Local Flavor: Incorporating Community Values into Wisconsin Commercial Developments

In stories of strong, local communities, commercial developers tend to be portrayed as villains, planning to tear down historic buildings and put local companies out of business with their insatiable lust for money.

Not only does it not have to be that way, but at Compass Properties, we believe commercial property managers should be committed to adding to their local communities, not tearing them apart.

We do this in four key ways:

1) Materials Matter
One important way to get the community on board right away is to use local materials to construct the building, as well as a design that reflects the local landscape. In addition to being easier on the environment, it’s also a great opportunity to bring local vendors and contractors into the project. If you must replace an existing building with a new one, it’s always a good idea to remodel the existing building to fit your new purposes whenever possible, rather than tearing down existing buildings to build new ones. Not only is this option appreciated by the community, it’s also more sustainable because more materials get reused instead of thrown into a landfill.

2) Supporting Local Businesses
While we do maintain contracts with large corporations who need offices in Wisconsin, we also make a point of partnering with small, local businesses to ensure they have everything they need to thrive. Small businesses aren’t just the backbone of our economy, they’re also the heart of their communities, which is why it’s essential for us to invest in them. Strong communities start with strong small businesses. If the communities where our properties are located are not strong, thriving communities, our properties won’t be the successes they could be, which is why we are as committed to supporting local businesses as we are to making sure our buildings are strong and safe for our tenants.

3) Prioritizing Sustainability and the Environment
We can’t do anything without a strong, healthy planet to live on, which is why sustainability has been a core value of ours from our founding. Our management of each and every one of our properties includes analyzing the best ways to reduce waste, keep our tenants healthy, and make the most of our energy, including using solar panels to generate energy when it’s a viable option. You can read more about our commitment to healthy buildings here.

4) Accessibility and Inclusivity
A community should be for everyone in that community, not a select few. That’s why our commitment to accessibility and inclusivity in our buildings incorporates architectural features that make it easy for everyone to access and use our buildings, including seniors and those with disabilities.

When possible, we also incorporate multimodal transportation design developments to make our buildings as easy as possible for everyone to access, whether they’re coming on foot, riding a bike, or using public transportation.

Since Compass Properties was founded in 1999, taking a values-first approach to nothing is more important than community because nothing great can be achieved without a strong community.

If you’re looking for a property management company that will be as committed to the community around your building as it will be to your building and tenants, we’d love to have a conversation with you about your goals for your property. You can reach out to any of our Wisconsin offices here.