The treaty specifically mapped lines for each state border and included other agreements on friendship and cooperation. Romania is most likely worried that Vladimir Putin will ignore his treaty, just like he has now done with Ukraine. Romania, as well as neighboring Moldova, has been partially occupied by Russia 10 times since 1711. History matters.

The one saving factor for Romania is that it became a NATO member in 2004 along with Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. In 2007, Romania also became a member of the European Union. Ukraine is not a NATO member. No doubt the Ukraine/ Russia war has strengthened NATO’s purpose. It has also driven nations like Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership and protection.

I visited Romania this summer and was surprised to listen to the different perspectives that Romanians have on the war. Some were sympathetic and concerned about the war next door. Some went so far as assisting Ukrainian refugees in Romania. Others downplayed the war suggesting the news coverage was overblown and too one-sided.

One night we sat for dinner with friends. Three generations of family eating together, including in-laws. “No one ever believed that Putin would have the guts to invade Ukraine in 2022 right under everyone’s nose”, the 86-year-old grandpa and veteran told us. He was upset and worried that Russia probably has its eyes on Romania next. Across the table, his son-in-law disagreed: “We have NATO headquarters opening here soon. We will be protected; nothing is going to happen to us.”

The veteran, shaking his head continued, “NATO moving headquarters here makes us more of a target, not less. There will be intelli-

gence on the ground amongst us and we won’t even notice. We will go about our day and Russia will continue to find ways to infiltrate our city for intel.”

Perhaps having lived through the hardest of communist times, our veteran friend remembers all too well how bad life was under communism. The conversations continued, as did the contradictions. Romania’s communist history and relationships with Ukraine and Russia influence people’s perspectives on the war. Neither side of the dinner party convinced the other to change viewpoints on the war next door.

Another day, we were joined by a politician who spoke very critically of Ukrainians. He mainly referenced the fact that Ukraine did not allow Romanians living abroad certain rights. Romanians form the third largest ethnic group in Ukraine, after native Ukrainians and Russians. Ukraine adopted legislation in 2017 blocking education in the Romanian language which damaged relations between Bucharest and Kyiv, the capitals of Romania and Ukraine. Nevertheless, despite decades of tension, Romania’s President has condemned Russia’s war in Ukraine. Romania has also sent weapons and supplies to Ukraine and the country is actively assisting Ukrainian war refugees.

We visited with Adriana and Casian Ciurbe of Sibiu, Romania. They thought back to February 24th of 2022 when news of Russia’s invasion first broke. “I never could have believed that in 2022 just 380 kilometers (240 miles) away from us, Russia would start a war killing kids and women. No one deserves this. We felt like we had to do something— anything! So, after making a bunch of calls to friends and different organizations, Casian and I got in the car and drove to Romania’s Siret border, near Suceava, 8 hours away,” Adriana said. “The place was overwhelming.”

Casian continued, “There were many Romanian volunteers and an immense number of Ukrainian women and children that had nowhere to go. There were Romanian nuns that had cooked food and brought it at the border to feed those that were so hungry. There were many Romanian companies that had brought food and water. It was heartbreaking to watch the Ukrainian refugees looking down and overwhelmed and at the same time impressed with all the food, water, supplies they were given for free. They were even able to get food for their dogs and cats. These women brought nothing else with them—only their kids, pets and small bag packs.”

On their way to Suceava, Adriana and Casian received a call from one of their Romanian friends in Vienna who asked if they could pick up her sister-in-law and children at the border. This Vienna friend was worried that the sister-in-law did not want to leave by herself, exposed to propaganda stories that Romanians and Poles were not all good people. There were stories of kidnapping and rapes on Ukrainian children and women at the border. She was trying to arrange some help so her sister-in-law could get out of town and away from the sirens and missiles going off.

So, in addition to taking supplies to the border, they were suddenly picking up 4 families in

two cars, and multiple children ages 1 to 13 years old. On the drive back to Sibiu, there were Romanian restaurants along the way offering free food to Ukrainians. When they got to Sibiu, the Ciurbes hosted these families at an extra family apartment. They supplied families with 11 days of food and took them to a local refugee center to help them with other supplies and food. These refugees were so grateful for the kindness and support, and this temporary sanctuary gave time to collect documents and plan a train trip into Vienna, Austria to meet family for longer-term support.

Before they left, we gave each family $1,500 which was money that one of our cousins in United States raised from friends for Ukrainian refugees. They could not believe that strangers 6,000 miles away sent money to help them during the war. They lost everything back home and there was nothing they could do to rebuild now. Once these families left, we hosted 7 more people who came to Sibiu. They were brought to Sibiu by another local resident who had driven to the border to help other desperate war refugees. We teamed up with people we did not even know just to help,” shared Adriana.

This entire time, Adriana and her husband communicated with refugees via Google Translate. When we visited Sibiu in June, Adriana took us to the refugee center where she had not been in two months. She was shocked at how depleted the center was compared to February 2022. Donations weren’t arriving as they were before. The economy was very different. Gas and everything else was more expensive. She said,“We witnessed several Ukrainian families still ‘shopping’ at the refugee center. Despite lower supplies levels, the shelter still had oil, flour, diapers, toiletries, food, clothes, strollers, blankets, sheets, vegetables, fruit, milk, car seats, toys, beans, pet food, and bread. Refugees were asked to record items they selected on a clipboard but were free to take anything they needed. As we walked to the car and drove away, we saw a young Ukrainian woman, probably in her late twenties or early thirties walking away from the center. She had two large bags on her shoulder, weighted down with supplies and looking down at her cell phone, crying. No doubt it was more bad news from the home or the war. It was emotional to watch her situation and pain.”

I threw out my back sleeping and tweaked my neck sneezing, so

I’m probably just one strong fart away from complete paralysis.

During my interview today, I poured some water into a cup, and it overflowed a little bit.

“Nervous?” asked the interviewer. I replied, “no. I just always give 110%.”

We heard about a young Romanian millionaire in Suceava, right at the border, who owned a hotel and opened it to over 7,000 Ukrainian refugees. He offered free transportation, food, and housing. The Romanian government was encouraging companies to donate to refugee efforts by providing a 2% equivalent tax break in return. We heard several stories of Romanian volunteers that stayed in airports and train stations to help. Every day Romanians were and are still doing all they can do to help. The war is simply too close to home.

We spent a month in Romania, mostly in the Sibiu area; however, we did take trips to surrounding areas like Brasov and Bran Castle. Just over 200 miles away, Putin was continuing his war and relentless pursuit to bring Ukraine back under Russian control. Looking close enough, we could see evidence that the war wasn’t too far away. We saw tanks and military vehicles being transported, refugees and open refugee centers. There were many signs throughout Romania showing support to Ukraine. But even with a war next door, most Romanians continue life as normal. Going to work, school, festivals, and other activities as if nothing is out of the ordinary. And nothing is different in life. At least not yet.

As Americans live across the world more than 5,700 miles away, Ukrainians have bravely spent the last six months defending their country from the Russian invasion. This has caused Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II, with more than 6.4 million Ukrainians fleeing the country. According to United Nations more than a third of the population is displaced. The invasion has resulted in devasting civilian casualties, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and global food shortages.

My view of the war is a blend of American and Romanian perspectives. I was born and raised in Romania for 18 years; but I’ve enjoyed the last 24 years in the United States enjoying the freedoms and opportunities that American citizenship provides. Consequences of this Ukrainian/Russian war have more significant and immediate impacts in European countries today. Location matters. But the longer this war continues, the more global the negative effects on the entire world’s stability and economies. There are several observations from my Romanian trip worth pointing out:

—There are multiple views of war in Romania. Views differ based on history, religion, and personal backgrounds.

—This war has more losers than winners. Ukrainians are losing because of the ongoing deaths and violence. Russia and Ukraine are both losing thousands of lives. And the world is losing because the war is bringing an increasingly unstable economic and security environment.

—Ukrainian refugees arrive with different needs. Some arrive with resources like money and vehicles; others arrive with just a few personal items.

—After seven months of war, Ukrainian refugees are still fleeing to other countries for safety.

—Inflation and the current economic environment all around the world is negatively impacting refugee support efforts and donations.

