StoneCreek Partners serves as a recreation development consultant to a variety of development projects including shopping centers, destination resorts, themed entertainment, mixed-use, and master-planned communities, among other types of real estate projects.
Our client work begins with the support site selection and project site acquisition, with feasibility analysis, market studies, due diligence analysis, and negotiations support. For some projects, we also prepare highest-and-best-use studies to assist owners in formulating business objectives for a property. If our role includes owner representation and project management, Stonecreek Partners assists owners with selection of architect and other design team members, design management, entitlement and permitting, and financing matters such as investor business plans.
During project planning, Stonecreek works with the design team on placemaking matters, including ideation, big ideas, formulation of guest programming, and application of the firm's guest trip-motivation analysis, to support determination of best end-user solutions for a project. Stonecreek's financial services team routinely prepares financial analysis and projections to support project planning, including development project budgets, sales and operating pro formas, and investment analysis.
During a project's pre-opening period, Stonecreek also assists as strategic marketing consultants, helping with consumer research, focus groups, project naming and naming conventions, branding and identity, and implementation of customer touch-points programs to assure quality customer contact throughout the development process.
In all of our work in support of owner development projects, we seek to identify "sustaining competitive advantages" as defined by business guru Peter Drucker, advantages that can propel projects for years to come.
A select portion of our development services work plan is described below.
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Consultant will direct design development work, a phase that is essentially a continuation from the Schematic Design phase. Through design development, Consultant will increase the focus on Project detail particularly implementation and finalizing of sizing, theming, and content of all Project elements. Tasks to be managed during the Design Development Phase include:
Material selections and specifications - Materials includes any and all exterior and interior structural and finish elements, detailed for public areas, meeting facilities, restaurants and club facilities, guest rooms; pool and recreation areas, and the like;
Equipment requirements - Equipment includes any and all installed building systems such as elevators, HVAC, security, laundry, and the like, including likely means of sourcing and procurement. Means and methods of the import process are evaluated. With departmental equipment such as laundry, Consultant will work with Owner to determine whether installed facility-operated departments are more or less cost-efficient than relying upon third-party (out-sourced) vendor support;
Project Development and Construction Schedule - The Project Schedule is refined during the Design Development Phase, as additional information is integrated in planning efforts;
Refined Development and Construction Budgets - The Project Development Budget is refined during the Design Development Phase, based on additional information for construction methods, finishes, and implementation detail.
Owner Presentations - All architectural design and finishes are identified and illustrated for Owner approval through renderings, photographs, style boards, and other techniques;
Design Documentation - All essential components are also documented, including interiors, furnishings, colors, signage, environmental graphics, and technical systems;
Key Documents - The Owner-approved Design Development drawings and Design Cost Estimate become the basis for preparation of all engineering/construction drawings and contract documents.
Selection of Additional Design and Engineering Team Members - Additional team members, particularly engineering support, are typically added during Design Development, both for participation in this phase of work, as well as for orientation for work to be performed in the next phase.
CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS AND CONTRACT DOCUMENTS
Consultant will direct the preparation of final design drawings suitable for construction, all contract documents and bidding requirements, as well as the eventual selection through competitive bidding of successful vendors and contractors.
Prior to commencing this phase of work, Consultant will have advised (and Owner approved) a perceived best means of producing working drawings through U.S.-based and local-based, design team members.
Tasks to be managed during the Construction Drawings and Contract Documents Phase include:
Permitting - This phase of work effort also typically includes final plan check by the permitting staff of the applicable local municipal jurisdiction;
Engineering - Engineering construction contract documents will include mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and structural drawings;
Construction and Shop Drawings - Construction and/or shop drawings for all Project elements will be prepared, finalized, signed, and Owner-approved for architecture, facilities, interiors, pools recreations areas, restaurants and clubs, show/ride systems (if attractions are to be included), graphics, acoustics, uniforms and/or costumes, musical scores, and scripts, are prepared;
Bid Documents - Documentation for competitive bid package bidding by vendors, is also prepared.
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION AND INSTALLATION
Consultant will direct all aspects of construction administration and installation of the Project, particularly the monitoring of General Contractor and Sub-Contractor work, until Project completion. Prior to initiation of this phase of work, Consultant will make recommendations to Owner as to whether a U.S.-based construction manager may be placed in-country during construction. Tasks to be managed during Construction Administration and Project Installation include:
Notice to Proceed - Issue Project Notice to Proceed, per local in-country protocols and legal requirements;
Construction / Property Bonds and Insurance - Consultant will ensure all necessary and available insurance coverages and bonds are in place, properly naming Owner and its agents as beneficiaries;
Owner Cost and Commitment Reporting - Consultant shall maintain a Cost and Commitment Report indicating Project cost commitments compared to the Project’s Development Budget;
Project Schedule - tracking project budgets, schedules, progress reports, payment request and review, milestone development, project close-out;
Additional Construction Drawings and Shop Drawings - Monitor and expedite shop drawings approval;
Change Orders - Review items of change and change orders including Contractors proposals, changes in quantity, contract time and price;
Construction Progress Meetings - Schedule and Review project meetings during construction;
Punch List and Construction Close-Out - Manage identification and satisfaction of punch list items and all contract close-out matters;
Certificate of Occupancy - Work with local government jurisdiction to achieve permits and approvals as necessary, to achieve the equivalent of a certificate of occupancy, to allow facility operations to commence.
Pay Requests - Preparation of monthly payment requisitions and periodic status reports for submission to the Owner, lenders and hotel operator and attendance at necessary meetings with the lender;
Construction Team Members -This services may include hiring a construction manager or having a Consultant project manager at the site at all times that construction activities on ongoing.
