In the current post-pandemic environment, many workers continue to work remotely, and most tenants don’t need as much space as in pre-pandemic days.
The impact is higher vacancies in the office sector and owners desperately trying to retain and attract tenants. Many landlords in the war for tenants have turned to offering new workplace amenities such as conference room services, fitness centers with nutritionists, and high-end food and beverage offerings.
To provide these services, landlords engage with third-party vendors and these arrangements present the potential for some thorny legal liability, according to a column at GlobeSt.com. To prevent that, both parties must hash out details over responsibilities for the engagement to ensure that it works as expected.
For example, a contract should include clauses about who can access bank accounts and who provides accounting support for expenses and revenue. Also, the vendor must be in tune with requirements in the landlord’s insurance to prevent inadvertent actions that could negate coverage.
In addition, amenity vendors may be unfamiliar with the coordination needed to operate the building when it comes to things like elevator usage, HVAC, access to loading docks, trash disposal, and parking. Details like that, if not spelled out in advance, could lead to rancor between the landlord and vendor, or worst case, a legal confrontation.
Design and construction firms should be aware of this dynamic when renovating space for upgraded office enhancements, as it could complicate the programming process or even derail a project.
Related Stories
High-rise Construction | May 6, 2015
Parks in the sky? Subterranean bike paths? Meet the livable city, designed in 3D
Today’s great cities must be resilient—and open—to many things, including the influx of humanity, writes Gensler co-CEO Andy Cohen.
Building Owners | May 6, 2015
Hackathons and RFCs: Why one developer killed the RFP
In lieu of an RFP process, Skanska Commercial Development hosted a three-week "hackathon" to find an architect for its 2&U tower in Seattle.
Office Buildings | May 6, 2015
Is the office lobby the workplace of the future?
Perkins+Will's Tony Layne discusses three key trends driving the shift to workplaces that offer greater flexibility and choice for employees.
Mixed-Use | May 5, 2015
Miami ‘innovation district’ will have 6.5 million sf of dense, walkable space
Designing a neighborhood from the ground-up, developers aim to create a dense, walkable district that fulfills what is lacking from Miami’s current auto-dependent layout.
Codes and Standards | May 1, 2015
New energy efficiency program, Tenant Star, gets OK from Congress
The voluntary program for commercial and government buildings is modeled after Energy Star.
High-rise Construction | Apr 30, 2015
World Trade Center developer looks to Bjarke Ingels for new tower design
Norman Foster’s design for 2 World Trade Center may be ousted, as developers are currently negotiating with Danish firm BIG to redesign the original scheme.
Office Buildings | Apr 30, 2015
U.S. office construction is approaching historic levels again
An estimated 108 million sf of office space were under construction in the U.S. at the end of the first quarter, a 17% gain over the same period a year ago, according to CoStar.
Wood | Apr 26, 2015
Building wood towers: How high is up for timber structures?
The recent push for larger and taller wood structures may seem like an architectural fad. But Building Teams around the world are starting to use more large-scale structural wood systems.
Green | Apr 22, 2015
GSA's Federal Center South Building honored with AIA Top Ten Plus Award for 'verified' sustainable performance
The annual award recognizes green building projects that have quantifiable metrics demonstrating the performance and positive impact of the sustainable design.
Office Buildings | Apr 21, 2015
Stop the endless debate over open vs. closed work environments
Rather than be confused by the constant stream of opinions, leadership teams contemplating workplace investments should start with powerful employee engagement strategies that drive results.