—Helping the war’s most vulnerable victims (women, children, and the elderly), is morally right, provides life changing help for those in need, and is gratifying for those able to assist and provide support.

I am thankful. We live in the best country in the world where safety, democracy and opportunities are at the core of our nation. Our freedoms aren’t earned but granted when we are born or when we become citizens. As Americans, the war in Ukraine is somewhat removed and out of view. Unlike Romania and other Eastern European countries, Americans don’t see refugees every day. We don’t have military equipment clogging our highways on the way to a war zone. And we don’t have neighbors who are driving to borders to assist refugees who have lost everything. It is hard to imagine how we might react as Americans in this same type of situation.

Hard to believe in 2022, the world is mostly watching a new historic war in Europe. The Ukraine/Russia war’s ripple effects are already felt in neighboring countries. And those effects likely will go on for years to come. Only two countries are directly involved now, but it should worry everyone that no one knows how or when this war will end. Or if it will it expand. If this spreads into any NATO country, it could lead to World War III. It has been heartbreaking to watch— from near or far. Women and children are being bombed out of their homes, killed or forced to leave their homes and country. It is my hope this war will stop soon, before more lives are lost and more people are displaced. Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine should be unacceptable to us all. n

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@clearintegritygroup.com

IN 2015, A SILVER COIN WITH SUPERMAN ON THE HEAD SIDE WAS MADE, WHICH IS LEGAL TENDER IN CANADA. THERE WERE ONLY 350,000 PRODUCED.

Albino animals look the way they do because of a lack of melanin in their skin. The opposite condition (caused by too much melanin in the skin) is known as melanism.

ASHARK HAS N0 BONES IN ITS BODY. INSTEAD, THEIR SKELETAL SYSTEM IS COMPRISED OF CARTILAGE, LIKE WHAT HUMANS HAVE IN OUREARS, JOINTS, ON OUR RIBS, AND IN OUR AIRWAYS. WHILE THEY DOSTILL HAVE A SKELETAL SYSTEM, IT IS JUST MADE OF A DIFFERENT MATERIAL THAN MOST ANIMALS. CARTILAGE IS COMPRISED OF CELLS CALLED CHONDROCYTES, WHICH CREATE THE CARTILAGINOUS MATERIAL IN OUR BODIES THAT IS RICH IN PROTEIN AND ELASTIN FIBERS.IT IS EXTREMELY RESILIENT AND HAS ELASTIC PROPERTIES, MAKING IT STRONG AND FLEXIBLE.

THERE ARE TWICE AS MANY PYRAMIDS IN SUDAN THEN THERE ARE IN EGYPT. SUDAN HAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 200 TO 255 PYRAMIDS, WHILE EGYPT IS HOME TO JUST 118 TO 138 OF THEM.

Thanksgiving

hasn’t always been held on the fourth Thursday of November. It was held on several different dates until Abraham Lincoln declared that it would henceforth be held the fourth Thursday in November of every year in 1863. This day was honored by every subsequent president until FDR moved it to the third Thursday of November in 1939 to extend the Christmas season. After many complaints, he moved it back to the fourth Thursday two years later, and that’s when we celebrate it today.

There are over 3,500 species of mosquitoes. The estimated number of total mosquitoes in the world is in the quadrillions They have killed more people than any other animal. It is estimated that mosquitoes kill more people worldwide in five minutes than sharks do in a whole year. They cause at least 2.7 million deaths every year, and about 500 million cases of mosquitoborne diseases occur annually (90% which occur in Africa).

This famous American landmark didn’t get its name from the mountain on which it is built, nor is it named after the man who sculpted it (John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum) or any of the people depicted on it. Its namesake was a New York lawyer. In 1884, an attorney named Charles Edward Rushmore visited the Black Hills area and, according to the National Parks site, Rushmore asked a local guide what the name of the mountain was. The guide replied, “We will name it now, and name it Rushmore.” And, somehow, that name stuck. An off-hand comment ended up giving the monument its permanent name.

At age 32 (when he died), Alexander the Great had conquered and created the largest land-based empire the world has ever seen. It stretched from the Balkans to Pakistan. In 323 BC, he became ill and, after 12 days of excruciating pain, he seemingly passed away. However, his corpse didn’t show any signs of rot or decomposition for a whole six days. Modern-day scientists believe Alexander suffered from the neurological disorder Guillain-Barré Syndrome. They believe that when he “died” he was actually just paralyzed and mentally aware. Basically, he was horrifically buried alive!

Men are always trying to convince women that ‘guys’ is a gender-neutral term, But when vou ask them how many guys they’ve slept with, they take offense.

DOGS HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM ANTARCTICA SINCE APRIL 1994 BECAUSE OF THE CONCERN THAT DOGS MIGHT SPREAD DISEASES TO SEALS.

THE LONE STAR STATE’S FIGHT TO HELP HOMELESS VETERANS

BY BRIGADIER GENERAL THOMAS J. EDWARDS

each veteran they reach. They further host monthly group meetings that further educate and support veterans in need.

The global COVID-19 pandemic spawned new challenges in the efforts to reduce veteran homelessness. Texas and the entire nation has had to adjust to a new, and more expensive “normal.” Inflation is at a 40-year-record-level high. Texas residents are paying higher prices in 2022 for everything from fuel and transportation to food, medical, and housing costs. And while Texas remains an attractive and affordable place to live (compared to most states), the global economic downturn continues to impact the Lone Star State’s most vulnerable communities, including military veterans.

the lone star state is a great place to live! For proof, look no further than all the people moving to Texas from states like California and New York. Did you know that Texas is also a premier national security asset because it is home to hundreds of thousands of active-duty military, military veterans, and retirees? Texas has as many as 15 military camps, posts, stations, and bases. Texas is “home” to over 123,879 active-duty military members, 55,971 Reserve and National Guard members, and over 1,435,787 military veterans. (In fact, veterans make up 6.8% of Texas’s overall population).

Perhaps no place in Texas has a more special military connection than the magnificent city of San Antonio. Nicknamed “Military City U.S.A”, San Antonio enjoys a rich and diverse military association. Texans have been “Remembering the Alamo” since 1836. Fast forwarding, San Antonio today has the largest joint military community in the Department of Defense. Known as, “Joint Base San Antonio” or JBSA, it comprises four key duty stations: Fort Sam Houston; Camp Bullis; Randolph Air Force Base; and Lackland Air Force Base.

America is the best country in the world, in part, because of the sacred obligation it holds for those actively serving in the military as well as those veterans who have served. Unfortunately, veteran homelessness is not a new issue. National, state, and local governments have worked hard to reduce homeless veteran populations. The most successful efforts usually have come after dedicated and collective group actions that enable veterans to secure additional safe and affordable housing. Many public and private organizations also provide a wide range of services for veterans. In partnership with government and community efforts, these organizations are making positive gains at reducing homeless veteran populations.

Nationally, many organizations provide programs to assist the homeless. These include: Housing and Urban Development (HUD); Veterans Affairs (VA); Health and Human Services (H&HS); Department of Labor (DOL); and even a National Call Center for Homeless Vets.

In Texas and San Antonio there are numerous organizations working to reduce veteran homelessness, such as the non-profit Alamo Community Group, “House our Heroes,” San Antonio’s City Commission on Veterans Affairs, Texas Workforce Commission Program (TWCP), the South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless (SARAH), and San Antonio’s exceptional homeless shelter, Haven for Hope.

Homeless veterans often wrestle with other complex issues such as substance abuse and addiction, medical and mental health problems, and legal challenges. Frequently, veterans who experience housing insecurity often live in places not meant for habitation—places like abandoned structures, under bridges, or inside vehicles. We often undercount the homeless veteran population because they aren’t as visible as those sleeping on the streets. Instead, many veterans are in emergency shelters, substance abuse facilities, jails and halfway houses, hospitals, low rent motels, or they stay at multiple locations with extended family and friends.

Haven for Hope (www.havenforhope.org) claims a 77% decrease in San Antonio’s homeless population during the pre-pandemic period of 2010 through 2019. Their “mission” is to offer a place of hope and new beginnings, and they do this by providing, coordinating and delivering an efficient system of care for people experiencing homelessness in San Antonio. They operate a large San Antonio campus that provides transitional housing for some 1,800 people, many of them veterans. This is also why San Antonio’s homeless population often appears much smaller than other big Texas cities like Austin, Dallas, and Houston.

