5 Ways to Make Any Building Refresh a Success

Everywhere you turn in CRE today you hear the term “flight to quality.” So much of what exists today in the built environment needs to be refreshed to keep tenants. For traditional office space, medical office space, or retail shopping center, updates can increase the lifespan of the building and attract great tenants. Here are five ways to make a building refresh a success.

1. Evaluate New Priorities

We know the pandemic made a significant impact on the needs of our offices and retail spaces, but changes in technologies have also required businesses to re-evaluate their space needs and program goals. When Transwestern Real Estate Services relocated from their traditional tower headquarters, they wanted a forward-thinking, resilient office that could support hybrid work and serve as model for clients. We connected these program goals with Transwestern’s dedication to hospitality to create a smart, modern, open workplace. The atrium space with large windows and cityscape views is just one way Transwestern can now facilitate networking events, stimulating business introductions and future deals.?

2. Update the Fa?ade

Sometimes a new coat of paint isn’t enough to make an impression. The Commons at Lake Hearn, a 1980s three-building medical office park, needed an exterior refresh that would be visible from the nearby interstate, where potential patients passed each day. Cooper Carry designed a series of frames that were added to the exterior of the original buildings to highlight the building lines, without making major changes to the fa?ades. The modern frames boast multicolored LED lighting, so the buildings draw attention even when the sun goes down.

3. Integrate Food and Beverage

The old cafeterias and mall food carts of old don’t cut it anymore. We designed the food hall at Assembly at Rosslyn City Center to transform the mall. A remnant from decades past, the space consisted of poor lighting, deteriorated finishes, and mostly abandoned tenant spaces. Cooper Carry brought a hospitality-oriented approach to creating the food hall, using warm lighting, comfortable seating clusters, and high-end food and retail options. The mixed-use space promotes return visits for local business staff and residents in the transit-oriented Washington, D.C. suburb.

4. Activate the Outdoors

Just adding a bench or two outside isn’t enough to activate the outdoor space. To be truly impactful, the area should feature a mix of hard and soft materials, such as furniture, lighting, and trees, as well as moveable furniture to accommodate different groups. Learn more about how to maximize your outdoor community spaces.

5. Incorporate Art and Graphics

Artwork, such as large murals, help make the built environment experiential. At Birch and Broad, Cooper Carry created wayfinding elements and experiential graphics that draw visitors through the shopping center. A large mural with bursts of colors and abstract trees lines the walls of a furnished alleyway where visitors can relax and linger.

Our success is your success. Whether you are looking to refresh your property or do a full renovation, let Cooper Carry?guide you through your next project.