Category: cannabis
Cannabis Facility Construction Lends Insight and Expertise at 4/20 Event
4/20 was an amazing day to celebrate the cannabis industry at the Bisnow National Cannabis Real Estate Summit in Chicago.
Cannabis Facility Construction‘s Founder and CEO Andrew Poticha was a part of an informative panel discussing “The Business Of Cannabis: An Analysis of The Green Behind the Grass,” a state-by-state compare and contrast on investment, technology, and more!
And, you can listen to the audio recording here:
You can watch a video of the event HERE
Here are a few key insights Andy shared at the event:
“Experience is key. You don’t have to break the bank on the costs to build your facility if you think through the experience that you want your client to have in the space. You can be creative with paint and lighting.”
“As more states become adult use, the security aspect is becoming more like a bank experience where there are guards and there are cameras, but they are discreet and don’t interrupt the client experience.”
“When it comes to green design, such as low carbon footprint, it can be as costly because cannabis facilities are dependent on such large amounts of resources like electricity and water. Where we can make a difference is by using efficient components and resources so that we use less. One of the things that is going to come up is using GMP, good manufacturing practice, which will be important going forward.”
“Our function as designers is to get inside our clients’ heads and articulate for them that which they can’t do themselves by asking the right questions and probing the operations discussions that generate the design. Client experience and operation is critical for not only dispensary but also cultivation. You really need to listen to your cultivation team when it comes to their recommendation on operations and be able to scale up or down depending of your cultivation facility.”
“Soon we may see people in consumption lounges sipping on an infused beverage just like you might enjoy a good Scotch. We should all be thinking about what the experience should be in those spaces, and we simply don’t know the answer to that yet.”
“Keep your eye on HVAC no matter what you are considering in your cultivation facilities. The plant is so sensitive that even one degree of temperature and 1% of humidity variation can affect the quality of the harvest. You have to get your HVAC strategy right, and keep your eye on the final product.”
(From left: Ira Singer, Andy Poticha, Margy Sweeney, Morgan Sweeney, Joe Donnelly, Conah Targett-Jones)
Cannabis Design and Construction are Team Sports
Basketball, football, cannabis. What do these things have in common? They are all team sports. With the rigorous requirements for dispensary and grow facilities as well as the massive boom in the cannabis industry at the moment, “much like the complexities of operating a cannabis company itself, construction is no simple undertaking. Projects move like freight trains: There are thousands of decisions to make, and once you gain momentum, it’s difficult to stop on a dime.” Cannabis Facility Construction Principal Andy Poticha and Robert Spence of 4Front Ventures/Mission Dispensaries and Mission Calumet City Cannabis Dispensary break down fielding the right team for the job to cover your bases and produce the winning result in this Cannabis Business Executive article.
Pot shops are starting to resemble Apple stores
Our Principal Andy Poticha was featured in an article for Crain’s Chicago Business where he discussed how design in the cannabis dispensaries are becoming more high-concept and starting to resemble Apple stores and how COVID-19 has influenced that design, “You have to think about a separate place to have preorders filled versus having people shop in the store. You might come in one way, go out the other. I’m not sure the size of stores will change much. You’ll need more back of the house than floor space.” Andy said.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/marijuanacannabis/pot-shops-are-starting-resemble-apple-stores
Cannabis Facility Construction Completes Construction of New Flagship Dispensary for Greenhouse Cannabis
NORTHBROOK, IL (OCTOBER 5, 2020) – Cannabis Facility Construction (CFC), a national, full-service, cannabis design-build construction firm based in Northbrook, IL, has just completed construction of a new recreational and medical cannabis dispensary for Greenhouse. The new flagship dispensary, located at 755 Skokie Boulevard in Northbrook, IL, opened to the public on September 29 and offers 9,982 square feet of finished space.
“It’s been an honor working with Greenhouse on this new flagship dispensary offering an enjoyable, high-quality customer experience,” said Andy Poticha, Principal at Cannabis Facility Construction. “As their design-build partner, our team has delivered dispensaries for Greenhouse across multiple states over the past six years and we are tremendously excited to deliver yet another, this time right in our own backyard.”
Construction commenced in May, revitalizing the site and the surrounding area that had been vacant for quite some time.
The location’s sleek, modern, industrial design represents a new look for the Greenhouse brand and features an open floor plan with high vaulted ceilings, skylights, abundant natural light. The point of sale stations, consultation areas and easy-to-browse product displays provide ease and comfort for social distancing and complement the wood and masonry structure.
In order to create a differentiated and welcoming customer experience, careful consideration has been given to both customer traffic flow, and the reality of social distancing with all points of sale six feet apart, so transactions take place with proper space between people at the counter. In addition to the retail space up front, the location also includes back office space, a secure, oversized vault for substantial inventory storage and a highly advanced security system.
