Commercial Site Planning: What to Know Before You Hire an Architect
Hiring an architect is an important milestone in the development or redevelopment of a commercial property. But it should not always be the first step. Before you invest in full architectural design, you need to understand what the site can realistically support. Zoning requirements, setbacks, parking ratios, access limitations, stormwater needs, fire lanes, loading areas, […]
What Can I Do With My Commercial Property? A Guide for Owners
Owning commercial property creates opportunities — but it also raises important questions. Should you renovate? Expand? Redevelop? Sell? Add tenants? Change the property’s use? Or simply hold it as-is? The challenge is that many property owners make decisions without first understanding what their property is actually capable of supporting. Zoning regulations, parking requirements, site constraints, […]
How to Evaluate Multiple Development Sites Quickly (Without Slowing Down Your Pipeline)
In competitive commercial real estate markets, opportunities move fast. Developers, investors, brokers, and acquisition teams are often conducting commercial site analysis on multiple potential sites simultaneously, trying to determine which properties deserve deeper investment and which should be eliminated early. The challenge is that traditional feasibility and due diligence processes can slow pipelines down significantly. […]
4 Days vs. 4 Weeks: How Faster Feasibility Changes Development Decisions
In commercial real estate development, time is more than money. Time is opportunity. Every day spent waiting for answers about a site’s development potential can delay acquisitions, complicate negotiations, increase carrying costs, and allow competing buyers to move first. Yet many developers still rely on traditional feasibility workflows and slow site feasibility study processes that […]
What Can You Actually Build on a Site? A Commercial Real Estate Developer’s Guide to Early Feasibility
Before design begins, before capital is committed, and long before construction starts, there’s a fundamental question every commercial real estate developer needs answered: What can you actually build on this site? In the context of early feasibility in commercial real estate, this question becomes even more critical. It’s not just about what’s theoretically allowed. It’s […]
What do I do if the zoning for a property doesn’t allow me to build what I want to build?
If the existing zoning for a property does not permit the type of development you’re proposing, there are several potential pathways you can explore with the local jurisdiction. Each option varies in scope, process, and likelihood of approval, depending on the specifics of your site and local regulations. Rezoning One option is to apply for […]
What approvals do I need from the City, Town, or County to develop a property?
Typical Steps for Obtaining Local Government Approvals Approvals from a city, town, or county for a development project generally follow three main phases: zoning, civil/grading, and building permits. Each phase is designed to ensure the project complies with applicable local regulations before construction can begin. Zoning Approval Zoning approval is typically the first and often […]
How do I check the zoning for a property?
How to Check a Property’s Zoning and Understand What It Means Whether you’re considering buying land, planning a development, or just curious about your neighborhood, knowing how a property is zoned is essential. Zoning laws regulate how land can be used—and understanding them can save you from costly mistakes or missed opportunities. Here’s a simple […]
How do I know what local zoning laws will allow me to build on a property?
What Can You Build on a Property? Here’s How to Find Out Before you design your dream project or break ground on a development, it’s crucial to understand what your property is legally allowed to accommodate. Every parcel of land is governed by zoning regulations that determine how it can be used—and overlooking them can […]
What is a Conditional Use Permit?
A Conditional Use Permit is a type of zoning approval granted by local jurisdictions—such as cities, counties, towns, or villages—for land uses that are not typically permitted by-right within a zoning district but may be allowed under certain conditions. These types of projects may carry potential risks or community impacts, so they require extra scrutiny […]