July 2025

KEEPING IT FLOWING

Top 3 Wellness Trends Shaping the Built Environment

As commercial real estate evolves, wellness is no longer a bonus – it’s a baseline. Tenants, buyers, and investors increasingly demand spaces that promote physical, mental, and emotional health. Today, three wellness trends are leading the charge: biophilic and regenerative design, neuro-inclusive spaces, and spaces that are AI-integrated for well-being. Click below to learn what’s driving these shifts – and how they’re transforming the way we build.

RIPPLE EFFECT

Together We Innovate: Sparking Creativity in Your Team

In our industry, creativity isn’t limited to the drafting table. It’s in the way our field crews solve problems on the fly, the way our project managers bring vision to reality within tight timelines, and the way we collaborate across disciplines and time zones to bring something meaningful to life. Sparking creativity in your team doesn’t take magic. It takes intention. Our CEO J. Wickham Zimmerman shares his insights on the topic.

METRICS THAT MATTER

Water = Wellness: The Overlooked Value Driver

How does water drive value for developers and property owners? Designing around water boosts both wellness outcomes and property performance. Properties near water consistently command higher sales and rental values—in some markets, up to 50% more than inland equivalents. Water-adjacent amenities like canals, ponds, or interactive fountains can turn a building into a wellness destination, driving foot traffic, tenant retention, and community engagement.

Also, as wellness and sustainability metrics become core to investment decisions, water features contribute to biophilic design, LEED/WELL certifications, and placemaking strategies that align with long-term ROI.

Whether it’s the calming effect of a fountain or the life-extending benefits of living near a river, water is a wellness multiplier—and a value driver. For developers, it offers a rare convergence of human-centered design and financial upside.

P.S.

Team OTL shined at the recent 2025 Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Awards in Irvine, California. Our CEO J. Wickham Zimmerman was one of just three Orange County business founders recognized for visionary leadership and impactful execution. OTL was honored to be among the esteemed Wing Lam of Wahoo's and Mark Rossi of Avanati Restaurant Solutions. Congratulations to everyone involved in the awards event, and thank you to ACG!

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