Harry Weese home in Evanston back on market

The house sold in four days in 2016. The sellers have made some upgrades, but are asking $625,000, about $30,000 less than their total investment.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180430/CRED0701/180439986/-harry-weese-home-in-evanston-back-on-market?utm_source=CRED0701&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Wallets open wide for $100 billion-plus M&A splurge

A smorgasbord of big deals, including major ones in health care, means CEOs must be bullish on business—but regulatory risks still loom.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180430/NEWS03/180439989/wallets-open-wide-for-100-billion-plus-ma-splurge?utm_source=NEWS03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Pair of Waldorf condos listed at $11.5 million

The offering, the highest current asking price for a condo in the city, is competing against a few other mega-priced condo combos here.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180430/CRED0701/180439991/pair-of-waldorf-condos-listed-at-11-5-million?utm_source=CRED0701&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Shopping center construction to hit all-time low

Amid falling demand for shopping center space, developers are spending more time redeveloping struggling properties than building anew.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180430/CRED02/180439992/shopping-center-construction-to-hit-all-time-low?utm_source=CRED02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Shopping center construction hits all-time low

Amid falling demand for shopping center space, developers are spending more time redeveloping struggling properties than building anew.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180430/CRED02/180439992/shopping-center-construction-hits-all-time-low?utm_source=CRED02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Vallas set to make mayoral race official

Despite a bout of laryngitis, the former CPS chief says he expects to announce his candidacy for mayor on Wednesday, and will be running a policy-heavy campaign.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180430/BLOGS02/180439993/vallas-set-to-make-mayoral-race-official?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Amazon's HQ2 and rent costs

Chicago's increase would be small, a Zillow report says.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180430/CRED03/180439995/amazons-hq2-and-rent-costs?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Crain's forum to tackle tough question

How to bring investment and economic activity to low-income neighborhoods on Chicago's South and West sides? The four-person panel will discuss the problem and solutions at a May 24 event.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180430/CRED03/304309997/crains-forum-to-tackle-tough-question?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

New Orleans food hall in works for McDonald's HQ

The fast-food giant's ground-floor restaurant at its new Fulton Market home may have fare from around the world, but another part of the building is in line to have a distinct bayou flavor.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180430/CRED03/180439998/new-orleans-food-hall-in-works-for-mcdonalds-hq?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Give Foreign Spouses of Temporary Workers the Right to Work

The Trump administration is expected to reverse a 2015 rule that gave employment authorization to some spouses of H-1B visa holders. Such a rollback would disrupt business, reduce productivity in the U.S. economy, and place new burdens on families, as I detail in a new Policy Brief released today. Moreover, undoing the rule will force thousands of women—who constitute the overwhelming majority of these spouses—out of the workplace during this era of female empowerment.

In 2015, the Department of Homeland Security published a final rule that provided a pathway to work authorization for the spouses of H-1B holders who were in the green-card line. Before that change, all spouses on the so-called H-4 visa were unable to work, regardless of skill or education level. The rule has allowed tens of thousands of  spouses to earn a paycheck and gain work experience over the last three years.

As I detail in the Brief, rolling back work authorization is harmful because bars on employment hurt families. A spousal visa without the opportunity to work often isolates the spouse in a new country and strains the principal because the family has only one income stream. Furthermore, spouses on dependent visas are more likely to suffer violence from their partner, a situation that employment—by reducing family stress and giving the spouse an independent personal network—could alleviate. In its rulemaking, DHS anticipated that extending employment opportunities would “reduce personal and economic burdens” on families.

The shortfalls of the non-employment policy also impact the wider national economy. The DHS rulemaking noted that the department received comments from both employers that lost valued H-1B employees because of their spouses’ lack of work and immigrants themselves who left the United States for more flexible employment options. Retaining top talent is crucial to ensure a productive workforce.

Giving spouses the right to work would bring the United States in line with other countries competing for high-valued immigrants. The U.S. economy is at the frontier of innovation, and highly-skilled immigrants can produce more here than they would elsewhere. The U.S. economy and the global marketplace are benefitted when these individuals can maximize their contributions.

With that in mind, attracting talent to where it is most productive globally requires us to remember that immigration is a family affair. Skilled immigrants looking for opportunities in the United States often have families to consider and support. For example, the National Science Foundation found the most common justification scientists and engineers gave for coming to the United States was “family-related reasons.”

The H-4 visa needs to be modernized. Right now, the visa fails to meet the needs of visa holders, their families, and the broader American economy. Rather than remove work authorizations and restrict the options for H-4 spouses to engage in meaningful employment, this administration—which has advocated for an immigration system based more on merit and skills—should seek to leverage the talents and capacities of the ambitious spouses of today’s foreign-born workforce.

Feminism in the workplace takes many forms, all of which should further an environment of inclusive opportunities for all women. Blocking H-4 visa holders—overwhelmingly women— from working unfairly lessens opportunities for immigrant women while damaging the U.S. economy.

To read the full brief, please click here.

The post Give Foreign Spouses of Temporary Workers the Right to Work appeared first on Niskanen Center.

from nicholemhearn digest https://niskanencenter.org/blog/give-foreign-spouses-the-right-to-work/

Our most-viewed real estate stories in the past week

News about a Fulton Market pioneer and a report on where homes are selling fastest make the list.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180430/CRED03/304309996/our-most-viewed-real-estate-stories-in-the-past-week?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Firing up women-led businesses

The must-read stories to get your day started.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180430/MORNING10/304309998/firing-up-women-led-businesses?utm_source=MORNING10&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Who wins, who loses with graduated Illinois tax? Study spells it out

A research group unveils a pair of graduated income tax options that for the first time tell taxpayers exactly where they and the state budget would stand. The key income figure: $300,000.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180430/BLOGS02/180439999/who-wins-who-loses-with-graduated-illinois-tax-study-spells-it-out?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Here's a voice for women in business

Check out Crain's Woman Up Project, a yearlong push to be a catalyst for change in Chicago.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/woman-up?utm_source=NEWS07&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Akorn accuses Fresenius of nixing $4.3B deal over buyer's remorse

The Lake Forest-based generic drugmaker alleges in a suit that the German medical equipment giant used a false pretext to walk away from their acquisition agreement.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180427/NEWS03/180429867/akorn-accuses-fresenius-of-nixing-4-3b-deal-over-buyers-remorse?utm_source=NEWS03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Peapod arms itself as grocery wars intensify

With big competitors like Amazon looming, the pioneering grocery delivery business is slashing prices and introducing meal kits.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180427/ISSUE01/180429868/peapod-arms-itself-as-grocery-wars-intensify?utm_source=ISSUE01&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

What are Commercial Real Estate Lease Operating Expenses?

The following post is copyrighted by Austin Tenant Advisors - .

When leasing commercial real estate it’s important to understand what is being included in the rental rate and what all you are paying for. Most commercial leases are going to be triple net leases where you pay your pro rata share of operating expenses as well as the base rental rate.

In many cases such as when renting commercial real estate in Austin Tx the operating expenses are going to be about half of what your base rental rate is. For example in Northwest Austin class A office space base rates are $30 sf and the operating expenses are estimated at $16 sf. In downtown Austin operating expenses are over $20 sf. As you can see operating expenses are a significant portion of your total rent amount.

Below you will learn what operating expenses are, what’s included, and what can be negotiated.

