August 2025

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KEEPING IT FLOWING

Building with Purpose: 5 Best Practices for Construction Efficiency

No two construction jobs are the same. Each site has its own challenges, crews, and moving parts. That said, the smoothest projects tend to have one thing in common: a disciplined approach to how the work is planned, executed, and adjusted as it moves forward. OTL’s Director of Field Operations Devin Schumacher shares five practices that make the difference in construction.  

TEAM SPOTLIGHT

Getting to Know OTL’s Director of Field Operations Devin Schumacher

METRICS THAT MATTER

Play Plaza’s Big Week, Bigger Impact

Gipson Play Plaza at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina welcomed a staggering 68,000 visitors in its first week – generating an estimated $2.47 million in local economic activity in that week alone. While the park is free to enter, visitor spending on food, retail, and nearby services creates measurable value for Raleigh’s business ecosystem. For property owners and developers, it’s a powerful reminder: well-designed public spaces don’t just build community – they drive demand, foot traffic, and long-term value. Read more about how the designers created this interactive space (including the waterfall our company built).  

P.S.

Ever wonder how OTL got its name? When founders Hugh Hughes and J. Wickham Zimmerman set out to name the company in 2007, they knew two things: they didn’t want to be limited by labels, and they wanted a name that reflected the creative spirit around which they were building. They kept coming back to phrases like “thinking outside the box” and “coloring outside the lines,” and that’s when it clicked. Outside the Lines captured the heart of what they were about – pushing boundaries, challenging convention, and creating experiences that surprise and inspire.

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