Executive Feedback
What are your strategies for managing Generation Y workers at your company?
A: “We have to focus on their strengths of multitasking, goal orientation, and technical savvy without letting their lack of experience sway us from their innovative ideas. We also need to allow them flexible schedules to accommodate their fast-paced lifestyles.” –Steve Donohue, president, Western National Property Management
A: “We work to create opportunities for our associates to have fun and build friendships. Those relationships drive performance and retention. We also provide generous vacation benefits, clothing advances, and encourage continued education through tuition assistance to assist recent college grads and those beginning graduate programs.” –Julie Smith, president, Bozzuto Management Co.
A: “What we have encountered, in most cases, is less tolerance to pay their dues and climb the corporate ladder. They want time, flexibility, and instant gratification. … [So,] we have structured “fast track” programs, where we recruit very bright associates directly from college and place them in a six-month course. By month seven, they have the potential of managing a $32 million asset.” –George S. Quay, president and COO, Village Green Cos.
Project of the Month: The Lodges at Lake Salish
Fairview, Ore.
Residents at The Lodges at Lake Salish have something to look forward to each day: coming home. Located along the edge of Lake Salish (near Portland), the 203-unit, three-story Cascadian-style apartment community gives off a tranquil, peaceful vibe.
Some developers initially saw the property’s location as a tough challenge, primarily because of the 10.23-acre site’s proximity to the lake and wetlands. But Myhre Group Architects in Portland, Ore., saw potential. The architecture firm played up the lakefront location, carefully weaving ponds and walking trails throughout the community to create a serene ambiance at the lakeside apartment community. The buildings themselves feature earth tone facades, wood-frame construction, and metal accent roofing.
But Jeff Myhre, principal of the firm, also wanted to find a way to increase density without obtaining a zoning variance. So, the firm created a detailed development plan that stressed its focus on the project’s aesthetic appeal, along with maximizing land usage. The hope was that the project could generate more income if there were more apartment units, which could then be used to enhance the exterior design of the building, Myhre recalls.
The plan worked. The Lodges at Lake Salish became the first project in the region to be granted an increase in allowable unit density–25 extra units–without a variance. The final density was 20 units per acre. Keyway Corp. built the project, and Oregon Pacific Capital Manage-ment Corp. manages it. The $11 million complex was completed in September 2004.
–Abby Garcia Telleria