What are Commercial Property Operating Expenses?

The definition of commercial property operating expenses (OPEX) is the costs associated with maintaining and operating a commercial property such as office space, retail space, and warehouse space. Depending on the building lease structure the operating expenses maybe a component of the gross rent or be in addition to the base rent. Most commercial office leases in Austin are going to be triple net (NNN) leases in which the OPEX are paid by the tenant in addition to the base rent. With multi-tenant buildings each tenant is responsible for their share of opex which depends on the rentable square footage of their space compared to the total rentable square footage of the building.

What do Operating Expenses Include?

• Property Taxes – The city is going to charge the property owner property taxes which are in turn passed along to the tenants. Taxes will typically be the largest portion of Opex.
• Insurance – All commercial property owners need insurance as required by the lender.
• Common Area Maintenance Charges (CAM) – such as maintenance & repairs, administrative fees, utilities, parking lot maintenance, management salaries, property lighting, etc. What is included varies by property type and building owner.

What is Not Included In Operating Expenses?

The short answer is they do not typically include capital expenses, debt service, commercial property marketing costs, leasing commissions, tenant improvement allowances, or capital reserves for future repairs.

Is Commercial Real Estate OPEX Negotiable?

If you are a larger tenant then landlords may be negotiable on their controllable items such as CAM charges since they can control how the building is managed. For example getting the landlord to agree to capping the annual opex increases. Landlord’s have no control over property tax increases, therefore will not agree to cap those.

How to Negotiate an Operating Expense Cap

• Year to Year (aka Non Cumulative Cap) – Cap the CAM percent that the landlord can increase year over year. For example with a 3% year to year cap the maximum increase the tenant is responsible for is 3%, even if it increases to 4% the 1st year.  If CAM’s increase by 2% then tenant only responsible for 2%. Most tenants prefer this approach
• Cumulative Compounding Cap – Again an annual maximum Cap is set however landlord can recoup previous years unused increases. For example  if CAM increases by 2% year 1, tenant pays 2%. Year 2 CAM increases by 4% and tenant is responsible for paying the 4% (3% for this year and 1% left from year before). Landlords prefer this method.

Examples of Commercial Property Operating Expenses

I pulled the info below from one of the commercial leases I was reviewing. Most have this sort of language in the lease that defines what operating expenses are AND what they are not.

Operating Expenses May Include the Following:

1. Costs incurred by Landlord or Landlord’s agents and contractors in connection with the provision of services pursuant to Section 7 of the Lease (but excluding the cost of utilities consumed in the Premises and the premises of other Occupants of the Building and Project to the extent Tenant or any other Occupant is separately paying for the cost of utilities);
2. Costs incurred by Landlord or Landlord’s agents and contractors in connection with maintaining the Project in accordance with Section 9.3 of the Lease;
3. Professional building management fees and the fair rental value of any management office space in the Project;
4. Costs of capital improvements, structural repairs and replacements to the Project (collectively, the “Permitted Capital Improvements”): (i) that are intended to reduce (or avoid increases in) Operating Expenses, (ii) that are required by a governmental authority subsequent to the Commencement Date (except for capital repairs, replacements or other improvements to fix an existing condition before to the Commencement Date which a governmental authority, if it had knowledge of such problem prior to the Commencement Date, would have required to be fixed pursuant to then-current government regulations in their form existing as of the Commencement Date and pursuant to the then-current interpretation of such governmental laws or regulations by the applicable governmental authority as of the Commencement Date), or (iii) that that are replacements, retrofits or refurbishments of nonstructural items which serve the Building and/or the Project in the whole or in part (including, without limitation, Building Systems, and items in Common Areas; provided, however, unless required by Law or in order to comply with Landlord’s repair and maintenance obligations under the Lease, in no event shall Permitted Capital Improvements include (1) purely cosmetic capital improvements to the Building or the Project or (2) the replacement of any Building Structure (other than sealants for any part of the Building’s envelope, including curtain walls and windows). Expenditures for Permitted Capital Improvements shall be amortized at a market rate of interest over the useful life of such Permitted Capital Improvement (as determined by Landlord’s accountants in accordance with GAAP);
5. Costs of supplies, including, but not limited to, the cost of all building-standard lighting as the same may be required from time to time;
6. Costs incurred in connection with obtaining and providing energy for the Project, including but not limited to costs of propane, butane, natural gas, steam, electricity, solar energy and fuel oils, coal or any other energy sources;
7. Costs of water and sanitary and storm drainage services;
8. Costs of janitorial and security services;
9. Costs of general maintenance and repairs, including costs under HVAC and other mechanical maintenance contracts; and repairs and replacements of equipment used in connection with such maintenance and repair work;
10. Costs of maintenance and replacement of landscaping; and costs of maintenance of parking areas (including, without limitation, the Project’s parking facilities) and other Common Areas;
11. Insurance premiums and deductibles, including fire and Special Form coverage, together with loss of rent endorsement; public liability insurance; and any other insurance carried by Landlord on the Project or any component parts thereof (all of such insurance shall be in such amounts as may be required by any Superior Rights Holder or as Landlord may reasonably determine);
12. Labor costs, including wages and other payments, costs to Landlord of worker’s compensation and disability insurance, payroll taxes, welfare fringe benefits and all legal fees and other costs or expenses incurred in resolving any labor disputes;
13. Reasonable legal, accounting, inspection, and other consultation fees (including, without limitation, fees charged by consultants retained by Landlord for services that are designed to produce a reduction in Operating Expenses or to reasonably improve the operation, maintenance or state of repair of the Project) incurred in the ordinary course of operating the Project;
14. Costs incurred by Landlord or Landlord’s accountants in engaging experts or other consultants to assist them in making the computations required pursuant to the Lease;
15. Costs of subsidized food service that is made available to all Occupants;
16. Costs necessary to comply with any REAs or any ground or underlying lease of all or any portion of the Land;
17. Seasonal and holidays displays; and
18. Events, parties and celebrations that are available to all Occupants.

Operating Expenses Do Not Include the Following

In no event shall Operating Expenses include any of the following (collectively, “Exclusions”):

