What is your forecast for the Landscape Architecture job market 2011 and beyond?

[Tosh K]

They should be, but too many dinosaurs plodding around.

 

Some are faster and more adept at predict trends: the stock market never really broke the established indicator trends.  They survive, and the rest, well, don’t – at least in a market driven economy right?  I don’t buy the government control aspect: infrastructure work has always had substantial funding, and few landscape architects have been able to convince civils that the value added service is worth the fees; ditto on safer, healthier cities.  A profession based on real estate is never going to be a game-changer, whether it’s high-end resi or new city planning in bubble economies.  Some firms are thriving right now – they should be an example of what others could do.

 

Doesn’t hurt to be in regular contact with the local state delegate and senator; the state level politicians are even more accessible than they are.  We might not necessarily be able to move the market we work in, but we can definitely be more adept at positioning ourselves.

[Trace One]

Chad, the tax cut package WAS the conservative line – repubs insist that a dollar back in taxes to people and businesses brings in more work, despite the evidence of the past eight years of tax policies as well as all the studies to the contrary. So in this tax package,the conservatives got what they wanted – tax cuts for all, despite the fact that NO economic study places tax cuts as the best jobs or economic activity generator – the government does much more with the tax dollar. I think the ratio is the government generates about $1.86 worth of economic activity, as opposed to giving the dollar back to the rich, who pocket it..If you want me to find the studies for you I will, but this is pretty well accepted economic truth. so the conservative tax cut package WILL deaden the economy, unfortunately.

What is it that you think the conservatives should have done – abolished government entirely?  Perhaps you m ean someone else, when you say ‘fiscally conservative’ because every single conservative government for the past forty years has increased government spending far more than any democratic administration.

So who are the fiscal conservatives – the tea partiers? I doubt that, with the way they have been bankrolled by the Koch  brothers – they will increase government spending to put the money in their cronies  pockets, just like Bush did.

[Trace One]

here’s Nouriel Roubini, one of my favorite economists, really interesting if you ever catch him on C-span or Charlie Rose

“So, in conclusion the verdict from history and empirical evidence is quite clear. Supply side economics is “voodoo economics”. Reductions in tax rates (starting from initial moderate tax rate levels) do not siginificantly increase labor supply and savings, do not increase economic growth, do not raise total tax revenue and do not reduce budget deficits. Their likely effect on the level and growth rate on output is close to zero while they lead to significantly larger budget deficits. “
 

If it wasn’t raining so much I wouldn’t be spending my day off arguing here! that’s enough!

[Trace One]

chad, do you realize that these tax cuts that you are so enthusiastic about have been in place for ten years – so this will be business as usual. Bush drove the economy into the ground with his anti-regulatory policies and the tax cuts and the unfunded war. Clinton helped with the repeal of Glass-steagall.. 

Calling Obama a muslim is nut-case time  – I am not interested in people’s fantasy worlds.

– you make  yourself and your opinions not worth anything, with stupid stuff like that. I’m sorry even landscape arch’s are subject to such delusions..

Here’s the link to Jane Mayers extensive article on the Koch Bros. and the financing of the Tea partiers.  

 

yhttp://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/30/100830fa_fact_

[Trace One]

August 30, 2010 New Yorker – article on Koch and tea party..sorry, rest of stuff too silly to deal with..Not interested in changing your  mind..Back to landscape discussions!

[Rob Halpern]

Whatever else can be said here, “A good source to recommend would be FoxNews” is mistaken. If you are concerned to be well informed then you should run as fast and as far away from FOX as you can.

 

See this study by the University of Maryland:

http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/pdf/dec10/Misinformation_Dec…

 

Sadly, you have been had.

[Rob Halpern]

What is this grade school?

I offered that study in good faith. I haven’t stopped you from replying. If you don’t want to read 26 pages don’t

[Jason T. Radice]

This has gotten a bit beyond entertaining. The frustration on BOTH sides is palpable, and it is apparent that there are many divergent ideas on the subject. I think we can all agree that whatever it is the gubmint is doing, no matter who is doing it, it ain’t workin’ (which is why so many of us ain’t workin’ either),

 

It’s not a matter of right or left, it is a matter of right or wrong. I am a pragmatist, thats how I think. The glass is not half empty, it is not half full. Need more information to determine the proper terminology to use (what was the last action taken to change the state of the volume in the glass?) Reserach! Look at all sides of an issue and determine what is the best course via history and pure logic. Not what you feel (emotions cloud), not what you think (that is THEORY), but what is, what was, and what can be. A not so great man once said “can’t we all just get along?” No. No we can’t, because that is human nature. Thus, the failure of Utopias, communes, socialism, and even pure democracy. Again, very entertaining responses. Not you typical “LARE exam question” or “need a detail”

[Tosh K]

I thought political blogs were around to deal with this – sheesh.  I was taught in college that politics made for impolite work conversations.

