In 2014, five MAPP graduate students clinched first place at the ULI Hines Competition, edging out 160 collegiate teams with their imaginative revitalization concept for the Nashville, Tn., neighborhood of Sulfur Dell. Of the five students, Rameez Munawar was the lone delegate from MAPP’s real estate program, a critical component to developing a concept that is cohesive with the market and that will deliver financially. Three years later, Rameez was back at ULI Hines—this time, on the other side of the jury table, a memorable experience he considers “an honor” to be a part of. Rameez is also crunching numbers as an associate with Columbia Property Trust, where he keeps an eye on company investments and overseeing capital projects for class-A office space in Washington, D.C., Boston, New York and San Francisco. “It’s been a great experience and I’m blessed to be surrounded by so many talented people, both at Columbia and beyond.” Below, Rameez shares his experience as a ULI Hines juror, which book he binged in two days and what might be the most unique lobby in America:
Notable project from this past year: We just completed a lobby renovation of 80 M Street SE, a 285,000 square-foot office building just two blocks away from Nationals Ballpark. Built in 2001, the lobby was original and certainly functional, but not representative of the company's forward-thinking persona. We were also losing our largest tenant at the time who occupied almost 30% of the building so we needed a design that would really break the mold and raise some eyebrows in the market. We hired architecture firm Wingate Hughes and never looked back. They presented a hospitality themed design with just the right amount of funk to it and the reception has been extremely positive. There is even a life-sized horse lamp in there! The architecture and interior design team went all out with furniture and decor procurement. Top to bottom, it’s one of the most unique lobbies in the city and, perhaps, the country. We were also able to backfill almost all of the vacancy by signing a lease with WeWork. The building has been another feather in the cap for the company and we're fortunate to have found the right design team to lead the way for the renovation.
In 2014, you were on the UMD team that won ULI Hines. Last year, you were on the jury. What was it like being on the other side of the table? Absolutely incredible. It was an honor to be surrounded by so many knowledgeable, respectable and successful industry leaders for four days. I was able to see the broad spectrum of submissions and better understand what works and what doesn't from the perspective of people who have lived through these types of projects. There were many lively debates about which proposals truly represented the objective of the competition and the balance between cutting edge/creative and practical/feasible was a constant discussion. Since the jury is a diversified combination of real estate investors/developers, architects, landscape architects and urban planners, we were able to pick the most competitive final four because we reviewed the projects holistically. The experience was also quite nostalgic. I remember the adrenaline rush on presentation day and just anticipating the opportunity to present what our team had worked hard to produce. I noticed that energy and confidence in some of the students this year. Overall the experience highlighted exactly how difficult it is to win the competition, and our program has made the finals five times in a seven-year span. I tip my hat to Professor Matthew Bell and Director Margaret McFarland, among others, for the incredible job they have done in consistently assembling the right teams, mentoring them through the process and producing creative yet feasible proposals. The program has major street cred within the competition community and ULI.
A new tool or technology you cannot live without: I recently started using the Nike+ Run Club App. It helps track all of the performance metrics and measures progress so that you are constantly competing with yourself. It helps reinforce the idea that the workout does not end when you are tired, that's when it starts.
Innovation/Idea for shaping the built environment that you think holds promise: Utilizing large scale drones for public transportation. Essentially all of our regional circulation happens on a two-dimensional plane, with cars, buses, bikes and people walking overlapping each other. There is so much room in the three-dimensional space that we have not yet utilized. I passionately hate traffic, so much so that I have been able to largely avoid it successfully for almost a decade now. I would love to see people taken off the road and into the air through a safe and efficient vehicle that has been developed, tested and operated to the highest standards.
The last great book you read: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. I read about two or three books a month so I’m a bit of a book binger. This one is easily top three of all time. Phil Knight, the Founder of Nike, wrote a memoir to illustrate how he started Nike and the challenges the company overcame to sustain growth. In the process, he developed an iconic and profitable brand that is recognizable in almost every corner of the globe. The book is incredibly candid and detailed; it was so riveting that I couldn't put it down. I finished in two days. My favorite excerpt is when Knight describes Oregon Coach Bill Bowerman's mile run strategy as, "Set a fast pace for the first two laps, run the third as hard as you can, then triple your speed for the fourth. There was a Zen-like quality to this strategy, because it was impossible. And yet it worked." The book is absolutely essential for anyone who is self-motivated and aspires to be an entrepreneur.
What’s next for you: At Columbia, we're working on a few acquisitions that will help us increase exposure in the core office markets and develop scale. We're not as big as some of our REIT competitors but we can compete toe-to-toe with anyone and we've been executing our business plans. We recognize that prudent growth is necessary if we want to become a top-level REIT, so we're looking to grow the portfolio with the right buildings at the right time in the right price. On the personal side, I've always been a stadium enthusiast and I think Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore presents a unique renovation opportunity. I've never put pencil to paper on the ideas I have for it but I’ve strongly considered it. That may be in the near future, if time allows.