1. Costs of repair or other work caused by windstorm, fire or other insured casualty to the extent of insurance proceeds received;
2. Costs of repairs or renovation necessitated by condemnation to the extent of any award received;
3. Any interest or principal on borrowed money or debt amortization, except for Permitted Capital Improvements;
4. Depreciation on the Project;
5. Any costs incurred by Landlord associated with payment of damages as a result of any breach of this Lease by Landlord;
6. Landlord’s payment of damages for personal injury resulting from the negligence or willful acts of Landlord’s Responsible Parties;
7. Costs and fees associated with the sale or refinancing of the Project or any associated debt;
8. Penalties for Landlord’s failure to pay taxes, assessments, debt services or any other charge, unless such failure arises from Tenant’s breach of the Lease;
9. Costs for which Landlord is reimbursed (other than Operating Expenses paid by Tenant);
10. All costs associated with the operation of the business of the entity which constitutes “Landlord” (as distinguished from the costs of Project operations) including, but not limited to, Landlord’s general corporate overhead and general administrative expenses;
11. The cost of services provided by any affiliates of Landlord to the extent such costs exceed the costs of such services rendered by unaffiliated parties on a competitive basis for Comparable Buildings;
12. Costs of installing any specialty service, such as an observatory, broadcasting facility, luncheon club, or athletic or recreational club;
13. Costs (other than maintenance costs) of any art work (such as sculptures or paintings) used to decorate the Building;
14. Interest and penalties due to late payment of any amounts owed by Landlord, except such as may be incurred as a result of Tenant’s failure to timely pay its portion of such amounts or as a result of Landlord’s contesting such amounts in good faith;
15. Costs arising from Landlord’s charitable or political contributions;
16. Rental loss, bad debt or capital expenditure reserve accounts (other than escrow accounts for the payment of property taxes and insurance premiums);
17. Promotional gifts; entertainment, dining or travel expenses;
18. Salaries, wages and benefits of personnel above the grade of property manager (unless equitably allocated); or
19. Reserves for bad debts or for future improvements, repairs, additions or otherwise.
20. Costs, including marketing costs, space planners’ fees, legal fees, advertising and promotional expenses, and brokerage fees incurred in connection with the original construction or development, or original or future leasing of the Project, and costs, including inspection costs and permit, license, incurred due to the installation of new tenants improvements in the Project after the Commencement Date or otherwise painting, decorating, improving or redecorating vacant space for tenants (excluding, however, common area costs of the Project or parking areas);
21. Costs or amounts paid as ground rental for the Project by the Landlord;
22. Costs to the extent arising from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord or its agents, employees, vendors, contractors, or providers of materials or services; or
23. Costs incurred to comply with Laws to remedy a condition existing prior to the Commencement Date (including, the removal of hazardous materials in existence in the Building or on the Project prior to the Commencement Date).

The post What are Commercial Real Estate Lease Operating Expenses? appeared first on Austin Tenant Advisors.

AFSCME endorses J.B. Pritzker

"Working families are unquestionably worse off now than when (Rauner) took office," says the leader of the state's largest public sector employee union.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180427/BLOGS02/180429870/afscme-endorses-j-b-pritzker?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

A new brewery coming to the West Loop

Plus, new restaurants in Naperville and River North.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180427/BLOGS09/180429872/a-new-brewery-coming-to-the-west-loop?utm_source=BLOGS09&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Chicago job growth stalls

City job growth has flatlined after a stretch in which Chicago outpaced the metro area and the region. And the timing of the new data may not be helpful to the mayor.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180427/BLOGS02/180429876/chicago-job-growth-stalls?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Hill-Rom names new CEO

An industry veteran joins the Chicago-based medical device company next month.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180427/NEWS03/180429877/hill-rom-names-new-ceo?utm_source=NEWS03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

City rolls out new package to cut red tape for small biz

Emanuel's latest plan will allow inspections at night and on weekends and begin using a standard inspection checklist; sidewalk cafes will open year-round.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180427/BLOGS02/180429880/city-rolls-out-new-package-to-cut-red-tape-for-small-biz?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

There Is No Campus Free Speech Crisis: A Close Look at the Evidence

The campus free speech debate is heating up. Last month I made the case (first in a Twitter thread and then again at the Washington Post’s The Monkey Cage) that there is no campus free speech crisis. Around the same time, similar arguments were made by Matt Yglesias (at Vox), Aaron Hanlon (at NBC), and Mari Uyehara (at GQ). The gist of our collective argument was that young people and university students are generally supportive of free speech, that university enrollment is associated with an increase in tolerance for offensive speech, and that a small number of anecdotes have been permitted to set the terms of public debate.

Unsurprisingly, these debunkings have attracted some debunkings of their own. The most detailed of these was a pair of posts by Sean Stevens and Jonathan Haidt at the Heterodox Academy. In addition to restating the case for why the campus free speech crisis is real, Stevens and Haidt make a number of additional claims for why alarm is warranted. I am grateful for their critique, but I am not persuaded.

The Claim: Young people aged 18-24 are significantly less supportive of free speech than older generations

In their two response pieces, Stevens and Haidt acknowledge that young people overall are supportive of free speech, but argue that those born after 1995 are different. For a variety of reasons (elsewhere Haidt has identified changes in child-rearing practices, the development of social media, and political polarization), young people aged 18-24 (Stevens and Haidt call them “iGen”) are much less tolerant of offensive speech than older Millennials or other Americans in general.[1]

The evidence does not support this claim. Stevens and Haidt place special weight on the results of a 2017 Cato/YouGov survey of Americans’ attitudes about various speech-related issues.[2] In particular, they focus on a set of questions asking whether respondents would support a ban on speech offensive to ten different kinds of groups (e.g. white people, Muslims, the police). On average, the youngest two age groups (18-24 and 25-35 year olds) support banning offensive speech 44% and 43% of the time respectively, whereas the two oldest age groups (55-64 and 65+ year olds) support them only 33% each.

So iGen is different, right? Not so fast. First of all, the Cato/YouGov survey asks dozens of other speech related questions and in many of them young people lead the way (e.g. in their support for freedom of the press). While I understand why Stevens and Haidt chose to focus on speech bans, I suspect they would agree that those questions tell us only part of the story.

And anyway, the story they tell does not support the iGen theory. A comparison between all generations (and not just the two youngest vs. the two oldest) shows that iGen’ers are much less out of the mainstream than Stevens and Haidt suggest.

Source: 2017 Cato/YouGov Free Speech and Tolerance Survey
Note: “Don’t know/refused” are excluded.
Figure 1: Support for banning offensive speech

 

Yes, if you look closely, you will note that iGen’ers are slightly more supportive on average of banning certain types of offensive speech than older generations, but there is no sudden spike or sweeping change. If these numbers are meant to show that iGen’ers are different, you need to really squint to see it.[3]

There are other problems with Stevens and Haidt’s theory. Not only are young people’s attitudes in line with national averages, but their intensity levels are too. This becomes obvious once we distinguish between degrees of support for speech bans, which the Cato/YouGov survey allows us to do.

Source: 2017 Cato/YouGov Free Speech and Tolerance Survey
Note: “Don’t know/refused” are excluded.
Figure 2: Support for banning offensive speech, with intensity

 

As this figure shows, not only are the opinions of iGen’ers within the mainstream, but so is the intensity with which they hold them. In fact, iGen’ers are less likely to strongly favor speech bans than 25-34 or 45-54 year olds, and are tied with 35-44 year olds. The upshot is that if you were on the hunt for a radical anti-free speech fringe, you would be better off looking among older Millennials or the middle aged.[4]

A decade of data from the Knight Foundation on high school students tells a similar story. Support for the First Amendment is currently at its strongest level yet recorded, with a majority of high schoolers (56%) disagreeing with the statement “The First Amendment goes too far in the rights it protects.” Note that there is no change during the years when iGen would be entering high school.

Source: 2016 Knight Foundation Future of the First Amendment Survey
Figure 3: Support for the First Amendment among high schoolers, 2006-2016.

 

High schoolers display similarly consistent levels of support when presented with specific speech-related scenarios. Again, the entry of iGen makes no visible difference.

Source: 2016 Knight Foundation Future of the First Amendment Survey
Figure 4: Support for specific free speech scenarios among high schoolers, 2004-2016.

 

And contrary to Haidt’s theory about the relationship between social media and free speech, the Knight Foundation survey also found that high schoolers who actively engage with news on social media – discussing stories, posting comments, and linking to articles – consistently demonstrate greater support for free speech, not less.

