IONIC Named Preferred Building Partner with Wendy's Restaurant

Ionic DeZign Studios was invited to participate in planning session in Columbus Ohio, home of the famous Wendy's Restaurant brand this week. A select number of architects and builders were gathered to brainstorm the collective process and  numerous challenges involved in renovating or building a new Wendy's Restaurant. 

The two day seminar brought parties together from all over the US including Canada.  We reviewed the past and then discussed growth plans through 2020. It was a great team building experience that allowed us to CONNECT, LEARN and GROW by sharing best practices in the architecture and construction industries. 

Dahlia White, Director of Restaurant Architecture for IONIC has managed the design of more than 150 different stores since we were first began working with the hamburger giant and assisting in their rebranding exercise in 2011. We were asked at that time to assist in their rebranding exercise. Dahlia continues to build relationships with Wendy’s while managing their current projects. She was excited to finally meet face-to-face with many project members that so often are only a voice on the phone or a name on the email. It felt like coming together for a Wendy’s family reunion!

During the conference, both Dahlia, along with  Eugene Thompson, Founder + President of IONIC participated in a quick design charette study for a non-traditional location in downtown Philadelphia. It was a corner spot that previously housed a two-story historic bank structure clad in white stone. This was a fun opportunity for us all to collaborate to come up with possible solutions for a unique design challenge. There will be more locations like this in the coming years as it is anticipated that about 30% of future Wendy’s projects will be non-traditional in nature.

It was an excellent experience and an opportunity for IONIC to continue to grow throughout the country. Our firm hopes to continue assisting corporate and franchise owners with their redevelopment work. TEAM IONIC is also looking to work with owners and contractors who share our desire to produce quality work for all.

We don't cut corners!

Let us help with your Wendy's or other restaurant project. Please feel free to give us a call to discuss how we can help and serve you.

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

Founder + President

www.ionicdezigns.com

www.WHHAdezigns.com

Creating places and spaces that enrich the lives of those who use them.

Raleigh News - Wendy's New Bern

Wendy's announcement in New Bern.

http://raleighpublicrecord.org/news/2015/04/13/development-beat-18/

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA
President + Founder
Ionic DeZign Studios, Inc.
www.ionicdezigns.com

IONIC & WENDY'S....this is why we are so busy.

Restaurant remodel programs are all the rage these days, particularly in a fast food business that is busy trying to play keep-up with McDonald's. Just about every major fast food chain is in the midst of a reimage program, but perhaps the most interesting of these is coming from Columbus, Ohio-based Wendy's.

The world's third-largest QSR burger chain is instituting a costly remodel program—its top option has a price tag as much as $700,000, which is high for a chain that has average sales of about $1.4 million. That cost appears to be scaring off at least some operators. Brokers have told us that some Wendy's franchisees have been putting their stores on the market to avoid that remodel.

Still, the remodels could well be worth the price.

According to Wendy's, the $700,000 remodel option produces a sales lift of at least 25 percent, considerably higher than the 15 percent sales lift Burger King's remodeled units get, though at a much higher cost. Still, for the typical Wendy's, that equates into $350,000 in additional revenue every year, which makes for a relatively quick return on investment for restaurants that remodel their stores.

It also could provide a significant boost for Wendy's overall, particularly if the company is able to meet its remodel timeline.

The company plans to have 75 company-owned units remodeled by the end of the year. And it wants half of its corporate restaurant stock remodeled by 2015.

It's also hanging $10 million in incentives in front of franchisees to entice them to remodel their stores next year. In so doing, Wendy's joins rivals McDonald's and Burger King in employing a carrot approach to increase the number of restaurants that get remodeled. As McDonald's has proven with its remodeling program, and then Burger King, carrots work far better than the far more common "stick" approach at getting franchisees to remodel. And given the apparent sales lift these remodels can generate, those incentives produce good returns for the franchisors.

A Very Busy Week

This was just one of those weeks. It started out in North Carolina. Last Saturday I needed to drive down to Asheboro to do some field measurements for another on of the Wendy's. new franchise client for us. We (or should I say.....me) came to the rescue. Got there late Saturday night and then got up early for church and field measurements after. 

From there I headed over to Raleigh for the following Monday morning meeting. Raleigh has now become one of my favorite places. Especially downtown area. There is just something about it that has grasped my attention these days. I love all the places to hang out and eat. My favorite is the Flying Saucer. Look it up......I am now a member.

There is a little store front shop down there that I go past every time I am there. Vacant building, perfect for an IONIC South office......hmmmm. Maybe one of these days.

