Why You Need a Design Professional Before Signing a Commercial Lease in San Francisco

Essential Tips: Steps to take before leasing a commercial space that needs to be remodeled.

Your small business loan just came through, your business needs to expand into its own space, and you are excited to sign the lease and start the remodeling…STOP right there…it would be wise to consider doing the following steps:

• Is the existing building use correct for your needs?

This might seem like a weird question, but the space which you wish to lease may currently have the use of a warehouse and you are hoping to use it as a large office space.  If the code treats these types of spaces differently, then you will be required get a Change of Use permit.  You are not guaranteed this, so this should be a consideration before signing a lease.  You will need to confirm with the City Planning office to see what the current building use is.

• Do a walk through with the Landlord and an architect.

Determine if anything needs to be repaired or replaced.  If so, have it all completed before you move in. If there is a tenant improvement allowance as a part of the lease, have an architect assist you to determine if the allowance is enough.  If the landlord will not repair something and you do not intend on fixing it, then take photos to document the existing conditions, so you won’t have to pay for it once you leave.

• Will your aesthetic needs and expectations be met?

Consult a designer to see if the space can meet your aesthetic end goals. You may really like this bright and open space when you are visiting a listing and want to keep it that way, but the problem is that your program requirement is all private offices and this once open space will be closed up.

• Was the current space completed with legal permits?

If you plan on doing any work, confirm that any previous work was completed with a building permit.  This may seem like something that is a given, but many people do remodeling without permits to save money.  This will unfortunately cost you more with the addition of adding headaches to the mix.  If you are doing a remodel job and go for permit, the city must have record of the existing conditions.  So if the tenant before you did some illegal work and you plan on retaining that work you’ll have to add it to your plans as new.  This way the city can approve it and it be deemed legal.

Sounds not that bad, huh? Well when you pay your permitting fees or try for unreasonable hardship, they are calculated by the estimated construction cost.  This means, that even if you didn’t actually complete the non-permitted work, you’ll have to include it in the overall construction costs, which will increase your fees or possibly limit the chance to get the hardship approved.

Also what if the work completed was not up to building code?  Well you can imagine the problems could become really big, if say only (1) toilet room was built when (2) are required by code. Would you know this when you walk the space?  Ask the landlord for a copy of the approved drawings.  This will let you walk the space to see if anything was added illegally.  Or go to the building department records to see what is on file and approved.  If you aren’t able to do any of these, then at a minimum protect yourself and add a clause in your leasing contract.  Add a clause which allows you to break the lease should any issues arise from illegal remodeling or have the landlord responsible to remedy the space to be legal and code compliant.

• Does the exiting work with your intended use & occupancy?

An architect can do quick calculations and analysis to determine what your final occupant load will roughly be, which will tell you how many exits are required.  This gets particularly questionable, when you only have (1) exit to the public way such as the front entrance.  This will limit how many occupants you are allowed to have, which may not be enough to meet your business’s needs.

• Will your existing furniture & program work?

You should always get a test fit of your program into the proposed space.  It might meet your square footage needs, but are they where you need them?  Furniture needs clearance and you probably want it to be laid out in a comfortable way.  A designer can quickly assess the proposed area and compare with your expectations.

If you're in the Bay Area, please contact us for a free consultation and a walk-through of the potential space.

The DM+A Team

I’m Dreaming of a Ginger Xmas

Well, once again the Holiday Season has descended upon us, inciting most of us to scurry about trying to find perfect gifts and throw fabulous holiday soirees. In the middle of all of this, the elves at DM+A begin to prepare for our annual Gingerbread House Decorating Party for the kids at Edgewood Center for Families and Children. Since 2008, we have looked forward to this holiday tradition as a way to give back and to make the holidays special for kids who aren’t as lucky as most. Edgewood Center for Children and Families is a San Francisco institution dating back to Gold Rush days, providing a home, emotional care and support for more than 5,000 children who are victims of abuse, neglect and mental illness.   This year’s statistics:  40 Gingerbread Houses from Reisterer's Bakery, aprons donated by David Myers at Myers & Co., a 50% discount of pizza from Papa John’s,  50 pounds of candy donated by our 15 volunteers made the party for 22 Edgewood kids and 15 counselors another success.  To learn more about Edgewood and how you can get involved, visit their website at www.edgewood.org.

