David O'Sullivan, O'Sullivan Architects

We often hear talk of what is trending, both in life and in the design industry. This idea is put forth by many types of social media as proof when they feature a trend that is hip, cool, informed or important. Do we really care what the latest trend is?  In the real estate industry things do not move as fast as in other industries. It takes time to bring a project from concept to final completion. We cannot be sure what will be “hot” 2 years from now. So you may say to yourself why listen to the latest trend.

Real estate is a long-term industry. We need to look at trends over a longer timeframe and study the demographic, job outlook, economic indicators, cost projections and sales figures. What is trending on social media may be relevant as you get farther along with a particular project so you can tailor aspects of it to a trend or event. The research you put into a project has a direct effect on its success but you do not want to over analyze or spend endless hours researching.

Part of a successful project starts with research but another component is to assemble a team with solid knowledge and experience with your type of project. The legal member needs to be familiar with local politics and the approval process, the marketing professional needs to understand the market and your goals for the project, the site engineer should be familiar with zoning and local bylaws and the architect should know the building type and be able to show work on similar, successful projects.

The Boston Globe just ran an article called “Game Changers” which featured people, events, trends, and discoveries which have influenced your lives and some trends or innovations worth watching or learning more about. The diversity of people, companies and their innovations shows how Boston is a leader in many fields.

When it comes to the real estate industry one of the features is the New Balance world headquarters. It speaks to how the new building, a landmark visible to western commuters and those in its neighborhood, has become an anchor for the area. The master-planned Boston Landing project containing offices, residential, and entertainment is transforming a sleepy corner of Allston. Such initiatives as building its own commuter rail station have helped bring opportunities which benefit the entire neighborhood. This is similar to other transformations which are changing entire old industrial areas such as Assembly Row in Somerville, and Northpoint in Cambridge. Recognizing how these projects effect the area is important to developers wanting to do smaller successful projects which can piggyback on these larger developments. Another game changer is “Fast, Wood-Framed Apartment Living”. This product, which is popping up all around Boston and surrounding suburbs consist of 4 or 5 stories of residential units over a podium containing parking or commercial space or sometimes over amenities and convenience uses for residents. This building type finds its origins out west where developers used similar buildings to achieve higher density housing around Los Angeles where land was scarce and demand was high. It has spread throughout the country and has become the “go-to building type” when building on infill sites especially in Boston neighborhoods, outside the downtown core.

The real estate market in Boston is hot now and there are more jobs being created by the innovators as well as older companies in our area. Coupled with the large amount of colleges doing research, and major hospitals on the leading edge of medicine,  you have a great formula for continued growth. As a developer you need to assemble a good knowledgeable team, identify an area and execute a project which answers the needs of the public. This will lead to successful projects and a better Boston.

David O’Sullivan, AIA, is president of O’Sullivan Architects, Inc., Reading, Mass.