City Grill

Ben Nichols  
President 
Harkins Builders Inc. 

Transit-oriented, mixed-use development “is creating opportunities in and around public transportation hubs,” Nichols says. He also sees a trend toward converting office buildings to multifamily housing or hospitality facilities. He adds that public and private funds that are subsidizing affordable housing are addressing the housing shortage. 

He points to passive house design, which uses affordable housing developments to build more sustainable apartment buildings with lower operating costs. 
Baltimore’s proximity to Washington, D.C., “makes it a strong market for cybersecurity firms and defense contractors,” which need more facilities, he says. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and CHIPS and Science Act will bolster already strong manufacturing and industrial markets, he adds.

Owners are working with contractors during design to accommodate constructibility reviews, value engineering and early start agreements. Nichols says those steps “combat increasing complexities of managing budgets and a volatile supply chain.”