But there is a deeper problem with Stevens and Haidt’s theory about iGen. Strictly speaking, their argument is not that young people are hostile to free speech. After all, young people do not stay young forever, and if their attitudes about free speech are just a function of age, then the “problem” will largely take care of itself. Instead, Stevens and Haidt argue that their attitudes are a function of cohort, and as such will endure over time.

Unfortunately, they do not present any evidence to substantiate this claim, and for an understandable reason – there is very little longitudinal data comparing generational support for free speech. But without that data, it becomes impossible to know whether iGen’ers are really different or just really young.

The Claim: There is a “politically correct” range of acceptable speech on campus, and it leans heavily to the left of the political spectrum

This claim may be correct, but we should be cautious about how we interpret it. Stevens and Haidt cite the 2017 Knight Foundation Free Expression on Campus survey showing a rise in the number of college students who say that “the climate on my campus prevents some people from saying things they believe because others might find them offensive”, from 54% in 2016 to 61% in 2017.

However, with only two data points to work with (there is no earlier data), it is impossible to know whether what we are seeing is random statistical noise or the beginnings of a trend. Moreover, this increase is being driven by perceptions of self-censorship among Democrats and Independents. The number of Republican students who reported a censorious climate on campus actually dropped from 62% to 53%.

Source: 2017 Knight Foundation Free Expression on Campus survey
Figure 5: Perceptions of a censorious climate on campus, 2016-2017.

 

Even so, Stevens and Haidt are probably correct that liberal students have an easier time expressing themselves on campus. According to a 2017 FIRE/YouGov survey, conservative-leaning students were more likely to report that they censor themselves than liberal students, both in the classroom (60% vs. 53%) and outside of it (47% vs. 40%). And while most of this was due to a desire to fit in or avoid hurting someone else’s feelings, conservatives who self-censored were more likely than liberals to offer reasons like fear of receiving a poor grade from their professor (77% vs. 26%) or getting in trouble with a campus employee (17% vs. 5%).

These are concerning numbers, though the mechanisms at work need further study. Does the content of the speech matter? Are certain types of courses or classroom environments more censorious than others? How is the fear of retribution (from professors, administrative staff, other students, etc.) generated and distributed? More research is clearly needed.

However, it bears noting that Americans are, in general, a self-censoring people. Fifty-eight percent of us self-censor, according to the Cato/YouGov survey. And while the disparity between conservative and liberal self-censorship is real, it is actually smaller on campus than it is off. Conservative students self-censor less, and liberal students self-censor more, than do their counter-parts among the general population. In other words, to the extent that there is an ideological divide over political correctness in America, universities are a relative exception.

The Claim: The political left is a bigger threat to campus free speech than the political right

This final claim is the most subjective and therefore the most difficult to critically evaluate. Threats to free speech on campus can come from many directions, including from students, faculty, administrative staff, alumni, the local community, and politicians. Many of these may have no clear political identity or agenda as such, but are concerned instead with things like avoiding embarrassment or pleasing donors.

Nevertheless, politics can be a factor. Stevens and Haidt cite data from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s (FIRE) Disinvitation Database to show that the political left is responsible for the vast majority of “disinvitation incidents”, defined as episodes in which members of the campus community attempt to block an outside speaker from speaking on campus.

But we should be skeptical of this conclusion. First of all, the Disinvitation Database is incomplete. It especially undercounts disinvitation incidents at religious colleges and universities, of which there have been many over the years. All of these examples were instigated by the right. All of them were successful. None are in FIRE’s database. And while some were cancelled due to quiet intervention by the university, others were the result of well-funded, nation-wide campaigns. Whatever the cause, the absence of these cases makes the imbalance between the left and the right seem much greater than it actually is.[5]

But even so, we should expect there to be more disinvitation attempts coming from the campus left than from the right. After all, that’s where more of the students are (35% vs. 22% of incoming freshmen, according to one recent survey). The implication of Stevens and Haidt’s argument is that liberal students are worse on free speech than conservatives. Maybe. Or maybe there are just a lot more of them.

Not convinced? Consider another way that free speech on campus might be threatened: terminating faculty for political speech. Are faculty whose speech is perceived to be political more likely to be fired due to criticism from the left or the right? It is an important question, one that reentered public debate recently following a Fresno State professor’s controversial remark.

To begin to answer this question, I gathered together all cases from 2015 to 2017 involving:

• a faculty member at an American degree-granting postsecondary nonprofit institution;
• who was fired, forced to resign/resigned as part of a settlement, or demoted/denied promotion;
• due to speech perceived by critics as political.

Sources included the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, AAUP, FIRE, and Campus Reform. You can view the resulting dataset here.

Inevitably there were ambiguous cases. Some involved professors who resigned over withering public criticism but retained the support of their institutions (e.g. Areej Zufari at Rollins College, Dale Brigham at the University of Missouri). In others, the evidence was suggestive but ultimately too thin to establish causation (e.g. Daniel Browning at William Carey College). Such cases were excluded from the dataset. On the other hand, I chose to include deans and comparable non-faculty academics (e.g. Nicholas Christakis at Yale University, N. Bruce Duthu at Dartmouth College) on the grounds that doing so contributes to an overall assessment of the campus free speech situation.

What remains are 45 cases from 2015 to 2017 where a faculty member was fired, resigned, or demoted/denied promotion due to speech deemed by critics as political. Of these, more than half (26) occurred in 2017, the clear majority (19) being over liberal speech. This disparity persists even after removing terminations occurring in private religious institutions.

Source: The US Faculty Termination for Political Speech Database
Figure 6: Faculty termination by speech type, 2015-2017.

 

For liberals, the most common types of speech to result in termination were those perceived by critics as “anti-white” or “anti-Christian” (e.g. George Ciccariello-Maher, Phillip Lestman). For conservatives, they were “anti-minority” or “anti-diversity” (e.g. Susan Quade, Paul Griffiths).

These cases can be further analyzed in terms of faculty ranking, which show an especially sharp increase in 2017 in the number of terminations involving contingent faculty (e.g. adjuncts, visiting scholars, graduate student lecturers). However, due to data collection problems, this number probably significantly undercounts the phenomenon.[6]

Source: The US Faculty Termination for Political Speech Database
Figure 7: Faculty termination by rank, 2015-2017.

 

And finally, most of the increase in faculty terminations is taking place at public institutions. Considering the First Amendment rights that such employees enjoy, this may be surprising. However it is important to keep in mind that public institutions al

from nicholemhearn digest https://niskanencenter.org/blog/there-is-no-campus-free-speech-crisis-a-close-look-at-the-evidence/

United executive lists Kenilworth home

The 1893 home was designed by the architect of the Kenilworth Co., which developed the town in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180427/CRED0701/180429886/united-executive-lists-kenilworth-home?utm_source=CRED0701&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Boeing and Caterpillar are sanguine on China trade. Should they be?

