Staying on Top of Things

If there is one thing we've learned in our experience it is that paying attention to details while not losing the big picture will save your project (and you) every time.

Take for instance our recent experience with the Marshall's store in the Eastchase Market Place in Fort Worth, Texas.  By keeping up with the client's requirements on a daily basis, we were able to meet their deadlines for an on-time store opening.

"Scott Leach and Dean Nettles of our staff were involved in this project from Day 1," Dave Sykes said. "And they continued to monitor all of the work daily until we were able to turn over the property to the tenant."

Dave is CEO of DSKW & Associates, a design-build firm based in Carrollton, Texas.  They were the general contractor on the project. Scott and Dean are employees of DSKW.

The work of subcontractors was ordered and monitored, punch lists created and fulfilled and general oversight of the job was done both at the job sight and remotely.  No detail was overlooked from demolition to installations to final painting.

"Dean and Scott have done an outstanding job on the store," Tammy Cottino said. "Their commitment to turning over a quality project on time has allowed the building of this store to be completed in a seamless manner."

Tammy is the project manager for TJX Companies, the parent company of Marshall's Department Stores.

"They were both very quick to respond to questions and the needs of TJX.  Both Scott and Dean were pro-active with communications which helped us overcome some of the challenges we ran into," Tammy continued.  "The quality of work, and their attention to detail has enabled this store to move quickly and has left us with a very small punchlist to be completed."

"We're proud of the work we've done for TJX, Dave Sykes said. "And of Scott and Dean."

For more information you can contact Dave, Scott, Dean or any of the DSKW team at 214-710-1298.

The Builder

The Rebounding Economy

Change is in the air.  That sound you hear is the loosening of purse strings and the flow of financing dollars.

"We recently learned from one of our long-term clients in the restaurant industry that they had received their funding," Dave Sykes told us. "When franchisees get funded, that indicates, at least to us, that people are willing to invest and that the economy is turning back to a positive trend," he said.

Dave is CEO of DSKW & Associates, a full-service design-build firm based in Dallas, Texas. They see first hand the impact of money in the economy.

"Construction is historically a lagging indicator of growth," Dave continued."So when you see dollars being spent on design and construction, it indicates that their is confidence enough in the rest of the economy."

While nationwide, the numbers are otherwise, here in Texas, this direct witnessing of movement is an indicator that the local and regional economy is gaining strength.

You can contact Dave at DSKW & Associates at 214-710-1298.

The Builder

Dreaming, Design and Practicality

"If you build it, he will come."

So goes the line from "Field of Dreams."  Ray built the baseball field in in his corn field because he had a dream.  While the dream changed a few times, the idea it sprang from stayed the same.

All ideas really do come from dreams.  So it is with building and architecture.  before any building can take shape, can be fashioned from brick and mortar or wood framing and drywall, it has to be dreamed--thought up.

"Most of our clients come to us with a vision, a 'dream' of a structure they want," Kevin Wallace said. "And if it isn't complete, we help them finish the dream," he said.

Kevin is a partner in DSKW & Associates, a full-service design-build firm based in North Texas. Kevin is the resident architect at the firm.

"Whether it is a factory, office building, shopping center or new residence, they all begin as a dream," Kevin continued.  "We have the luxury at our firm to work with clients in any of a number of phases," Kevin continued. "Sometimes we send them back to the 'dream' stage if the idea isn't quite solid enough to be drawn or conceptualized.  In that way, Dave and I have a lot of flexibility when it comes to helping clients."

Dave is Dave Sykes, CEO of DSKW & Associates, and a veteran of the construction and building world in Texas and the Southwest U.S.

"At the end of the day, however," Dave said,"it still has to be built. We will tell a client how it can be built, in what time and for what cost."

Kevin recalled a client who had a vision for a theatre he wanted to renovate.  The concept got to a point where it could be a real construction project, but it lacked something.  Dave pitched the project back to Kevin.

"I play the role of 'dream catcher'," Kevin related.  "Dave's the analyst who helps us keep our feet on the ground and I'm the one reaching for the clouds with the client. It's a good balance."

Dreams and reality are not that exclusive to one another in the world of architecture and building.  Just be sure and have that team that balances both on your side.