According to John Gauna, Veteran’s Service Manager at Haven for Hope, his team works with homeless veterans beyond their immediate shelter needs, for example by establishing Social Security disability benefits, Veterans Affairs benefits, and applying for other federal and state resources that can greatly improve a veteran’s quality of life and finances. This great team also coordinates appointments, transportation, and one-on-one support for

According to a May 22nd, 2022 ExpressNews.com article, rental rates in San Antonio have increased 18.7% in just the last year. The median price of a home is $338,700 in San Antonio, $337,142 in San Marcos and $550,000 in Austin. Such housing costs are either unsustainable or unachievable for those military veterans who already struggle to achieve food, health, and housing security. And while many great people and organizations are making a difference for homeless veterans, inflation and the increase in housing costs will likely drive more people into homelessness in the Lone Star State and across the nation. This is why we can’t take our eye off the ball when it comes to the homeless and our homeless veteran populations.

No doubt Texans can and will rise up to meet new challenges impacting homeless veterans. This is a fight worth fighting and another reason Texas remains a great place to call home! n

tjedwardsjr23@gmail.com

Please see TJ Edwards' article Got Stress? Take a Hike! The Camino Way: A Transformational Experience in our digital edition <HERE>

When you replace W with

in ‘where’, ‘when’ and ‘what’, you get precisely the answers to those questions.

Brigadier General Thomas J. Edwards recently retired from the U.S. Army after 30 years of service.

é Monthly veteran group meeting at San Antonio’s Haven for Hope Shelter.

é Veterans Services Team - Haven for Hope. Marisol Duron, Chaneeka Sanders (Army intern), Jose Ramierez (Navy Veteran), David Maldonado (Air Force Veteran), John Botts (Army Veteran), John Gauna (Navy Veteran), Gabrielle Lendo (Army Veteran).

this is the fourth installment in which we bring these world treasures to our readers country by country. See the March-April issue for the World Heritage Sites in the United States, the May-June issue for those in Mexico, and the July-August issue for those in Canada. Each of the hyperlinks will take you to more information.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. There are thirty-three World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories. (There are three different types of properties possible: cultural, natural, and mixed.)

UNITED KINGDOM

WORLD HERITAGE LIST

03/ Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church comprise the oldest church in England, dating back to the early stages of the introduction of Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons. The cathedral exhibits Romanesque and Gothic architecture, and is the seat of the Church of England.

04/ During the reign of Edward I of England (1272–1307), a series of castles was constructed in Wales with the purpose of subduing the population and establishing English colonies in Wales. The World Heritage Site covers many castles including Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy, and Harlech. The castles of Edward I are considered the pinnacle of military architecture by military historians.

05/ Founded by the Romans as a spa, an important center of the wool industry in the medieval period, and a spa town in the 18th century, the City of Bath has a varied history. The city is preserved for its Roman remains and Palladian architecture.

06/ Tin and copper mining in the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape boomed in the 18th and 19th centuries, and at its peak the area produced two-thirds of the world's copper. The techniques and technology involved in deep mining developed here were used around the world.

01/ In the 19th century, Wales was the world's foremost producer of iron and coal. Blaenavon Industrial Landscape is an example of the landscape created by the industrial processes associated with the production of these materials. The site includes quarries, public buildings, workers' housing, and a railway

02/ Blenheim Palace, the residence of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, was designed by architects John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor. The associated park was landscaped by Capability Brown. The palace celebrated victory over the French and is significant for establishing English Romantic Architecture as a separate entity from French Classical Architecture.

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION

08/ Durham Castle and Cathedral is the largest and finest example of Norman architecture in England and vaulting of the cathedral was part of the advent of Gothic architecture. The castle was the residence of the Durham prince-bishops.[

10/ The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge 9 miles west of Edinburgh. It is considered an iconic structure and a symbol of Scotland. It was designed by the English engineers Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker and built by Sir William Arrol of Glasgow who also built Tower Bridge in London.

14/ Together, the Gough and Inaccessible Islands preserve an ecosystem almost untouched by mankind, with many endemic species of plants and animals.

09/ Famous for its scenic landscape of mountains, lakes, houses, gardens and parks, The English Lake District was celebrated through picturesque and romantic visual arts and literature from the 18th century on.

11/ Called Frontiers of the Roman Empire, Hadrian's Wall was built in 122 AD and the Antonine Wall was constructed in 142 AD to defend the Roman Empire from "barbarians".

15/ The Great Spas of Europe is a transnational heritage site, in England represented by Bath and Somerset. A spa town is a resort based on a mineral spring. (The word spa is derived from the name of Spa, a town in Belgium.)

16/ Heart of Neolithic Orkney refers to a group of Neolithic sites with purposes ranging from occupation to ceremony. It includes the settlement of Skara Brae, the chambered tomb of Maes Howe and the stone circles of Stenness and Brodgar.

12/ Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast is made up of 40,000 basalt columns projecting out of the sea. It was created by volcanic activity in the Tertiary period; it has been an inspiration for legends and has been the site of development in earth studies over the past 300 years.

13/ Comprising four natural sea caves, the Gorham's Cave Complex is the last known site of Neanderthal inhabitation some 28,000 years ago. Evidences of occupation by modern humans are also present at the site.

07/ Derwent Valley Mills was the birthplace of the factory system. The innovations in the valley, including the development of workers' housing and machines such as the water frame, were important in the Industrial Revolution.

17/ Henderson Island is an atoll in the south of the Pacific Ocean, the ecology of which has been almost untouched by man and its isolation illustrates the dynamics of evolution. There are ten plant and four animal species endemic to the island.

20/ Jodrell Bank Observatory is one of the world's leading radio astronomy observatories. Still in operation, it has had substantial scientific impact in fields such as the study of meteors and the moon, the discovery of quasars, quantum optics, and the tracking of spacecraft.

21/ As well as the presence of the first example of Palladian architecture in England, and works by Christopher Wren and Inigo Jones, Maritime Greenwich is significant for the Royal Observatory where the understanding of astronomy and navigation were developed.

18/ Founded in 1612, the Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda is the oldest English town in the New World and an example of planned urban settlements established in the New World in the 17th century by colonial powers.

22/ The community of New Lanark was created to provide housing for workers at the mills. Philanthropist Robert Owen bought the site and turned it into a model community, providing public facilities, education, and supporting factory reform.

23/ The Old Town of Edinburgh was founded in the Middle Ages, and the New Town was developed in 1767–1890. It contrasts the layout of settlements in the medieval and modern periods. The layout and architecture of the new town influenced European urban design in the 18th and 19th centuries.

24/ The Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret's Church have been involved in the administration of England since the 11th century, and later the United Kingdom. Since the coronation of William the Conqueror, all English and British monarchs have been crowned at Westminster Abbey. Westminster Palace, home to the British Parliament, is an example of Gothic Revival architecture; St Margaret's Church is the palace's parish church, and although it pre-dates the palace and was built in the 11th century, it has been rebuilt.

19/ Ironbridge Gorge contains mines, factories, workers' housing, and the transport infrastructure that was created in the gorge during the Industrial Revolution. The development of coke production in the area helped start the Industrial Revolution. The Iron Bridge was the world's first bridge built from iron and was architecturally and technologically influential.

The teacher said that that ‘that’ that that girl used in a sentence was correct.

25/ The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal was completed during the Industrial Revolution. It made innovative use of cast and wrought iron, influencing civil engineering across the world.

29/ The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales consist of six key areas, all located in Gwynedd, Wales.

30/ The Neolithic Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites are among the largest and most famous megalithic monuments in the world. They relate to man's interaction with his environment. The purpose of the henges has been a source of speculation, with suggestions ranging from ceremonial to interpreting the cosmos.

26/ Created in 1759, the influential Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew Gardens) were used to study botany and ecology and furthered the understanding of the subjects.

31/ The cliffs that make up the Dorset and East Devon Coast are an important site for fossils and provide a continuous record of life on land and in the sea in the area since 185 million years ago.

