The Daily Valet. - 1/4/23, Wednesday
✔️ The Futureof the Office Is Home
Wednesday, January 4th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Are experimenting with Dry January?
Today’s Big Story
The Future of the Office Is Home
As remote work carries on, we don't need as much office space. Which means Some will be turned into housing.
Well this is a unique full circle moment. Since we all want to work from home, work places might have to be converted into homes. You see, remote work isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. As Fast Company reports, employees no longer want to feel tethered to their desks for eight hours per day after experiencing the openness of WFH. But the phenomenon hasn't been so great for America's cities.Office buildings aren't as empty as they were before COVID vaccines became widely available. But they're still far less populated than they were in 2019. A recent analysis of Census Bureau data found that nearly 30% of Americans were working from home in October 2022. Full-time remote work has grown less prevalent since the worst days of the pandemic. But flexible work arrangements—in which employees report to the office a couple times a week—are proving much more popular.All this translates into plummeting demand for commercial real-estate. And now the idea is that all this unused office space could be turned into housing. According to Intelligencer, vacated office towers typically reside in districts already zoned for both residential and commercial activities. And Forbes reports that New York City, Houston, Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. are just some of the cities reporting growing interest in such conversion deals in order to address housing shortages.But converting office buildings into housing is easier said than done. Those big commercial buildings tend to have far fewer bathrooms and kitchens than residential ones require. Which means that any conversion demands reconstructing a tower’s plumbing and electrical systems. Expenses add up quickly, especially at a time of elevated construction costs.Couple that with the fact that office rents are higher per square foot than residential rents are, and you see why developers aren't exactly champing at the bit to get new projects underway. According to Slate, all the planned office conversions through 2025 (along with those completed since 2016) will still amount to only 2% of U.S. office space. And that includes offices that have become hotels.
FYI:
Real estate developer Bobby Fijan recently tweeted this example of how a typical modern office could be refashioned into a spacious yet bizarre home.
McCarthy Vows to Stay in Speaker’s Race
House G.O.P. Paralyzed on Day 1 as Right Wing Blocks McCarthy Speakership
Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said late Tuesday there's no scenario in which he'll drop his bid to become House speaker despite failing to win multiple rounds of voting, a historic defeat that brought the first day of the new Congress to an abrupt, messy end.The mutiny, waged by ultraconservative lawmakers who, for weeks, have held fast to their vow to oppose McCarthy, paralyzed the House on the first day of Republican rule. According to the New York Times, it not only delays the swearing in of hundreds of members of Congress, but puts off any legislative work and exposes deep divisions that threaten to make the party's House majority ungovernable.McCarthy promised to fight to the finish—encouraged, he said, by a phone call from Donald Trump, who wants him to stay in the race and told him to bring an end to the House Republican disarray and pull the party together. Ballots will continue until someone gets a majority of votes—but it's unclear how long that will take. The House agreed to return at noon today to try again.
FYI:
It took two months (and 133 ballots) for the House to elect its speaker in 1856.
We've learned nothing from the prescient lessons of 'Jurassic Park', because Scottish researchers are working on reviving heritage barley varieties that have been gone for 200 years.”
- Robb Report on Recreating the Flavor of Old Whiskies
FDA Expands Abortion Pill Access
The change may make medication abortion more accessible in states where it is legal
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday made a regulatory change that will make it possible for retail pharmacies to offer abortion pills, which previously were available only at clinics, directly from doctors or by mail.The FDA had announced a year ago that it would update protocols for prescribing the abortion pill mifepristone — the first pill used in the two-drug regimen for medication abortions. Tuesday's announcement completed that update by cementing a pandemic-era change that expanded telehealth access to the procedure.But as the Wall Street Journal points out, it won't change the availability of abortion for many women. A dozen states ban abortion throughout pregnancy, and 18 require a physician to be physically present with a patient to prescribe abortion pills, effectively banning telehealth for abortions in those states.
Dig Deeper:
Medication abortion is used in more than half of abortions in the US, outpacing surgical procedures for the first time in 2020, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
Dry January Is Here
It's the golden age for nonalcoholic beers, wines and spirits
Are you doing Dry January this year? I haven't had a lick of alcohol since Christmas, unintentionally, so I think I might give it a go. In case you've been living under a rock, the practice of abstaining from alcohol during the first month of the year has gained popularity over the last decade as a potential way to reset one's relationship with alcohol.About 35% of legal aged adults in the U.S. participated in Dry January last year, an uptick from the 21% in 2019. For those looking to detox after an indulgent holiday season, or simply lay off the sauce while they focus on their health (or anyone who's sober-curious), there's never been a better time to go dry. According to NPR, we're living in the golden age for nonalcoholic beers, wines and spirits.Stylish and tasty options abound for those who appreciate cocktail culture but don't want the booze. The market grew 120% in the last three years, into a nearly half-billion dollar business. For those who are just getting their feet wet in the NA space, InsideHook spoke to an expert who has some very tasty recommendations.
FYI:
Here's what not to say to someone doing Dry January. Ditch these impolite questions and comments.
In Other News
Technology's biggest trade show must go on, in spite of rough economic headwinds.
Have you heard about ...
Start Humidifying
How one small machine can drastically improve your life
A humidifier may seem like something you don’t necessarily need. But in the dry, heated indoors of winter, you'd be surprised the affect these tiny machines have on daily life. Better over-all health. Skin that doesn't feel like sandpaper. Less static cling. And the slight moisture keeps your walls from cracking, too. What's not to like?As we all know, winter can be tough on our bodies. Dry sinuses, bloody noses and cracked lips, not to mention the itchy dry skin that can't be soothed with just lotion. A humidifier will work wonders for your skin—all over your body—all season long.According to Shawn Nasseri, MD, a California-based otolaryngologist, whenever the air is dry, our mucous membranes tend to dry out and get thicker. And that makes it harder to filter what enters through your airways. The same goes for your skin. The air will actually pull moisture from your skin, dehydrating it (which makes it itchy and dull looking). A humidifier will keep the air at an optimal humidity level, which not only makes it easier to breathe, but keeps your skin hydrated and healthy. Ready to get humming? We tested out a handful and have four machines we'd recommend.
Read:
Shopping
What We’re Buying
‘City-to-Adventure’ SneakerS
The ideal sneaker for hikes or coffee runs. Built with a “Trailframe” underfoot that delivers ample support, especially when doing high-impact training. They’re both durable and easy to clean.
Get It:
Lowcate leather-trimmed mesh and suede sneaker, $115 / $69 by Nike ACG
Morning Motto
Focus on what you want to accomplish.
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