The Dreamer

Building Your Community with Service

In this space our topics usually are related to the actual desing and construction of our communities.  At the same time, spaces without heart or the warmth of the people who inhabit them are just that--spaces.

Building one's community takes more than brick and mortar and useful designs on paper.  It also takes action to build a community.

Recently our DSKW team visited our adopted elementary school, Tom C. Gooch Elementary School in the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) for a day of voluntarily reading to students.  Our day at the school was led by our senior project manager, Sandy Watson.

"The principal of Gooch, Karina De Los Reyes, invited us to come and read to the Pre-K through third-grade kids," Sandy told us. "On a regular basis community volunteer adults come into the school to read and interact with the kids," she said.

The book read by the volunteers on this day was Dr Seuss' "The Lorax" on the occasion of Theodore Geisel's 108th birthday.

"Not only was it fun to see the looks on the kids' faces and hear their reactions," Sandy continued, "but to see and hear the adults' responses and feel their joy was amazing."

Gooch Elementary was adopted by Sandy during her stint as "Principal for a Day" in the fall of 2011.  Sandy, a former career public school educator and administrator, because of her experience with the building trades, has advised Ms. De Los Reyes on a number of issues relating to the school building itself.

"We try and help with volunteer labor and materials whenever we can," Sandy said. "Recently the outdoor picnic tables needed repair, so we sent over a crew with replacement boards and hardware to make the fixes at our expense."

Building a strong community takes many forms.  Sometimes it involves a Lorax.

The Builder

Road Construction Leads the Way for Growth

Not only do roads help us find our way between and within our cities, they also spur and sustain growth in those same cities.

"Where ever a new road project springs up, retail and commercial growth follow," Dave Sykes told us recently.  Dave is the CEO of DSKW & Associates of Dallas, the leading design/build firm in North Texas.

"For example, the largest single road project in the United States is just down LBJ from us near the DFW Airport," Dave continued.  The DFW Connector project is worth billions and will change the face of the area around the North entrance of the airport as well as enhance growth in the highways 114 and 121 area.

"This single project will change how traffic moves in the area," Dave said," as well as change how businesses in the immediate and close-by areas do business.  Retail, commercial offices and warehousing is all set to explode around Grapevine, Coppell and Valley Ranch."

Of the 10 major road projects in the United States ongoing now, more than half are in Texas.  This is a testimony to the growth and vibrancy of the area.  And, as Dave said, it will spur more growth in the area adjacent to the project.

To contact Dave or any member of his team at DSKW & Associates, call 214-710-1298.

The Dreamer

Report from the ABI: Billings in Architectural Work Up in August

The ABI (Architecture Billings Index) has long been an indicator of future growth in the economy.  If a someone has hired an architect for a feasibility study or the initial planning for a new building project, chances are it will happen.

The latest ABI report indicates a modest uptick in billings by architectural firms nationwide.  While some sectors of industry and regions of the country are down, overall, billings are on the way up.

"Work done in advance of a building project has long been an indicator of future work designing and erecting that building," Kevin Wallace said.  Kevin is COO and chief architect for DSKW & Associates, a full-service design/build firm based in North Texas.

"The slowness of the economy has actually had a good impact on our industry," Kevin continued. "Usually by the time a client calls for an architect, it is too late for us to help. But with longer-term plans and tight money, clients are taking their time and doing more feasibility studies," he said.

"That means, while they want it now, they want it done right."

The report featured these highlights:

• Modest growth in billings overall, but this is after 4 straight months of no growth or declining growth.
• Multi-family projects are on the increase.
• Projects under contract remain stalled.
• More refurbishment of existing buildings is happening rather than complete, from-the-ground-up new build.

For more information about this ABI report see their website.  Or contact Kevin Wallace or Dave Sykes at 214-710-1298 or visit the DSKW & Associates website.


DDBL

The New Name for Design/Build: DSKW & Associates

General contractors are concerned with construction, permits and schedules. Architects are focused on having the right design fit the environment and be a livable and workable space.

But what if you could have both?

Design/build is a concept in the commercial and residential marketplaces that few companies practice but many clients wish they could have. Now, in North Texas, that concept has a name: DSKW & Associates.

