Whether it's going to be a shopping center, hotel, or multifamily unit, developing any sort of major property is a significant undertaking. To ensure its success, invest both time and money into master planning. This is a process with a comprehensive scope that goes beyond the immediate situation and anticipates the possible issues well into the future. 

Basics

Master planning is a method that is broad, holistic, and collaborative. The architects work closely with the client and their community, looking at multiple aspects that will affect and be affected by the property for many years in the future. 

This range can be anywhere from 10 to 15 years down the road. The goal is to produce dynamic documentation that lays out the intended final project, its purposes, and any probable issues and how they could be handled.

Process

Because master planning can be used for everything from a college campus to an entire city, the exact process will depend on the specific project and its parameters, but the basics are the same. First, clients will work closely with their chosen architects to lay out the project's primary vision; from there, aspects like the surrounding neighborhoods, community issues, and even biodiversity will be considered. 

Next, different budgets will be proposed and explored. Finally, scenarios that could lead to delays or complications before, during, and after the project is built will also be discussed. 

Benefits 

Through master planning, your project will have a clear vision and purpose, which is excellent for your investors, community, and team. When everyone is aware of what needs to be done and why they can move forward efficiently. Furthermore, being able to refer to the documentation in the future helps ensure those decisions are aligned with the intended goals, not just an immediate problem or trend.

Whatever type of commercial property you're interested in bringing to life, entrust it to Jackola Engineering & Architecture. Located in Kalispell, MT and Vancouver, WA, they've been a one-stop shop for master planning, architecture design, civil engineering, and interior design for nearly 50 years. You can see the wide variety of commercial projects they've previously completed on their website. If you have any questions, you can call their Kalispell offices at (406) 755-3208 and their Vancouver offices at (360) 852-8746.