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M&H President & CEO Manny Kratsios has announced the promotion of James Mako, P.E. to Senior Associate and his appointment as the new Branch Manager of the firm’s Deerfield Beach, Florida office.
Merritt & Harris, Inc. added another top-notch project manager to its distinguished staff when it hired George Vonortas.
Merritt & Harris, Inc. welcomed Margaret Asimakis, PE, LEED AP, to its New York staff on November 14th.
In the fall of 2000, Merritt & Harris, Inc. (“M&H”) was retained by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (the “PA”) to perform a complete property condition assessment of New York’s World Trade Center (the “WTC”).
Merritt & Harris, Inc. has launched a new brand in its stable of specialty design
ations - M&H Caribbean Group. While the brand and logo are new, the product and locale are not. Merritt & Harris, Inc. has been active in the Caribbean for more than 50 years. The number of projects performed each year and the variety of islands on which the projects are located have encouraged the firm to designate the personnel serving the area as the M&H Caribbean Group with specific marketing materials and a new island-inspired logo.
The 74-year-old construction consulting firm was assigned many loan monitoring projects in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands by Chase Manhattan Bank (its name at the time) in the '60s and early '70s. The firm's involvement in the Caribbean recommenced in 1990 when it was retained by Mitsubishi Bank Ltd. to review documents for and monitor the construction of the renovation and expansion of the renowned El Conquistador Hotel in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. That assignment introduced Merritt & Harris, Inc. to Banco Gobernamental de Fomento para Puerto Rico (Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico) and its Tourism Development Fund, a strong relationship that continues today. Since 1990, the firm has been retained to consult on 43 major projects (mostly hotels and golf courses, but also a children's hospital and several retail centers) for most of the lending institutions located on the island. The strong reputation earned in Puerto Rico resulted in recent assignments on both the Dutch and French sides of Saint Martin, Tortola, Bermuda, Bahamas, Anguilla, and in the Dominican Republic.
For the past 18 years, Merritt & Harris, Inc.'s primary consultant in Puerto Rico has been Neil Rowland, a principal of the firm. Neil's familiarity with construction in the Caribbean has made him a trusted and reliable advisor to many Caribbean-based lenders. Neil is often assisted by Michael Dwyer, the principal in charge of Merritt & Harris'Cost & Review Group and the branch manager of the firm's South Florida office. Mike Dwyer's expertise in construction costs and his familiarity with Caribbean project budgets have made him a valuable and accurate analyst to island banks and mainland investors alike. The two principals are assisted on many projects by the architects and mechanical engineers of Merritt & Harris' Soth Florida office.
M&H Caribbean Group joins Merritt & Harris' other designated specialties - M&H Sports and M&H Latin America(working in Spanish and reporting in English) and its basic product groups - Construction Monitoring Group, Property Condition Assessment Group, and the Cost & Review...
(As appeared in Observations, Spring 2011)
The United States will finally get its first purpose-built Formula 1 race track. Named “Circuit of the Americas,” the 3.4 mile circuit and its associated architectural and entertainment facilities are beginning to take shape on a 970 acre site in southeast Austin, Texas. After an absence of five years, an official United States Grand Prix will be held at the track in 2012. Formula 1 United States, the race track’s developer, has, in fact, secured the rights to conduct the US Grand Prix until 2021 from the FIA, the sport’s international sanctioning body.
The developer has put together an impressive team. The track itself was designed by Tilke Gmbh & Co, engineers and architects of Aachen, Germany. Tilke is considered to be the world’s pre-eminent racetrack design firm whose modern purpose-built projects include the Bahrain International Circuit, Korean International Circuit, Shanghai International Circuit, Istanbul Park, and others. According to the developer, the Austin design combines “modern features with details reminiscent of the legendary tracks from the ‘60s.” In fact, several of the track’s 20 turns replicate some of racing’s most famous turns from around the world. The natural topography of the Texas hills on which the 3.4 mile track will sit allows for elevation changes of 133 feet.