32/ Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey: Before the mid-16th century, Fountains Abbey was one of the largest and richest Cistercian abbeys in Britain and is one of only a few that survives from the 12th century. The later garden, which incorporates the abbey, survives to a large extent in its original design and influenced garden design in Europe

33/ Begun by William the Conqueror in 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, the Tower of London is a symbol of power and an example of Norman military architecture that spread across England. Additions by Henry III and Edward I in the 13th century made the castle one of the most influential buildings of its kind in England.

27/ Although inhabited for over 2,000 years, the isolated archipelago of St Kilda has had no permanent residents since 1930. The islands' human heritage includes various unique architectural features from the historic and prehistoric periods. It is also a breeding ground for many important seabird species.

28/ Saltaire was founded as a model village for workers. The site, which includes the Salts Mill, featured public buildings for the inhabitants and was an example of 19th-century paternalism.

IMPORTANT VOICES

CLOSING STATEMENTS AT THE JANUARY 6TH'S COMMITTEE

MEETING HIGHLIGHT THE CRITICAL PATH AHEAD

STEVE BANNON (CLIP): "And what Trump’s gonna do, is just declare victory. Right? He’s going to declare victory. But that doesn’t mean he’s the winner. He’s just gonna say he’s a winner. The Democrats, more of our people vote early that count, theirs vote in mail (sic). And so, they’re going to have a natural disadvantage and Trump’s going to take advantage of it, that’s our strategy. He’s going to declare himself the winner. So, when you wake up Wednesday morning, it’s going to be a firestorm. Also, if Trump is losing by 10 or 11 o’clock at night, it’s going to be even crazier. Because he’s going to sit right there and say they stole it. If Biden’s winning, Trump is going to do some crazy shit".

at the end of the Jan. 6 committee's second prime time (and eighth overall) hearing on July 21st, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), the panel's vice chair, delivered a powerful closing statement detailing what she said were former President Donald Trump's "premeditated" efforts to convince his supporters that the election was stolen (which led up to the riot at the Capitol) and his refusal to quell the violence.

"Let me again thank our witnesses today. We have seen bravery and honor in these hearings. And Ms. Matthews and Mr. Pottinger – both of you will be remembered for that. As will Cassidy Hutchinson. She sat here alone, took the oath, and testified before millions of Americans. She knew all along that she would be attacked by President Trump, and by the 50-, 60- and 70-year-old men who hide themselves behind Executive Privilege. But like our witnesses today, she has courage, and she did it anyway. Cassidy, Sarah, and our other witnesses including Officer Caroline Edwards, Shaye Moss and her mother Ruby Freeman, are an inspiration to American women, and to American girls. We owe a debt to all those who have and will appear here.

And that brings me to another point. This Committee has shown you the testimony of dozens of Republican witnesses, those who served President Trump loyally for years. The case against Donald Trump in these hearings is not made by witnesses who were his political enemies. It is, instead, a series of confessions by Donald Trump’s own appointees, his own friends, his own campaign officials, people who worked for him for years, and his own family. They have come forward and they have told the American people the truth. And for those of you who seem to think the evidence would be different if Republican Leader McCarthy had not withdrawn his nominees from this Committee, let me ask you this: Do you really think Bill Barr is such a delicate flower that he would wilt under cross examination? Pat Cipillone? Eric Herschman? Jeff Rosen? Richard Donoghue? Of course, they aren’t – none of our witnesses are.

At one point in 2016 when he was first running for office, Donald Trump said this: “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters.” That quote came to mind last week when audio from Trump advisor Steve Bannon surfaced from October 31st, 2020, just a few days before the Presidential Election. Let’s listen:

"And, of course, four days later, President Trump declared victory when his own campaign advisors told him he had absolutely no basis to do so. What the new Steve Bannon audio demonstrates is that Donald Trump’s plan to falsely claim victory in 2020 – no matter what the facts actually were – was premeditated. Perhaps worse, Donald Trump believed he could convince his voters to buy it, whether he had any actual evidence of fraud or not.

And this same thing continued to occur from Election Day onward until January 6th. Donald Trump was confident that he could convince his supporters the election was stolen no matter how many lawsuits he lost. And he lost scores of them. He was told over and over again, in immense detail, that the election was not stolen. There was no evidence of widespread fraud. It didn’t matter. Donald Trump was confident he could persuade his supporters to believe whatever he said, no matter how outlandish, and ultimately that they could be summoned to Washington to help him remain President for another term. As we showed you last week, even President Trump’s legal team, led by Rudy Giuliani, knew they had no actual evidence to demonstrate the election was stolen. Again, it didn’t matter.

Here is the worst part. Donald Trump knows that millions of Americans who supported him would stand up and defend our nation were it threatened. They would put their lives and their freedom at stake to protect her. And he is preying on their patriotism. He is preying

I have not met a single person who was happily married.

He: “Personally, bad English is such a turn off for me.”

She: “You don’t need ‘for me’ after saying ‘personally’.”

on their sense of justice. And on January 6th, Donald Trump turned their love of country into a weapon against our Capitol and our Constitution. He has purposely created the false impression that America is threatened by a foreign force controlling voting machines, or that a wave of tens of millions of false ballots were secretly injected into our election system, or that ballot workers have secret thumb drives and are stealing elections with them. All complete nonsense. We must remember that we cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

In late November of 2020, while President Trump was still pursuing lawsuits, many of us were urging him to put any genuine evidence of fraud forward in the courts, and to accept the outcome of those cases. As January 6th approached, I circulated a memo to my Republican colleagues explaining why our Congressional proceedings to count electoral votes could not be used to change the outcome of the election. But what I did not know at the time was that President Trump’s own advisors, also Republicans, also conservatives, including his White House Counsel, his Justice Department, his campaign officials, they were telling him almost exactly the same thing I was telling my colleagues: There was no evidence of fraud, or irregularities sufficient to change the election outcome. Our courts had ruled. It was over. Now we know that it didn’t matter what any of us said, because Donald Trump wasn’t looking for the right answer legally, or the right answer factually. He was looking for a way to remain in office.

Let’s put that aside for a moment and focus just on what we saw today. In our hearing tonight, you saw an American President faced with a stark and unmistakable choice between right and wrong. There was no ambiguity. No nuance. Donald Trump made a purposeful choice to violate his oath of office. To ignore the ongoing violence against law enforcement. To threaten our Constitutional order. There is no way to excuse that behavior. It was indefensible.

And every American must consider this. Can a President who is willing to make the choices Donald Trump made during the violence of January 6th ever be trusted with any position of authority in our great nation again?

In this room, in 1918, the Committee on Women’s Suffrage convened to discuss and debate whether women should be granted the right to vote. This room is full of history, and we on this Committee know we have a solemn obligation not to idly squander what so many Americans have fought and died for. Ronald Reagan’s great ally, Margaret Thatcher, said this: “Let it never be said that the dedication

of those who love freedom is less than the determination of those who would destroy it."

"Let me assure every one of you this: our Committee understands the gravity of this moment, the consequences for our nation. We have much work yet to do and will see you all in September".

only once the vice president, and the members of Congress were in secure locations and the officers defending the Capitol began to turn the tide that then President Trump engaged in the political theater of telling the mob to go home. And even then, he told them all they were ‘special’ and that he loved them. Whatever your politics, whatever you think about the outcome of the election, we as Americans must all agree on this. Donald Trump's conduct on January 6th was a supreme violation of his oath of office and a complete dereliction of his duty to our nation.

It is a stain on our history. It is a dishonor to all those who have sacrificed and died in service of our democracy. When we present our full findings, we will recommend changes to laws and policies to guard against another January 6th. The reason that's imperative is that the forces Donald Trump ignited that day have not gone away.

The militant intolerant ideologies, the militias, the alienation and the disaffection, the weird fantasies and disinformation, they're all still out there ready to go. That's the elephant in the room. But if January 6th has reminded us of anything, I pray it has reminded us of this, laws are just words on paper.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) eloquently delivered a closing statement on why our Republic is worth saving—whether you are a Democrat or a Republican. He called former President Trump’s conduct on January 6, 2020, a "supreme violation of his oath of office,” and a “complete dereliction of his duty to our nation.”