So Monday was an expedited review for the City if Raleigh on a Wendy's in Wake Forest. Successful approval.....and then ran over to the city of Cary to ask about some design review requirements. 

And then the long drive home. Man it was hot! 

The rest of the week was almost a huge blur. Two more Wendy's from another franchise on Tuesday. A proposal for a fourth Wendy's franchise in Roanoke. I didn't mention we received 3 more Wendy's from corporate on Sunday afternoon. The glory of email! A contractor asking to join forces in a design/build retail in North Carolina. Putting together a proposal for a forty room residence hall, another for 35,000 square foot of retail in Richmond. Kicked off Pre-bid meetings for two Navy Federal Credit Union projects. Had another meeting with conceptual ideas for another credit union........and pulled the permit for our own office expansion.

Turned in our competition entries for AIAHR on Monday, had meeting for urban design and expansion project on Tuesday. Completed revisions to that presentation and sent out on Thursday. Had a wonderful evening at Yardhouse to let off some IONIC steam......we all need a break from time to time. Wednesday was meetings all morning in the field and then back to the office for some design concepts. Thursday morning started off with a conference call with Wendy's corporate on a secret project we are involved in.....I love secrets! More late night work on a design proposal. Friday, present design concept which went real well.

I am sure I missed something in there.

Oh yeah, to help out with all the admin paperwork side of the business, we added another new team member for Contract Administor and Accounting. With all this work come great paperwork (said in the same vein as Peter Parker aka Spider-Man). Stay tuned for more on this announcement in August.

Work is good. And I just want to make sure that everyone knows how fantastic our team is that does all this work. There is no way possible that I could keep up if it was myself alone. Our whole office tackles all this head on and conquers it. They are the best. If you haven't had the chance to work with us, you need to give us a try. I think we would amaze you.

Our team includes a great group of consultants too. Civil engineers, structural engineers, mechanical engineers.....all of them putting up with the craziness that has been coming with this flood of new work.

We certainly have been blessed.

Where Art and Architecture come together.

Ionic DeZign Studios

Wendy's on Independence Blvd.

For all of those fans of the cute little girl in red pigtails, IONIC is at it again with another renovation project in Virginia Beach. This has a little different style as we go thru the various levels of renovations for corporate. This one will be a Tier 2 Ultra Modern. Quality Builders is just beginning to build back some of the "blade" portions of the new design after all the demo has taken place from the front half. A ten foot addition onto the front will provide a bit more room for sitting around the fireplace. Be sure to watch as it goes up. It doesn't take long! Dahlia Pecka and James McReynolds are the two architects responsible for most all the Wendy's work in the office. Be sure to tell them what a great job they are doing as it certainly keeps them.....and that is an excellent thing!

Ionic DeZign Studios
www.ionicdezigns.com

Wendy's - Independence Blvd

IONIC just finished the pre-construction meeting at the Wendy's on Independence Blvd in Virginia Beach. I know there are a few of them so for all you fans out there it is the one near Haygood Shopping.  Construction should begin on February 4th and last for six weeks. Another week for the managment and training and they will be back up and running. Quality Builders trong> out of Raleigh North Carolina
will be the general contractor on the project.  They have significant experience doing these additions and renovations for Wendy's.



This model will be the New Ultra Modern Tier Two style. The design has become so popular with their customers that more and more people are staying around longer meaning that they need more seats. So this one will have a 10 foot addition to the front to help accomphish a larger dining and seating area.

Look for our construction sign out front soon.

www.ionicdezigns.com

BID ALERT: Wendy's Addition

Please note the Wendy's Addition and Renovations Project located on Independence Blvd in Virginia Beach Virginia is now out of bidding. Project includes renovations of interiors and exterior finishes with an addition onto the front of the existing structure.  Bid requests are being handled directly by Wendy's Corporate.

www.ionicdezigns.com

Working all Weekend

Worked all weekend on some value engineering for the Wendy's prototype.  Client asked for new renderings reflecting the changes that we are proposing.  For the most part we have maintained the look that was in the original concept. However with a bit of creativity and resources we have cut out nearly $112K by using a few different materials and better structural engineering for just the exterior.  We believe that another $65K can be saved on the interior by selecting a few different materials.

We have utilized a new rendering plugin to quickly get us a realistic view of the project. We left the site off on purpose as each site will be different as it is intended to be used from here to California.  Let us know what you think about these quick renderings.

A busy Wendy's Day

Not a "busy Wednesday" but a Wendy's Day!

