Project Development
Project Development
From supplementary and additional construction to broader area development projects
The goal of our property and area development work is economically successful and comprehensively functional housing and office solutions. In both cases, there is an emphasis on understanding and managing entire entities.
Let's refine your sketch into a project
Project engineer, real-estate and project development for 20 years.
My experience is rooted in leadership roles on construction sites from 1991 to 2004. My career in project development began in 2004 at Rakennustoimisto Palmberg, from where I continued as a Project Development Manager for Lemminkäinen and YIT in 2013. I started as a Project Development Director at SARA on May 1, 2022.
In construction companies, my most recent project involved the development of Tammela Stadium, including construction preparation, investor sales, and leasing. Similar projects have been undertaken in hotels, shopping center, office spaces, residential developments, and supplementary construction for housing cooperatives.
Do you need to increase the market value, yield, or scale of your property? Is there a need for a zoning change? Do you want to increase the building rights of your property? Are you looking for a plot?
Are you planning to convert your property for residential use? Would you like us to find new tenants for your property? What do you want to develop, plan, and build?
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SARA’s development work is based on building for users. A good environment speaks with clarity and the right scale. In a functional property or neighborhood, everyday life is safe, comfortable, and easy.
When working in a user-centric manner, the client is a partner for SARA from the development phase. We understand that the solution is designed only for them, and it may be the most important project of their life. Therefore, we approach all projects with great respect and seriousness, as if we were building for ourselves.
-Janne Salonen, Project Development Director
Property Development
Property development is worthwhile, as with change, the value of the property increases.
- Sustainable project and property development start with the user, experience, and planning according to user needs.
- The foundation for launching a project is created through needs assessment.
- As experienced property developers, we handle ideation and development work within the client’s parameters.
- We involve clients in the planning process and keep them informed about the project’s progress.
- Profitability and project calculations are prepared for all projects.
- If necessary, we secure users for new spaces or manage the property sale.
- We present proposals with subsequent steps gradually to the client, board, or housing company.
Development work ensures that the overall result becomes welcoming, efficient, and modern.
Additional and/or supplementary construction
Additional or extension construction or on a sparsely built old plot can be aimed at financing renovations or reducing maintenance fees.
In addition to profitability, it is important to consider the perspectives of authorities and minimize potential negative impacts, such as changes to the landscape, parking, and green areas.
There are numerous options for additional construction and extension:
- Plot subdivision
- New building on an existing plot
- Building height extension
- Building extension or expansion
- Change of use
- Attic construction
- Demolition and new construction
We will find the solution that best aligns with your objectives among these options.
Area development
In area development, we create urban spaces where functions blend naturally and interestingly, seamlessly combining daily activities.
Area development always requires collaboration with authorities. We believe that only through good cooperation and well-founded solutions can the goals of different stakeholders be achieved.
- Residential living, leisure, work, services, hobbies, mobility, and attractive urban spaces – Everyday needs accessible to everyone
- In commercial developments, parking and its accessibility and smooth flow are highlighted as one of the most important planning tasks, without forgetting maintenance and logistics
- Walking, cycling, and public transportation must be addressed safely. To achieve a successful outcome, so-called anchor users should be secured already in the planning phase.
When the needs of different users are taken into account in the planning process, the area becomes a functionally cohesive entity recognizable by its name.
Over time, the area develops its own identity, remembered for decades as a place where people come together.
Our Tool Box
We utilize the latest digital tools in the industry, and with their purposeful utilization, we have enabled a process that is unparalleled.
Creating and evaluating solution alternatives is quick, whether the scale of the assignment is a single building or an entire city district, summarizes Project Development Director Janne Salonen.
However, relying solely on design tools is not enough; our true strength lies in people and collaboration. Our team consists of resilient experts in engineering, finance, and architecture.
We approach things comprehensively, considering each person’s unique expertise perspective. In addition to our own vision, we ensure the effectiveness of projects with project and profitability calculations.
Projects must be built on a sustainable foundation in terms of both human scale and returns and the environment: people – profit – planet, the triple bottom line, as they say in the larger world. Only a functional entity can be sustainable. It is specifically the functionality and operational aspects that our process aims to engage different stakeholders in.”
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We facilitate decision-making by creating building information models for all projects. These models help us identify project constraints right at the beginning, allowing us to access costs and compare different options.
We justify all our solutions with data. This enables us to optimize construction efficiency as well. We can model, for example:
- How traffic and noise impact living conditions.
- How much daylight an individual apartment receives during a specific season.
- How many apartments have a lake view or how many face only a neighboring building.
By leveraging data in this way, we enhance our ability to make informed decisions and enhance the overall efficiency of the construction process.
Visual design: superior method
Do you want to analyze complex diagrams or would it be better to see the finished building as it actually looks? This is what visual design is all about.
With the tools at our disposal, we can quickly generate a visual model of the project, making it easy to grasp the building and spaces. Changes can be made almost in real-time during planning meetings, saving both time and money towards the end of projects.
Visual design is versatile, and we leverage it in various contexts, including plot allocation competitions, space planning, additional construction, supplementary construction, and marketing materials.”
If you have read this far and are interested in specific applications, the current palette includes Autodesk Revit (BIM), Enscape (visualization), and Forma (generative design).
