It’s really unbelievable when you think back to January 2020, the beginning of a new decade, and realize the magnitude of the shockwave that was about to knock us all off of our collective feet. It reminds me of living in Atlanta during 2007-08, and how uncertainty and even outright despair engulfed that city as many friends who owned small businesses in the restaurant, real estate, and creative industries, were figuring out their recession survival plans. As then, so it is now. Some probably sensed the potential depth of global risk at hand, while others may have had no awareness of what was to come. It sounds dramatic, but some were well positioned to weather the impact (at least temporarily), while many lives were thrown into a tailspin of insecurity, and day to day struggle for survival. For sure, I consider myself, wife, and 7th grade son as more than fortunate to be wrestling with the daily juggle of remote work, virtual schooling. We make sure to keep that sense of gratitude at the front of mind as we navigate our emerging new reality.

In terms of positives, I would say that the slowdown has brought about some balance.  Who would complain about an absent DC rush hour commute? I’ve certainly found a real benefit both in terms of stress management and work efficiency without burdening some of my most productive hours on the road. I’m typically up around 6am, coffee in hand, read a few articles to get the mind going, and into the problem solving of the work day while still fresh. Extra family time on the back end of the day has allowed for us to binge on Netflix “All American”, Ken Burns “The Roosevelts”, and now ESPN’s “The Last Dance”. Finally, my wife and I are both DJs and avid music lovers, and have been able to listen a little more, and share that aspect of our lives.

Like many, my Skanska colleagues and I are wrestling with a few issues as we process what a transition what a back to our workspaces might look like. First and foremost is to consider how to do it safely. How do you respect distancing within a relatively dense and open layout? What spatial changes are required?  How do we rotate teams through the space to maximize health outcomes? How can we be flexible to support those who may not be ready to return – for any number of reasons? How do you manage live construction sites or existing assets during and “post” pandemic? There is no question that COVID has proven that technology can support working from home well. But how can you balance varying working styles within teams to maximize productivity?  We were considering physical changes to our office prior to the pandemic, so the pause has allowed us to think more critically about what we want and need.

Given our global footprint, we’re able to glean from our overseas colleagues, which helps as we infuse these fundamental questions into our strategies at the corporate and project level. Domestically, we’ve formed national “task forces” with our Boston, Seattle, Houston, and LA markets to collectively think through what design, implementation, and legal changes may result from COVID in order to better serve our customers. We have several deals in pre development here in DC, so the pandemic has compelled our design teams to consider the feasibility of creating touchless experiences, finish material impact on health, the future of valet parking, mechanical/ HVAC options, and many other possibilities. This is crystal ball business of course, and we have to be careful not to overcorrect. So as we transition toward a future looking stance, I think the key theme will be to maintain a balanced perspective as we embrace the inevitable changes that are being cast upon us.

Justin Chapman
Senior Manager – Development, Skanska Commercial Development – DC
Member, ULI Washington Executive Committee
Member, ULI Washington Trends Award Committee
Member, ULI Public Private Product Council
UrbanPlan Volunteer, ULI Washington

In ULI Washington’s new Leadership Insights column, ULI Washington will regularly feature member leader’s thoughts and insights as we adjust personally and professional to a “new normal.”