Commandment #11: Love Thy Neighborhood Association

One of the things that I love about San Francisco is that it is more a collection of neighborhoods than one big city. We locals take a keen interest in keeping the character of each neighborhood unique. In most neighborhoods, there are associations staffed by volunteers who work hard to insure the character is maintained.  They are involved in decisions from the kinds of shops, restaurants and other establishments located in the area to the size, design and any modification of the community’s buildings and homes. One of the services we offer our clients is assistance in working with the Neighborhood Associations and the SF Planning department to gain approval for remodels, additions and the new construction of new homes.  An important consideration for our design solutions is to ensure that the aesthetic we propose shows respect for the surrounding locale and a straightforward approach to executing the design.  For us at DM+A that change is usually a project.

Through our experience, we’ve learned that the most successful projects cover the following bases:  1) the design team meets with the SF Planning department to review the proposed project scope and impact to the surrounding dwellings.; 2) encourage our clients to attend this meeting to hear firsthand the City’s issues and feedback.; 3) advise our clients to meet the neighbors and introduce themselves to the Neighborhood Association members prior to any plans or documents be filed with the city; 4) host an informal gathering to these folks to show concepts and initial design sketches and respond to any questions or concerns about the project.

Involving the client’s neighbors in the beginning of the design process allows us to address any pressing concerns or requirements; shows respect for the community and can make the permitting process more successful.  As with many things in life, a little open dialogue goes a long way.

Frankie, Come Back

The DM+A team and our friend Scott are worried sick about one of our office pets, Frankie the Chihuahua.  Frankie, who is also Lollie’s boyfriend of 6 years, was taken from Scott’s front porch in the Mission at Treat and 25^th on Saturday, January 7^th. We miss him terribly and are all hoping that Frankie will be returned soon.  Scott has filed a lost dog report with the ACC (Animal Care and Control), papered the area with Frankie’s picture and description and he is scouring the internet to see if a dog of Frankie’s description pops up there.  See the craigslist posting for more details.

In the meantime please join us in sending out positive thoughts of Frankie bounding through our office doors and doing his morning greeting ritual.  We appreciate all the help we can get.

The Color Purple

Our friend and marketing consultant, Jack Ryder, invited me to join him at the Purple Silk Music Education Foundation’s Gala on October 20^th.  I’ve learned quickly that if Jack invites you somewhere, that you should go, even if you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.  So a short two hours after a 4.0 earthquake, we boarded the BART and headed over to the Legendary Palace in Oakland’s Chinatown to begin my introduction to the Purple Silk organization.  Founded in 1995 by Sherlyn Chew, a musician and elementary school teacher, PSMEF is a unique program that serves over 700 inner city students a year in Oakland and the Bay Area by providing music education using traditional Chinese instruments. 

At the Gala, we were treated to music from the foundation’s student Orchestra, a delicious 9-course meal and the company of many great people there to support a fantastic organization.  If you’re interested in learning more about Purple Silk Music or would like to offer your support, please visit their website www.purplesilk.org.

It’s our turn

Gregg and I were recently invited to a networking event at AT &T Park, generously hosted by ALR/ANSR, GFDS Engineers, Studio Becker and Engineered Environments.  After watching  Rachel and Michelle enjoy SF Giant’s ticket gifts this season, it was our turn to partake.  We were treated to a pre-game party at Triples Alley and then to great box seats for the game against the Colorado Rockies.  On one of those rare warm evenings in San Francisco, the weather was perfect for a night game.  It was fun to spend time with many of our friends, including Claudio Ramos (HE Banks), Justin Wright (Engineered Environments), Leslie Siegel (ALR), Dan Pelsinger and Dan Matarozzi (Matarozzi Pelsinger Builders), and Clayton Timbrell (Clayton Timbrell & Company) and seeing so many other familiar faces.  Thanks again to our hosts for including us in such a great event.

Help us help you help them

Hey people, now is your chance to bid on a DM+A consultation AND help a worthy organization continue their important works.  We’re participating in the 2011 ALRP Online Auction by offering  an Architecture and Interior Design consultation for a room of your choice. 

