Coming soon! Late Spring or early Summer of 2024, to be a little more exact. A new, modern, state-of-the-art association headquarters has been in sight for the Oklahoma Association of REALTORS® since incorporating it into their strategic plan in 2019. But first, the current, functionally obsolete building is going down. The demolition permits are filed and will be approved by the city of OKC any day now to make way for the new structure.

In June 2022, the OAR Board of Directors voted to pursue the new building plans and voted on the budget, the architects, and the construction company. We immediately started engaging with Spur Design for architecture and Smith & Pickel Construction management services. This was after we met with a few firms to bid the project.

Now more than ever is the time to invest in real estate.

Despite what some may say about our current economy or interest rates, sometimes you have to dive right in and make it happen anyway. Keep the economy moving. Real estate is always a good investment and every REALTOR® will always tell you that. But they are not wrong. The Oklahoma REALTORS® are practicing what they preach.

In the meantime…

The current plan is to finish this project by the Spring of 2024. We have moved the staff to a temporary headquarters at 71st and Classen in Oklahoma City. It’s tight quarters, so there is no meeting space for members, but it works, and it is short-term. It has taken some juggling of staff work schedules and managing logistics expectations. You couldn’t ask for a more patient and understanding group of people than the current staff of OAR. We will update the membership via our podcast, quarterly newsletter, social media channels, and general word-of-mouth.

Are we in the same boat in the same storm?

Suppose you’re an association executive (or volunteer leader), and your board is considering a new building. In that case, I have a few tips to recommend, especially if this is your first time coordinating a large project such as a building renovation or complete scrape-and-build project. This is not my first rodeo for building improvements on behalf of a large contention of members. So I have learned a few things over the last decade in doing these projects.

1. Document everything.

   Some tools that I use are Evernote and Goodnotes 5 (for my iPad). I can import PDFs, mark them up during meetings, and have notebook space to freehand write notes during meetings, phone calls, and text messages. Screenshot texts, save your emails to a PDF (highlighted with key points agreed to so that you can find them later), and label or tag the mode of communication. Part of your job as the association executive is to stay organized and to triage the decision-making. Some decisions you’ll have to make on your own and quickly. Make sure you set those expectations upfront with your planning committee and get everything in writing. Most decisions you’ll put before the committee (or board) just to be sure that there is a second set of eyes on the project. Be sure to document all of those meetings well with your meeting minutes.
   

2. Plan extra time in your days to review, think, plan, document, meet with people, and answer questions.

   Your regular tasks and responsibilities will continue and the building project is going to add to your tedious tasks. Schedule some time every other day to work on the building project. This will allow you to think about where it is going. Scenario planning is so important.
   
   A few questions to ask when working through the potential pitfalls or unexpected are:
   - Does the staff feel secure about where they work?
   - When was the last time I sent a project status report to the board of directors?
   - What happens if the project is delayed? Keep your temporary landlord in the loop.
   - Are all emails related to this project filed or labeled, and is a copy of all contracts, agreements, or changes saved to an easy-to-locate folder?
   

3. Communicate often and early.

   Get in the habit of sending weekly updates to the committee or board. However, identify a handful of key stakeholders in those boards that you can rely on to advise or think through situations. When identifying those specific people, make sure that they are understanding of the project and how much information will flow and change. And let your staff know what is going on. Get their input on layouts, colors, meeting room locations, and walk through each possible scenario with them.
   
   I learned by communicating with my team that we did not have enough bathrooms on the first floor of our initial architectural drawings. When walking through the logistics of one of the classes that we held in the new event center, we talked about lunches being served, when the break would take place, and where people would congregate when on break. That was when we figured out that 125 attendees on a ten-minute break with only two bathroom stalls outside the event center would bottleneck. We changed the plan before it was too late, and that was because I had their feedback along all steps of the project.
   

4. Know the budgets and the historicals of the building before starting the project.

   Speaking of communication… I kept everyone in the loop by creating a page on Notion dedicated to the HQ building project. This page includes the historicals. How can you know where you are going if you don’t know where you have been? You should consider a few budget considerations outside of the actual design (the architect) and building costs (hire a construction manager): new furnishings, audio/visual equipment, permit filing fees, city inspection fees, and installation costs for the new utility hookups.
   
   When discussing how you will pay for the project with your board of directors, urging them to consider financing part of the project, this assumes that your organization has good cash reserves for this project. Do not drain your reserves for this. Even if you can pay for it in full, you should think long-term about how you will build those reserves back up. If you finance part of the project, placing a capital assessment on your membership dues will be much easier to pay off the building faster while preserving reserves. If you ask your members for a capital assessment to refill reserves, you will have a harder time getting the assessment passed. Food for thought.
   

5. PR the heck out of it.

   Getting press coverage can be a game-changer if you want your project to gain more visibility and recognition. By pitching your project to relevant publications or media outlets, you can reach a wider audience and potentially attract new customers, investors, or collaborators. Moreover, PR (public relations) can also help establish your brand's credibility and authority in your industry, making it easier to stand out from competitors. So, if you want to take your project to the next level and unlock its full potential, investing in PR could be the key. Work the budget for using a PR firm into your total project budget.

Watch for the invitation to the grand re-opening in the Spring of 2024!

Until then, keep your fingers crossed and your prayers going up for us. I might have buried a few treasures in the ground to karma the heck out of that place. Haha… just kidding… Kinda.