Neither company really knows how the trade showdown between the U.S. and China will turn out. Their upbeat take on the situation may amount to so much wishful thinking.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180427/ISSUE10/180429881/boeing-and-caterpillar-are-sanguine-on-china-trade-should-they-be?utm_source=ISSUE10&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

NFL draft will turn athletes into millionaires -- and make them prime targets for risk

Sponsored by Burns & Wilcox, an H. W. Kaufman Group company

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.comhttps://insurancemarketsource.com/trending/nfl-draft-athletes-into-millionaires-targets-for-risk?utm_source=Crains&utm_medium=c0008&utm_campaign=Crains&utm_term=20180426?utm_source=SPONSORED&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

United COO Greg Hart lists Kenilworth home

The 1893 home, separated from Lake Michigan by one house, is one of several in town designed by the architect of the Kenilworth Company, which developed the town.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180426/CRED0701/180429886/united-coo-greg-hart-lists-kenilworth-home?utm_source=CRED0701&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

WTTW parent picks a new CEO

Window to the World Communications' new leader, who joins next week, comes from an executive role at Hyatt Hotels.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180426/NEWS06/180429885/wttw-parent-picks-a-new-ceo?utm_source=NEWS06&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

The rich are betting on living to 100

To live as long as possible, the world's wealthy are willing to pay up.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180426/NEWS03/180429889/the-rich-are-betting-on-living-to-100?utm_source=NEWS03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

It's a bad time to stop making small cars

Automakers are financing their electric-vehicle research by selling SUVs, but rising gas prices will turn off consumers. (We're looking at you, Ford.)

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180426/NEWS05/180429888/its-a-bad-time-to-stop-making-small-cars?utm_source=NEWS05&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

AbbVie must escape the long shadow of Humira's decline

Solid near-term results can't erase doubts about the future.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180426/NEWS03/180429890/abbvie-must-escape-the-long-shadow-of-humiras-decline?utm_source=NEWS03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Lipinski: Let bumped passengers rebook on other airlines

The Southwest Side Democrat pushes legislation to give fliers new rights if they suffer a delay of three hours or more because of mistakes by their airline.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180426/BLOGS02/180429891/lipinski-let-bumped-passengers-rebook-on-other-airlines?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Rauner needs to do more than talk—and veto—on gun violence

As a widely supported bill to allow local regulation of gun dealers dies, it's up to the man who killed it to get something just as good enacted.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180426/BLOGS02/180429892/rauner-needs-to-do-more-than-talk-x2014-and-veto-x2014-on-gun?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Wishbone losing its West Loop home of 26 years

The West Loop pioneer lost its lease in the red-hot neighborhood and is moving to a new space about a half-mile away this summer.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180426/BLOGS09/180429893/wishbone-losing-its-west-loop-home-of-26-years?utm_source=BLOGS09&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Israeli company to buy Chicago software maker

Local company Mattersight uses data to understand the behavior of callers.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180426/BLOGS11/180429894/israeli-company-to-buy-chicago-software-maker?utm_source=BLOGS11&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

REI plans riverside store on Near North Side

The outdoor gear retailer plans a new store along the North Branch Canal, where customers will be able to take a kayak or paddleboard out for a test paddle.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180426/CRED03/180429896/rei-plans-riverside-store-on-near-north-side?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Garza Ranch Office Space

The following post is copyrighted by Austin Tenant Advisors - .

Garza Ranch is a new 34 acre commercial development in Southwest Austin that will include 400,000 sf of office space, a 140 room, five story Aloft boutique hotel, a 370 unit apartment complex and a 2.2 acre park. The new project is located off of South Mopac Expressway in Southwest Austin, really close to William Cannon. Software House International (SHI) has already announced plans to build and move into 1 of the 2 buildings to be built. The remaining 150,000 sf has not been spoken for at this point.

Brandywine Realty already has contractors doing the infrastructure work to build roads and utilities to the property that is expected to be completed by the end of 2018. The office buildings are expected to be complete by the 1st quarter of 2020.

For more information about office space for rent in Southwest Austin  at Garza Ranch give us a call at 512-861-0525

The post Garza Ranch Office Space appeared first on Austin Tenant Advisors.

A 'self-contained metropolis in suburbia'

Plans have been unveiled by the developer lining up a deal to buy the vacant 1.6 million-square-foot former AT&T campus in Hoffman Estates.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180426/CRED03/180429897/a-self-contained-metropolis-in-suburbia?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Brookfield forms unit to fund startups

Brookfield Ventures plans to invest $200 million to $300 million over the next three years in startups in its four business lines: real estate, infrastructure, power and private equity.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180426/CRED03/180429898/brookfield-forms-unit-to-fund-startups?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

CME Center lands new tenant

Health care consulting firm Kaufman Hall plans to open an office there this summer.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180426/CRED03/180429899/cme-center-lands-new-tenant?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Ford quitting every car in North America but two

That means big changes for Chicago's Far South Side mega-factory.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180426/NEWS05/180429901/ford-quitting-every-car-in-north-america-but-two?utm_source=NEWS05&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

The convenience store chain for bougies

What started as a delivery app for craft beer and chips has turned into a high-end retailer, with investors clamoring to take the concept beyond Chicago.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180426/ISSUE01/180429919/the-convenience-store-chain-for-bougies?utm_source=ISSUE01&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

How to fix the state's budget: Tie spending to economic growth

Budgeting is all about prioritizing your spending based on a set amount of income. Unfortunately, in Illinois, we don't have budgets at all—we have spending plans.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180426/OPINION/180429929/how-to-fix-the-states-budget-tie-spending-to-economic-growth?utm_source=OPINION&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Northwestern spinout NuMat raises $12.4 million

Braintree founder Bryan Johnson's OS Fund leads the latest investment in the Skokie nanotech startup.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180426/BLOGS11/180429906/northwestern-spinout-numat-raises-12-4-million?utm_source=BLOGS11&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Where homes are selling fastest

Flippers are acting quickly in neighborhoods with foreclosed homes. Buyers are snapping up rehabs and affordable condos.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180426/CRED0701/180429908/where-homes-are-selling-fastest?utm_source=CRED0701&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Illinois House says no to sales-tax 'bounty hunting'

A move to allow private companies to get state sales tax data on who pays what goes down to a big defeat.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180425/BLOGS02/180429907/illinois-house-says-no-to-sales-tax-bounty-hunting?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Illinois Center, LaSalle St. towers up for sale

The listings add to what has been a busy start to the year for commercial property sales after deal volume dropped in 2017.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180425/CRED03/180429909/illinois-center-lasalle-st-towers-up-for-sale?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Illinois pays price for budget uncertainty in $500 million deal

The state's fiscal woes are making borrowing more costly as its leaders attempt to avoid a repeat of last year's impasse.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180425/NEWS02/180429910/illinois-pays-price-for-budget-uncertainty-in-500-million-deal?utm_source=NEWS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Trump tax-cap workaround picks up steam—and some legal backing

Would a measure making its way through the statehouse, to skirt the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions, pass muster with the IRS? A Chicago tax expert thinks it just might.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180425/BLOGS02/180429915/trump-tax-cap-workaround-picks-up-steam-and-some-legal-backing?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Trump tax-cap workaround picks up steam—and some legal backing

Would a measure making its way through the statehouse, to skirt the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions, pass muster with the IRS? A Chicago tax expert thinks it just might.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180425/BLOGS02/180429915/trump-tax-cap-workaround-picks-up-steam-x2014-and-some-legal-backing?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

This Winnetka home just sold for $12 million

A newly built lakefront house has sold for the highest price paid for a home in the suburb since mid-2013.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180425/CRED0701/180429916/this-winnetka-home-just-sold-for-12-million?utm_source=CRED0701&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Compass acquires Chicago brokerage Conlon Christie's

