A Global and Economic Impact

by Marcy Marro | April 1, 2020 12:00 am

While it’s only been a few weeks since I wrote last month’s column, it feels like it’s been a lot longer. In what feels like a blink of the eye, the world we were very comfortable moving around in has changed a lot. With the increase in cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19), many people are being asked to work from home, and many schools are taking extended breaks. With the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) limiting the number of people in one place, many restaurants and bars are being forced to close for everything other than takeout and delivery, and stores, movie theaters, museums and other public places are either closed for the foreseeable future, or have been forced to limit their hours of operation.

Everyone from architecture firms, general contractors and builders, and even manufacturers have to adjust their businesses to this new reality, at least for the time being. Trade shows, association meetings and events across the board are being cancelled or postponed.

The American Institute of Architects[1] has opted to postpone its upcoming Conference on Architecture[2], which was supposed to take place in May in Los Angeles. Additional events coming up May and June are being evaluated to determine whether it is safe to continue planning or to cancel. No one knows when postponed events will be able to be rescheduled, or if they will even look the same when they are.

In an effort to limit travel and in-person meetings, architecture firms across the U.S. are figuring out how to work remotely, holding meetings over the phone or via video conferencing. And while architecture and design firms have the ability to work from home and host meetings online, the construction industry is faced with a different set of challenges. The construction industry doesn’t have the luxury to be able to work from home. If they’re not out on the job site, then the project they’re working on isn’t getting built. Deadlines may be missed, and projects won’t be completed on time, or even under budget at this point. Employers are doing everything they can to make sure their job sites and their employees remain safe during this time. Meanwhile, manufacturers are figuring out how to keep their employees safe, while still supplying the much-needed materials and supplies to job sites across the country.

And while many manufacturers are working to keep their facilities open to the construction industry, the Mayor of Boston, Marty Walsh, ordered the suspension of all construction work in the city due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak. In Las Vegas, the developers of a $400 million UnCommons project is going to reschedule its planned ceremonial groundbreaking, but still plans to start construction on the project in April.

While no one knows exactly how long this virus will be affecting our immediate lives, there will likely be long-term effects across the board. In the meantime, stay safe, continue to wash your hands regularly, and hopefully next month’s letter will bring better news.

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/blog/a-global-and-economic-impact/

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