Why BC Group Joined Cresa Portland

Over the years, I’ve had countless conversations with clients about what they really need from a real estate advisor. There are many common answers that define the type of service that is required to meet a client’s goals.

The answers are remarkably consistent.

They’re looking for someone who can provide them with clear guidance on how to use their real estate to achieve their business objectives. 

We look for accountability in all of our client relationships. 

We want to know that our client is getting what they pay for. 

Perhaps most important to us is building a long-term relationship with a client. We don’t want to add to a client’s stress and complexity – we want to alleviate it.

Our conversations with clients have been a significant factor in our decision to join Cresa Portland.

BC Group’s strategy for years has been focused on owner representation, development management, construction management, and capital project oversight. We’ve represented all types of clients in industries including healthcare, multifamily housing, commercial, affordable housing and more. We work with our clients to make the best real estate decisions for their organization and help facilitate and manage the associated development and construction projects to ensure the projects are completed on time and within budget.

What we see in practice is that real estate decisions have become much more interconnected.

A workplace strategy affects real estate requirements.

A lease decision affects construction costs.

Labor availability influences location strategy.

Facility investments impact long-term operational performance.

Organizations are no longer looking for individual specialists to handle different aspects of the real estate process. Instead, they’re looking for a team that can put all of the pieces together to form a complete and cohesive whole.

That’s exactly why this merger makes sense.

The Industry Has Changed

The commercial real estate industry is significantly different today than it was just a few years ago.

The commercial real estate industry has undergone significant changes in the last few years and continues to evolve with organizations assessing how their people work, where they work and what type of space they require to support their business objectives. All of this is occurring in a volatile construction cost environment, as occupancy requirements fluctuate, and organizations give greater consideration to their capital dollars and how they are best utilized through a thoughtful capital planning process.

There are also an increasing number of demands being placed on today’s leadership who need to make key decisions in a timely manner and be held accountable for the decisions they make.

That creates a challenge.

Rather than helping a client to connect the dots between several different experts, we have come across many organizations with teams of several advisors – including a workplace strategist, a real estate broker, a project manager and several different contractors and builders – all of whom are contributing to a particular part of the puzzle, and who the organization’s leaders are left to coordinate as a separate project in and of itself.

Clients deserve something better.

What clients really need is an integrated approach that aligns the work of strategy, execution and results.

Why Cresa Portland

Our role has never been to try to force an outcome that is contrary to our client’s goals and objectives. Rather our responsibility is to act as an advocate on our client’s behalf. To protect their interests. To help manage risk. And to work with them to make the best and most informed decisions possible regarding their real estate portfolio.

We found the Cresa model to be aligned with our approach as well.

Both organizations believe in collaboration.

Both organizations believe in transparency.

We also both believe that successful projects are launched by organizations who understand what is most important to their client.

These values were exactly what we were looking for in a partner.

What It Means for Clients

For our clients, the merger between Cresa and BC Group means business as usual, with greatly expanded capabilities.

The BC Group team of experts in project leadership, owner’s representation and construction management will continue to provide the same level of service to our clients as before. It also means that we can now offer our clients access to a far greater array of services.

Our clients will continue to receive the project leadership, owner’s representation and construction management services. But now we can offer them access to a broad platform of additional services including workplace strategy, labor analytics, transaction management, portfolio optimization, site selection, lease advisory services and national market intelligence. All services will be delivered through a single integrated organization.

That creates significant advantages.

Decisions can be made earlier and better by project management teams who are working in tandem with workplace strategists.

When a transaction advisor is working with a project leader from the start, a company can get a true understanding of all of the financial implications of their real estate decisions.

When capital planning is aligned with an organization’s occupancy strategy, projects are able to move forward with greater confidence.

Better coordination, superior execution and fewer unpleasant surprises for our team of experts is here to deliver a successful project.

Looking Beyond Individual Projects

One of the things that I find particularly exciting about this merger and the future of the BC Group is the opportunity to help our clients think about real estate in terms of more than just individual projects.

Real estate should support business strategy. A facility is more than just a building. It’s a tool that helps an organization attract the best and brightest talent, conduct business, serve customers and patients, educate students, manufacture products, etc. The strongest outcomes for a client are achieved when the real estate strategy supports the overall business strategy to achieve the organization’s mission.

The strongest outcomes occur when those broader objectives guide every decision.

The BC Group project delivery expertise combined with the Cresa advisory platform allows us to help clients connect the dots of how real estate can support a company’s business strategy.

Look at a portfolio of decisions in terms of overall occupational strategy and other operating goals in conjunction with a construction strategy to achieve broader business objectives.

Looking Ahead

This merger represents an exciting new chapter for both organizations.

The commercial real estate environment will go through many changes in the future and BC Group will be there to advise clients on how best to proceed through changing market conditions, shifting expectations of how people work, and the many construction-related issues that arise.

What won’t change is the need for strong and trusted real estate advisers. This is the core to which we are committed.

Our commitment to our clients will continue to be our core values as we evolve with Cresa Portland.

Joining Cresa Portland, a 36-year-old national leader in corporate real estate services with a strong local presence provides BC Group with the ability to provide more resources, broader expertise, and more comprehensive solutions to our clients while still providing the same client-focused approach, local ownership and sound decision making that has defined BC Group.

For our clients, that’s what matters most.

And for our team, that’s what makes this partnership so exciting.