Problem Identification

To Program Formulation To Implementation To Top

Mission Planning: As an initial step in the evaluation of a real estate investment opportunity, ASL works with an institution to determine the basic mission and objectives of a project or program. This written mission statement, with its accompanying objectives, serves as an important guide for the process and a set of objectives for evaluating trade-offs.

Facility Analysis: A facility condition analysis is generally required for the renovation or adaption of an exisitng building. The resulting inventory of required capital improvements must be considered, not only in the conceptual design of a renovation, but in the development of capital budgets.

Market Analysis: Market research is the cornerstone to sound planning decisions. Broadly speaking, market analysis consists of a needs analysis of the user and competitive analysis, which may include on- and off-campus comparables analysis and a peer instituion analysis.

Operations Analysis: An operations analysis is typically conducted to indentify potential operating cost savings, which may be the key to the financial feasibility of a project. Savings in operations are comparable to increased revenues in their ability to fund additional project debt.

Space Utilization Analysis: If facility expansion is under consideration, ASL will review existing facilities to determine whether they are being used efficiently. Efficiency benchmarks are determined using industry guidelines and ASL’s experience. If buildings are not being used efficiently, more activities may be accommodated through rescheduling and relocation. If the facilities are being used efficiently, ASL may recommend the renovation of facilities or the development of new facilities.

Auxiliary Analysis: Often, earnings from auxiliaries (those campus facilities from which the institution derives operating revenues) fall well below their potential. ASL helps colleges and universities ensure that auxiliaries are operating efficiently and are maximizing their revenue potential.

Privatization Analysis: For a variety of reasons, institutions are seeking private sector "partners" to build and operate their facilities. A privatization analysis examines the reasons that a college may wish to privatize and then seeks to create a structure that meets those needs. The components to this analysis are the trade-offs of risk, financial return and control.

Retrenchment Analysis: ASL reviews revenue and cost centers of academic institutions to improve the bottom line of those colleges and universities, supplementing its own expertise with that of other industry experts, as necessary. Such investigations include academic, administrative and auxiliary operations.

Advisory Services: ASL provides, either directly or through its network of industry consultants, general advisory services on most any aspect of a real estate transaction.

Program Formulation

To Problem Identification To Implementation To Top

Project Programming: ASL develops architectural requirement programs for new and renovated facilities based on users’ anticipated activities. Working with user groups and decision-makers, we create programs that result in appropriately sized facilities. The result is a program that accurately and fully communicates your needs to an architect and provides a basis for evaluating proposed design changes and controlling project budget and quality.

Site Selection: ASL can assist with the selection of an appropriate site that not only is in conformance with a campus masterplan, but one that is also best suited for the successful operation of the facility and is cost-effective to develop.

Financing Structuring: In its holistic approach to project development, ASL works with financial consultants, bankers and bond counsel to structure a financing package that meets the fiscal needs of the project and is compatible with the institutions constraints.

Public-Private Partnerships: ASL helps colleges and universities identify financial partners needed to develop facilities in these budget-conscious times. Such partnerships are especially common for student housing projects.

Facility Feasibility Studies: ASL conducts facility feasibility studies that include market analysis (interviews, focus groups, surveys), development cost analysis and operating cost analysis. The final product is a financial pro forma that demonstrates the feasibility of the project based on market, operations and financial assumptions.

Employer-Assisted Housing Programs: ASL develops housing programs for college and university faculty, administrators and staff. These programs include the development of new housing, financial assistance programs (such as down-payment assistance, mortgage buy-downs and discounts from housing service providers) and housing resource centers. A housing resource center is an office that serves as a focal point for the provision of all housing-related services, including the administration of financial assistance, rental or for-sale programs.

Land Use Analysis: ASL advises colleges and universities on the development of land for academic or commercial opportunities.

Strategic Facilities Planning: ASL works with colleges to create paradigms for the long-term reuse, development, or renovation of facilities that address projected student, administrative and academic facility requirements. In most cases, real estate problems can only be solved in a long-term view of their value is considered.

Implementation

To Problem Identification To Program Formulation To Top

Consultant Selection and Negotiation: ASL develops and conducts the process of selecting and negotiating consultant contracts as part of the project management process.

Drafting and Assessing Proposal Requests: ASL writes requests for proposals for colleges and universities. Our RFP process is designed to select architects or contractors who will develop a particular facility. ASL has developed an RFP rating system to analyze each proposal submitted. We then use an interview process to address subjective issues and provide support to help you reach a final decision.

Design Management: ASL coordinates the development of design packages that structure the flow of information between the design team, owner and contractors.

Value Engineering Coordination: We coordinate the selection of value engineering expertise to review your projects and seek to achieve savings without compromising quality. The process is frequently required to align a project's financial capacity with quality expectations of the client.

Budget Development: ASL develops construction budgets to determine the feasibility and affordability of a proposed project. Once approved, ASL develops the final project capital budget and cash disbursement schedule and also maintains the schedule of project costs.

Project Scheduling: ASL creates the project calendar, develops the preliminary project schedule (including the preliminary construction schedule) and updates these schedules during the development process.

Development Team Management: During the conceptual development phase of a real estate project ASL forms a management team, led by a project manager, to work with you throughout the project’s development cycle.

FF&E Selection, Design and Procurement: ASL develops systems for tracking orders, deliveries and costs connected with quantity purchases. We also assist colleges and universities with the design and selection of appropriate furnishings for their facilities.

Project Administration: During the development process ASL obtains appropriate client approvals of the work, provides periodic reports of project progress and supports the client in seeking internal consensus.

Project Tracking and Reporting: During the development process, ASL tracks project issues and financial performance using ASL’s development tracking system.

Construction Bidding and Negotiation: ASL develops and conducts the builder selection process and coordinates pre-construction services, including cost estimating, value engineering analysis and schedules.

Construction Monitoring: ASL monitors documentation of the work, including construction progress and conformance with plans and specifications; manages the resolution of field issues, including information requests, change requests and change orders.

Project Management: Project management refers to the bundling of the individual tasks disucussed as part of the Implementation Phase for a particular project. If multiple projects over a longer period of time are involved, Program Management is the term describing the engagement.