The racetrack’s facilities have been designed by HKS, a well respected 70-year-old architectural firm whose sports projects include the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium and the MLB Texas Rangers Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the Lucas Oil Stadium (NFL Colts) in Indianapolis among others. The facilities will include grandstands for 120,000 people placed at strategic locations along the circuit, pit buildings, team suites, restaurants and club suites, several concession buildings, and fan engagement areas. It will truly be a world-class racing facility. The general contractor is Austin Commercial, a major construction firm.
The team behind the project is also first rate. Tavo Hellmund, founding partner and Chairman of Formula 1 United States, was raised in Austin and compiled a winning record as a driver in NASCAR, FIA, and SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) sanctioned races. He is one of the most qualified authorities on Formula 1 racing in the US. The other founding partner of Formula 1 United States is Red McCombs, a co-founder of Clear Channel Communications and former owner of the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Vikings. The President of Formula 1 United States is Steve Sexton, former President and CEO of Churchill Downs and an executive with 25 years of experience in the racing and entertainment business.
Merritt & Harris, Inc. is providing the construction document review and is monitoring the construction of the Circuit of Americas for the...
By Michael J. Dwyer, Principal, Cost & Review Group Leader
Reprinted from M&H Observations, Summer 2011 Edition
New construction has not seen the recovery that was hoped for this year, but there is a bright spot emerging. New rental apartment buildings are anticipated in a number of larger cities, and the demand for these apartments is growing.
There are many indications that rental apartments will be in demand over the next three years, as the housing crash has caused displaced homeowners to look for other living arrangements. The appeal of homeownership has, also, lost its luster, because of the “recession” and many would-be buyers are seeing rentals as a worthwhile option.
Although material prices have risen (generally 5% year over year), Contractors are still aggressively bidding and absorbing the material cost increase to garner more and more work. Developers and Builders are certainly enjoying the bids that are coming in, as pricing is more competitive than it has been in quite a number of years.
The recent concessions by unions, the lack of new development in many suburban areas, and the reduced labor costs of home office staffs are resulting in pricing that is near 2009 levels. This is not to say that pricing will remain at these levels since many of the smaller firms and/or specialty firms have not been able to weather the storm. With fewer firms able to professionally and adequately provide the necessary services, competition is starting to diminish in certain areas.
Even though most construction firms and unions have made substantial concessions to maintain viability during the recession, Developers continue to pressure for lower and lower pricing. As the recovery gains traction, a turnaround may become evident sooner than expected.
Many Clients and Developers agree that we are not over the hump yet, but there are some signs that we are now in the midst of a slow recovery. Did someone say “election year”? Over the next few months we will see whether the recovery is real or just enough improvement to get us past November 2012.
That said, the table below provides mean (average) construction costs of rental apartment construction projects:
Trade Line Item
Unit Cost
% of Total
Unit
Foundation/Pilings
$183.28
9.8%
Footprint
Superstructure
$28.82
15.1%
Total Bldg
Exterior Glass
$55.98
14.5%
Ext. Glass
Exterior Wall
$35.74
2.4%
Other Ext.
Roofing w/Pavers
$2,220
1.2%
Roof Squares
Miscellaneous Iron
$0.80
0.4%
Total Bldg
Interior Partitions
$17.63
...
The construction consulting firm of Merritt & Harris, Inc. and the environmental consulting firm of Sustainable Design Consulting have announced the formation of a truly full-service “green” venture. The teaming of the firms offers the greatest possible combination of experts to provide building and system analyses and Energy Star and LEED® Green Building Rating System™ filing services. With Merritt & Harris, Inc.’s experience with building systems and Sustainable Design Consulting’s proven expertise in shepherding projects through the filing process, clients can count on receiving the highest quality user-oriented energy consulting and efficient knowledgeable certification filing. From beginning to end, seamless expertise provides the recommendations to improve a building’s energy usage and gain the highest energy rating a facility can earn. For building owners and investors this translates into obtaining the tools and information needed to save money through more efficient energy usage with the possibility of obtaining valuable Energy Star and/or LEED® certification.
