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When discussing the notion of a gold standard, we’re often asked to consider what sets Foundry apart from others in the industry. What elements of our company make us stand out – above and ahead of – others in our space? In many instances, whether anecdotally or from the perspectives of our clients, Foundry is lauded for our boutique, personalized approach to our clients and projects. At Foundry, no one is met with a one -size -fits-all mentality, which often translates to better efficiencies and improved outcomes. Likewise, Foundry is frequently recognized for our ability to work nimbly across markets, involving the appropriate resources and team members as necessary, while maintaining the personalized approach we’re so proud of.
Foundry’s Project Management service line is a true example of our cultural commitment to no silos… the embodiment of a cross-platform team that has come together to manage every aspect of a project from start to finish. Whether large -scale or small, industrial, commercial, retail, or not-for-profit, the approximately 20 Project Management associates and principals spread throughout the U.S. continue to prove just how well our teams can work together.
Foundry’s Project Management function provides clients with the know-how behind every step of the process, from design to permitting to building, from inspections to staying on budget. The clients served by our Project Management team cross varying industries, including law firms, storage facilities, not-for-profit organizations, design and IT companies, manufacturing businesses, and many in between. From capital improvements such as a small lobby refresh to the build-out of an entire warehouse space, the projects managed by Foundry all differ in size and scope.
In recently catching up with David Kafel, a Senior Project Manager who works out of Foundry’s Raleigh office, he shared some of the recent successes and opportunities for the Project Management team.
“As Project Managers, we oversee the scope, schedule, and budget of a project. We serve in a risk management capacity to help our clients avoid delays and extra costs. We also take the time to really dive into the scope of a project, finding areas where we can be more efficient, thus saving time and money for our clients. Our goal is to make the process more proactive than reactive for them,” Kafel said.
Like most business lines, there were impacts from COVID-19, but the Project Management function was mostly insulated from any major shockwaves. “Fortunately, we had a healthy amount of projects in our pipeline heading into the pandemic that there wasn’t any time to slow down,” he added. “We were considered essential in all of the markets where we had projects going on, so there was never really any pause to the flow of projects we had active.”
Kafel noted that Project Management billings in Raleigh hit record highs, in spite of the pandemic. “Of course, a lot of the projects we worked on last year were somehow related to the industrial and manufacturing segments.”
Several office owners also made capital improvements at their buildings during 2020, taking advantage of a time when many people were working from home.
To date, the majority of projects completed or underway by Foundry’s Project Management team have been referred in some capacity by another team member or department at Foundry. “Often, brokers come to the Project Management team to let us know about a need of a tenant or landlord, or about an upcoming transaction that might make for a good Project Management opportunity,” added Kafel. “Being at such a close-knit company as Foundry gives us all the ability to reach across the platform to work in tandem with brokers, property managers, and deal principals to showcase our expertise in this area. And that’s something that makes us really unique.”