Members of Nareit's Real Estate Sustainability and Social Responsibility Councils gathered ahead of REITwise on March 23 for a preconference tour of the City of Hollywood, Florida's Armory Community Center and an Extra Space Storage property, followed by a networking reception connecting REIT sustainability leaders and partners.
City of Hollywood Chief Resilience Officer Chris Roschek gave a history of the adaptive reuse and renovation of a former National Guard building, now serving as a community center for the public, resulting in environmental, historical, and cultural benefits.
The participants learned how the various spaces were designed to preserve the historic characteristics of the building, while providing a modern, healthy, and efficient space for athletics, community gatherings, and public events.
The community center includes indoor courts as well as outdoor fields, providing space for both youth and adult sports activities throughout the year.
The second stop on the Hollywood, Fla. property tour featured an Extra Space Storage store, where McCall Morris, the REIT's director of communications, highlighted the company approach to sustainability, including its onsite solar program and strategies for engaging and training its 8,000+ employee workforce.
The tour participants visited the store's recently completed rooftop solar project, one of more than 1,000 rooftop solar installations across the REIT’s portfolio. Extra Space’s Steve Potter explained how the REIT is deploying solar at scale, producing more than 50 Gwhs of power a year.
Nareit members discussed approaches to making the business case for solar, ongoing maintenance, and system resilience in the Southeast Florida market.