Featured Team Member

The Junila Company helped with Excelsior Town Dental project

Excelsior Town Dental was interested in staying at their current location, but needed help to determine whether remodeling was a feasible idea. Working with Tom Junnila of The Junnila Company, The Foundation Architects provided a building feasibility study and early schematic designs for cost analysis. We also guided the clinic through city processes to obtain necessary variances.

Junnila specializes in commercial real estate services for dental clinics. The company can assist dentists in lease negotiation, financial projections and analysis for an expansion or clinic relocation, and they work with an architect to see the project through construction. Read more about Junnila in this recent Star Tribune article. Partners like The Junnila Company form a part of the collaorative team with The Foundation to make a dental clinic project run smoothly and provide the best new or remodeled space for your needs.

What Do People Want in Their Homes?The 2010 Prediction

A recent article named the top 10 things consumers are looking for in a home. It is interesting to note the impact of shifts in demographics, economics and styles.

The trend report was published in concert with the International Builders Show.

One of the top ten things listed was a nice kitchen with an island.

Do you agree?

Stop by and See The Foundation Architects at the Star of the North Meeting

The meeting will be April 22-24, 2010

The Foundation Architects will be exhibiting at the Star of the North Meeting, by the Minnesota Dental Association April 22 through 24 at the St. Paul RiverCentre. The Foundation will be located at booth #451.

“We really enjoyed our time at the Star or the North Meeting last year, meeting dental professionals,” said Bob Shaffer, president of The Foundation. “We are excited to go again this year. We will be showing additional dental projects in our portfolio.”

They expect 9,200 attendees and several hundred exhibitors at the Star of the North meeting. There will also be speakers, sessions and entertainment available for attendees. Learn more about the event and register by visiting http://star.mndental.org.

Q: What First Step Should I Take When Thinking about Building or Remodeling Our Clinic?

Dental Architecture Q & A with Architect Bob Shaffer

A: Often, what you WANT to do to is increase of patients, add new equipment or secure financing. This gets you excited about the new remodeling or building project.

However, we recommend first answering "What CAN we do?" A feasibility study can uncover city requirements, building codes and project timing issues that will impact your project.

A feasibility study looks at your clinic specifically. Product manufacturers offer information about new equipment, but don't have the local requirement information you'll need. Depending on when your clinic was last remodeled, there may be additional compliance tasks you hadn’t considered. Often city comprehensive plans or district zoning regulations need to be reviewed.

For instance, one client's clinic is located in a historic district (not a historic building), which added complexities to the project. In order to accomplish their goals, The Foundation worked to get logical variances approved by the municipality. Understanding these needs early came from conducting a feasibility study. Proactively bringing them up to the municipality helped define the work up front, which made the project more efficient.

"The Foundation Architects negotiated our project smoothly through a myriad of city approvals and unforeseen pitfalls. We would not have been able to begin our project on schedule without The Foundation. In addition, we are confident that our renovated facility will be a quality, contemporary structure that blends nicely into an historic district," said Chris Johnson, DDS, Excelsior Town Dental Dentists