CFC’s work complements exterior infrastructure improvements that happened simultaneously, revitalizing the surrounding area with natural landscaping, a retention pond, large parking lot, and new turn lane from Skokie Boulevard.
A leader in serving the construction needs of the cannabis industry since 2015, Cannabis Facility Construction has built more than 30 cultivation centers, processing laboratories and retail dispensaries customized for the needs of medical and recreational cannabis clients in 10 states.
For more information on CFC or to connect with principals Andy Poticha, Ira Singer, and Mike Frazin, please visit www.cannabisfacility.net.
Cannabis Facility Construction Starts Construction on New Mission Dispensaries Location in Calumet City, IL
Latest Project Represents Multiple Projects with 4Front Ventures in IL, MI and MA
CHICAGO, IL (SEPTEMBER 23, 2020) – Cannabis Facility Construction (CFC), a national, full-service, cannabis design-build construction firm based in Northbrook, IL, is excited to announce the start of construction on a new Mission Dispensaries recreational and medical dispensary for 4Front Ventures Corp. in Calumet City, IL.
“As their preferred design-build partner, Cannabis Facility Construction has delivered multiple dispensaries for 4Front Ventures in Ann Arbor, MI, Georgetown, MA, and on Chicago’s South Side,” said Andy Poticha, Principal at Cannabis Facility Construction. “We value our continued relationship and are excited to revitalize this new building and create a beautiful space with great street presence in Calumet City.”
Construction on the new dispensary, located at 1330 Torrence Avenue, across from River Oaks Center in Calumet City, commenced in early September and is expected to be complete by mid-December.
This new location for the brand offers plenty of parking and approximately 3,000 square feet of finished retail space, back office space for processing, a secure, oversized vault for substantial inventory storage, and a highly advanced security system.
According to Robert Spence, Director of Facilities at Mission Dispensaries, “Cannabis Facility Construction has been an incredibly collaborative partner during the construction process, working seamlessly with our team on the design and zoning process on this and multiple projects across the country.”
A leader in serving the construction needs of the cannabis industry since 2015, Cannabis Facility Construction has built more than 30 cultivation centers, processing laboratories and retail dispensaries customized for the needs of medical and recreational cannabis clients in ten different states.
For more information on CFC or to connect with principals Andy Poticha, Ira Singer, and Mike Frazin, please visit www.cannabisfacility.net.
Construction On Cannabis Dispensary Begins
Northbrook Patch | Jun 17, 2020 – Construction is underway on a new recreational and medical dispensary at 755 Skokie Blvd. in Northbrook. Cannabis Facility Construction, a national, full-service, cannabis design-build construction firm based in Northbrook, announced the news Tuesday. The facility will be run by Greenhouse Group LLC.
The Northbrook location will be a national flagship location for the brand, according to a press release. The site, offering nearly 10,000-square-feet of finished space, is the former home the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. The vacant Marathon Gas station at 430 Dundee Road will be consolidated into one lot.
“As their preferred design-build partner, CFC has delivered multiple dispensaries for Greenhouse over the past five years in various states across the country,” said Andy Poticha, principal at Cannabis Facility Construction, in the release. “We are now especially excited to have this opportunity to build their largest flagship location right here in our own backyard.”
Read more at Northbrook Patch
Cannabis Facility Construction Commences Construction on New Flagship Greenhouse Dispensary
NORTHBROOK, IL – Cannabis Facility Construction (CFC), a national, full-service, cannabis design-build construction firm based in Northbrook, Illinois, is pleased to announce the start of construction on a new recreational and medical cannabis dispensary for Greenhouse. Located at 755 Skokie Boulevard in Northbrook, IL, the new dispensary will be a national flagship location for the brand, offering almost 10,000 square feet of finished space.
“As their preferred design-build partner, CFC has delivered multiple dispensaries for Greenhouse over the past five years in various states across the country,” said Andy Poticha, Principal at Cannabis Facility Construction. “We are now especially excited to have this opportunity to build their largest flagship location right here in our own backyard.”
Construction commenced in May, revitalizing the site and its surrounding area that had been vacant for quite some time.
The location’s sleek, modern, industrial design will represent a new look for the Greenhouse brand. An open floor plan with high vaulted ceilings, skylights, abundant natural light, and easy-to-browse product displays will complement the wood and masonry structure. To create a differentiated and welcoming customer experience, careful consideration has been given to both customer traffic flow and the reality of social distancing. The design ensures all points of sale are six feet apart so transactions take place with proper social distancing in mind and create a sense of ease.