DM+A is proud to support Aids Legal Referral Panel (ALRP) and to join in on the fun of ALRP’s big annual fundraiser.  All proceeds from the auction will go to directly support the group’s mission to provide free or low-cost legal services for people with HIV / AIDS.  You can bid either online until October 17^th or live and in person at the Live Auction Reception on October 19^th in San Francisco at the War Memorial Building.  So bid, and bid often.

Great Scott!

Our friend, graphic designer and artist Scott Idleman, has been brightening our days for a while now.  A few months ago, he installed some of his fabulous paintings here at DM+A to provide some color to our walls.  Then last month he began renting work space in our office, adding not only his cheerful disposition, but two more dogs to our menagerie.  So we couldn’t be happier to support Scott in his participation of the 2011 SF Open Studios, going on this weekend.  Please go see his work on Saturday (October 1^st) and Sunday (October 2^nd) between 11am and 6pm at his studio at 1206 Treat Avenue.  If you’re interested in his graphic design work, visit his website, www.blinkdesign.com.

Let’s Get Fulk’d Up!

The DM+A team came out in full force to check out Ken Fulk’s Peep Show.  Ken Fulk created much more than a party for his guests.  Upon entering the party, guests were transported into a provocative, sexy, Vaudevillian world of carnival and mystery.  At the entrance, guests were greeted by two scantily clad dancers, dancing in giant skeleton key peep holes in the front windows.  Party goers could witness things such as stilt walkers, women dancing with snakes, contortionists and actors in costumes getting it on in the middle of the party. 

Ken’s new collection included an unlimited amount of vintage and found objects that are sure to make a statement in any interior.  A favorite of the DM+A crew was a large chandelier made of rusty saw blades. 

Ken Fulk’s Peep Show was an amazing party that demonstrated the creativity and imagination of Mr. Fulk’s design team.  Some are already referring to the evening as the party of the year!

Green is the new Black, NOT!

Designer Nightmare #127: You’ve convinced your extremely open minded client to use a pre-dyed wood veneer on all the cabinets, doors and full height wall paneling in his project. This wood veneer when properly finished is stunning. You’ve wanted to use it the minute you flipped through the catalog. Everything is going along just swell. We have one of San Francisco’s finest General Contractors on the job: Dan Matarozzi, Managing Partner of Matarozzi Pelsinger Builders along with Doug Nomiyama Project Manager. With them at the helm, what could go wrong? 

One day while at a site meeting, Rich Anderson the very talented, patient and competent Construction Supervisor, catches you staring at the full height, floor to ceiling custom veneer clad cabinets that’s turned weirdly GREEN. Your heart sinks; is someone here just pulling your leg? NO, this is for real.

But every design problem has a solution. And you know just who to call: the awesome guys at Design Workshops! These guys are amazing, not only do they make the best custom casework in the Bay Area, but they have guys on staff like Randy Robinson (who knows more about wood than anyone I know) and Joseph O. Njoku-Obi who is the most incredible finisher you’ll ever work with and of course Rich Fanti who’s a Project Manager’s Project Manager. I’ve seen these guys do things with discolored wood that should get an award.

In less than two days they came up with a sample that was so close to the original control sample that we didn’t have to tint the entire project. Now they haven’t completed the project as of this writing but just knowing they’ve figure out the special tint formula to counter the green stain will allow me to sleep like a baby tonight.

Eduardo’s California License Celebration

Since I finally got my architectural license in this state, Gregg invited the team to celebrate the event. I decided for Local Restaurant & Wine Bar and we all went for lunch on July 27^th; I think it was the right decision and will tell you why. It’s very clear to me this team enjoys two things: good crispy Italian pizza and better yet, good wine (not necessarily in that order though). This place has both and the service is excellent, with great help from the owner choosing the right wine and getting your glass refilled.

Saying that’s the best pizza ever would be excessive, but if you’re a pizza lover, this is a place you cannot miss. We ordered four different pizzas (after some serious appetizers) and we all thought that three of them were out of this world:  Salsiccia (with house-made fennel sausage, fresh mozzarella, scallions, and Calabrian chillies) ,then Linguica (with linguica sausage, caramelized onions, red bell peppers and cheddar) and finally Local Pizza (with mozzarella, goat cheese, pepperoni, bacon and house-made sausage).

