STRAIGHT TALK ON CAPITAL PROJECTS

STRAIGHT TALK ON CAPITAL PROJECTS

Owner-side insight into the decisions, tradeoffs, and realities that shape complex capital projects.

  • Let’s Discuss Your Capital Program
  • About Richard Neuman
Hot Topics
  • August 25, 2026 | The Executive Sponsor Is Not an Appeals Court
  • August 18, 2026 | The Cost Wasn’t Eliminated. The Options Were.
  • August 11, 2026 | The Building Gets Transferred. The Reasoning Often Doesn’t.
  • August 4, 2026 | Every Project Gets an Explanation. Not Every Explanation Is True.
  • July 28, 2026 | The Hidden Signal That Your Organization Has Outgrown a Facilities-Only Approach

Risk & Regulatory September 22, 2011

Urinals – Size Really Does Matter

In some areas of life it’s all about your reach… this shouldn’t be one of them… especially given the fact that it’s a touchy subject…


Development & Capital Projects September 21, 2011

Tips for Depreciating Tenant Leasehold Improvements, Construction and Renovation

What are Leasehold Improvements? Leasehold improvements (also referred to as “build-outs”) are structural changes or alterations to a leased space which are made by a tenant to…


Leasing & Transaction Strategy September 20, 2011

Electric Options For Your Office Lease – Direct Metering Makes Direct Sense

The three most common methods for charging for electricity are direct, submetered and rent inclusion. Direct The most cost effective electricity clause in a commercial lease…


Leasing & Transaction Strategy September 15, 2011

Controlling the Construction of Tenant Improvements in Office Leases: A Tenant’s Perspective – Part 3 of 3

Continued from Part 1 and Part 2 V. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS in a tenant build work letter In a tenant-controlled construction project, it is critical that…


Leasing & Transaction Strategy September 14, 2011

Controlling the Construction of Tenant Improvements in Office Leases: A Tenant’s Perspective – Part 2 of 3

Continued from Part 1 III. FUNDAMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS A. Landlord’s Motives Typically, both the tenant and the landlord will seek to control the expenditure of the tenant…


Leasing & Transaction Strategy September 13, 2011

Controlling the Construction of Tenant Improvements in Office Leases: A Tenant’s Perspective – Part 1 of 3

I. OVERVIEW The tenant work letter, is an agreement that is entered into concurrently with the execution of a lease and sets forth the terms…


Leasing & Transaction Strategy September 8, 2011

Commercial Office Lease Negotiation and Terms You Need To Know

Negotiation There is no “standard” commercial lease.  The idea of a “standard” lease with pages of take-it-or-leave-it “boilerplate” fine print is to dominate the situation….


Risk & Regulatory September 7, 2011

I Have Asbestos in My Building, Now What? A Guide to Asbestos Safety

Asbestos is a potentially lethal substance that was once used extensively in premises as an insulator and building material. Although this practice is now illegal…


Risk & Regulatory August 26, 2011

Communications Planning Before Natural Disasters

Commercial Tenants, please review this important information about how Social Media plays a vital role to communicate with staff, clients and vendors and keeping them informed about your…


Risk & Regulatory August 25, 2011

Fire Safety in Your Office – Pre-Fire Inspection Checklist

Please inspect your premises for the fire and life-safety items listed below. If the item is not in compliance, please correct the item(s) as soon…


Risk & Regulatory August 24, 2011

Records Management – Ensure Information Doesn’t Fall Into the Wrong Hands

Whether files are headed for destruction or storage, a secure approach helps to ensure  information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Businesses large and small are…


Leasing & Transaction Strategy August 23, 2011

When Moving Leased Office Equipment, Avoid Liability and Warranty Issues.

Office moves involve the transportation of multiple valuable equipment such as PCs, copiers and other machinery. Chances are you won’t have kept every box for…


Risk & Regulatory August 18, 2011

Maintain Clear Space Below Fire Sprinkler Heads in Your Office Storage Areas. It’s the Law.

QUESTION: Can a facility store items within 18-inches of the ceiling in a sprinklered building? ANSWER: Yes, if the storage is along a wall and…


Leasing & Transaction Strategy August 17, 2011

Hire a Commercial Real Estate Attorney for Your Office Lease, Not Your General Business Attorney

Would you hire a residential real estate broker to find you commercial office space? Probably not. Therefore, you should hire a real estate attorney to…


Leasing & Transaction Strategy August 16, 2011

Mistakes Tenants Make When Leasing Office Space

Hey, we all make mistakes – but when it comes to leasing office space for your business, mistakes equal dollars – sometimes big dollars. Here…


« 1 … 11 12 13 14 15 »

THE OWNER’S PERSPECTIVE

Richard Neuman

Richard Neuman

Owner-Side Capital Leadership

About Richard →

STRAIGHT TALK WEEKLY

The Most Consequential Capital Decisions Are Made Before Construction Begins.

Straight Talk challenges assumptions and blind spots that shape capital outcomes.

The issues explored here are often the ones project teams recognize long before they reach executive leadership.

Each week, you'll gain better questions to ask, earlier warning signs to recognize, and practical insights—before problems become expensive.

Grounded in real owner-side experience.

Plain-spoken.
Practical.
Unvarnished.


Because the decisions that matter most are often the ones everyone sees, but few discuss openly.

SEARCH CATEGORIES

Copyright © 2026 The Owners Rep New York and Richard M. Neuman