In addition to the retail space up front, there will also be back office space for processing, a secure, oversized vault for substantial inventory storage, and a highly advanced security system throughout.
CFC’s work complements exterior infrastructure improvements happening simultaneously to revitalize the surrounding area with the addition of natural landscaping, a retention pond, large parking lot, and new turn lane from Skokie Boulevard.
A leader in serving the construction needs of the cannabis industry since 2015, Cannabis Facility Construction has built more than 30 cultivation centers, processing laboratories and retail dispensaries customized for the needs of medical and recreational cannabis clients in nine different states.
For more information on CFC or to connect with principals Andy Poticha, Ira Singer, and Mike Frazin, please visit www.cannabisfacility.net.
In 2020, Cannabis Construction Must Offer Security of a Bank, Compliance of a Pharmaceutical Company, Aesthetic of a High-end Retailer
Legal recreational cannabis is a new industry in Illinois—and it’s in dire need of customized facilities. The first month of recreational cannabis sales in Illinois amounted to nearly $40 million. Sales figures spell opportunity both for cannabis companies and for experts in building special-purpose facilities for the industry’s stringent regulations and experience-driven customers.
Andy Poticha, Principal at Cannabis Facility Construction (CFC) has been involved in more than 30 cultivation, processing center and dispensary projects in eight states since 2015. He’s leading renovation projects that offer Illinois more than 35,000 new square feet of cannabis cultivation areas and dispensaries customized for the needs of recreational cannabis customers.
“To become recreational cannabis users’ preferred dispensary, new cannabis license holders must prioritize both compliance and customers in their facility design,” Poticha observes. The design/build process must support two core objectives:
- Prioritize compliance or suffer the consequences. To maintain product supply and operational retail sales, stick to strict protocols and carefully follow building codes related to the handling, storage and distribution of cannabis throughout the supply chain.
- Offer a differentiated customer experience. Product commoditization and restricted in-state cannabis sourcing leads to stiff competition between dispensaries.
“Cannabis companies need to offer the security of a bank branch, the compliance of a pharmaceutical company, and the aesthetic of a high-end retailer,” said Poticha. “Designing for the customer experience, creating welcoming sales environments that are compliant with regulations, is where dispensaries can find true opportunity to differentiate themselves from the competition.”
For nearly five years, CFC has worked with numerous cannabis companies, including Grassroots Cannabis, a vertically integrated multi-state cannabis company. For co-founder Mitch Kahn, CFC has helped Grassroots embrace these seemingly competing objectives into a cohesive customer experience.
“Partnering with CFC, we have been thoughtful about connecting the design/build process with our customer experience and compliance objectives,” said Kahn. “Together, we identified and solved potential issues early in the design/build process, so that the build-out is supportive of sales, security, and being good neighbors in our communities.”
Surfing the Wave of the Cannabis Boom
Four years ago, Mosaic Construction entered a new vertical in construction as we jumped feet first into the cannabis industry as a result of one of our loyal client asking for our help. Mosaic had previously built retail spaces and when we were approached to complete three design/build projects for their cannabis dispensaries in Illinois, we learned very quickly how fast the market was growing (pun intended!)
Cannabis Facility Construction was created to brand our efforts in the cannabis industry. We have grown to a nation-wide, industry leading design/build construction company. We have worked with design professionals to create unique spaces for our cannabis clients and have completed twelve Dispensary, Cultivation and/or Processing projects in six states totaling over 140,000 square feet. We have a loyal client base and have expanded our reach and talents within the cannabis industry to provide quality and highly functional facilities within this booming sector.
We are proud, sponsoring members of the National Cannabis Industry Association which represents nearly 2,000 member-businesses and tens-of-thousands of cannabis professionals. NCIA promotes the growth of a responsible and legitimate cannabis industry where they believe “Our industry is stronger, smarter, and more prosperous when we work together.” Recently, we attended the Midwest Quarterly Cannabis Caucus which is the premier B2B event series for making meaningful connections with the cannabis industry’s leading executives and policymakers while also getting the tools we need to advance the cannabis industry nationally. Recently, we spent a few days in Anaheim, CA at the California Cannabis Business Conference, the only industry association trade show preparing California cannabis businesses for success in the largest adult-use market in the world. The California Cannabis Business Conference unifies the Golden State and brought together seasoned industry leaders to convene on best business practices and operations.
Later next month, the Cannabis Facility Construction team will attend the MJBiz convention in Las Vegas. This event is the preeminent conference to drive business deals and forge valuable connections with cannabis professionals in business today. There will be over 20,000+ cannabis professionals and 1,000+ exhibitors attending. It is the networking event for anyone serious about networking in the cannabis industry.
To learn more about Cannabis Facility Construction, check out www.cannabisfacility.net.
