Commercial Real Estate Now (Karly Iacono)

What Retailers Get Wrong About Site Selection | Ben Crowder, Bohler

The episode of Commercial Real Estate Now focuses on retail site selection, featuring Bohler principal Ben Crowder. He explains how Bohler’s owner‑developer mindset and integrated engineering, planning, and landscape services help developers evaluate sites early, reducing soft‑cost overruns and entitlement delays. Crowder highlights several critical insights: the need to scrutinize existing site conditions before redesign, the importance of access, parking, and circulation in preserving the overall tenant experience, and the evolving expectations for curb appeal, walkability, and EV‑charging integration. He also warns that drive‑throughs often become over‑rotated, stressing realistic peak‑hour traffic modeling and contingency planning. Examples from the conversation include a Tesla owner’s struggle to reach a retail outlet due to inadequate pathways, and the practice of presenting real‑world operational data to municipalities to smooth approvals. Crowder stresses that developers must bring data‑driven studies and early municipal engagement to avoid surprise restrictions. The broader implication is that retailers and developers who adopt a holistic, data‑centric approach can control soft costs, accelerate approvals, and create sites that support both new quick‑serve concepts and legacy tenants, ultimately protecting revenue and brand experience.