It’s 161 miles from Springfield to Blue Springs. That’s 161 miles O’Reilly Development Co. partners don’t have to drive each week thanks to some recently purchased technology.
The Queen City-based company installed a time-lapse camera system on its Parkway Senior Living development in Blue Springs and a second on its Roaster’s Block project in downtown Kansas City. The stationary cameras take a high-resolution photo every five to 10 minutes that can then be monitored through a live Web feed 24/7.
Though the price of gasoline continues to slide, O’Reilly Development partner Denise Heintz said the team would rather work smarter, not harder.
“This gives us a level of oversight on a project without having to travel to the jobsite all the time,” she said of the camera system. “In reality, the camera almost gives us a more comprehensive view of that week’s work than a site visit would. We can see the progress as it takes shape.”
Purchased through Atlanta-based OxBlue Corp., Heintz said two cameras came in at roughly $5,000 and O’Reilly will continue to pay a monthly fee for monitoring and photo archiving.
“The potential savings from this is worth the initial investment,” said Heintz, who also is director of operations and development. “As the firm grows and we take on projects further away, we need to be able to check on them. Aside from travel costs, the camera also allows our investors nationwide to view the projects.
“Everyone can be on the same page at the same time.” The cameras Specializing in time-lapse construction cameras, OxBlue CEO Chandler McCormack said the systems collect more than photos. They also store current weather conditions that are transmitted via cellular lines to the OxBlue data center for archiving.
“At any time, clients can log on and see what’s happening, or go back in time to a specific date,” he said. “That gives you the ability to do things like track weather and work progress.
“Say there is a problem with the asphalt down the road. You can look back and see if it was the right temperature on the day it was installed.”
The cameras also can act as a warranty system for banks investing in the project and ensure contract compliance on construction schedules.
“They have sort of an invisible-hand effect moving a project forward,” McCormack said.
Springfield-based Build LLC is general contractor for both O’Reilly projects in the Kansas City area.
Senior Project Manager Rob Nelson said the system is a first for him and already has proven useful.
“It’s reduced owner inspections already,” he said.
“That’s time that everybody doesn’t have to take out of their schedule. They can log on in the morning, every morning if they want to.”
McCormack said OxBlue cameras are currently being utilized on more than a dozen Springfield-area projects under construction, but he declined to disclose clients.
While O’Reilly’s Parkway Senior Living and Roaster’s Block projects are both open to the public, McCormack said the majority of construction camera feeds are closed, viewable only to those involved.
McCarthy Building Cos. Project Director Jared Hites said Mercy employed the cameras in its recent $144 million construction of orthopedic and rehabilitation hospitals along the Christian County border.
“It’s normal for us to install cameras on projects of this nature,” Hites said.
“We’ve used them for at least 15 years now. It’s not something we do on every project, but for something from the ground up like this, it really allows you to track the progress.”
Hites said he’s used the cameras in the past to supplement his daily journal, tracking snow days in a given season.
The projects Heintz said O’Reilly chose The Parkway Senior Living and Roaster’s Block projects as a jumping off point because of their high visibly and interest, noting the time-lapse videos also can be used for marketing and prepromotion.
“The Parkway project is new construction with out-of-state investors and many people involved in different cities, so it made sense to test it here,” she said.
“We wanted to generate excitement for the Roaster’s Block project. The camera is focused on an area going from a grain elevator to a pool and streetscape. It’s going to be a dramatic change.”
The $21 million Parkway project in Blue Springs will include 142 units, varying from independent care to assisted living and memory care.
Heintz said the first phase of the project should be complete in early summer, with the second phase – the assisted living units – complete a couple months later, around August.
The Roaster’s Block project in downtown Kansas City is a historic redevelopment in the garment district comprising two separate buildings and an adjoining open parking lot.
Giving the project its unique name, Folgers Coffee Co. Inc. owned and occupied the buildings until 2012.
Heintz said the $35 million project would result in 146 market rate lofts.
O’Reilly hopes to wrap up construction on the first building by early fall and the second before the close of 2015.
“The cameras are kind of contagious,” Heintz said. “Once you do it, you have to check every day to see what’s changed.
“I think we are just beginning to touch the surface of what we can do with this.”[[In-content Ad]]