"Tonight's testimony and evidence is as sobering as it is straightforward. Within minutes of stepping off the Ellipse stage, Donald Trump knew about the violent attack on the Capitol. From the comfort of his dining room, he watched on TV as the attack escalated. He sent tweets that inflamed and expressed support for the desire of some to literally kill Vice President Mike Pence.

For three hours, he refused to call off the attack. Donald Trump refused to take the urgent advice he received that day, not from his political opponents or from the liberal media, but from his own family, his own friends, his own staff, and his own advisers. In the midst of an attack when there was no time for politics, the people closest to Trump told him the truth.

It was his supporters attacking the Capitol and he alone could get through to them, so they pled for him to act, to place his country above himself. Still, he refused to lead and to meet the moment to honor his oath. It was

They mean nothing without public servants dedicated to the rule of law and who are held accountable by a public that believes oath matters — oaths matter more than party tribalism or the cheap thrill of scoring political points. We the people must demand more of our politicians and ourselves. Oaths matter. Character matters. Truth matters. If we do not renew our faith and commitment to these principles, this great experiment of ours, our shining beacon on a hill, will not endure."

Watch Representative Cheney deliver these remarks on YouTube <HERE>

Watch Representative Kinzinger deliver these remarks on YouTube <HERE> n

BY ALYSSA GREENFELL

a recent analysis of U.S. housing affordability revealed what most familiar with the market already suspected: the Intermountain West is grotesquely overpriced. When measuring personal income as a percentage of the median home listing price, Idaho, Utah, and Montana rank are the second, third, and fourth least affordable states in the country (ranking only behind Hawaii, notable for its tropical beaches and less-than-abundant land).

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Don’t get us wrong - having lived up and down the I-15 ourselves, we know it’s a beautiful region (with a fantastic up-and-coming tech scene in Utah’s Silicon Slopes). It is nonetheless undeniable that the market has been spurred ahead by coastal transplants and a speculative fervor that has left Boise and Salt Lake City as the country’s sixth and ninth least affordable metro areas respectively. This seems unsustainable in the long term.

Ohio meanwhile (along with much of the midwest), maintains a fantastically affordable housing market. This is a fact that the Buckeye State has leveraged in its recruiting efforts. Billboards in Austin, Texas (another famously expensive market) have been erected with “Ohio” in bold lettering alongside slogans such as, “Keep Austin Weird. Like very high cost of living weird.” They have a point. Affordable real estate relative to wages could make Ohio an attractive option for refugees from gentrification and investors looking for a market that may be more stable in the event of a correction.

And it’s no wonder that a correction is on many of our minds.

A TALE OF TWO MAPS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND FEARS OF A MARKET CRASH

BY JACKSON CARPENTER

Three of my favorite things are eating my family and not using commas.

Recent rate hikes from the Fed, alongside pullbacks in prices and an increase in inventory nationally, has left many Americans wondering if a housing crash is imminent. While we’ll leave the prognostication to the economists, it is true that sentiment and price frequently feed off one another’s momentum. As such, it can be interesting to get a snapshot of what secret fears (or hopes) are revealed by our collective Google search history. In June, Google Search volume for the phrase “Housing Market Crash” was up roughly 300%.

This increase in search volume was not equally distributed. Those states most fervently looking to Google for signs of a real estate crash were, unsurprisingly, in those newly unaffordable housing markets across the Intermountain West.

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While we will be the first to concede that these maps paint an incomplete picture, the implications are certainly startling for bagholders who - anticipating a greater fool would soon come along - made speculative

purchases in markets whose inflated prices may have furthest to fall. They also paint a picture of opportunity in regions often overlooked as flyover country by much of the investor class. Whatever happens next, one thing is for sure: it’s going to be a shake-up.

See these maps interactively here: n

The authors are the founders and editors of FI/RE, a movement that encourages people to save and invest their money with purpose. alyssa@firemanual.com jackson@firemanual.com

She: “Every time I get in the shower, I think of you.”

He: “Is that because you wish I were there with you?”

She: “No, it’s because the French word for shower is ‘douche’.”

PROFILES OF SURV VAL

TASTE OF NEW BRAUNFELS

full of energy, a perfectionist, stubborn and determined, Mitzi survived the world of covid and is working her way back to business as before. Mitzi Hill is a one woman show for a local publication called “Taste of New Braunfels”, an exclusive Dining and Entertainment Guide that she has owned, managed, sold ads, and collected funds for. As many business owners Mitzi fell into this. She originally started a printing business as a local apartment guide when she was managing an apartment community in town. She tried to sell ads to local restaurants and found that none of the local restaurants wanted to advertise in an apartment guide. Her solution? Start a second publication – “Taste of New Braunfels” in spring of 2007.

Roxana: What is your favorite thing

challenges during COVID? How did you overcome them?

Mitzi: My business was pretty much shut down when all the restaurants got shut down. Who needs to advertise when they’re closed, right? I couldn’t ask my clients to. My immediate thought was that I lost my business, and I had no way to pay my bills now. This is all I’d done for the last 13 years. Luckily for me, I bank at small local bank, and they knew me personally and that my business was directly related to the restaurant businesses in town. Turns out, they were chosen as a preferred lender for SBA and my banker immediately sent me the details and helped me secure a PPP SBA Loan. That saved my business.

Roxana: How does the advertising world look now compared to 3 years ago?

future?

BY ROXANA TOFAN

about running your own businesses?

Mitzi: The best thing about owning my own business is that I don’t have to answer to anyone. I do answer to my clients, my advertisers; they are my priority, of course. But I can make my own hours and go to work at my home office in my PJs. That is pretty nice. Smiles!

Roxana: Did the magazine face any

Mitzi: I’ve been very blessed to have most of my advertisers come back. I believe they see the benefit my publication provides to their business, but I do sense the hesitancy from some, with the cost of doing business going up. If businesses do their research on advertising, they can see it pays off. The ad you are not putting out there is basically allowing people to forget about you. People will go to the restaurants that are promoting their businesses. Compared to 3 years ago, I must show clients more specifics of how. I always give them this formula: Based on a 2% response of 20,000 copies my magazine publishes each quarter, that is 400 new people that will be responding to their ad. Then take those 400 new customers times $40/visit and that is an extra $16,000 to the restaurant. I would say that’s really good money. I get it. It doesn’t cover their overhead but aren’t they having to pay overhead anyway? This is what I try to paint of picture of.

Roxana: What do you anticipate in the

Mitzi: With all the gas prices and inflation, I’m worried that more people will not to eat out so much to save money, which in return will affect my advertisers. They’re going to feel a hit as soon as summer is over. Summer is our biggest tourist season here in New Braunfels. So, I’m really praying that things get better soon. No businesses really boomed excepted for those restaurants with drive-thru windows or delivery drivers. Restaurants still have problems getting employees to work. So many of those employees were forced to take other employment, and many didn’t return to the restaurant business. They still struggle today. Good cooks are especially hard to find. Many owners/ managers are also having to cook just to keep their restaurant going. This means some of their resources will continue to shift away from advertising.

Mitzi has survived competitors entering the market by having great relationships with all the local restaurant owners and managers. She knows them personally. She welcomes competition as she said it makes her work harder and challenges her to always think outside of the box. When talking to Mitzi you can experience her passion about bringing customers and businesses together for a great dining and entertaining experience. She often barters/trades with her advertisers to help them with the cost – using that trade to give gift cards to friends, family and donate to charitable events. n

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@clearintegritygroup.com

BY ERIN HATCHER

ESG LEADERSHIP THROUGH BOLD TRANSPARENCY AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

The importance of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting has exponentially grown within the real estate industry. Although ESG reporting standards exist, many have not been developed with a multifamily real estate lens and require interpretation for applicability or may focus on less material topics. This leaves some organizations frustrated or hesitant to share progress on initiatives. Others have taken a leadership role in shaping ESG reporting by sharing their bold ESG targets and being transparent of progress, positive or negative, as they navigate unprecedented times.

BOLD TRANSPARENCY

AMLI Residential’s ESG journey began back in 2006 when publicly committing to achieve Leadership in Environmental Design (LEED) Silver® certification (or higher) for new developments. At that time, it was rare for multifamily properties to achieve any green building certification, and LEED was and still is regarded as the one of the most rigorous and holistic green guidelines available. This objective was driven by thoughtful, forward-looking leader-ship and laid the groundwork for building an internal culture focused on goals that stretched beyond obvious, shortterm financial metrics.