Besides great food and wine, the place has an interesting modern and clean design that’s worth seeing; nice atmosphere and easy street parking. I don’t think I will get another license soon, but I’m looking forward to going to Local again.

Get your Tomatoes, Red Ripe Tomatoes!!!

And so another year has come and gone. This year for my birthday, the gang headed over to Garibaldi’s in San Francisco’s Presidio Heights neighborhood for a little up-scale fare. At Garibaldi’s they had a watermelon and tomato salad on the menu that everyone wanted to taste. Now I have to tell you I’m a HUGE watermelon fan, more like a fanatic but not into raw tomatoes at all, just do something, anything to a tomato and I’ll most likely gobble it down.  This salad actually rocked, the watermelon was so ripe and the tomato was a nice compliment to the dish as a whole. I liked it so much I went home and scoured the internet for a recipe that was similar. I found it on Epicurious.com and have posted it here for you, enjoy!  Ingredients:

    8 cups 1-1/4-inch chunks seedless watermelon (about 6 pounds)

    3 pounds ripe tomatoes (preferably heirloom) in assorted colors, cored, cut into 1-1/4-inch chunks (about 6 cups)

    1 teaspoon (or more) fleur de sel or coarse kosher salt

    5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

    1-1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

    3 tablespoons chopped assorted fresh herbs (such as dill, basil, and mint)

    6 cups fresh arugula leaves or small watercress sprigs

    1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 5 ounces)

    1/2 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted Preparation:

Combine melon and tomatoes in large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon fleur de sel and toss to blend; let stand 15 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons oil, vinegar, and herbs to melon mixture. Season to taste with pepper and more salt, if desired.

Toss arugula in medium bowl with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Divide arugula among plates. Top with melon salad; sprinkle with feta cheese and toasted almonds and serve.

Thanks for the Awesome Seats, Cal Lighting!

Cal Lighting’s Patrick London was nice enough to offer us a pair of tickets to a recent Giants game, and I was lucky enough to snag them!  Patrick has been working with us on a very edgy lighting design that we are developing for Slap Company, which will be completed later on this summer.  The seats that Patrick hooked us up with were no ordinary baseball tickets….and I really had no idea until I got there!  We were two rows back from the dugout and it was definitely the most up-close and personal experience I have ever had at a ballgame.  We were on the Field Club Level and got to enjoy the perks of special food stands and restaurants that had little to no lines.  We were so close to the field that you could literally hear the players talking to each other.  I heard that my date and I were even on TV in the bottom of the 9^th inning!  Thank you to Patrick and Cal Lighting for treating me to such an awesome experience!

Just Do It!

On Sunday, July 31^st, I completed my 3^rd half marathon.  This time around, I took my training pretty seriously.  I hired a personal trainer, whom I worked out with twice a week at 6:30AM sharp!  This new schedule took a lot of getting used to, but I ended up really enjoying it.  There is something awesome about waking up when the rest of the world is still quiet to get things done and get your thoughts together for the approaching day.  I learned that despite the fact that it is very difficult to get out of bed when it is still dark outside, it is totally worth it!  I managed to not only improve my physical fitness, but I became a much more organized person because I was able to do a few chores every day before I started my work day.  I did a combination of cardio exercises, running and strength training to prepare for the half marathon.  My trainer taught me a bunch of fun exercises to get myself in shape.  My personal favorite was the side run because you can flap your arms like a chicken when you do it.  It definitely promises for some funny looks from people on the Embarcadero. I finished the 1^st half of the San Francisco Half Marathon in 2 hours 13 minutes.  My goal for next time is going to be to finish in 2 hours.  This is going to take a lot of work and I am really going to have to strengthen my muscles and improve my running on inclines. 

Stay tuned for my next half marathon story!

Rags to Riches....

