San Francisco recently adopted several new density bonus programs to help ease the city’s affordable housing crisis. Despite San Francisco’s economically diverse population, the city has one of the nation’s highest housing costs. San Francisco has taken various steps over the years to encourage affordable housing projects but much more needs to be done. In this post, we will look at the new San Francisco density bonus programs as well as the important role of the California Density Bonus Law.
Now the tallest building west of the Mississippi River, Downtown Los Angeles’s Wilshire Grand Center obtained its temporary certificate of occupancy last week and the project is nearing completion after four years of construction. Burnham Nationwide’s Los Angeles office worked closely with the City of Los Angeles throughout the construction process and we are thrilled to have been a part of the team bringing the impressive new skyscraper to LA’s skyline.
Chicago’s third tallest building, Vista Tower, obtained the permit for the entirety of the build-out process for floors one through 95 last month. Though construction on the tower - also known as Wanda Vista - began last September, issuance of this permit on May 12th, 2017 cleared the remainder of the building for construction at 363 E. Wacker Drive up to its ultimate height of 1,186 feet. Burnham Nationwide is proud to assist with the permit expediting process and contribute to constructing Chicago’s newest supertall along the Chicago River.
New Chicago Human Rights Ordinance disability rights regulations governing accessibility will go into effect on July 1, 2017. Promulgated to provide greater clarity and alignment with federal requirements, these new regulations govern the accessibility of facilities, goods, and services of public accommodations. This post will specifically focus on the components of the new regulations governing accessible design.
Organizations across the country are calling attention to endangered historic buildings in need of preservation. Fortunately, with the rise of adaptive reuse and other inventive repurposing of older sites, cities have begun listening - using existing and historic buildings and infrastructure to accommodate demands for increased walkability, more green space, and additional transportation alternatives. However, landmark and preservation organizations play a critical education and advocacy role in preventing the destruction of important historic buildings.