Today, AMLI’s goals still include achieving LEED certification but stretch well beyond individual building achievements. As highlighted in AMLI’s 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report, portfolio level environmental targets are driving strategic organizational change and better integration of ESG within the operations of the company. This annual report highlights progress on a range of ESG topics, which includes updates on greenhouse gas emission totals and progress on a target to reduce AMLI’s scope 1 and 2 emissions 50% by 2030. In partnership with this reduction, AMLI includes an energy reduction goal of 20% and an objective to increase sourcing of renewable energy by 15%, both on and offsite. These goals expand to address more environmentally focused issues including a water reduc-

tion goal of 15% and 15% increase in waste diversion, all to be achieved by 2030. By sharing year over year progress on these goals, it ensures accountability and pushes for authentic messaging.

The “S” in ESG has taken shape and reporting on social topics continues to expand. In addition to more commonly reported social metrics showing employee demographics such as race and ethnicity, gender, and age, goal setting on other topics is where many leaders are starting to shine. The goals range from increasing employee education and expanding benefits to setting metrics to ensure resident satisfaction. A key element to safeguarding success with people-focused, social goals is to create dialog with your stakeholders and listen.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

The business activities of multifamily developments and asset managers impact a wide variety of stakeholders, and each entity represents a range of interests. To better understand each stakeholder’s values, AMLI launched a survey in 2020 that invited investors, employees, residents, and local community partners to identify the most important ESG issues. This led to the creation and release of a materiality matrix, a data-driven approach to highlight and align our stakeholder priorities. Out of the 23 ESG topics evaluated,

resident satisfaction, employee satisfaction, employee ethics, data security and privacy, and resident health and safety were the top five most important according to all stakeholders. Climate strategy and employee inclusion and diversity also topped the list. This matrix drives decision making around ESG initiatives and helps prioritize organizational goals.

The 2020 ESG-focused survey was a break from the annual, resident-facing survey, AMLI’s Sustainable Living Index. The Index, which was launched in 2017 and is in its fifth year, is a valuable tool that enables AMLI to continuously listen and respond to residents’ sentiment around ESG issues, with a focus on environmental features and health and wellness. The results drive internal decision making at our communities but also serves a greater purpose for the multifamily industry by highlighting resident perspectives about sustainability. The 2021 Index reaffirms residents focus and understanding of healthy homes and their connection with green buildings. 79.5% of respondents said living in an apartment with green features is beneficial to their health and 43.2% said green features factored into their decision to live at AMLI. It also provides helpful insights topics like electric car charging stations by learning that 56.2% of residents think they will be driving an EV or a plug-in hybrid in five years.

FROM REPORTING TO RESULTS

Reporting expansive ESG strategies and goals can be a big lift, and some skeptics question whether we should invest more in our actions rather than our words. The truth is that we need to do both. Collecting social data points enables organizations to see if their intentions create their intended impact. The same is true for environmental goals. It also empowers organizations to better engage cross-department initiatives since there is clarity on the goals and priories of organizations. n

Erin Hatcher is Vice President – Sustainability at AMLI Residential ehatcher@amli.com

Courage is knowing it might hurt and doing it anyway. Stupidity is exactly the same thing, and that's why life is hard.

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.

"I paint because I have to. I feel it is my true calling and I want to share it with the world. I believe that art has the ability to awaken the soul. It can be healing, it can stir emotions, and it can uplift one’s spirit. I believe that art is meant to tap into something deep within. It should enlighten you and make you “feel”. Fine art is timeless. It is not meant to match your pillows or couches, or color swatches that are trending for the year. A piece of fine art will speak to you. It will take you to a place where you can lose yourself and dream. This is what I strive to accomplish in every piece that I paint."

ARTCH TECTURE

WENDY NORTON TEXTURED INSPIRATION

Me: “To be honest, I never knew she sold flowers.”

the inspiring collection of Wendy Norton’s fine art is catching the eye of people of all ages and backgrounds. Her art isn’t just beautiful to look at, it speaks to you and collectors around the country are taking notice. They identify with her and are inspired by her work. When you see a Wendy Norton painting you know there is more to it than just paint and canvas— her paintings are uplifting and have a purpose behind them.

Wendy grew up on the beautiful North Shore of Long Island, New York. Dazzling coastal scenes, boats and rolling landscapes were indelibly etched in her mind from a young age. During her childhood she was intuitively drawn to art and has been creating as long as she can remember. This led to learning more about art history, and famous artists, by visiting the many museums in the New York area. She was always captivated by the works of Monet, Hassam, Pissarro, and Van Gogh, and spent countless hours studying these master works. Her appreciation for the talent, dedication, and intensity of the master’s was a great influence on her development as an artist.

While always having a love for fine art, Wendy wanted to pursue a career as an art director, so she went to the State University College at Buffalo, where she was formally educated in graphic design. From there, she went on to work as an art director in Manhattan for many years, but it was painting that was always her true passion. Eventually she could no longer ignore her calling and decided to pursue that passion full-time and she hasn’t looked back since. She has since developed her own unique style as a contemporary impressionist painter and has gone on to become a highly desired artist.

Wendy paints ninety percent of her paintings with a palate knife and her work is very impasto (thick paint). Her use of texture makes her paintings feel three dimensional. A Wendy Norton painting will grab your attention from across the room and come to life in front of you. Her collection of work is very diverse, and her work appeals to a wide variety of collectors. There is something for everyone. Lush landscapes, mesmerizing seascapes, captivating city scenes, wildlife, florals and tropical scenes are some of the subjects that she paints.

Therapist: “Your wife says you never buy her flowers. Is that true?”

Her strong sense of color translates into movement and life in every piece she creates. Her paintings are uplifting and feel as though you can step right into them. She uses a full palette of color when creating most of her works but will sometimes work with a limited palette to create a real sense of mood and atmosphere. She bounces color and light through her painting like a song and her colors work in harmony to fill the canvas and embody her work with dynamism.

Wendy currently resides in Northeast Florida where she finds no shortage of inspiration. Her work is available in many galleries throughout the United States and she has collectors all over the world. You can browse her website to see her entire collection. Her website lists the gallery information for each painting. n

You can also find out where to purchase a particular piece or inquire about a commission via Wendy Norton Studio www.wendynorton.com and on Instagram: @wendynorton_fineart

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.)

lawrence peter "yogi" berra (1925 – 2015) was a professional baseball catcher who later took on the roles of manager and coach. He quit school after the 8th grade. Berra played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (1946–1963 and 1965), all but the last for the New York Yankees. He was an 18-time All-Star and won 10 World Series championships as a player—more than any other player in MLB history. He had a career batting average of .285, hit 358 home runs and had 1,430 runs batted in. He is one of only six players to win the American League Most Valuable Player Award three times, is widely regarded as one of the greatest catchers in baseball history,. and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. He was also known and loved for his malapropisms as well as pithy and paradoxical statements.

When you come to a fork in the road... take it.

You can observe a lot by just watching.

You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going, because you might not get there.

The future ain’t what it used to be.

Ninety percent of the game is half mental.

Baseball is 90% mental, and the other half is physical.

Never answer an anonymous letter.

We made too many wrong mistakes.

No one goes there nowadays; it’s too crowded.

I always thought the record would stand until it was broken.

Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.

In practice there is.

Pair up in threes.

THE OTHER-WORLDLY WORDS OF YOGI

BERRA

I usually take a two-hour nap from 1 to 4.

If the world was perfect, it wouldn't be.

You don’t have to swing hard to hit a home run. If you got the timing, it’ll go.

Why buy good luggage? You only use it when you travel.

Take it with a grin of salt.

It gets late early out here.

I never said most of the things I said.

It’s like déjà vu all over again. A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.

Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t come to yours.

You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.

“She was an open book. He was illiterate.” (Maya Angelou)

It ain't over till it's over.

In theory there is no difference between theory and practice.

You wouldn’t have won if we’d beaten you.

Slump? I ain’t in no slump… I just ain’t hitting.

How can you think and hit at the same time?

If the people don’t want to come out to the ballpark, nobody’s going to stop them.

We have deep depth.