The fast-growing new York-based firm triples its ranks here with the purchase of the agency realty TV personality Sean Conlon founded in 2009.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180425/CRED0701/180429918/compass-acquires-chicago-brokerage-conlon-christies?utm_source=CRED0701&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Fulton Market 'Real World' house on the market

The owner of the property, across from McDonald's new headquarters, is getting real about taking advantage of soaring values in the trendy neighborhood.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180425/CRED03/180429921/fulton-market-real-world-house-on-the-market?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Big apartment tower next to McCormick Place hits the market

Crescent Heights is seeking $116 million to $120 million for the 35-story building, which the developer bought for $96 million in 2013.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180425/CRED03/180429922/big-apartment-tower-next-to-mccormick-place-hits-the-market?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

National forecaster dings Rauner's re-election chances

Rauner's seat now is the most likely to flip parties of any governorship up for election this year, Hotline says.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180425/BLOGS02/180429923/national-forecaster-dings-rauners-re-election-chances?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Old Navy planned for Marshfield Plaza

The apparel chain will add 60 stores this year in North America.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180425/CRED03/180429924/old-navy-planned-for-marshfield-plaza?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Here are the most endangered landmarks in Illinois

The 2018 list includes a 19th-century auditorium in Bronzeville and a Wilmette house that's a relic of the 1933-34 World's Fair in Chicago.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180425/NEWS07/180429927/here-are-the-most-endangered-landmarks-in-illinois?utm_source=NEWS07&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

What are the Different Types of Commercial Real Estate Property & Buildings?

The following post is copyrighted by Austin Tenant Advisors - .

When looking at the different types of commercial real estate property investors and tenants have different objectives. Investors look at commercial real estate (aka commercial property) as a way to make money by generating profits from land or buildings. The primary ways investors make money with commercial real estate properties are through one or more of the following: appreciation, cash flow, and principal build up by having tenant rents pay down the loan. Many investors are looking hard at investing in Austin Tx commercial real estate.

Tenants on the other hand are looking to rent commercial property in prime locations for their businesses. Since there are many different types of  commercial property tenants have to thoroughly evaluate their needs to determine which type is best suited for their company. To help below I have listed the different types of commercial real estate. 

Office Space

Office buildings consist of multistory buildings in the suburbs or downtown high rises and skyscrapers with common area lobbies, hallways, and bathrooms. These larger buildings can be up to 300,000 to 500,000 rentable square feet. They also can be single tenant properties, smaller professional office buildings and condos. Short term serviced executive suites and coworking spaces would also fall into this category.

Traditional office space are typically classified as A, B, or C. Class A office buildings will be the newest, nicest and most expensive buildings in the best locations, and with the best amenities. Class B offices are nice but typically a little bit older and without all the amenities. Class C buildings are the oldest, less maintained, and least expensive office buildings, and in less desirable locations.

Industrial Space

Industrial spaces have multiple categories as they are designed to service different types of users. They will range from small Flexible or R&D properties to larger warehouse and distribution centers. Companies that rent industrial space may need a little bit of office space however a large portion of it will be warehouse space used for bulk storage, retail warehousing, manufacturing, distribution, light assembly, etc. They typically equipped with loading docks that can be grade level allowing vehicles to drive in or dock high allowing 18 wheelers or box trucks back in to deliver product.

Retail & Restaurant Space

If you are looking for visibility for your company than retail space will typically have the best locations for your store or shop. Retail shopping centers, pad sites located on highway frontages, small neighborhood shopping centers, single tenant retail buildings, large big box shopping centers (aka power centers) with stores such as Petsmart & Best Buy, grocery store anchored centers, and regional outlet malls.

Multifamily

Multifamily includes anything larger than a fourplex such as apartment complexes or downtown high-rise apartment buildings and condos. You will also see mid-rise, manufactured housing communities (e.g. mobile home parks), and special purpose housing.

Land

Any raw, undeveloped or rural land in the path of future development. You will also see pad sites for sale on many highway frontage roads.

Other Types of Commercial Property

Any other nonresidential property including hospitality, hotels, self storage units, & medical space such as nursing homes and hospitals

The post What are the Different Types of Commercial Real Estate Property & Buildings? appeared first on Austin Tenant Advisors.

Episode 15: How Debt Finance Leads to War and Defense Spending

We’re increasing defense spending and launching military strikes—and we’re putting it all on the national credit card. That may be no coincidence. Sarah Kreps finds that Americans are more supportive of wars when they are financed through debt rather than taxes. Across the world, Matt DiGiuseppe finds that a nation’s creditworthiness leads to more military spending, especially in response to threats. Military power and conflict used to be financed by taxes, limiting democracies’ appetites–but now that accountability has been lost.

The Niskanen Center’s Political Research Digest features up-and-coming researchers delivering fresh insights on the big trends driving American politics today. Get beyond punditry to data-driven understanding of today’s Washington with host and political scientist Matt Grossmann. Each 15-minute episode covers two new cutting-edge studies and interviews two researchers.

Subscribe to the Political Research Digest Podcast

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The post Episode 15: How Debt Finance Leads to War and Defense Spending appeared first on Niskanen Center.

from nicholemhearn digest https://niskanencenter.org/blog/episode-15-how-debt-finance-leads-to-war-and-defense-spending/

Glam in Wheaton

This 4,300-square-foot home was built for family, but has plenty of style and barrel-vaulted ceilings. It will be listed June 1 at $1.6 million.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180425/CRED0703/180429930/glam-in-wheaton?utm_source=CRED0703&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Sales of new homes drop to start the year

It's the fourth consecutive quarter down or flat compared to the year before in Chicago's 'yawn of a homebuilding market.'

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180425/CRED0701/180429931/sales-of-new-homes-drop-to-start-the-year?utm_source=CRED0701&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Is Lampert finally giving up on Sears?

The Sears CEO's offer to buy some of the retailer's assets—but not the entire company—speaks volumes about his confidence in Sears as a going concern.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180425/BLOGS10/180429934/is-lampert-finally-giving-up-on-sears?utm_source=BLOGS10&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

The opioid epidemic's next victims: Social service nonprofits

How can nonprofits continue to care for children whose parents are undergoing treatment for opioid abuse when social workers and youth care workers are paid an average of $13.88 an hour?

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180425/OPINION/180429943/the-opioid-epidemics-next-victims-social-service-nonprofits?utm_source=OPINION&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

From 'Mayochup' to potential mayhem: Kraft Heinz and social media

This month's Twitter teasers about "mayochup"—its new product combining mayonnaise and ketchup—is illustrative of its new approach.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180424/NEWS14/180429932/from-mayochup-to-potential-mayhem-kraft-heinz-and-social-media?utm_source=NEWS14&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Sinclair agrees to sell WGN-TV—but would still control it

The conservative broadcaster said it will sell the Chicago station to an entity called WGN-TV LLC. The people behind WGN-TV LLC couldn't immediately be identified.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180424/NEWS06/180429933/sinclair-agrees-to-sell-wgn-tv-but-would-still-control-it?utm_source=NEWS06&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Sinclair agrees to sell 23 TV stations as part of Tribune deal

The conservative broadcaster's move aims to soothe regulatory concerns surrounding its $3.9 billion takeover attempt.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180424/NEWS06/180429933/sinclair-agrees-to-sell-23-tv-stations-as-part-of-tribune-deal?utm_source=NEWS06&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Robert Malott, CEO who wrestled with Boesky's crimes and Continental's downfall, dies at 91

The Boston native and Harvard Business School graduate confronted boardroom drama and served as finance chairman for three of Jim Thompson's four gubernatorial campaigns.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180424/NEWS05/180429935/robert-malott-ceo-who-wrestled-with-boeskys-crimes-and-continentals?utm_source=NEWS05&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Who should have access to sales tax records?

