Master Plan or an Investor's Fairytale / Аналитика / Коммерческая недвижимость CRE / Аренда офиса Москва, продажа офиса, аренда склада в Москве, продажа склада, аренда продажа помещений, офисная недвижимость, складская недвижимость, торговая недвижимость / Commercial Real Estate

Experts comments

Master Plan or an Investor's Fairytale 07.10.2009

Olga Baranova, PR Manager, Utkina Zavod

A Master Plan is a concept that has only recently become widely employed by Russian developers but has firmly established itself. It's hard to imagine a soviet architect sweating over computations on traffic simulations and worried about the efficiency of leasable surfaces. The market dictates its terms and practically any construction project requires raising additional funds. Nice words are not enough for an investor, he wants guarantees, precise numbers and reliable estimates. And this is where the Master Plan comes into action.

A Master Plan is a model of the future expansion of a project, one of the instruments for raising funds. Essentially it's a finished concept with technical and financial forecasts, planned solutions and 3D models linked to a specific land plot. A Master Plan is essential first of all for visualizing one's ideas and to present an investor with a project in a worthy fashion.
Obviously a Master Plan is not a necessity but rather a way of saving you time and compensating invested resources. And incidentally, according to Russian legislation it isn't considered a mandatory document. It is most often ordered for major projects with complex internal logistics that requires not only an architectural solution but also an estimate of technical and technological denominators, a requirement to blend into a surrounding environment and evaluate traffic flow. The essence of a Master Plan is an integrated development of a specific terrain.
Chronologically, the design of a Master Plan can be divided into two phases: concept development and detailed projection. The first thing should be a description of the marketing concept that has been worked out in-house or by your consultants. Furthermore, it essential to conduct a market and locality study, determine the financial and technical requirements. A precise description of your requirements in consideration of all the limitations is the first step towards a successful and productive relationship with the architectural teams. This should be followed by a few preliminary projected options, several drafts that will serve as a basis for a detailed elaboration of the functional zones, technical corridors, internal floor plans for the buildings and structures. Ideally, after each phase, a time-out is required for the decision making process and final adjustments. Don't try to cover everything during a single meeting, take your time and think things out.
Not a single well thought out Master Plan can forego an engineering and transportation component. Special attention should be attributed to energy efficiency and the environment. In Russia a lot less importance is paid to such components than in the West. Even some secondary planning characteristics and landscaping can heighten the value of a project and provide savings for upkeep and maintenance. For instance, an office building's roof can be designed to lower energy consumption, or integrate a system of outdoor blinds that lower expenditures for air conditioning. We believe that the least a developer can do is increase the percentage of greenery on the terrain, invest into rest and pedestrian areas. If a project has the resources to connect to existing networks, why implement new sub-stations and dig wells, they are but an additional cost and ecologically detrimental. Design the engineering concept from the outset of the Master Plan, review all of the possible connectivity scenarios, and accurately develop the traffic flow in consideration of Russia's climatic conditions and mentality. That which works in Europe and the USA will not necessarily work in Russia.
Make provisions for several expansion scenarios. Possibly foreseeing a phased construction with possible future adjustments according to the shifting market place.
A Master Plan can be designed through in-house resources which requires specialized professionals. Brace yourself for difficulties and additional employees. Firstly, you will need architects, engineers, designers, analysts. However, if you aren't certain about your capacity, hire professional consultants that have worked on similar projects. Choosing the financial structure remains your responsibility regardless of renowned architectural schools and Russian designers. In the present market conditions the best approach is to conduct a tender. Don't let the initial price of the commercial proposals scare you away, read the contract over once again and make sure that the detailed representation, for instance of a business park, doesn't really require such an exhaustive approach.
A Master Plan is indeed a bothersome endeavor and requires a lot of application of your whole team, but if it's well thought, it will certainly payoff and provide substantial savings towards future projects.

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