 

Anywho, speaking of positioning ourselves I thought this was interesting:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/12/business/12yec.html?pagewanted=all

[Doug Prouty]

Seems like this is getting to a be a lively thread! 

 

To anyone who cares, the job market here in Arizona is very slow, but not yet dead.  Here’s my take on the following markets, from my point of view!

 

Home Builders – We’ve been able to hold onto our existing home builder clients and continue to provide planning and landscape work, albiet very slowly.  We’ve been able to capture some contracts with new builder clients though we’ve been working on these relationships for at least two years.  Most builders that we work with are looking for infill property that can get a higher density yield and is easy to re-zone.  2011 outlook: More of the same.  A slow and steady roller-coaster of small jobs that come in the door but nothing of the 1,000 plus acres yet.

 

New Commercial design – If you’re not in with a developer or an established architect…good luck!  Most architects that I’ve talked to are doing a lot of TI work or free site planning in order to get a foot in the door.  It’s been slow for them, and therefore slow for us.  2011 outlook: We may get a handfull if we’re lucky.  We have to get more competitive on fees and basically count for a negative profit.  We look at it as thirty $1,000 contracts versus one $30,000 contract per month. 

 

Existing Commercial (revamp/ remodel) – I know of a couple of firms that are working on some remodeling jobs for commercial developers who maintain there own properties.  This area of work is very tight and there aren’t many jobs in this area, especially if you’re not in with the developers from the start. 2011 outlook: Most of these jobs will take a couple of years to construct as rents are still down.  Probably nothing coming our way in this arena.

 

Multi-family….what’s that?  I haven’t done a multi-family job in three years. 2011 outlook:  ??

 

Residential:  We’ve been able to land one job this year.  Most jobs go to design/build/maintenance companies.  2011 outlook: We’ll finish up the one job we’re working on, and hope for one more.

 

Public Sector:  If you’re not in it, forget it!  We spent a ton of cash when the economy was giong south learning this as it got rediculous sitting in a room with 100 plus other firms for one small 5 acre park.  2011 outlook: saving money and not bothering with this one!

 

Land Planning: It’s been stop and go as most land developers took a break from entitling dirt and selling it off to builders.  We did a couple of small land planning jobs but not a bunch.  We have a couple forcasted for next year but will be relying on LA design services more so than planning.  2011 outlook:  Maintain marketing and try to get a couple more.

 

International:  We’ve tried but haven’t landed anything yet.  2011 outlook: Still trying! 

 

Overall, 2011 looks the same as this year.  Our main goal is to keep the company going and keep people employed, granted we went from 13 to 3.  We’re always looking for positive turn around but we know that the forcast is always “in a couple more years”.  New careers paths have been tossed around but most of us have been in this field too long to start over. 

 

Good luck to all of my friends that are still looking and if you’re still in school, stay in school and get that other degree.  You can always pay off the student loan some other time!

[Boilerplater]

Wha?  Was that meant for someone else? I don’t see how it relates to my post.

[Rob Halpern]

Sorry… there were several replies here that appear (mercifully) to have been deleted. This was not meant to you.

[Trace One]

sorry, I have to add – Jason says, Whatever the gov. is doing aint working  – please include whatever wall street, banks, and businesses are doing, as well as educational systems, and the military,  it aint working.

We can’t not allow the government to work, and then blame it when it doesn’t work. Altho that is the republicans plan (Karl Rove, Grover Norquist) in their  ‘starve the beast’ and drown it in a bucket” plans.

 

 I (obviously) like politics and do like to argue politics, and agree it is not necessarily appropriate for this site. Altho it does overlap, and a jobs discussion in one area it certainly does overlap..

For anyone who really likes to get in a dog-fight over politics with anonymous people (very questionable personal value in this type of activity!) I recommend Slate, Salon,  or The Hill, as easy sites to post on and to work out some of your political ideas (sort of..!) Of course, you can also take politics up with your relatives over the Christmas turkey after cocktail hour…Always worthwhile!

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

Thanks for bringing the subject back, Doug!

[Juan Antonio Lopez]

California is where it’s at right now with firms turning toward sustainability.

[Author]

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