Merritt & Harris, Inc. (M&H) has been providing consulting services to real estate lenders, investors, managers, sports authorities, owners, and the construction community since 1937. As experts in the analysis of the design, development, and construction processes, the firm’s highly skilled professionals are ideally suited to provide services in a variety of building energy auditing and commissioning categories. Over the past fifteen years, Merritt & Harris, Inc. has provided construction reviews and monitoring services, cost analyses, commissioning, and property condition assessments on more than $50 billion worth of real estate.
As a firm, M&Hmaintains an in-house staff of architects; civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineers; LEED APs; construction experts; and cost analysts. M&H has offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and South Florida.
Sustainable Design Consulting (SDC), founded in 2002 by Sandra Leibowitz Earley, is dedicated to sustainable design, including recognized expertise in green building technology, strategies, training, process management and the LEED® Green Building Rating System™. With over 16 years of advanced experience, Sandra has provided sustainable design consulting services for nearly 200 projects, has authored and co-authored a number of sustainable design articles and books, and has presented nationally on sustainable design topics. SDC is a 100% woman-owned business and has been certified as a Minority Business Enterprise (woman-owned). SDC has offices in Richmond, VA and Washington, DC.
Joseph Marciano, P.E., LEED AP, Senior Associate and one of M&H’s licensed mechanical engineers, leads its energy and commissioning team efforts. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and a Diploma in Construction Management from NYU. Since 1982,
Mr. Marciano has been involved in energy conservation and environmental initiatives, and has hands-on systems knowledge as well as significant cost consulting experience for owners, contractors, and designers. He joined M&H in 1996 and has been involved in the analyzing and evaluating of more than $5 billion worth of property during that time, including the complex evaluation of New York’s World Trade Center in 2000 and a variety of large buildings of various types.
SDC’s leader on the joint M&H and SDC team is Steven Piguet, AIA, LEED AP,Senior Associate and Director of SDC’s Northeast Region. He has over 25 years experience in the planning, design, construction, and operation of facilities. As a founding board member of the U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a...
While building owners can’t do much about decreasing property values caused by a poor economy, they can prevent further erosion of the value of the asset by assuring that proper and timely maintenance is keeping the investment in top condition. A few dollars spent now can save thousands down the road. The architects and engineers at Merritt & Harris, Inc. are skilled at evaluating the condition of buildings, mechanical systems, and equipment and in developing capital expenditure schedules and reports aimed at keeping your property at its peak value. Hands-on engineering knowledge and experienced cost estimating sets the firm apart in this field. As a truly independent consulting firm, Merritt & Harris, Inc. does not manage any properties or assets. Our evaluations are uninfluenced by any association with those who have been charged with maintaining the subject property.
Each Property Performance Assessment begins with an observation of the property to determine the physical condition of the building envelope and mechanical equipment. Merritt & Harris, Inc.’s (M&H) architects and mechanical engineers are skilled in performing this evaluation as each has more than 15 years hands-on experience inspecting buildings and mechanical equipment. The observation provides the basis for determining condition and remaining life of the various building components. At the time of the building tour, the maintenance and repair records are examined and the building’s engineering and maintenance staff is interviewed.
The information gathered from these tasks is examined and analyzed by the M&H team. Engineering estimates are applied to rectify the deficiencies observed and replacement costs are determined for systems and equipment that can be expected to require replacement during the term of the capital expenditure schedule (normally 2 to 12 years, as requested by the client).
A written report is then prepared with descriptions of each observed deficiency and recommended remediation. Capital expenses are presented by year in an easy to understand schedule for use in budgeting.
Merritt & Harris, Inc.’s Property Performance Assessments are cost effective and backed by the reputation of the industry’s oldest and most respected consulting firm.
For more information or to discuss protecting your real estate investments by conducting a Property Performance Assessment call 212-697-3188 and talk to Edward J. Bellavigna, AIA, Senior Associate, at Extension...
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