CarterBlog

Carter Hosts Tweet Up Tonight @TheBanksCincy

By Malloy Peterson, vice president of marketing, Carter

CINCINNATI (March 30, 2011) Almost three years after the formal groundbreaking for The Banks, Carter is excited to celebrate the nearly completed phase one of the project which includes approximately 300 luxury apartments and 80,000 square feet of retail. In a joint venture, Carter and The Dawson Company are the master developers of the 18-acre project, a mixed-use development and a premier “Live, Work, Play” destination located on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati.

With the Reds’ Opening Day tomorrow, we thought it would be the perfect time for project supporters to get the first peek of what’s happening at The Banks. Since The Banks soon will be home to trendy apartments, restaurants and stores, why not celebrate the milestone with a trendy event?

Tonight, Carter is hosting an event we call a “Meet Up. Tweet Up. Special Banks Tour & Happy Hour.” With guided tours starting at 4:15 and 4:30 p.m., guests will have the opportunity to tour Current at The Banks, a new luxury apartment complex, and the development’s new street-level retail. Following the tour, Carter has invited guests to a happy hour at the new Holy Grail Bar & Grill that opened on St. Patrick’s Day.

So you may still be wondering, what makes tonight’s event a Tweet Up? Some of the most enthusiastic supporters were invited to tonight’s event via direct message on Twitter. Those invited were deemed the most influential tweeters following @TheBanksCincy. We have been overwhelmed by their excitement to participate in the tours and happy hour by tweeting live from the action. If you are on Twitter, be a part of the evening’s festivities by following the conversation via the event’s hashtag #TheBanks. Attendees may even be posting some TwitVids and TwitPics so you, too, can get an insider’s view of what’s “happening on the river”!

 

Carter Associate and Former Atlanta Falcon Wide Receiver Chats about NFL Lockout

By Wilbert News Strategies

ATLANTA (March 28, 2011) - Floyd Hodge, a business development associate in Carter’s program development services group, is not a stranger to NFL strikes and lockouts. Floyd was an Atlanta Falcon from 1981 through 1985, which included the strike year of 1982.

In the video below, Floyd describes the challenges associated with a strike and offers advice to current NFL players walking in his cleats almost 30 years later. Even when things were looking pretty glum, Floyd describes some of the positive aspects from his strike experience.

For example, during the strike, Floyd had the opportunity to play in a few games organized by the NFL Player’s Association. Floyd enjoyed keeping his skills sharp and developing relationships with the other players in the league. This experience in relationship building laid the groundwork for Floyd’s position with Carter today. Just like in football, Floyd states good business relationships are critical in the commercial real estate industry.

 

 

Carter Brokers Qualify for 2011 Million Dollar Club

By Sarah Peddar, business development manager, Carter

ATLANTA (March 25, 2011) - Last week, the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at the St. Regis Hotel with the 52^nd Million Dollar Club Banquet. Attendees agreed there was a lot to celebrate with the 2011 Million Dollar club members producing over $9 billion in commercial real estate transactions. Carter had a strong showing with 16 brokers qualifying for the Million Dollar Club.

A toast to our 2011 winners! (Carter's Stuart Alston, senior vice president in brokerage service, pictured below, celebrating at last week's banquet)

 

Production over Fifteen Million

Kirk L. Diamond

Drew Fleming

Glenn Alan Kolker

Carl Peak

Michael H. Shelly

Production from Ten to Fifteen million

Mark Joines

Gary J. Lee

Production from Five to Ten million

Robison Wills Allen

Stuart J. Alston

Charles B. Holloway, Jr. SIOR

R. Dale Lewis, CCIM

Daniel W. Rose

Sonia Maddox Winfield

Production from Three to Five Million

Robert F. Adamson, II

Richard W. Courts, IV

Timothy J. Farley

About the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors

The Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors is one of the largest commercial realtor associations in the nation with more than 2,800 members. The association is comprised of numerous industry leaders and is heavily involved in all aspects of Commercial Real Estate from education, technology, governmental affairs to a heavy emphasis on community service and giving back.

