Commercial Real Estate Blog

In another sign that rampant drug-use is becoming an epidemic amongst architects working in Dubai, Dr. Fisher is proposing a rotating skyscraper in Dubai, and another in Moscow, and eventually one in New York City. This building will supposedly have its floors pre-fabbed in Italy, and assembled on-site in Dubai. Estimated selling prices are about $3,000 per square foot, and the estimate is that the building will be delivered in 2010.

If there is one thing money has shown us, it is that with enough of it, nearly anything is possible. Architects, engineers, financiers, and contractors all over the world have proven this. But this 80-story dream is a bit far-fetched, particularly when it is supposed to be delivered in two years and is brought to us by an architect whose education is in question, admits he hasn’t practiced architecture regularly in years, and has never built a skyscraper before.

Interesting concept for sure, and it’ll be fantastic if it works, but I’m a bit skeptical if of this one. But who can blame them for trying? After all financing is plentiful when you can sell the black gold beneath your feet for $130/barrel oil.

In the online world, software has enabled retailers to analyze visitors shopping patterns with a click of a mouse. In the brick and mortar world of retailing, developers, architects, and retailers each spend massive amounts of time and money designing projects and stores in ways which maximize foot traffic and stickiness, which for developers means maximizing rental rates, and for retailers sales per square foot.

A U.K. based company named Path Intelligence has devised a novel system which allows both mall owners and retailers to analyze foot traffic. It uses a combination of proprietary hardware and software to detect and triangulate on shopper’s cell phone signals to an accuracy of one meter. The software then uses that date to visually display data which can help determine traffic patterns and answers questions relating to store stickiness, bottlenecks, etc.