The question has sparked a high-stakes fight in Springfield, as the House gets ready to consider a bill that would give private firms a look at now-confidential data.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180424/BLOGS02/180429937/who-should-have-access-to-sales-tax-records?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Chicago law firms beat national average on revenue growth

While Kirkland & Ellis and Winston & Strawn both reported strong results, Jenner & Block saw profits per partner drop nearly 19 percent.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180424/NEWS04/180429939/chicago-law-firms-beat-national-average-on-revenue-growth?utm_source=NEWS04&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Ex-Sears exec: 'This is all a sham'

The former CEO of Sears Canada says the deal Eddie Lampert's ESL proposes would kill off the retailer by stripping off the company's most valuable brands and real estate.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180424/NEWS07/180429940/ex-sears-exec-this-is-all-a-sham?utm_source=NEWS07&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Inside the McDonald's at the company's new HQ

The industrial-chic location in the West Loop is one of 12 prototypes that all U.S. outlets will adopt by 2020. It will offer international menu items not available elsewhere in the U.S.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180424/NEWS07/180429941/inside-the-mcdonalds-at-the-companys-new-hq?utm_source=NEWS07&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Waterton raises $920 million for apartment fund

It's the biggest fund ever raised by the Chicago landlord, whose properties include Presidential Towers in the West Loop.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180424/CRED03/180429944/waterton-raises-920-million-for-apartment-fund?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

People and Science Collateral Damage in War on Regulations

As counter to the Obama Administration’s purported “war on coal,” President Trump and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt have undertaken a war for coal which, among other things, trends against the economics of energy supply. Attacking climate science and climate policy is the most visible front of this war, but it leaves open a vulnerability: in addition to emitting carbon dioxide, pollution from coal-fired power plants also happens to have negative health impacts that can kill people. We know this because of a growing body of scientific research that finds strong links between levels of fine particulate matter, or “PM-2.5,” and premature mortality. This is the science that is the target of EPA’s “secret science” proposal and the collateral damage will be public health and decent governance.

PM-2.5 is a dangerous pollutant because unlike coarse, not-so-fine particulate matter, it is smaller and can penetrate into the lungs of people more deeply, where it lodges more securely and can cause lung cancer and other cardiopulmonary diseases. The insidious health effects of PM-2.5 wouldn’t be known without careful scientific study. The most influential and rigorous example is the decades-long Harvard Six Cities Study, which started recruiting test subjects in 1982, and has been carefully tracking their health since.

Participants were selected from six diverse cities, chosen for their representativeness of the general population and their levels of PM-2.5 pollution. The first of a series of studies was released in 1993, and found unambiguously that PM-2.5 was, in fact, significantly increasing mortality rates. Numerous subsequent studies have confirmed and even strengthened this link. PM-2.5 kills millions of people worldwide, and tens of thousands in the United States. PM-2.5 isn’t necessarily the only cause, but might be pushing over the edge people that already had health problems.

Of course, correlation does not prove causation. What’s to say that these research subjects didn’t die from some other cause? Such studies, known as “panel studies,” are critical to research because they carefully track individuals over time, rather than trying to draw inferences from what happens to a broad cross-section of people. Finding a link between premature death and PM-2.5 requires this kind of tracking, gathering data on each person, their eating and exercise habits, their weight, age, ethnicity, income, occupation, whether or not they are a smoker, whether or not they had existing cardiopulmonary problems, and other factors.

This, the researchers could only do by administering a 44-question survey, which could only be administered by guaranteeing confidentiality. The researchers were entrusted with people’s data, bearing a responsibility to keep it “secret.”

Despite the secrecy of individuals’ data, the Harvard Six Cities Study and its progeny are, in fact, among the most transparent and thoroughly vetted studies in the history of health science. Because the implications were so great and so shocking—tens of thousands of people were dying due to effluent from coal-fired power plants—the EPA and the United States Congress commissioned a “re-analysis” of the study, by the Health Effects Institute, a health research organization that receives half its funding from the EPA and half from industry. A team of HEI researchers performed its own analysis on the Harvard data, and the verdict was clear: the Harvard study was sound. Both the HEI and the Harvard group have conducted follow-up studies, incorporating new data (more results from more of the original 1982 subjects). In an HEI 154-page follow-up report, the finding was the same, only the effects of PM-2.5 were more pronounced.

The number of premature deaths from PM-2.5 has sometimes gone down in follow-up studies, but not because the original study was flawed; rather, it was because this research led to regulation that led to lower PM-2.5 pollution, which in turn led to a smaller number of deaths. Reducing the number of premature deaths by using the best scientific information should be lauded as the success of science over intuitive toxicology. There is a reason why this study was undertaken in the United States: its unique research capacity, and the erstwhile commitment of the EPA to using evidence to craft policy for the good of the American people.

Eliminating EPA access to the Six Cities data, or any study that uses it, will hamstring the EPA’s ability to further protect public health. Ensuring transparency is an important part of Congressional and public oversight of the agency. But the details of each participant’s life need not be available for internet download for the study’s conclusions to be trustworthy, as repeated studies have shown the Harvard study to be. The health impacts of PM-2.5 will be there whether we look for them, understand them, or act on them. We should do all three.

The post People and Science Collateral Damage in War on Regulations appeared first on Niskanen Center.

from nicholemhearn digest https://niskanencenter.org/blog/people-and-science-collateral-damage-in-war-on-regulations-part-x/

Fresh Thyme to close Deerfield store

The CEO says the location was challenging.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180424/CRED03/180429948/fresh-thyme-to-close-deerfield-store?utm_source=CRED03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Prince heirs sue Walgreens, Illinois hospital over musician's death

A wrongful-death lawsuit filed in Cook County alleges that Trinity Medical Center failed to appropriately treat and investigate an initial overdose on April 15, 2016 that the singer survived, CNBC reports.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.comhttps://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/24/prince-heirs-sue-walgreens-and-illinois-hospital-over-musicians-death.html?utm_source=NEWS03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Google takes aim at Illinois privacy law

Despite facing heightened scrutiny after Facebook's unauthorized data sharing, Google is trying to defang an Illinois policy that regulates the use of fingerprints, iris scans and more.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180424/NEWS08/180429952/google-takes-aim-at-illinois-privacy-law?utm_source=NEWS08&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Slow job growth holding back Chicago home values, analyst says

The annual increase in February was less than half the national figure in the new S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180424/CRED0701/180429953/slow-job-growth-holding-back-chicago-home-values-analyst-says?utm_source=CRED0701&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

United CEO gave up his bonus last year

In the aftermath of a passenger being dragged off a flight, Oscar Munoz took a hit to his image and his wallet.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180424/NEWS10/180429954/united-ceo-gave-up-his-bonus-last-year?utm_source=NEWS10&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Illinois' sales tax structure is so backward