Carter’s CEO Shares Insight on Atlanta’s Real Estate Market

By Wilbert News Strategies

ATLANTA (March 22, 2011) - Bob Peterson, Carter’s Chairman and CEO, was a featured panelist at Bisnow’s Atlanta State of the Market event on Friday, March 18. Held at the W hotel in midtown, Moderator Phil Skinner, partner at Arnall Golden Gregory, led Bob and the other panelists, who included Cousins CEO, Larry Gellerstedt and Wells Real Estate Investment Trusts’ founder and president, Leo Wells in a lively discussion. The panelists covered topics ranging from the desire to purchase distressed properties to the challenges associated with the unpredictability of interest rates. See below for excerpts from Bob’s answers. 

 

Carter Continues to Increase Number of Energy Star Certified Properties

By Jeff Clayton, director of technical services, Carter

ATLANTA (March 21, 2011) – Carter’s property management and facilities team understands the importance of implementing environmental programs for clients. One successful program is helping buildings achieve the EPA’s Energy Star certification, a national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. In order to achieve the Energy Star label, a building must be in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency.

On March 14, the EPA published its third annual list of U.S. metropolitan areas with the greatest number of energy-efficient buildings that earned Energy Star certification in 2010. We were pleased to see Atlanta, home of Carter’s headquarters, ranks sixth. This is an improvement from 2008 and 2009 when Atlanta ranked ninth. Carter is proud to contribute to this ranking by managing 11 buildings in metro Atlanta with the Energy Star label. In 2010, Carter managed a total of 24 Energy Star properties nationwide totaling 6,561,4320-square feet. This has helped Carter make tremendous progress towards reaching the goal we announced in 2009 to reduce energy consumption on our properties by 30 percent by 2012. In December 2010, we had already achieved a 20.7 percent reduction in energy consumption.

According to the EPA, energy use in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 20 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. As commercial property owners and managers, it is our responsibility to implement programs that help our facilities run more efficiently, save our clients money and reduce each building’s environmental impact. A recent EPA press release states Energy Star certified buildings have saved more than $1.9 billion in energy costs a year. In 2010, more than 6,200 buildings earned Energy Star. This is almost a 60 percent increase from 2009. 

At Carter, we take the initiative to benchmark and evaluate our properties against industry best practices including Energy Star guidelines that identify cost savings and improved environmental benefits. We are focused on operating our buildings to run efficiently, thereby lessoning the impact on our environment and improving our planet for future generations. 

 

Carter to Complete Interiors Projects for Kilpatrick Townsend

By Nan Loudon, senior vice president, Carter

ATLANTA (March 17, 2011) – When Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, LLP decided to renovate 10 floors in the Atlanta office at 1100 Peachtree, the firm called on Carter to complete the six-phase project.

A 24-month project, the design phase was completed in September 2010, and Carter began the construction and implementation that is scheduled to be finished in November 2011.

With LEED certification in mind, Carter is managing Kilpatrick Townsend’s restack consolidation. Once completed, the firm will occupy a 10 floor 206,000-square-foot space instead of its current 13 floor 270,000-square-foot space. Kilpatrick Townsend’s new layout will include seven practice floors, one floor for administrative support and two client special function floors that include a dining room, library and conference center.

Carter has also begun work on Kilpatrick Townsend’s new Raleigh, N.C. office.  The design phase has been completed and construction is scheduled to begin this month. 

Carter has been working with Kilpatrick Townsend since 1991 and we are excited to continue our relationship with the firm and work on these two projects.

Carter has completed projects for Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton at other locations including Charlotte, N.C. and Washington D.C.

About Carter’s Interiors Project Management Team:

Carter's interiors project management team actively manages every aspect of clients’ interior projects, including build-outs and renovations. Delivering one million square feet each year, the team has a broad range of experience in a large variety of product types and client situations. With several LEED- and Green Globe-certified interiors projects, the team members are experts in creating sustainable interior environments. By maintaining a laser focus on their clients’ goals and objectives, they allow clients to spend their time on their core business.

