M|O Perspectives
Check back here for our thoughts on the latest developments in our industry.
Museums: The art of specialty asset analysis
Jun 15, 2022
Museums fall into one of Marx|Okubo’s specialty asset types: Arts, Culture & Entertainment. Inevitably, these classic monuments come with their own set of challenges. But it’s the creative problem-solving required by such challenges that we look forward to most in our reviews of museum...
Healthy balcony. Happy balcony.
May 12, 2022
Updated from original publishing on September 17, 2018 Shortly after midnight on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California, three men and three women were killed when the balcony they were standing on collapsed. Seven others were injured and, ultimately, a multimillion-dollar lawsuit ensued and was...
Resiliency Lifecycle: Redefining Risk Assessment
Jan 31, 2022
Given today’s changing environmental conditions, hazard screenings are a helpful risk assessment tool for real estate owners. No matter where their building may be in its lifecycle (new construction, existing asset, acquisition, etc.), many of Marx|Okubo’s clients complete this initial screening to...
What You Should Know About the San Francisco Façade Ordinance
Oct 13, 2021
With the deadline fast approaching, now is the time to solidify your understanding of how façade ordinances in San Francisco are evolving. Owners should be aware that recent changes will impact all projects involving exterior work. Administered by the San Francisco Department of Building...
Tall Timber: Future of CLT is Looking Up
Sep 07, 2021
Over the past decade, there’s been a dramatic rise in the use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) to construct warm, natural-looking and sustainable buildings. According to the Woodworks organization, over 1,000 multifamily, commercial and/or institutional projects are in design or construction with...
Navigating the Matrix of Modular Building
Aug 06, 2021
Modular building is a trend that has ebbed and flowed with new ideas and technology since the 19th century. Recently there has been renewed interest in prefabrication for its modern aesthetic, perceived cost and time savings, and ease of construction. “While some architects have avoided it because...
From the Bay Area to Boston: The Outlook on Office Space
May 03, 2021
There are some very interesting post-pandemic shifts in the office space market. One significant trend to watch is the impact of niche industries like entertainment, technology, healthcare and biotech/life sciences. The Los Angeles office market, much of Southern California, the Bay Area and Boston,...
Navigating Green Requirements
Mar 25, 2021
The Biden administration has outlined an aggressive approach to mitigating climate change, and recently the House Committee on Ways and Means introduced the Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now (GREEN) Act of 2021. But some states and many cities have been or are moving forward with policies...
Top 5 Challenges Building Owners Face in 2021
Mar 11, 2021
As the world has turned upside-down, building owners are facing new and unprecedented challenges in protecting and leveraging their business assets. We’ll cover some of the most common questions we are seeing right here. Ultimately we hope that finding common ground with other property owners,...
How will HUD's new FHA safe harbors impact you?
Feb 04, 2021
As those of us working with multifamily housing projects know, some of the greatest challenges we experience are related to ensuring that design and construction teams are using the most stringent of both Federal law and local code. On December 8, 2020, HUD published a final rule in the Federal...