Fire Panels

Each panel needs to be separately monitored and the fees associated with that increase the CAM expenses for the property, so the fewer the better.

The cost is significant enough that it may cause a developer to rethink building a patio between two buildings as opposed to one larger building with a single fire panel. Additionally, non-proprietary equipment will allow for flexibility in selecting a monitoring and repair vendor.

Awnings and Window Treatments

Think through the orientation of the building when planning for awnings and window treatments. The wear and tear may be much more expensive than at other developments, depending on which direction the building faces.

Curb Design

When planning out the parking lot, attention should be given to how 18 wheelers making deliveries will navigate the parking lot.

If turns cannot be easily made, landscaping and lighting will be frequently damaged, causing CAM costs to increase. Whenever possible, rear deliveries are preferred, especially in centers with tight parking, as store front deliveries can block customers into parking spaces.

Drive Thrus

While the city may only require 5-8 car stacking, a typical drive thru user can use far more than that during peak hours. How will traffic wrap? This is something that should be thought out when laying out the parking to minimize fender benders and blocked parking spaces.

Pad Users

A strong REA agreement should be thought out not just for today’s users, but eventual back fill users. Pad sites converted to uses such as car washes have placed extraordinary strain on neighboring properties as the traffic moves through the shared drives.

Signage

Monochromatic punched metal signs are popular, but not practical. The dark metal panels fade in the sun, and as tenants move in and out the variations of the colors of the sign cheapen the overall look. It becomes an art form of sorts to adjust the paint swatch for the natural fading so that new signs match the older ones.

Landscaping

Once construction is complete, landscapers will usually overplant to fill in the empty beds. However, within a year or two, the landscaping often has to be completely redone as the plants fill in and overcrowd each other. Property managers also prefer using rocks to mulch, as mulch requires more frequent maintenance, again increasing CAM expenses.

Detention Ponds

The maintenance of detention ponds continues to increase each year. Developers may consider an underground system to maximize usable space of the development. Although, if space exists, an aboveground dry detention pond continues to be the easiest and most cost-effective to maintain.

Trash Enclosures

Diagonal enclosures are not recommended unless they are large enough to ensure smooth dumpster service. If restaurants are planned, increase the size of the dumpster pad site to include an area for grease oil receptacles. Use concrete instead of asphalt in front of the trash pick up to keep repairs to a minimum.

Grease Traps

Plans for where the grease traps will be placed is one thing, but having a common grease trap shared amongst tenants? While it may sound nice, it can be difficult to plan these without knowing which spaces will be occupied by restaurant tenants. If the highest volume user is on the opposite end of the clean out, then the system will need to be frequently hydro-jetted. One way to address this if the tenant placement is unknown pr expected to change, is adding more than the necessary clean outs.

Roof Access

Most roofs are TPO roofs due to their long life of 20-30 years and their ease of repair. They do not do well with frequent foot traffic. The life of the roof can be extended and maintenance costs reduced by installing walking paths to each HVAC unit.