Andrew Shell

What is your role at Avison Young?

Andrew Shell (pictured left) is a Project Manager in our Dallas office.

How did you get into commercial real estate?

While working as an architect with HOK/Dallas I was approached by a development client to fill a development manager position. It was a start-up company and the Dallas HOK interior architecture department I was part of was falling apart, so I left to go to work for the development company. During my employment there I over-saw the design upgrade and construction for a four office building complex in Houston, TX, a large warehouse/office project for a logistics company near DFW Airport, and provided planning studies for several land development projects.

Share an example of a time you delivered economic, social and environmental value to your clients, colleagues or community?

As a former board member of the Fort Worth Avenue Development Group I participated in the decisions of planning and suggested use of land in the North Oak Cliff area of Dallas, TX. As a board member of my neighborhood association I steered the efforts to document and register our neighborhood in a Dallas, TX city project and implemented the installation of security cameras throughout the neighborhood. As a founding member of an Oak Cliff group to lobby against the restricted sale of alcohol in our district we were successful with overturning the laws to allow for legal sales of alcohol in restaurants and bars as well as beer and wine in convenience, drug, and grocery stores. This had a large, positive, economic impact and to the dismay of the opposition, no increase in crime for the district. For an office interior remodel project for an Avison Young client, I questioned the calculation method of a structural engineer consultant regarding the evaluation of an existing floor structure to support a high density file system. The consultant concluded that floor steel beam reinforcement would be needed and was priced at just over $100K dollars. I convinced the client to hire another structural engineer and I expressed my concern with how the initial structural engineer evaluated the floor load and was successful with confirming that no floor reinforcement was required and the existing floor structure was indeed adequate to support the load of the client's high density file system. Less engineering fees, the client was saved just under $100K dollars. Lastly, I have been a member of the Preservation Dallas organization for many years and the organization has been successful with keeping some of Dallas' most unique architecture from being demolished.

How do you see our Purpose reflected in your day-to-day work?

We always strive to provide the best solutions for our client's needs and employees with careful attention to work environment comfort, health, and safety, along with economic value.

How has Avison Young supported you in bringing Brand Purpose to life in your work?

Through leadership and communication.