Even Napoleon had his Watergate.

Bill Dickey is learning me his experience.

He hits from both sides of the plate. He’s amphibious.

It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much.

I don’t know (if they were men or women fans running naked across the field). They had bags over their heads.

So, I’m ugly. I never saw anyone hit with his face.

I’m a lucky guy and I’m happy to be with the Yankees. And I want to thank everyone for making this night necessary.

I’m not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did.

The towels were so thick there I could hardly close my suitcase.

It ain’t the heat, it’s the humility.

If you ask me anything I don’t know, I’m not going to answer.

We were overwhelming underdogs.

Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets.

I'm lucky. Usually, you're dead to get your own museum, but I'm still alive to see mine.

If I didn’t make it in baseball, I won’t have made it workin’. I didn’t like to work.

Pie a la mode, with ice cream.

I never blame myself when I’m not hitting. I just blame the bat and if it keeps up, I change bats. After all, if I know it isn’t my fault that I’m not hitting, how can I get mad at myself?

I wish I had an answer to that because I'm tired of answering that question.

You tell the stupidest questions.

BY ROSE-MARY RUMBLEY

King george iii is identified in the title of a new book by Andrew Roberts as ‘the last king of America’, and this he was! He has always been considered a loser, and rightly so in that he lost the colonies and then later lost his mind! But, Roberts sets out to redeem George in this 750 page book as one who has been horribly misunderstood all these many years.

When Queen Anne died, leaving no heirs, the Stewart line ended. We all know that the British must have their "LINEAGE!" so, the Hanover line was accepted, even though the Hanovers were German! King George I was the

KING GEORGE III –THE LAST KING OF AMERICA

George can see my name without his glasses." This is a legend, but Hancock along with the other leaders were very angry and disturbed about the taxes they were having to pay. We know that it was these taxes that led to the Revolutionary War!

find that he lived a large portion of his life in England. Why? Because George insisted that he move there.

King of England, yet he spoke only German. And he was Lutheran--not of the Church of England! George II was the same.

funniest songs, "You'll be Back,” George sings to his subjects, “When push comes to shove, I'll send a fully armed battalion to remind you of my love!"

The hatred for George III is brought out, too, in an older musical, 1776, when Ben Franklin makes his entry onto the stage. "How are you Mr. Franklin?" he is asked. The beloved founding father who suffered with gout, replies, "I wish King George felt like my big toe all over!" No love lost there!

There are some redeeming qualities about George III. He loved his wife and was always faithful to her. She bore fifteen children. This was possible because she was only 17 years old when they married.

Wanting his love, Charlotte, to have a special place to live, he bought Buckingham House, a large townhouse, which became Buckingham Palace, a palace for the queen! She had her private potter--Josiah Wedgwood. I have always loved and appreciated Wedgwood pottery myself. I didn't know the queen loved it too!

Handel wrote an opera for the king. The king didn't like it, so he ordered Handel back to Germany. It’s here when the Irish stepped in. "Handel, come to Ireland!" He did, and in an apartment in Dublin, in thirty days, he wrote The Messiah!! (When I toured Dublin, the guide pointed out the apartment where Handel lived while writing the magnificent oratorio.) The Irish were the first to hear this piece and praised it so much that King George demanded that it be played for him. The story goes that he was so moved by the Hallelujah Chorus, he stood up, and to this day the audience rises as the king did at the first, “Hallelujah!"

King George also had Bach come to the palace. No doubt, the king loved music. He played the flute, and after he lost his mind, he spent many hours playing flute--mournful melodies. Yes, the king had some good qualities—very different from his son (George IV), who was unfaithful to his wife and who drank a lot.

When George III came to the throne, he did speak English–but was still very German in his thoughts and feelings.

As I said, this author is out to redeem this King who heavily taxed the colonists, thus who was hated by all who called themselves Americans. In the award-winning musical Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda's George III is presented as a cartoonish villain, desperate for affection. One of the

I've always appreciated the story of John Hancock, who loved his king so much, he went back to England to attend the coronation of George III. "Why are you leaving this great place to go back, John?" He told of his admiration for the king. "He's our king!" But, when that "beloved" king laid those heavy taxes on the colonists, what did Hancock do and say? He signed the Declaration of Independence with the largest and boldest writing. Legend says that he exclaimed, “I signed it thusly so King

As far as politics went, George III was a conservative. He worked to pay all the debts. Why not? He owned the colonies. He had a fine library which included a rare map collection, and he tested his doctor before surgery by having a drink of brandy with him. The doctor poured the brandy with a steady hand; thus, he could wield the knife!

George III loved and admired George Frederick Handel, the fabulous German composer, so much so that he brought him to England. If you read a biography of Handel, you’ll

George IV had the nerve to haul in another woman and declare her the queen. This wasn't acceptable, but she stayed a while anyway. Americans didn't pay much attention to George IV. We were too busy becoming a great nation. n

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 rosetalksdallas@aol.com

é King George I (1714-1727)

é King George II (1727-1760)

é King George III (1760-1820)

é Queen Charlotte

é King George IV (1820-1830)

THE FACTOR SLUISHUIS

built on an artificial island in the IJ lake in Amsterdam, Dutch studio Barcode Architects and Danish architecture studio BIG have completed the angular Sluishuis housing block. It surrounds an internal harbor with a double cantilever that forms a gateway from the lake." Towards the city, the building kneels down to invite visitors to climb its roof and enjoy the panoramic view of the new neighborhoods on the IJ," said BIG founding partner Bjarke Ingels.

Within its distinctive shape, the housing development contains 442 owner-occupied and rental apartments (ranging from studios to penthouses). The four blocks enclose a courtyard that steps down to the water. On the ground floor, opening to the courtyard, are a sailing school, a water sports center, and a restaurant with a large terrace. Two long staircases climb the two angled facades leading to a public green roof and garden with a rooftop walkway.

"Toward the water, Sluishuis rises from the river, opening a gigantic gate for boats to enter and dock in the port," added Ingels. "A

building inside the port, with a port inside the building." Alongside the housing block, the development contains a pier that has moorings for 34 houseboats and berths for 54 pleasure crafts.

Sluishuis (which translate to English as “Lock House”) is one of the most sustain-

DIVERSI NS

able buildings recently completed. The building's energy consumption for heating, heat pumps, ventilation and LED lighting is fully

provided by solar panels, and a great deal of attention was paid to the greenery and water collection. n

GYNECOLOGISTS'’ CONVENTION

SH UT-OUTS

annette lawless (social media Manager of ) has been name co-anchor of Good Morning Kansas and Good Morning KAKEland on KAKE in Wichita, Kansas.

Stream Realty Partners’ San Antonio office was chosen as the No. 1 Best Place to Work for Medium-Sized Companies by the San Antonio Business Journal. The office has 52 employees and manages a portfolio of more than 13.3M sf of office, industrial, retail, and health care space.

Scott Sowanick, Managing Director of the West Region of Stream Realty Partners’ Industrial Development Services division, was chosen as one of Commercial Property Executive’s 2022 “Stars to Watch.”

RiverSouth, Austin’s newest office development (owned, leased, and managed by Stream Realty Partners) has been honored with SmartScore’s highest achievement, making it the smartest building in Texas. The 15-story, 372,00-squarefoot high-rise at 401 S. 1st St. received a SmartScore Platinum rating for its cutting-edge user functionality and technological foundation.

Rob Lowe, Executive Managing Director and Partner at Stream Realty Partners’ Nashville office, was named one of the Nashville Business Journal’s 2022 CRE Award winners for the ninth consecutive time.

USGBC National Capital Region recognized Stream Realty Partners’ 1771 N Street in Washington, D.C., as its Innovative Project of the Year for New Construction. The 1960s legacy building was recently updated with a new façade, rejuvenated outdoor spaces, and interior improvements that reduced energy and water use by over 35%. n

There are solutions— for even the hardest problems.

Making an introduction:

He: “This is my ex-girlfriend, Lauren.” She: “Stop introducing me like that. I’m his wife.”

The past, present and future walk into a bar. It was tense.

