Choosing to Pre-Treat for Maximum Ice & Snow Removal Results
This year we have partnered with Hantho Outdoor Services as one of our snow removal vendors. They are leading the industry with cutting edge technology and exceptional customer service. When we recently spoke with Charles Gossip (owner) and Michael Vollmers (account manager) about building relationships and ways of partnering together to meet our clients’ needs, not only were they receptive, they were active in discussing options and capabilities needed to improve the level of service and quality that we are striving for.
Liquid pre-treating allows melting to sidewalk and parking lot surfaces as soon as any precipitation begins. The benefits to moving from the traditional granular treatments to liquid pre-treating are astounding.
Below are pictures taken at the same time following the storm that came through this past weekend (courtesy of Hantho). You can easily see the difference between the sidewalks that had been pre-treated in comparison to those that had not.
Pre-treating prevents snow and ice from adhering to the surfaces making the snow removal process easier. This has proven to be instrumental in decreasing slip and fall incidents in areas where snow and ice pose issues in our region.
The knowledge gained from this partnership has positioned our organization in excelling our service to next level.
Employee Education Returns Employee and Customer Reward
At Gaughan, we prioritize in empowering our employees through educational opportunities for their personal and professional growth, which results in our company being able to better serve our customers.
Recently, Rozeanna Berg our Director of Commercial Accounts & Facility Services attended a week long ASM track consisting of Financial Analysis courses, where you learn about the importance of Asset Management and Loan Analysis.
Certified Property Manager (CPM)
The Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation, administered by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), is a professional real estate designation recognized by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The course schedule for this designation:
- Ethics for the Real Estate Manager
- Budgeting, Cash Flow, and Reporting for Investment Real Estate
- Marketing and Leasing Strategies for retail, multifamily or office buildings
- Leading a Winning Property Management Team
- Managing Maintenance Operations and Property Risk
- Financing and Loan Analysis for Investment Real Estate
- Performance and Valuation of Investment Real Estate
- Asset Analysis of Investment Real Estate
Due to the difficulty of the course load, studying to become a CPM has its challenges. However, the information and knowledge gained from the courses sets you apart from other professionals in the industry.
Rozeanna’s dedication to providing stellar service to our customers, inspired her to enroll in the fast track curriculum to obtain her CPM. She has already completed 9/10 courses necessary for this achievement and has began passing on the educational value to the clients we serve. We will track her progress along the way to reaching this goal.
In addition to Rozeanna being on the cusp of obtaining her CPM, Kelley Lemon, our Director of Multifamily & Facility Services and our Senior Residential Property Manager, MJ Fleming, have just obtained their Multifamily Housing Manager (MHM) designation administered by Quadel.
Multifamily Housing Manager (MHM)
The MHM certification provides staff with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure your multifamily housing properties are in regulatory and occupancy compliance with all HUD program requirements.
Our Multifamily Management team manages a significant portfolio of Class A to C Market Rate and Subsidized assets in the Twin Cities market.
Contact us to inquire about how our Management and Facility Services can provide for your Office, Retail, Industrial or Multifamily investments.
What to Expect in Heavy Snow Conditions
While every provider has slightly different rules when it comes to snow removal, here are a few general guidelines to keep in mind during the winter season:
Trigger Depth:
Each association will decide their trigger depth for when the provider will begin services but on average, trigger depth is 1.5” to 2”.
Open-Ups:
An open-up is when the snowfall has accumulated more than 4” to 5” (and hasn’t yet stopped) prior to the morning or evening commute. An open-up is a pass or two of the plow on the walkway side of the driveway and middle of the private streets. This is done to allow emergency vehicles access. Open-ups do not include snow removal from the sidewalks. One the snow has stopped, the provider will return to do a thorough cleanup of the contracted areas.
Blizzard Conditions:
During blizzard conditions, any time winds exceed 25 to 35 MPH or temperatures/wind-chill are below -15 degrees F, the deadline for shoveling services will be extended until conditions are safe. In many cases, if MN Dot closes freeways due to inclement conditions, the provider will resume once it is safe to travel.
Parked Vehicles:
Often times driveways and/or other areas with vehicles parked in them during snow removal services will be skipped. Some providers will remove snow from the driveway with a parked vehicle but will stop 2 feet away from the vehicle. If the provider is asked to return to plow these areas at a later date, there will likely be an additional charge for this service.
Proper Communication:
It is important to keep in mind that communication to the snow removal crews must go through the proper channels. The crews in the field are instructed to only take direction from their supervisor and supervisors communicate through the assigned community contact, which is the community manager and/or an assigned board member.
Gaughan Welcomes eCig Market!
