Reducing Your Renovation Costs by Thinking Green

 

Save money during renovation and constructionReducing Your Renovation Costs by Thinking Green – Economical, Green Solutions for Renovations & Commercial Building Projects in South Metro Minnesota and North Dakota is offered by APPRO Development, Inc. & CERRON Commercial Properties.

Being “thrifty”, “cost conscious” and “green” is something we’ve hopefully all learned to do over the past few years of economic change. The positive impacts of implementing good business practices, is good for both your bottom line and the environment, a double bonus! Instead of hastily throwing something away, find a way to re-purpose the item to save you money and help prevent our landfills from over flowing, something we all benefit from.

 

During renovations or commercial building project, there are potentially ways to donate or sell items that you no longer need. Countertops, office equipment and other items could become a tax write off* or benefit someone else. If you have customized or industrial equipment you no longer use, it could be listed for sale, potentially offering you more cash for your project!

 

If you’ve decided to build or remodel a space that you own, lease, or are new property you are searching for, we are happy to help you find an economical solution by possibly re-using items and finding cost conscious options. For example, let’s say you want to open a restaurant; there may be options for purchasing used kitchen equipment vs. buying everything new. In remodeling, you may be able to reuse countertops. Take a moment to look at what you have as a way of saving $ during your project! Additional financial information for your project is available on our website for cost segregation, 1031 tax deferred exchange and finance resources.

 

Remodeling or building, in an office space, bank, hotel, restaurant, warehouse, industrial, or other commercial buildings, whatever your needs are, we work with our vendors and subcontractors to ensure that we are providing our clients with the best pricing available, while providing green alternatives. Here is an example;

 

Recently, we had a project that we tested lighting in and opted to remove as it didn’t serve the needed purpose. Instead of being frustrated with the failed test and throwing out the lights, we stopped and asked, “Is there someone who could benefit from these materials instead of throwing them away?” A short internet search led us to the MN Association of Community Theatres, where we found four theaters in the south metro, who are now the elated recipients of new lighting. It has brought us joy knowing that we have been able to provide our community theater, Lakeville Area Arts Center, along with the Northfield Arts Guild, Mankato Mosaic Theatre Company and New Ulm Actors Community Theatre with much needed lighting.

 

The next time you are considering a remodel, expansion / addition or new building, know that there are options out there to be as economical & green as possible! We’re here to assist you in using your dollars as best as possible to ensure the success of YOUR business. Please contact us to discuss your options at 952-469-2171 (APPRO Development, Inc.) or 952-469-9444 (CERRON Commercial Properties).

 

 

*As with all financial matters, please consult your tax and/or financial advisor for advice/impacts regarding your specific situation.

Lakeville Commercial Building General Contractor and Real Estate Broker Releases New Website

APPRO-CERRON-screenshotLakeville commercial building general contractor and real estate broker, are pleased to announce the launch of our new website, which can be found by going to either APPRODEVELOPMENT.com or CERRON.com. We had put together a list of some goals we wanted to achieve with the new website and were thrilled to not only meet those goals, but exceeded them as well.

You will note that the navigation is much easier at our new commercial construction and commercial real estate website. We have integrated both companies in one easy to find website. In order to find just the right example of a completed commercial building project, or to locate a new commercial property for sale in the south metro area of MN, we have added some additional, more detailed search functions as well. We have also implemented some contact forms to make it easier and more convenient to contact a member of our team to assist you with your goals.

Our web developer, Brandon Rowell, is an excellent photographer and did a nice job making our commercial property solutions team look great!

We hope that you will take a moment to look around our new website. Feel free to drop us a line to let us know what you think, or if there is anything you would suggest to make our site even better. We would sincerely appreciate the suggestions.

Whether online, over the phone, or in person, at APPRO Development & CERRON Properties, we are here to exceed your goals and expectations – let us find out what is important to your business!

Commercial Office Design: How to Build a Better Office

Commercial Office Design

office design - image source-jeremylevinedesign Office Design – Image Source: Jeremy Levine Design (via Flickr)

This article on commercial office design is now three years old but still valid, so I thought I would post. The article is food for thought when considering an office remodel project. Helpful tips on why some office designs differ from than others. Some of the ideas and comments in the article cater to large scale offices but some tidbits can be gleaned for almost any office layout regardless of size. Here’s the link to the article by Jane Hodges:

http://www.janehodges.net/?p=39

Not sure where you fit in to all this information, we can help. Contact APPRO and we’d be happy to review your plans with you.

Image Source License.

Minneapolis St Paul Regional Business Plan

Minneapolis St Paul Regional Business Plan

I recently attended a forum on restoring job growth in the Minneapolis St Paul region that was sponsored by The Itasca Project which is an employer led civic alliance focused on building a thriving economy and improved quality of life for the Minneapolis- St. Paul metro region. Some of this work can be found at www.metromsp.org where you can search all available commercial properties that are for sale or for lease. It is a joint public-private
partnership with DEED and MNCAR. MSP has long had a history of stable growth, not boom or bust like some other cities. “Steady success over recent decades renders the region less prepared to deal with data suggesting a pattern of decline. MSP’s growth rates over recent years for productivity, incomes and employment have all trailed national averages.” Venture capital firms and new business start up rankings have also declined. However, for homegrown Fortune 500 businesses, Minnesota ranks at the top.

According to the executive summary, the time is NOW to bring together multiple regional efforts utilizing 6 critical leverage points:

1) Cluster concentration of industries, functions and occupations

2) Develop and deploy human capital for economic growth

3) Develop an infrastructure of innovation and entrepreneurship

4) Increase spatial efficiency

5) Create effective public and civic culture and institutions

6) Develop and deploy information resources

The four main industry clusters include food, health, design and the arts as identified by 4FRONT, a non-profit organization established to identify, attract, nurture and recognize world-class inventors, entrepreneurs and artists.

All businesses start out small in some shape or form. Now is the time to position your business for the 21st century. Taking advantage of a buyer’s real estate market is one way to help your business grow as we see improvement in our economy. Contact us at 952-469-9444, www.cerron.com or email me at rozp@cerron.com to learn more.

Property Improvements: Are You Missing an Opportunity for Potential Tax Savings?

If property improvements are on your mind, you might want to check out this recent article by Mark Colvin. According to his recent article, “Don’t Miss the Potential Tax Savings on Property Improvements,”  “businesses that have made recent improvements to their property may be eligible for tax savings.” A recent IRS ruling is the source of this article commentary clarifying when an expenditure qualifies as a deductible repair and when it should be treated as a capital expenditure. […Continue Reading the Full Article]

As with all tax related topics, please consult with a tax and/or accounting professional for advice on your unique business.