Page 9 - Commercial Site Furnishings

Metal picnic tables and metal benches are some of the best choices for outdoor school furniture because of advances in thermoplastic coating technology

Metal picnic tables and metal benches are the smarter choices for outdoor school furniture because of the intense wear these products are subjected by students every semester.

Kids. You got to love them. They are capable of making a mess without even trying.

Spilled grape juice boxes all over the table. One side of a peanut butter sandwich stuck on a bench.

Let's face it. Students are a rough bunch. Of course, most of their destructive ways are unintentional. But it happens.

What's a school facility manager or administrator to do?

Fight back, with sturdy, thermoplastic coated metal picnic tables and metal benches.

Wooden picnic tables and benches are traditional but they do require maintenance and care.

Concrete picnic tables are super-durable, like a concrete bunker, but you need a forklift to set them in place and after that, they are

There are some very interesting facts surrounding the Fourth of July in the US

When families venture out this Fourth of July to gather at picnic tables in local parks, barbecue on grills and wait for the fireworks to start, consider these interesting and strange facts surrounding the Independence Day holiday.

The Second Continental Congress actually approved a resolution of independence from Great Britain on July 2, not the fourth. The first official Independence Day celebration took place in Philadelphia, on July 8. The signing of the Declaration of Independence started on July 4, 1776, but most historians believe it was actually completed a month later. The British didn't hear of America's declaration until Aug. 30. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were the only signers of the Declaration of Independence to later serve as presidents of the United States. They both died on the same day. That day was July 4, 1826. As Adams was dying, he apparently claimed that at least "Jefferson survives."

Summer time means more events and unfortunately, more trash. In this day of excessive garbage, adding more commercial trash cans at key locations is one solution

It's "Summertime and the livin'" is easy…and unfortunately, the commercial trash cans will be overflowing.

Summer is a fantastic season for a number of reasons. But as more people spend more time outdoors at parks, concerts, restaurants, theme parks and other facilities, that also means there will be a greater accumulation of garbage.

Let's face it. Litter is not a pleasant subject. But when you look at the ugly statistics, it's definitely something every park and facility manager should be concerned about.

1. The average American produces 4.4 pounds of trash, EVERY DAY, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

2. That amounts to about 700,000 tons of garbage, EVERY DAY.

3. In a survey of Americans conducted by Keep America Beautiful, 43% of respondents said they had littered in the past 30 days.

4. Young

The Brickell Ten project has magnificent skyline views

A rooftop terrace on a condominium in Miami is certainly a great place to hang out but when you add a brilliant contemporary design, a bar area and trendy, large commercial planters, well then it becomes THE place to be.

That's what the creators of the stunning Brickell Ten condominium project at 1010 SW Second Ave. in Miami accomplished. And part of that appealing design can be seen in the stylish finishing touches to their roof and outdoor pool area on the fifth floor.

The designers installed several large commercial planters with a smooth metallic-like finish supplied by The Park and Facilities Catalog. These charcoal-colored commercial planters give the outdoor spaces a sleek, high-tech appearance.

The molded fiberglass commercial planters measured 72 x 72 x 72 and 36 x 36 x 36. Mini-palm trees were planted inside to coincide with the clean, avant-garde design within a tropical setting of South Florida.

"I just think they are gorgeous,"

The City of West Palm Beach arranged for local artists to paint 25 picnic tables with an Aesop's Fables theme

Want to create a great attraction for your park this summer with picnic tables?

One city came up with an idea to liven up their surroundings by using wooden picnic tables as canvases for local artists to display their talents.

What a fantastic (and simple) strategy to bring people to a park or promotion!

And what a clever way to generate revenue for your park (The city will auction off these tables at the end of the summer).

These artistic picnic tables are part of the Summer in Paradise celebration organized by the City of West Palm Beach in Florida.

The organizers decided to make the theme for the event - Aesop's Tables, centered around the Aesop's Fables books that have thrilled readers for years around the globe. Some of the familiar stories are "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" and the "Tortoise and the Hare." (You can see all the painted picnic tables here.)

Local artists painted

The Augusta Collection is part of a new line of premium outdoor metal benches now offered by The Park and Facilities Catalog

There's something special about an outdoor bench and what it says about a company or facility.

The Park and Facilities Catalog introduces a new line of premium outdoor metal benches that are sure to add an elegant look to any landscape.

Guidelines for outdoor metal benches

Here's why outdoor benches are so important:

First impressions: Think about it, the first thing many people see when they visit an office building, school or other facility are the outdoor site furnishings, including the benches.

The elegant Hamilton Collection outdoor metal bench

Are the outdoor metal benches contemporary and stylish or are they shoddy and boring? Do they make an aesthetic statement that catches the eye? Do they blend in with the surroundings?

You could go so far as to say that those outdoor metal benches represent the culture of the company. Do the benches say to a potential

Aluminum bleacher must provide easy and safe egress

By Gerald Dlubala

An aluminum bleacher can be an awesome sight at pre-game time, sitting in a shimmering sea of seats, awaiting the frenzy of cheering crowds.

Then to game-day activities, with fans hustling and bustling, continually moving in almost choreographed movement, side to side, top to bottom.

The planned and marked paths of movement also guarantees that the rush in when the gates open and the mass leaving at the end of the event move smoothly and fluidly in a calm and organized motion.

A lot of engineering and thought goes into making an aluminum bleacher work the way you want them to work.

Without even thinking about it, your bleachers are scientifically engineered to provide not only quality seating, but also quality methods of movement as well. Following are some of the critical bleacher egress specifications and standards, developed and based on bleacher occupancy, load, and layout, as well as specifications of some of the

Fire rings keep a campfire safe and enjoyable

By Gerald Dlubala

Campfires are a staple of a quality camping experience and commercial-grade fire rings are an essential part of any location that provides campfires.