“We decided to put DSKW & Associates together to meet the needs of our clients,” Kevin Wallace, Chief Operating Officer of the company, said. “Dave and I have long been believers in the other’s craft and have always shared a vision for what usable and workable spaces should be,” Kevin said.

Dave is Dave Sykes, CEO of DSKW.

“Kevin and I have worked together for a number of years,” Dave told us. “He is one of those rare architects who understands what it is to get things done while doing it with style in his design,” Dave continued.

DSKW & Associates is a full-service design and construction company. From concept through design to site selection and build out, DSKW is a solutions provider to tenants in the retail, commercial and residential marketplaces.

“We really feel that if you call us after you’ve chosen a space, you’ve really called us too late,” Kevin said. “We really understand space and how to plan it, design for it and build it out, whether that space is a dental office or offices connected to a warehouse,” he said.

Dave Sykes has over 30 years’ experience in business and the contracting marketplace. Hailing from Louisiana, Dave earned his marketing degree from San Diego State University, but has been in Texas for over 20 years.

Kevin Wallace earned his BS in Architecture from Virginia Tech University and has been designing environments for most of the last 25 years. He has lived and worked in North Texas for over 15 years.

For more information about DSKW & Associates, you can follow them on Facebook, Twitter or visit their website. Or you can call them at 214-710-1298.

The Machine for Living: Keeping Cool

Turn down the thermostat to stay cool.  Turn it up to save energy.  What if you could somehow do both?

"It is all about changing how you think about staying comfortable," Dave Sykes said.  Dave is the CEO of Sykes Construction and knows all about spaces for living.

In fact, he and his associates refer to homes and buildings as "machines for living."

"We all want to be comfortable in our homes, no mater the weather outside," Dave continued. "But how many of us sleep with a blanket on their bed in summer with the thermostat set to a really cold setting?"

Dave goes on to say that by changing the paradigm for staying comfortable, we can save energy AND be comfortable.  Consider these ideas for keeping your home cool during our 100 degree day summers:

• Dress for inside the house.  That is, shorts and a t-shirt will allow for more of your skin to be exposed and allow for natural cooling.
• Turn up the thermostat and turn on the ceiling fan.  While the space will be warmer (saving you money by having less electricity powering the AC), the natural cooling of your exposed skin by the air circulated by the fan will keep you naturally cool with evaporative cooling.
• Consider the exterior shading by trees and other landscaping of your home.  Shading the outside keeps it cooler inside.
• Consider installing radiant barriers in your attic or installing an attic ceiling fan. By taking hot air outside of the attic or lowering the temperature of the air in the attic, it will take less energy to cool the house below the attic space.

"Put your blankets and comforters away," Dave said. "Thinking differently about how you keep comfortable and cool will safe you both energy and money and possibly relieve some stress."

For more information about The Machine for Living, contact Dave at 214-774-1146.

The DSKW Team

Architects as Design Dreamers

Our own Kevin Wallace has been out and about lately talking about the fundamentals and key attributes of architecture.  It is a subject he knows well and has a clear passion for his craft.

And he is part of a select group: according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) there are only 202,000 licensed and registered architects in the U.S.  Considering the population of the country just blew by 300,000,000, he is a rare and special guy.

Kevin is a principal and the architect for DSKW and Associates, the leading design/build firm in North Texas.  Sykes is based in Carrollton, Texas, near Dallas

In recent presentations Kevin has talked about the value of architecture.

"Architects are design dreamers and envision spaces that make living and working pleasant and comfortable.," Kevin told us recently.  "I am in the business of balancing basic structural forms with human forms to create useable spaces," he said.

A space, either used for living or working, needs to do three things, Kevin continued:

• Motivate
• Energize
• Create a feeling of enjoyment

When all three of those elements are met, employees are productive and families are happy.  A well-designed space can make all the difference in the world to its occupants.

The DSKW Team

What the Beige Book has to Say About North Texas

Here is some interesting info gathered from the Dallas Federal Reserve’s Beige Book which might be applicable to your business. Noted here are the four areas that are most applicable to our Real Estate and Construction arena.