Carter Keeps Quality Assurance Top of Mind

By Chris Barnett, budget and cost controls manager, Carter

As seasoned project managers, Carter knows no two projects or clients are exactly alike. However, the effective management of costs is critical to each and every project we complete. As budget and cost controls manager, it is my responsibility to manage project costs and make sure each client receives the customized budget reports they want and need to see. 

The Carter difference comes down to our results and attention to client satisfaction. We input all aspects of a project into our centralized information database including field reports, meeting minutes, budget, cost information and budget analysis. This helps us maximize cost efficiencies and provide accountability. Over the years, we have helped our clients realize millions of dollars in cost savings and have a record of savings clients more than our project management fees. 

At Carter, we are also passionate about delivering solutions that are tailored to the client’s needs and project’s financial success. When we begin any project, we first set-up a one-on-one meeting with the client to discuss weekly, biweekly or monthly reporting needs. Depending on whether the project is funded publically or privately, largely influences the decisions on how we structure the budget controls, cost management, field activity, filed administration and document control reports. It is important to effectively manage costs, especially those utilizing public dollars, because transparency is critical when working with taxpayers’ dollars. We even have the capability to update reports on client websites if this level of transparency is desired or needed. With our customized software that allows us to provide clients with over 400 standard or completely customized reports, clients never receive a standard or “canned” report.

Everything we do is completely customized with quality assurance and efficient cost management top of mind. At the end of the day, I have peace of mind knowing we do everything we can to provide our clients with a service that ultimately saves them dollars.

Carter Looks Forward to Making Wishes Come True in 2011

By Holly Hughes, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, Carter

(March 2, 2011) - Community involvement is a hallmark of our corporate mission and for over the past 53 years, we have had the privilege to serve communities where we live and work.

In 2007, Carter chose the Make-A-Wish Foundations of Georgia & Alabama and Central & Northern Florida to be our primary charity partners by committing to help make wishes come true for children battling life-threatening illnesses.

Now entering our fourth year of the partnership, we are proud to report that more than 95% of our associates have participated in granting wishes for 17 children by contributing hundreds of hours and donating hundreds of thousands of dollars. (Left: Carter's Make A Wish steering committee)

Some of the wishes granted include trips to Disney World, room makeovers, new play sets, a 40-foot train playhouse, Royal Caribbean Cruises and being an honorary team member of the UGA bulldogs-complete with sideline seats and dog-walk into the stadium, to name a few.

“On a wish reveal day when you see the glowing smile on the faces of the children that were dreaming of that playground or that room makeover, all their aches seem to disappear and make it all worth your while,” said Colleen Voisin, Carter associate. “Although the wishes are awe-inspiring and I enjoy the amazing camaraderie that is formed with our volunteers, those smiles are the reason I keep coming back to grant more wishes.”

Through our associates’ generous contributions, we have already raised $25,162.75 toward our 2011 Make-A-Wish Foundation campaign. Our goal is to grant at least six more wishes in 2011.

Thanks to all of our Carter associates for continuing to make wishes come true!

Carter to Renovate Historic Building at Spelman College

By Gary Paetau, senior vice president, Carter

ATLANTA (March 1, 2011) – We are proud to announce Carter has been selected as program manager for the renovations to Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Hall located on the historic oval on Spelman College’s campus.

The 20,000-square-foot mixed-use renovation will include study space and technology space on the main level and a 40 bed student housing area on the second and third floor.

The historic building was designed by Hentz, Reid & Adler and completed in 1918.  The original home of the college’s Home Economics program, it was converted to the school of nursing in 1930. Most recently the building has been used for a child development center on the ground floor and student housing. 

It is both an honor and a privilege to work on a building that was originally designed by Hentz, Reid & Adler on Spelman College’s historic campus.  We are looking forward to working with Spelman on renovating this facility that plays such an important role in the college’s rich history.

Menefee + Winter is the architect for the project and Winter Construction Company is the general contractor.  The project is seeking LEED silver certification and is slated to be completed in July 2012.