Opportunity in challenges┬áThe historical preservation challenges of the Fairmont Heritage Place at Ghirardelli Square project in San Francisco turned out to be an opportunity in disguise for JMA Ventures, as Keith Regan learns.  San FranciscoÔÇÖs Ghirardelli Square is a well-known landmark, a key piece of real estate along the cityÔÇÖs storied waterfront and near the iconic FishermanÔÇÖs Wharf area, with historic roots in the regionÔÇÖs Gold Rush years.

Tunnel vision┬áJ.F. Shea Construction is building an extension to New York Metropolitan Transit AuthorityÔÇÖs No. 7 Line Subway that will improve the quality of the cityÔÇÖs cultural and business life, as John OÔÇÖHanlon learns. Anyone who rides the New York City subway system knows what the inside of a can must feel like to a sardine.

Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital used value stream mapping and other lean techniques to transform its emergency room, and now it is looking for even deeper changes, as Keith Regan reports Not long ago, the emergency room at Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital (HDGH) in Windsor, Ontario, was a study in inefficiency. Given its downtown location and proximity to the border, the ER can be a very chaotic place. Patients endured long waits to be seen by doctors and nurses and often became angry as a result.

Perfect persuasion┬áFor HCA, the largest for-profit healthcare company in the US, the process of designing new hospitals and upgrading older ones is an essential part of continually improving patient care and refining hospital practice. Bryan Seely explains to Gay Sutton why lean design lies at the heart of HCAÔÇÖs hospital efficiency. Managing the construction and upkeep of the properties in the HCA portfolio is a monumental feat of administrative and management ability.

Cost control┬áGreater Rochester International Airport has welcomed a record number of travelers this past year. Keith Regan learns how the airport continues to build on its strengths to keep down the cost of flying. When aviation director David Damelio talks with airlines considering flying out of Rochester, he doesnÔÇÖt try to compare Monroe County to larger airports across the US or even his closest competitor, the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, located just 60 miles away.

A whole new ball gameBrendan A. Smith reports on the construction of a new sports facility in the desert city of Goodyear, Arizona. The city of Goodyear, Arizona is the new hot spot for major league ballplayers heading out to the Cactus League for spring training this year, and there is no doubt why. The talk of the Cactus League is the brand new $108 million spring training facility being built on a three acre spread just south of the city center.

An eagles view┬áAs British ColumbiaÔÇÖs largest bridge construction project in over 20 years nears completion, project director Norm Tennock talks to Gay Sutton about the surprises and challenges of building an aesthetically pleasing structure that will ease congestion and complement the beauty of the surrounding area. Just to the east of Vancouver and set into a landscape of forests, meadows, watercourses and majestic mountains, the communities of Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge to the north and Langley and Surrey to the south are separated by the mighty F

Golden opportunity┬áGolden Band Resources of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has found a successful strategy in focusing solely on gold exploration and production, even during down markets. President & CEO Rodney Orr tells Linda Seid Frembes why it works. Located in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, the Saskatoon area is well known for farming and mining. The region produces half of CanadaÔÇÖs export crops and is the worldÔÇÖs largest exporter of uranium and potash.

Going west┬áFirst West Properties proves that real estate investment can still be profitable in western Canada, despite current economic conditions, reports Brendan A. Smith. When First West Properties changed its name from Aveiro Investment Corporation in February of 2007, president Eric Wesling knew the direction he wanted to take the real estate investment firm. ÔÇ£We changed our name to First West Properties Ltd.

Star quality┬áDreams Inc. believes that building a talented team and designing an innovative game plan works as well in selling sports gear as it does in sports itself, Keith Regan learns. Thanks to an almost insatiable appetite by consumers for the apparel and related gear of their favorite teams and players, the sports licensed product and memorabilia business is a massive one, worth approximately $14.5 billion a year. But the traditional nature of the business has often made it a challenging one as well.