The Beige Book is not something most of us follow but our “local branch” of the Federal Reserve is known to be one of the more conservative (and accurate) in their market analyses and projections.  This information, looked at in the right light, is not only helpful but also a wee bit encouraging.

The four key areas of our economy and their updates from the Beige Book:

• Manufacturing
• Retail Sales
• Financial services
• Construction and Real Estate

In manufacturing demand had increased because of an acceleration in private projects such as apartment and commercial buildings

Retail activity increased moderately over the reporting period. Looking at March and April and smoothing out fluctuations due to the Easter holiday, demand has increased in the low- to mid-single digits over the prior year. Texas continues to perform above the national average, according to one large retailer, and the outlook for 2011 remains positive.

Financial firms reported steady overall loan demand. Real estate activity has shown recent improvement as well. Optimism persists for pockets of homebuilding and some lending across the state. Outlooks are generally positive in light of better outstanding loan quality and continued slow improvement in lending conditions.

Housing contacts said sales remain at low levels, but optimism has increased along with better traffic. Sales are expected to improve in the second half of 2011. Private nonresidential demand has improved. Leasing activity is growing and there are reports that industrial and office construction are increasing from previously  very low levels. Sales of commercial buildings are also picking up across the District.

As was said from the panel in a recent Real Estate Forum, “It’s good to be in Texas.”

The Sykes Team

Architects and Architecture

A news story and an anniversary this past week reminded us of just how special is the craft of architecture.

This past week marked the 144th anniversary of the birth of Frank Lloyd Wright, the father of organic architecture.  He designed more than 1,000 projects that resulted in nearly 500 finished works. Architect, designer, writer and educator, the "greatest architect of all time (according to the AIA), inspired many to become architects.

How many?  According to ArchSoc, a blog chronicallying architectural issues and ideas, there are nearly 200,000.  But that depends on how you count.

Truth is, most buildings and structures wouldn't be standing without the help of an architect.  That is also another reason why companies such as ours exist: pairing effective, buildable design with expert construction techniques and methods ensures success and sustainability.

For more information on architecture, contact Kevin Wallace at our offices 972-484-6855. He loves architecture.

The Sykes Team

Architecture as a Passion

Most of the time we think of architecture as a mechanical process that makes sure building stand up straight and work well.

It is more than that.  A lot more.

"Designing a building involves integrating form and function," Kevin Wallace said.  Kevin is the chief architect and COO of Sykes Construction/SCI Design.  "And these days, it also involves the inclusion of 'green' features and needs as well."

You also have to design something that can be built.  That's why the team of a construction company (general contractor) and an architect is ideal.  Choosing materials that fit the design and then creating a passable (from an inspection standpoint) structure complete the challenge.

There is also the aesthetic piece of the puzzle.

"Spaces that are inviting and comfortable make people more productive and happy," Kevin continued.  "No matter how you look at it, this is a multi-faceted process."

"From the time I was a kid and making my first sketches," Kevin said,"making spaces that people can use AND like has always been a goal. My passion for the work as an art has always driven me to see the finished product."

To learn more about the design/build process and architecture as a passion, contact Kevin Wallace at www.sykesconstruction.com.

The Sykes Team

Why a Smaller ICSC RECon Show is Better

In a recent article from Globe St.com, Ian Ritter wrote that the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) annual RECon trade show and conference's attendance would "come in around 30,000 as opposed to upwards of (the) 50,000 in 2007."

That's a huge reduction in the number of attendees to a show that has suffered through the last couple of years' recession.  But that's okay.

From our perspective as designers and builders, the more deals that can be done, the better.  What's that? More deals with fewer attendees?  Yes, really.

The truth is, if a company is sending someone to a show, they have a good business reason to send them.  If they don't they are wasting money. That's also true of the people staffing the exhibits, the suppliers.  If they can only be there if they have a deal closing, then it makes more sense that the ROI of the whole event will go up.  More deals between fewer people equals more qualified business.

"It's called the dealmaking show for a reason," Dave Sykes said.  Dave is president of Sykes Construction, a design/build firm based in North Texas.  "It's more important for us to meet the person who has a closed deal than it is for us to watch the deal being made," Dave continued. "Otherwise, we would attend the show. But that doesn't make the show any less important."

