Post Covid-19 Senior Living Communities

Posted on | by Bob Ritter

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted nearly everyone and somehow touched every aspect of the world in which we live.  It will change many aspects of the senior housing industry, including not only the prospects for new development but the design and functionality of new senior living communities.  While the ramifications both short and long term are still unclear, the pandemic will not change the vast wave of baby boomers who will provide steady demand growth for senior housing for several years beginning in 2022.

Most experts within the senior living industry continue to express optimism about the long term prospects for senior housing, and particularly the assisted living, memory care, independent living and active adult segments, all of which have experienced significantly fewer cases of Covid-19 than have been realized in skilled nursing communities.

As we begin to look to the future, it seems inevitable that Covid-19 will have a lasting impact...

Read More >

How much will construction prices go down in the current COVID-19 recession?

Posted on | by Bob Ritter

The current slowdown is unfortunate in its cause, with all of the people suffering from the virus.  It is hugely disruptive to all of us both professionally and personally, but it is the reality.  Though this arose fairly quickly, our clients are intelligent, optimistic, and focused and are already asking how much prices are going to come down and when.

The best predictor of the future is usually the past, so I did some research.  RS Means, a widely respected resource for pricing in our industry, reports that the 2008-2010  recession had stable pricing, not decreasing.  I think we all know this isn’t right, so I checked the Turner Construction Company historical index.  It seems more realistic, reporting an 8.4% decrease in construction costs in 2009 and a 4.0% decrease in 2010 for a total of 12.4%  This seems more accurate.  All recessions are different.  There was a milder recession in...

Read More >

COVID-19 Impacts on The Construction Industry

Posted on | by Bob Ritter

The COVID-19 pandemic has the spotlight of construction industry news across the county right now. Rightfully so, as it has been extremely disruptive to developers, contractors, and suppliers alike. While there is great debate on how to address the spread of the disease, all of us in the AEC industry are trying to determine what we should be paying attention to. For those involved in a large construction project presently, no matter what role, it is suggested to think about a few things:

Safety Measures - By now, most of us are familiar with the term "Social Distancing" and the importance of handwashing, but there is more than that. OSHA has devoted a separate webpage for the standards from 29 CFR that apply to this outbreak and reminded us that this is a recordable event. Do not count on anyone to provide these measurements for you or your associates;...

Read More >

The Douglas Company Coronavirus Response

Posted on | by Bob Ritter

A Message from Our President, Pete Douglas

Our number one priority at The Douglas Company is to support the safety and well-being of our clients, associates, families, and communities while maintaining the highest level of service. As COVID-19 impacts us all nationwide, we’d like to take the time to inform you of the steps that we are taking to ensure continuity of service as we protect our clients and associates. Our goal is to do our part in the global community to prevent the spread of the virus, while still providing our clients with the highest level of service we can under the circumstances. Each one of us must do our part.

To ensure an appropriate and timely response to a quickly evolving situation, The Douglas Company team will continue to monitor COVID-19 coverage closely, adapting as needed to the evolving situation and keeping clients and associates informed of our company’s response....

Read More >