THE RES URCE PAGE

THE FACTOR

NATIONAL BANK OF KUWAIT HEADQUARTERS

the uK’s largest architectural studioFoster + Partners - has created a distinctive supertall skyscraper for the National Bank of Kuwait Headquarters in Kuwait City.

wallethub has been a valuable source for useful and interesting information for this page for years. They are upfront about their methodologies and offer videos as well as information on hundreds of topics. They are dedicated to helping people enjoy life and strive to make the complex simple. Here are some of the current surveys we found most interesting.

In 2022's Best & Worst Cities for Recreation, they compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 47 key indicators of recreation-friendliness, and for each city, examined the accessibility of entertainment and recreational facilities, the quality of parks and the weather. The top five: 1) Las Vegas, NV; 2) Orlando, FL; 3) Cincinnati, OH; 4) Tampa, FL 5) Scottsdale AZ. See how your city ranks <HERE>.

Their study of the Best & Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle compares the same. cities based on 34 key indicators of an active lifestyle, ranging from the average monthly fitness-club fee to bike score to the share of physically inactive adults — found the top five to be: 1) San Francisco, CA; 2) Chicago, IL; 3) New York, NY; 4) San Diego, CA; 5) Honolulu, HI. See the whole study and methodology <HERE>.

And, in their study on the Best Places to Raise a Family, they compared 180 U.S. cities based on 46 key metrics (that consider essential family dynamics, such as the cost of housing, the quality of local school and healthcare systems, and the opportunities for fun and recreation).The top five: 1) Fremont, CA; 2) Overland Park, KS; 3) Irvine, CA; Plano, TX; 5) Columbia, MD. Since the average American moves an estimated 11.7 times in a lifetime, it’s worth checking out the results <HERE>.

With around 8.4% of Americans having moved last year, their report on 2022’s Best States to Live in makes for an interesting read. They compared the 50 states based on 52 key indicators of ‘livability’ (ranging from housing costs and income growth to education

rate and quality of hospitals). Massachusetts ranked #1 overall. Surprisingly, New Jersey was a close second. Alaska ranked 49th and Mississippi came in last. See where your state ranked and why <HERE>.

Designed by the United Kingdom architectural firm Foster + Partners to be a landmark in Kuwait's capital city, the 980 foot supertall skyscraper (with 63 floors of office space) is the new headquarters for the National Bank of Kuwai. Its distinctive shape consists of a rounded form that culminates in a pointed peak. Said Stefan Behling of Foster + Partners, "The building incorporates a sustainable, functional, and iconic design that signifies NBK's unique presence and identity in the city." It is the second tallest building in the country.

And, one we found of particular interest: With test-score gaps between low-poverty and high-poverty school districts increasing by 15% - 20% during the COVID-19 pandemic, they studied 2022’s Most & Least Educated Cities in America, To determine where the most educated Americans are choosing to settle down, they compared the 150 largest U.S. metropolitan statistical areas across 11 key metrics ranging from the share of adults aged 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher to the racial education gap to the quality of the public-school system.

LEAST EDUCATED

Check out where your city came in <HERE> n

It stands alongside the country's tallest building, the 1,350-feet-high Al Hamra Tower which was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). Foster + Partners has designed skyscrapers in cities across the world, and it recently released plans for a skyscraper in Manila with wraparound verandas, an office tower in Manhattan for JPMorgan Chase and updated plans for Two World Trade Center in New York. n

THE BACK PAGE

ANSWERS FROM THE JULY/AUGUST CONTEST –OFFICIAL BABY BOOMERS QUALIFYING EXAM

1/ John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr 2/

Clay

13/ Absolutely nothing.

14/ Young girls have picked them everyone

15/ the American way

16/ ‘cause I eat my spinach

17/ Mary Martin

18/ Plastics

19/ Richard Nixon

20/ Big John

21/ on Blueberry Hill

22/ Good night, Chet.

23/ You’re on Candid Camera

24/ pants on fire

25/ Joe Namath

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR CONTEST WINNERS!

Charles Edmundson of Philadelphia, PA won a Blood Pressure Monitor.

LizBeth Ziegler of Raleigh, NC won a Sleep Tracking Mat.

Reynaldo Martinez of Tucson, AZ won a Kinivo ZX100 Mini Speaker.

Vicki Tamblyn of Olympia, WA won a copy of Housing for Humans by Ileana Schinder.

Joanna Witherspoon of Tarrytown, NY won a copy of Vertical Lines by Andrew Felder.

DIVERSI NS WHY YOU PUT TITLES IN QUOTATION MARKS

BOLO (BE ON THE LOOK OUT)

Contributing Editor Angela O’Byrne’s Amazing Buildings examines legendary Swedish rock group ABBA's purpose-built, transportable arena in London, England.

We will bring you pictures of the 49 UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Spain and the Balearic Islands in the fifth installment of our series. Likewise, we will continue our series on America’s Favorite Architecture according to the AIA.

Contributing Editor Roxana Tofan takes on a new investigative reporting assignment—bringing us current with important stories that seemingly suddenly fell out of the news even though they weren’t ’over’. (e.g., whatever happened to the children who were kept in cages at the Mexican border? Were they ever reunited with their families? Or whatever

FOR

WHAT'S

COMING NEXT

happened to the Department of Justice investigation of Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL), accused of having sex with a minor and transporting her across state lines),

In Herstory, Contributing Editor Rose-Mary Rumbley answers the question: What do the Manhattan detective created by Stuart Woods and the Dallas detective created by R. J.  Sadler have in common?  Ben Beer of CohnReznick will focus on private equity and debt real estate funds. And we’ll examine the architectural innovation that has resulted from China’s decision to ban supertall skyscrapers (now that there are nearly a hundred already completed and occupied).

Real Estate of the Future will again visit Saudi Arabia—this time its plans to build a 106- mile-long

mirrored skyscraper to house 9 million people. A ‘Wow Factor’ will introduce readers to The Building Descending the Stairs overlooking the Venetian Lagoon in Jesolo, Italy.

Want more? Of course, there will be other specially contributed articles from various segments of the real estate industry as well as our affiliates, You Need (or might want) to Know, other Wow Factors, Diversions, Tru Dat, Vertical Lines, The Resource Page, ShoutOuts, and much MUCH more. We get a lot into 64 pages! And there’s even more information on the web edition of

Avril Lavigne singing Bite Me on The Dick Clark Rockin New Years Eve 2022 Show

C NTEST: I LIKE THAT OLD TIME Rock and Roll

the lead singer of some rock groups often stands out so much that the name of the group itself is often referred to by adding that singer. For instance, the Supremes are often referred to as 'Diana Ross and the Supremes' and The Four Seasons are often referred to as 'Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons'. Here are 30 groups whose names from the outset (we think) began with the lead singer’s name.

leader singer with his or her group? Just choose the correct group name from the list below and fill it in on the line.

Scan or copy this page and send your entry to editor@crestnetwork.com or fax it to 817.924.7116 on or before September 30th for a chance to win a valuable prize.

16/ Huey Lewis and the ____________________

17/ Joan Jett and the ______________________

18/ Bob Marley and the ____________________

19/ Bruce Springsteen and the _______________

1/ Jay and _______________________________

2/ Florence and __________________________

3/ Jerry and the __________________________

4/ Bob Seeger and the _______________________ [singers of the song which is the title of this contest]

5/ Tom Petty and the ______________________

6/ Dion and the ___________________________

7/ Wayne Fontana and the _________________

20/ Frank Zappa and the ____________________

21/ Eric Burden and the _____________________

22/ Belinda Carlisle and the __________________

23/ Boy George and the _____________________

24/ Danny and the _________________________

25/ K.C. and the ___________________________

26/ Kenny Rogers and the ___________________

27/ Lionel Richie and the ____________________

28/ Freddie and the ________________________

29/ Sam the Sham and the __________________

30/ Bob.B. Sox and the _____________________

12/ Frankie Lymon and the __________________

Culture Club

News

Blackhearts

Blue Jeans Machine

Teenagers

Sunshine Band

Pips

Pharaohs

First Edition

Americans Ants

Wailers

Belmonts Pacemakers

Silver Bullet Band Heartbreakers

Mindbenders

M.G.s

Imperials Limelites

E Street Band Animals

Go-Go’s

Juniors

Miracles

Commodores

Dreamers

Family Stone

Mothers of Invention

...BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S 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.

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.