While Dave and his team didn't attend the national event in Las Vegas last week, they do plan to connect with those makers of deals at the regional shows.

"We will be in San Antonio later this year," Dave said. "At the local level, we can be more visible and be more active in the process."

Sykes Construction is a full-service design and build general contractor, specializing in the build out and fitting of retail space.  Sykes takes tenants to an open store.


The Sykes Team

US Green Buildings Council

The US Green Buildings Council (USGBC) is an organization aimed at ensuring that being green is a part of the design and construction of buildings in the US.

Environmental concerns and choices, governmental relations and support of key social causes drive the organization.  For example, this week in Washington, DC, is their annual government summit. At this meeting, key members of the building industry and government will meet to discuss legislation, business initiatives and network with each other to improve relations between the various factions.

"We're proud to affiliated with this organization," Kevin Wallace said. "The USGBC is a great forum for us in the design-build segment that allows us to be heard," Kevin said.

For more information on the USGBC, design-build processes and Sykes Construction/SCI Design, please visit www.sykesconstruction.com or call Kevin Wallace at 214-774-1146.

The Sykes Team

Attending Our Industry's Premier Event

The retail industry can be very complex and hard to navigate at times.  In the shopping center industry, it can get downright confusing--unless you try and keep up.

Here at Sykes, we are constantly trying to keep up with trends and topics that impact the industry, our clients and the business in general. One way we do this is to attend industry conferences and trade shows.  When you visit one of these events you get to do things few people get to experience sitting back at their desk in the office.

1. Walking the trade show floor allows you to see the state of the industry, trends happening in your markets.
2. You get to rub shoulders with your competitors and partners--the people you do business with and against, one-on-one and direct.
3. Management, field sales and home-office marketing are all in the same place at the same time and get to talk on both a formal and informal basis. You get to know one another again.
4. Listening to the latest from the thought leaders in your industry in sessions is better than reading a magazine article.
5. Speaking of magazines--where else do you get to talk with in person to the writers and editors of your industry's trade publications.  They are great sources and are always looking for the next thought leader in people like you.

Our own Dave Sykes will be heading out to the ICSC trade show and conference in May.  He will report on the shopping center industry event in in this space around that time.  Stay tuned.

What's your industry event like and do you attend it?

The Sykes Team

The Needs and Wants Calculator

Balancing what we need versus what we want in a building needs to be considered carefully.

Somewhere between the triangle of budget, scope and time is reality.

Increase the scope of your building project--larger spaces, more details, more expensive materials--and your budget and schedule will have to grow.

Shorten your schedule because you want to move up your grand opening and that compression results in either a higher budget or a change in scope.

Reduce your budget and schedule either grows to compensate for time spent or the scope has to be reduced.

It is a balance.  To learn more about balancing these three criteria, visit www.sykesconstruction.com.

The Sykes Team

What's on the Boards? Madera Brookside

A regular feature of this space, "What's on the Boards?" tells the latest stories about work we have in process at Sykes.

This week we are talking about the 25-year-old clubhouse at Brookside Country Club in Dallas.  The Madera building is in need of refurbishment and updating.

This challenge will be updated over the coming weeks and months so check back.

The Sykes Team

www.sykesconstruction.com

The Significance of Building Codes

Recently we had a disturbing – but interesting challenge on a project. During a remodel of a commercial building we discovered previously performed work (by others) that was not up to code. As a matter of course the city “red tagged” the project and notified us that the work – even though not part of our scope – or even impacting our work – had to be brought up to code before we could proceed and get a green tag. So far this story sounds pretty normal, right? Enter a surprise. The owner objected!

Object or not, as we informed him, the city is demanding that work be brought into compliance with the current code. Some of the items were life safety issues – not just the inspector’s whim as the owner protested: Wiring not connected at J boxes, PVC pipe in the plenum, and sprinkler heads that did not drop far enough below the face of the ceiling tile to allow correct coverage.

Code compliance is a significant issue to us and to (most) of our clients. But have you ever really given thought to how the code impacts us? Why we have it? What difference it makes? (Other than those occasions when it becomes a pain because it might cost us a few extra dollars?)

Can you imagine?

