Last week, our architecture community engaged in some insightful discussions that touched on both professional growth and practical industry concerns. Members explored continuing education units (CEUs) that genuinely contribute to improving city design, highlighting the importance of relevant learning. There was also a robust conversation around the latest tenant improvement (TI) cost data for office and retail spaces, reflecting a collective interest in staying informed about current economic challenges and opportunities. These discussions underscore our commitment to both personal development and staying ahead of industry trends.
This Week’s Hot Topics
CEUs that actually improve city design
This discussion delves into which CEUs offer real value in enhancing urban environments. It’s a great thread to check out if you’re looking to make your learning count in a tangible way.
Current TI cost data for office/retail
A timely discussion on the latest cost data for tenant improvements, essential for anyone involved in commercial architecture. This thread provides practical insights for budgeting and planning.
We used NACTO’s Urban Street Design Guide checklist (Urban Street Design Guide - NACTO) in a CEU that made us do a sidewalk audit with Public Works, and we turned that into immediate curb-radius and loading-zone fixes on a downtown TI. If the CEU’s webinar-only, ask for a site worksheet you can apply within 48 hours or it won’t move the needle.
Our most useful CEU this year was a 2‑hour “field lab” mapping curb‑ramp gaps and crossing desire lines around two schools, then handing Public Works a one‑page punch list with photos and rough costs. We used FHWA’s STEP checklists (https://highways.dot.gov/safety/pedestrian-and-bicyclist/step) and got three quick‑build fixes approved in 30 days — small win — but it only worked because the city had a ~$15k quick‑build line item; anyone tried tying this to tenant‑improvement offsets?
Turned a CEU into a 90‑minute bus‑stop check with transit staff: each pair picked one stop and had to submit a sketch, rough cost, and a photo‑annotated PDF before we left — keeping it to ‘one block, one fix’ meant two got built the next quarter; only caveat, line up a city PM ahead of time or it languishes.
Quick tip that worked for us: run a CEU as a night walk with a cheap lux‑meter app, have each pair document one mid‑block crossing with a face‑visible photo at about 15 ft and a target level, then cite DarkSky‑friendly cutoffs (https://darksky.org) in a one-pager to hand the city; we got two fixtures swapped in a month. It’s impactful, though make sure folks go in pairs and coordinate with the neighborhood — thanks @Elena_R for nudging us to look at lighting instead of just geometry.
We ran a 60‑minute lunch CEU tied to tenant improvements: timed freight dwell at three storefronts during the 30‑minute delivery peak and noted where trucks sat vs. the signed loading. , this drives me nuts — great interiors get approved while the curb plan is fiction — so we left with one change per site (shift a loading zone about 30 ft or add a 15‑min slot) and emailed it to Public Works. If field time’s tight, @LenaG, a short phone video with timestamps has been enough to move ops on our end — worth trying?
I’ve had good results making a CEU a quick storefront accessibility sweep: use a $10 luggage scale to measure door opening force (aim for <= 5 lbf on interiors), take two photos, and hand back a one-page fix list the same day. Small caveat: exterior door force limits vary, so double-check your local rule or the Access Board guidance: About the ADA Guides.