Buy a bottle of nail polish in Illinois, and you'll pay anywhere from 6.25 percent to nearly 11 percent sales tax. Buy a manicure in Illinois and you pay zero sales tax. Unfair.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180424/BLOGS10/180429967/illinois-sales-tax-structure-is-so-backward?utm_source=BLOGS10&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Northwestern Memorial improves Leapfrog patient safety grade

Thirty-seven Illinois hospitals got an A as the state's national ranking rose in the latest Leapfrog Group assessment.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180424/NEWS03/180429955/northwestern-memorial-improves-leapfrog-patient-safety-grade?utm_source=NEWS03&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Winnetka mid-century jewel in Winnetka on market for 1st time

Designed in the 1970s by Tony Grunsfeld for car dealer "Z" Frank and his wife, the house has a soaring wood-plank living room ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows in most rooms.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20180424/CRED0701/180429957/winnetka-mid-century-jewel-in-winnetka-on-market-for-1st-time?utm_source=CRED0701&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

$7 million of wine sold in massive Burgundy auction

A three-bottle lot of Romanee-Conti 2012 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and a magnum of Henri Jayer 1990 Vosne-Romanee, Cros Parantoux each fetched $45,510 at a Hart Davis Hart Wine sale in Chicago.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180423/BLOGS09/180429959/-7-million-of-wine-sold-in-massive-burgundy-auction?utm_source=BLOGS09&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Roskam lauds bill to limit IRS asset forfeiture

The House OKs a measure that would ban the IRS from seizing property under the Bank Secrecy Act unless there's proof of some underlying crime.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180423/BLOGS02/180429962/roskam-lauds-bill-to-limit-irs-asset-forfeiture?utm_source=BLOGS02&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

Esurance hikes auto rates again in Illinois as customers flee

It's a puzzling maneuver given the stated goals of Tom Wilson, CEO of Esurance parent Allstate, who wants to grow Esurance this year.

from nicholemhearn digest http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180423/NEWS01/180429966/esurance-hikes-auto-rates-again-in-illinois-as-customers-flee?utm_source=NEWS01&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness

What Are the Different Types of Office Space?

The following post is copyrighted by Austin Tenant Advisors - .

Office Space for lease comes in all different types, sizes, building classes, and shapes. Many companies right now are favoring open office space layouts, however those are not for everyone. Maybe you like eclectic old houses zoned for commercial use or prefer an office in a downtown high rise. Whatever your needs there are many to choose from. When searching for office space for rent in Austin Tx you will come across many different types of office space. Below are a few to consider to see which ones are the best fit for your company.

Traditional Office Space

Traditional office buildings are typically multistory office towers in the suburbs or downtown that have common area lobbies, bathrooms, and hallways. In most situations landlords handle all of the repairs, maintenance, and cleaning. Parking is on a square footage basis (2-5 per 1000 sf depending on the building). So if you lease 5,000 sf you may get 10-25 parking spaces. In downtown areas parking will be an additional charge.

For most law firms, financial services companies, accounting & investment firms, etc the traditional office layout works the best. Traditional office space allows your employees to have their own private rooms to work and meet with clients since confidentiality is key. Common features of traditional professional office spaces are

• Reception
• Conference room
• Private offices
• Bullpen
• Break area.

Most traditional office space leases require that you sign a multi year lease that is typically 3-5 years or longer.

Creative Office Space

Creative office space is also thought of as office space with an open layout. They all share a similar decor, layout, style, etc however creative offices share a few common traits such as

• High ceilings
• Floor to ceiling windows
• Wood floors or nice carpet tiles
• Big break areas
• Fewer private offices and walls
• Lots of glass walls

Creative offices encourage functional collaboration. With fewer walls between departments there is typically more transparency, collaboration, and communication between leadership, managers, and employees.

Office spaces that are creative also tend to be more efficient allowing you to fit more employees per square foot. You can get more people in a space when you have fewer rooms and more rows of tables or cubicles.

Startups, tech companies, creative agencies are typically drawn to creative open office space, however large companies and even law firms and financial companies are exploring this type of space to encourage communication and collaboration within and across departments and teams.

Downtown High Rises

These are basically traditional offices spaces found in high density downtown areas. You will see downtown skylines painted with large class A office buildings typically 20 to 30 stories with 300,000 to 5,000 sf of rentable office space. Most of them come equipped with all of the class A amenities as described in the office building classification below. 

Coworking Office Space

These are basically shared office situations. You have the flexibility of doing shorter term leases and they come furnished. Shared meeting rooms, break areas, and desks are common. These are best for small companies or tech startups who need short term work space. You can either rent a desk, a room, or a suite of rooms. Along with the flexible commercial lease terms you get to enjoy socialized events and interaction with other tenants and companies. 

Executive Office Suites

These are typically plug n play work spaces complete with furniture, phones, internet, and reception services. Regus for example will lease a full floor of a building and lease them out in smaller parcels to other companies for short flexible terms typically month to month or 3, 6, 9, 12 month increments.

Old Houses Zoned For Commercial Office Use

These are basically houses that were once residential now zoned for office space use. You typically find these in or around downtown neighborhoods. These are great for those wanting their own entrance and cool eclectic space. Lot’s of creative users and tech companies like these for their proximity to downtown.

Flexible Office Warehouse Space

For those that needs a little bit of office and a little bit of warehouse space these are perfect. It allows you to have some office space with your own entrance and an overhead door in the back for shipping and receiving. Flexible offices spaces are typically single story buildings found in semi industrial areas. You will have your own entrance and bathroom that you must maintain. You are also typically responsible for the cost of maintaining the HVAC unit.

Types of Office Building Classifications

Most office buildings are in one of the following 4 categories: Class A, Class B, or Class C, however this is not an exact science. There is not an industry wide standard on what determines a building classification. It depends on the landlord or agent, building owner, market, and other buildings in the neighborhood. Office building classes are somewhat subjective and it depends on a number of factors such as

• Building age
• Condition
• Amenities
• Location
• Rental rates
• Curb appeal
• Historical significance
• Maintenance
• Ownership
• Building infrastructure (e.g. HVAC, IT, Plumbing)
• Available technology
• LEED certification

These building classifications are not permanent as they can change depending on market trends, renovations, etc.

What is Class A Office Space?

Class A office buildings will be the nicest and highest quality commercial office properties in the market. You will see a mix of downtown high rises, historical buildings, and suburban office spaces that have the best locations, most recent technology and infrastructure, lots of tenant amenities such as building conference room, fitness center, showers, onsite deli, etc. Class A office space will have the highest rental rates. These buildings will attract image conscious companies such as attorneys and financial investment firms.

What is Class B Office Space?

Class A office buildings are a little bit older but still have nice amenities and good ownership. You will find a mix of smaller tenants looking for nice space but at a lower price. You can find class B commercial properties in prime areas but at lower prices than class A. They typically don’t offer as many amenities and services

What is Class C Office Space?

Most Class C office buildings are older with little to no tenant services. The finishes are lower quality both internal and external and they lack modern functionality and technological advances. They will also not be in the best locations. Rental rates in class C commercial buildings will be the lowest.

Not sure what type of office space your company needs? No worries – it varies by your company situation, size, ideal location, budget, and plans over the next 3-5 years, however we can help you find exactly what you are looking for. 

The post What Are the Different Types of Office Space? appeared first on Austin Tenant Advisors.