• A fire in your building – if you didn’t have the code compliant sprinkler system? Or the code compliant fire walls?
• Raw sewage cascading down your walls because you didn’t have code compliant plumbing.
• Cooking odors from the restaurant next door wafting through your HVAC system because you didn’t have a code compliant ventilation system?
• How about this one: Your building swaying as much as 6-10 feet due to an 8.9 earthquake – and yet it still stands and is safe – because it was code compliant.

Strict building codes have been credited with saving hundreds of thousands of lives and literally billions of dollars worth of property in this week’s earth quake and ensuing tsunami in Japan. By now, you will have seen the pictures from Japan of huge skyscrapers swaying with the movement of the earth – and yet not falling. Compare this with what we saw in Haiti last year and in China in the earthquake in 2008 where building codes are woefully inadequate or inconsistently applied. Many of us have traveled overseas and have observed some pretty scary “code violations” – and we’re not even code experts. Compare that with our code compliant building practices here in our country. I don’t know about you, but knowing the building practices and codes that we have, I always feel safe in the buildings I live and work in. I’m confident and you’re confident because our buildings have to meet some pretty strict codes.

So – on your next project, if you hear someone whining about having to correct something so it will meet the code – be proud – it’s keeping you and your people safe, it’s protecting your property and it’s part of what makes this country the best in the world.

Oh – and that client that was fighting with the city – He finally had to agree that his tenants were at risk and for their sake and his, the few dollars he was going to need to spend to correct the code violations were nothing to the risks he was running should any one of them get injured. Sometimes the profit motive works as well as the moral motive.

The Sykes Team

www.sykesconstruction.com

Community Involvement: Sykes & the North Dallas Chamber

Today's post is a bit of a departure.  Sykes, as a company, is proud to be involved in our community as volunteers and supporters of a number of orgnaizations.

One key organization is the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce.

Recently, our own Kevin Wallace presented a business seminar to the Chamber with his wife, HR consultant Amy Wallace. Kevin and Amy are knowledgeable business people and their presentation, given as a part of the Chamber's Business Toolbox Series, allowed them to share their knowledge while giving visibility to our company.

Kevin and Amy's presentation on business etiquette in the workplace, gave tips and ideas to business owners on everything from acceptable language and dress to how to formulate an employee manual or policy.

"As a business person you not only need to think outside the box, you need to refold that box into an employee manual," Kevin said in the presentation. the value of creating and maintaining a workable company culture is invaluable.

"If you don't work to create your company culture," Amy said, "your employees will do it for you."

The value of sharing your business expertise with your fellow business owners in the community through a chamber or other group is tremendously valuable to both the giver as well as the receiver. Sykes has made many friends and learned a lot from our fellow business owners and operators in North Texas.

The Sykes Team

www.sykesconstruction.com
www.ndcc.org 

The People Who Work Here: Sandy Watson, Senior Construction Coordinator

Managing a building project is a lot like managing a lesson plan. And Sandy Watson should know.

“I was a career educator until I got into the construction and contracting business,” Sandy said.

Sandy is Senior Construction Coordinator for Sykes Construction/SCI Design in Dallas. What that means is that she coordinates the teams of designers, project managers and field team members in the design and build out of retail and other projects.

“My nickname around here is ‘The Glue’,” Sandy added.

And glue she is. She is known to stick to a project until completion and to attach herself to a project to make sure it stays on track.

“I stamp out problems before they become problems,” Sandy said.

Raised around the world as a Navy brat, Sandy studied education and was a track athlete at Texas A&M. Near the end of her 27-year career in education and administration for a number of Texas school districts, she found herself on a different career path with a move to Colorado.

“My first job in the construction industry was as a temporary,” she said. “Within three years I was regional director of construction for the company.” Work for general contractors, electrical subcontractors and excavating companies gave her a broad understanding and experience in the industry.

“What can I say? I like variety,” Sandy said.

“Sandy is an incredible asset to our company,” Dave Sykes, President and CEO, said. “Versatile talent is hard to come by,” he continued. “And you can’t be much more versatile than Sandy.”

You can reach Sandy, Dave and the other members of the Sykes team at 972-484-6855 or www.sykesconstruction.com.

The Sykes Team