Received two contracts to continue working on ground up models to be used in the development of new stores across the country as well as getting to meet Brent White from our good friends at Tesser in San Francisco. We are working together to value engineer the prototype model renovation for use also across the country while still maintain the design intent.

Wendy's Prototypes......to be continued!

Ionic DeZign Studios has been retained to continue our work on the development of their new "Traditional" design model.  Our work will involve the reworking of some structural, mechanical and architectural elements to better facilitate a mass roll-out of the design concept to other markets through-out the United States.  You may recall in some of our previous posts that we were working on the first two which were completed in Virginia Beach and Newport News recently. Each of the building footprints, called Image and Modern, will be developed for the new prototype renovations.  We were also requested to be prepared to develop the new ground up models in the near future as well.

Star Express Prototype

We were contracted to create a new conceptual model for the prototype convenience store for Star Express located in Kent County. The new 4800 square foot structure will be wood frame with cemetious siding. The site will also incorporate your standard gas canopy along with an additional restaurant....a Wendy's....but not our new design.



Just at the beginning for this building. I am sure we will have a few more changes. We will keep you posted.

 

Our Friends at Tesser

Hey fellow design professionals, we just wanted to give a big shout out to our friends all the way on the other side of the country in San Francisco. Tesser is a branding and design studio that work on what else....."THE BIG PICTURE". We had the awesome opportunity to assist in the development of one of the new prototypes for Wendy's Restaurants. It is pretty incredible to think that there is so much process involved in developing a fresh new look and image for an "old fashioned" hamburger joint that we all grew up with. Let me tell you that they are not old fashioned any more.  They are very hip and exciting.

During the design process we had weekly conference call meetings that involved the implementation of design images and ideas created by Tesser and the Wendy's team into construction details and documents with the added team members of architects, engineers and contractors. As one individual that really gets frustrated with "what happens after we design it", Ionic DeZign Studios took special pride and care in making sure that we followed thru with the details from the initial images into the important details that make architecture a success in maintaining that same concept to the end. We hope that we did justice to Tesser's creation. You will have to ask them.

One of the amazing things that occurred during in this process is making new friends with fellow designers......all the way in San Francisco.  I mentioned those conference calls....talk about time zone difference! We would wrap up details early in the morning and send them out to SF just in time for their arrival for work.....and in return.....the questions we came up with during the day, they would answer late in the night here in Virginia Beach....ready for us in the morning.  Pretty amazing to realize this big blue marble is much smaller these days.

If you have a chance, jump over to take a look at some of Tesser's work posted on their website. www.tesser.com They have some pretty neat ideas they have developed.....plenty to look at. Keep looking back here at this post and our website as we will be posting some of the completed photos shortly. www.ionicdezigns.com

Take care my friends.....hope to work with you again soon!

Methods of Network Communications

A recent computer survey sent by the NJIT School of Architecture to thirty-one, mostly American design schools, including twenty-nine architecture schools, indicated that all but one had networked design studios. This is clear evidence that digital methods are becoming routine in architecture schools and firms. In addition, the Internet and web have resulted in new methods of working.

Since the first virtual distance studios, where students collaborated over the internet with students in other physically remote studios, in 1994 by Wojtowicz and colleagues, such studios have to relied on web-based databases to store shared design information. 

I remember in our studio in 1988 that we attempted to collaborate with an architect in Oregon for video conferencing and digital translation live between Oklahoma State and the Oregon based conceptual project. At the time, it all sounds very sci-fi and exciting.  However once it actually occurred, there were technical difficulties and honestly....a huge let down. 

Imagine playing Xbox now and then trying to be satisfied with the original TRON game....not! A great effort by our professors to try and push us into the next century but honestly the technology at that time wasn't ready for us.

It seems that universities are the first to try something "unique and experimental" in the engineering technology before architecture firms decide to take that leap.  Primarily due to the need for firms to provide a financial profitability first rather than push the cutting edge. As it probably should be.  universities have the ability to work with students (a larger number) and with many times grants to assist in the funding.  Or even using the current technology in a completely different way.

Since then, the advancement of technology has led to some very sophisticated connected studios where students exchange and develop each other's designs. A model for this kind of exchange, and perhaps the most advanced web-based infrastructure for studio teaching, is the Arc-Line project at ETH in Zurich, part of a university-wide web infrastructure project called “ETH World.” Here, up to 170 first year architecture students have a collaborative environment allowing project submission, viewing and reviewing of design projects, and access to design resources.