When contained within fire rings, campfires are a safe, aesthetically pleasing and functional part of our time spent outdoors.

Here's why. According to The Bureau of Land Management, people cause 80% of forest fires.

A well-meaning campfire that got out of control contributed to 20% of those fires.

By installing and encouraging the use of fire rings, you can promote campfire safety by controlling the size and containment of the fire as well as making it safer and easier to extinguish the fire when needed.

When installed at campgrounds, multifamily housing complexes, or even in residential areas, fire rings increase the manageability of camp or bonfires, making for a more memorable and worry-free experience.

Selection of different fire ring

Camping grows as a preferred recreational

The property managers of this office park in Florida ordered concrete picnic tables as a way to secure their commercial site furnishings from storms and high winds

Preparing for hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and other meteorological events can be nerve-wracking, but when you use concrete picnic tables, that's one item you don't have to worry about.

And that is one reason why the Meek Companies decided to use concrete picnic tables from The Park and Facilities Catalog for an office park they manage in Jacksonville, Fla.

When a storm approaches, emergency checklists need to be created. As you can imagine, there are a myriad of items to consider - boarding up windows, moving vehicles, protecting valuables, etc. etc. etc.

But with concrete picnic tables or concrete benches, those are items you don't have to add to the list. They are not going anywhere.

That's why this product was the preferred choice for the Metro Square Office Park, said, Cindy Kaneer, RPA, FMA, property manager with The

Outdoor grilling is gaining in popularity at record levels and another reason why park and facility managers should place permanent grills on their properties

By Gerald Dlubala

How important is it for a facility to provide permanent grills for public use? Just ask the experts.

"It's part of the American identity to have a grill," says IBISWorld, a global intelligence business leader specializing in Industry Market Research.

With 75% of Americans having a grill at their disposal, and almost half of those grilling more than once per week, barbecue is ingrained into our weekly meal planning and preparation.

As a park, facility, or multifamily housing manager, this information should speak to you regarding the amenities you offer.

Permanent grills are a simple and inexpensive marketing amenity that can be added to multifamily communities

If you want to keep up with public trends and expectations, one area to improve on is the accessibility you provide to better, larger, and more enjoyable

Bicycle commuters are willing to pay extra fees for secure, indoor bike rooms

One of the best ways to offer more amenities to guests and residents while also growing business is by establishing fees for extra services. People are willing to pay for additional features and understand that the fees go towards administrative costs.

Charging additional fees is a viable path for growing your business. It provides additional income to put back into the property, allowing it to stay up-to-date and in tip-top shape. These new upgrades make it appealing for visitors from younger demographics to revisit your facility and, better yet, bring their friends.

These are also known as ancillary-revenue programs—or any revenue outside of the main ticket price or rent. Those revenues could be significant. It's why airlines charge you for baggage fees and food. United earns the most from this type of revenue, with $6.2 billion in 2015 non-ticket revenue.

Whether you run a multifamily community

 

New types of coatings and designs for metal picnic tables have resulted in several advantages over traditional picnic tables

Spring is around the corner and it's time to prepare the picnic tables. But as a facility manager, do you really want to spend all your time repairing and refinishing tables? And doing it over again next year? And the year after that?

Consider metal picnic tables. Technological advances in manufacturing have produced tremendous improvements in the durability, appeal-ability and versatility of picnic tables today.

For years, traditional wooden picnic tables were the defacto standard. They were as standard as the apple pie and hot dogs that were placed on them.

But wooden picnic tables, for as charming as they are, do have some issues.

Wood is not the best material for fighting the elements. We're not just talking about rain and snow either.

Metal picnic tables feature coatings designed to last

Picnic table ruined by the elements

The sun's UV rays have the ability

A couple lock their bikes to commercial bike racks near a facility. Developers can earn LEED credits for adding bicycle parking racks to their apartment or office buildings

Did you know that you can earn LEED credits for  providing commercial bike racks at your facility?

LEED is a highly recognized third-party verification program for green buildings—it stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Its innovations are changing the way people think about planning and constructing buildings. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, an incredible 1.85 million square feet of space is certified daily.

Property managers, homeowners, CEOs of businesses, and all kinds of people are interested in earning LEED credits with a goal of adding the credits up to a certification level: either Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. LEED Certification at any level translates into great things for a business.

How Credits from Commercial Bike Racks Helps Your Business

1.

Attention Architects and Construction Project Managers: The Park and Facilities Catalog is a leading supplier of commercial bike racks, products for bike rooms, aluminum bleachers and hundreds of other durable and attractive outdoor furnishing products for facilities and schools. Go here to see our complete catalog of commercial site furnishings. We also supply spec sheets, CAD files and free layouts.

 

Commercial trash can in a park over-filled with litter which just encourages more trash to be thrown around it

If you think your facility is 100% litter-free with plenty of commercial trash cans in place, you might be in for a surprise

Whether you run a restaurant, store, shopping mall, outdoor park, or any other facility, you are likely no stranger to the problem of littering. Even if your litter is kept to a minimum, there will still be guests who scatter their trash. They may be lazy, busy, or just inattentive. Guests will litter for a variety of reasons, but the key is how facility and property managers handle it.

There are plenty of steps you can take to reduce or manage litter at your facility—here are 10 to get you started. You may not have the bandwidth or budget to implement all of these ideas immediately. However, by creating a specific action plan involving outdoor commercial trash cans, you can take steps to improve your facility and quickly notice improvements.