We want to congratulate and welcome eCig Market on the opening of their new location in Blaine at the Club West Plaza. This will be eCig Market’s third premier vape shop location.
Their Grand Opening is set to be Friday, February 15th located at 10950 Club West Pkwy. Suite 110, Blaine, MN 55449.
Gaughan Debuts New, Luxury, Multi-Family Property
This Fall, Gaughan opened Lighthouse Lofts Luxury Apartments, a new multi-family property in downtown Forest Lake, Minnesota. This 5-story, multi-use building is the newest luxury apartment community in the neighborhood. As General Contractor and Developer, Gaughan’s vision with Lighthouse Lofts and other developments is to bring new life and vibrancy to the core of the city. Investments like this are made to help fulfill a void in the market.
The first floor features a new location for Snap Fitness, to which Residents receive a complimentary membership with their lease. Mallards Restaurant has also opened their new, second location in the North corner retail space. Above that, Lighthouse Lofts has four floors of luxury apartment homes with several, additional walkout units on the first floor.
The modernity of this project is bringing a new atmosphere to downtown Forest Lake. The 8.5-foot ceilings and 6-foot windows in every unit allow natural light into nearly every room of the apartment, and the patios and balconies provide a beautiful lake view year-round. Residents can enjoy the rooftop patio, equipped with gas grills, in the summer. The adjacent clubroom provides a place to relax, gather in community, or reserve for private events in any season.
For more information about this development, visit www.lighthouseloftsmn.com, and stop in to experience these luxury apartments! The team at Gaughan can assist with your commercial real estate and construction interests. Contact us directly at 651-464-5700.
Gaughan Exhibits at 12th Annual MNCAR Expo
Our team of commercial real estate professionals attended the 12th annual MNCAR Expo yesterday at The Minneapolis Depot. We were excited to share more about the projects that our construction and development teams are working on, while making new connections with the attendees.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and played a game of cornhole with us! If you want to continue the conversation, please contact our team directly. We are happy to answer any questions and help with your commercial real estate needs.
Phone: 651-464-5700
Online: www.GaughanCompanies.com
Gaughan begins new University Avenue commercial development
Gaughan, the Minnesota-based Commercial Construction and Development firm, began construction in August on a new, two building commercial development in Fridley, Minn. The first phase of this project is scheduled for completion in early December 2018.
The 5,800 square foot building will be the new home for Dunkin’ Donuts and Sport Clips Haircuts locations. Gaughan’s construction team will begin the 60-day, interior buildout for Dunkin’ Donuts once the exterior is complete. With an expected opening date in 2019 and the recent announcement of the chain’s name change, the well-known coffee shop will officially open as Dunkin’.
The second phase of the project includes a 6,100 square foot building on the corner of University Avenue NE and 83rd Avenue NE in Fridley. For more information on retail availability at this project or if our team can assist with any other Commercial Real Estate, Construction or Development interests, please contact us directly at 651-464-5700.
DEVO Fitness Opens New Location with Gaughan
We want to wish a warm welcome and congratulations to DEVO Fitness, who opened their new Coon Rapids location this month. DEVO stands for “Devoted,” which is their promise to continue to design a community environment that people of all fitness levels will enjoy being a part of.
They are celebrating their grand opening on Wednesday, August 15 from 5-7:30 PM. They are located at 455 99th Ave. Suite 170, Coon Rapids, MN 55433. All new DEVO Fitness members will receive 2 raffle tickets upon sign up.
Gaughan Prepares for Multi-Family Development Project in Shakopee
The Shakopee City Council approved the 126-unit multi-family development for downtown Shakopee, proposed by Gaughan, at their July 3 meeting. Minnesota-based commercial real estate developer, Gaughan has an affinity for sites with the potential of the Shakopee project. Senior VP of Commercial Accounts Dan Hebert says, “[Gaughan’s] primary focus is redeveloping sites and revitalization of downtown markets.”
This piece of land on the north end of downtown faces the Minnesota River. The team at Gaughan has planned for an apartment community with five stories, underground parking, and a restaurant on the first floor.
Gaughan’s most recent multi-family development, Lighthouse Lofts Luxury Apartments located in the downtown community overlooking the lake, will open next month in Forest Lake, Minn.
Read the entire article from Finance & Commerce here.
Gaughan Represents at Chamber Golf Tournament
We were honored to be a sponsor at the 30th annual MetroNorth Chamber Golf Tournament to help raise money for their mission of strengthening business in the community.
Our team had a blast staffing a hole and playing a round of golf with other chamber members and guests at Majestic Oaks Golf Club! We always enjoy events held by the MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce and are pleased to be a member. We are excited about the growth in our communities and the active role that the MetroNorth Chamber plays in the community.