Digital design requires digital presentations of which distributed design reviews are an extension. Here, a physically remote critic, connected to the same display over the Internet by some collaborative software (such as Microsoft Windows Messenger and NetMeeting) participates in the critique over the web. In architectural practice, the office of Norman Foster (Foster and Partners) has pioneered the use of “extranets” (a restricted portion of the internet) to enable collaboration with consultants and distant branch offices.

At Ionic DeZign Studios in Virginia Beach, we have utilized the technology to assit in collaboration between consultants whether they are located in the building next door, down the street or in Atlanta, Columbus Ohio and San Francisco like is currently being done on a new prototype for Wendy's. We utilized the messenging systems and document sharing in various methods to connect offices the branding company located in California with the client headquarters in Ohio and their construction division in Atlanta. With all the coordination at hand, our office facilitated the design and construction documents with our structural engineer a few miles away.  Once we completed the design and was ready for permitting, the fast paced process allowed to expedite the permit process as well as execute contracts and processing for bids from our contractor and his subs.  All this information, once completed was able to be shared on an extranet system with other architects around the country ready to produce and permit their locations for the new design prototype.

There is still a long way to go form where we are now to where it should be.  For example, the client sends his construction coordinator from Atlanta every week to visit the two local jobsites for two days.  time and money spent where video monitoring of the site could accommodate much more.  The contractor still uses paper drawings (sometimes not necessarily the most current set) out on the jobsite.  piles of paper that could eventually be eliminated by use of possibly an ipad or similar product.


Clearly, a major issue that all architecture firms face now is implementing the change within a traditional process of "how we have always done things". It will happen....just give it some time and few firms willing to make the leap.

Adapted and edited from George Proctor's writing submitted the the white paper report by ACADIA 2003

New Wendy's Renovation Prototype

Here it comes! The first two remodels in the country are happening right here in Tidewater Area.  Ionic DeZign Studios worked with the Wendy's design team and their design consultants Tesser out of San Francisco to develop the construction documents for the exciting new structures at Tiffany Lane in Virginia Beach and also on Warwick Avenue in Newport News. The renovations remove the front 10' of the building and replaces it with an iconic stone tower. A high end interior finish package along with the new "food forward" concept is being presented in these designs. The Newport News structure has been in place for over 40 years and has been added onto and taken away many times. The Virginia Beach location, just of off Princess Anne Blvd, will also include outdoor dining area. Watch for more news and updates as progress continues.  The construction should begin August 1 for Virginia Beach and is being built by Independence Construction of Virginia. Newport News will begin shortly after as the start dates need to be staggered.

Where's the Beef?!!!!

You probably remember this phrase from the TV commercials in the 80s. It was used in reference to some little old lady looking for the meat on the hamburger. Well we are using it today to ask where is the "meat" = construction documents? Over the last 6 months, our office has been cranking out conceptual renderings for clients in anticipation that there would be the MEAT or bulk of the work being construction documents.  Don't get me wrong, we like getting paid for creating ideas, but we like getting paid more for the construction documents.....and even more so, we like actually seeing the projects get built!

We have restaurants, coffee houses, retail facilities, medical facilities, houses, marinas, and so much more.....all of these are like the appetizer for our meal....fun, tasty and certainly gets us excited about what is to come.

Well, let me also say that the BEEF is on its way.  It has begun! Starting to get busy as we feared, wanted, begged for, etc.  Finished up Office building conversion, finished up new law office design, working on large office plan, two retail projects, Home-a-Rama house, a credit union, small church and here you go......you have been waiting for it......the punchline.....4 new Wendy's restaurant renovations. Yep, brand new prototypes that they are rolling out across the states and we are working on the initial conceptual design/documentation. Two in Virginia Beach, one in Newport News and the last in Chesapeake.

And there seems to be more behind that. Truly amazing. Truly fantastic.  Truly Scary.  What scary? Yep.  Well think about it.  About 18 months ago everything in our industry seemed to say we were on our way out.  I am sure many felt that we were going to be on of the many casualties of the recession.  Who could blame you right? Well here we are. Hanging on and growing. A full office staff to handle the marketing needs, the production needs and the Construction Administration needs. We are going after RFP, we are going after design/build we are getting old projects back to life.  We have hired a contract coordinator to handle the accounting affairs to make sure we are getting the invoices out, getting the checks in and keeping them all on budget. We also have 4 projects under construction with 2 more ready to begin.  That means staying up with the RFIs, submittals, special inspections etc. Oh yeah, don't forget keeping the production team up and running with state of the art technology and software........and we need more.....that's whats scary!

SCARY GOOD!

So friends....the ride begins....and here comes the BEEF!