…the Otis Winfrey story.  Meet Otis, the newest member of the DM+A family.  I discovered this little stray living in the parking lot next to my building over the July 4^th weekend.  He had sustained a pretty bad injury to his front left leg by the time we were able to trap him.  Since then, he’s been at the SPCA getting treatment and putting some baby fat onto his tiny bones.  Lil’ Otis has had a rough & tumble beginning, but we’re all dedicated to making sure his life is nothing but smooth sailing from now on.  As of this afternoon, he’s officially ours.  If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello.  He’ll be happy to see you. I can’t say enough about the San Francisco SPCA , the care he received and the amazing staff and volunteers who save animals every day.  Please consider making a donation on his behalf at http://www.sfspca.org/support

Michelle’s 33rd B-Day!

This year we celebrated my birthday by having lunch at Zero Zero, a restaurant in San Francisco’s SOMA District that specializes in wood-fired pizzas and various other tasty Italian treats.  We all enjoyed the family style dishes and got to try several menu items.  We were very impressed with the hard root beer floats, which are basically a spiked version of everyone’s childhood favorite.  Zero Zero adds just the right amount of dark rum to their root beer floats to keep the celebration going!  We also enjoyed the build-your-own ice cream desserts, which allow you to get a little creative by letting you pick your ice cream flavors and toppings.  We had a great time and enjoyed trying out another new restaurant in San Francisco!

Saga Swimwear

When I am not busy at my day job as an interior designer at DM+A, I am a freelance writer for MF Magazine, a music/fashion/entertainment magazine based in Portland, Oregon.  Recently, I interviewed Michelle Byrnes and Alex McCauley, two awesome girls that started San Francisco’s Saga Swimwear.  Check out my article to learn more about Saga and their sophisticated, sexy swimsuit designs! I have been writing for MF Magazine for four years and have covered several musicians, actors and fashion designers.  Read my article in our latest print issue (flip to page eight) on Sweden’s Peter Bjorn and John and their latest album Gimme Some .

AI Teaching - Here's a Lesson For You

Typically I teach building codes at the Art Institute of California – San Francisco.  Teaching Building Codes is a bit dry, but once a student “gets” it, it’s rewarding.  This quarter I have the opportunity to teach Programming and Space Planning 1 for the Interior Design dept.  It’s really fun exploring the different methods of programming.  In the real world, time is of the essence, so you don’t get to do every method of research.  The programming phase is when we as designer’s research, explore, and investigate the facets of a project.  It is the most important phase, because it can make or break the project.  By programming we define the client’s needs and prioritize the client’s wants.  There isn’t one clear path to programming.  Each job, client, and designer will require different methods. The goal is to be as efficient as possible with our time and make the largest leaps with the information at hand.

Sometimes as a client, you may think, “I can tell you all you need to know.”  But in reality, there are just some things you don’t think about, especially when it’s about the use of space.  As a client, your priorities are different than ours as a designer. You may want the design to be completed cheap and fast, when we want to take the necessary time to design, so the users can work efficiently.  Always remember that the Programming phase isn’t a phase you want to rush.  If something isn’t planned for, it will affect the rest of phases and in the long run take more time.

It’s my b-day, yo.

Lollie's Bday 2011 with Friends, Frankie & Lucy

A lot has changed in the last year of my eventful life.  I am still enjoying my career as Official Host and Guest Services Coordinator at DM+A, although I’ve been accused of sleeping on the job lately.  In July, we moved (again) to a sort of sketchy neighborhood.  While my mom has been less than enamored with our new surroundings, I’ve enjoyed taking in the new sights and smells of the locals and have taken to adjusting my appearance accordingly.  As you can see, for this year’s birthday soiree, I donned my favorite street-cred hoody.  Don’t be afraid, though.  It’s still sweet old me underneath the attitude and threads. We munched on Goat Hill Pizza, cookies from Moulin Pooch and cake and strawberries.  All of my favorite peeps and homey’s Frankie and Lucy were at my party, which made it even more righteous.  Peace out.

Fresh Meat

Hey everybody, we’ve pushed some new projects up onto our recently spiffed up website.  We’ve responded to great feedback and made our portfolio section easier to navigate and enlarged the images in this section for better viewing.  New projects include a gut renovation (Daly Mansion), a home office (SF Home Office), and an executive conference room (Oracle CVC).  We’ll have a few new projects to add in the months to come.  Stay tuned.