Capital Planning
for Cooperative & Condominium Boards
Strategic guidance for aging buildings in DC's Southwest — from someone who's sat in your chair.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR CHALLENGES <<
If you're on a co-op or condo board in Southwest DC, you're likely facing some familiar challenges: 50+ year old infrastructure that needs attention, BEPS requirements that seemed to come out of nowhere, capital reserves that never seem adequate, and the political complexity of getting hundreds of owners to agree on anything.
I get it. Because I've been there.
I'm Brian McLaren, and I've served on the board of Harbour Square Cooperative for 8 years, including 6 years as president. When I joined, the board was adversarial and dysfunctional. Through patient leadership, community engagement, and transparent decision-making, we transformed it into a high-functioning board that's now a neighborhood leader in building maintenance and financial planning.
Beyond board leadership, I'm a licensed architect with experience managing projects from $500K to $100M+. I've designed sustainable buildings, managed construction teams, written RFPs, evaluated bids, and overseen complex capital projects from concept through completion.
Now I'm offering those combined skills to other boards in the neighborhood who are navigating the same aging infrastructure, BEPS requirements, and capital planning challenges we've already tackled at Harbour Square.
What I Understand About Your Situation
You're Managing Complex Buildings
- High-rise buildings and townhomes with 50+ year old systems
- Aging mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure
- Deferred maintenance catching up with you
- Limited capital reserves and competing priorities
You're Facing New Requirements
- DC's BEPS (Building Energy Performance Standards) requirements
- Pressure to improve energy efficiency or face penalties
- Unclear how to comply without taking on debt
- Property managers who may not fully understand the technical requirements
You're Navigating Community Politics
- Boards with limited technical expertise
- Residents who question every expense
- Contractors and vendors who speak a different language
- Decisions that impact hundreds of households
You Need Someone Who Understand All Three Dimensions
Technical
Financial
Political
Strategic Capital Planning
Multi-year roadmaps that prioritize infrastructure investments, align with your financial capacity, and position you to meet regulatory requirements without crisis spending.
What You Get
Comprehensive building systems assessment
Prioritized capital improvement roadmap ((typically 5-10 years)
Budget projections and financing options analysis
BEPS awareness integrated into planning
Board-ready presentations and resident communication materials
Why It Matters
Most boards are reactive—fixing things as they break. Strategic planning lets you be proactive, budget accurately, and avoid the "emergency special assessment" cycle.
Engagement Options
Project-based or ongoing advisory retainer
RFP Writing &
Bid Procurement
Professional preparation of Requests for Proposals and management of the bidding process to ensure you get qualified contractors at fair prices.
What You Get
Detailed scope of work documents
Technical specifications that contractors can actually bid on
Pre-qualified vendor outreach
Bid evaluation criteria and scoring
Reference checking and qualification review
Contract negotiation support
Why It Matters
Poorly written RFP gets you bad bids.
Vague scope = change orders.
Inadequate qualification screening = contractor problems.
I've written dozens of RFPs and know how to get apples-to-apples proposals.
Engagement Options
Project-based fees
Owner's Representative
& Project Oversight
I serve as your technical advocate during construction, protecting your interests and ensuring contractors deliver what they promised.
What You Get
Regular site observation visits
Technical question resolution
Change order evaluation and recommendation
Pay application review and approval recommendations
Schedule monitoring and delay mitigation
Quality control and punch list management
Project close-out and warranty coordination
Why It Matters
Most board members don't have construction expertise. Contractors know this. Having an experienced owner's rep levels the playing field and protects your investment.
Engagement Options
Hourly or project percentage-based fees
Why Work With Me
I've Sat Where You're Sitting:
As board president at Harbour Square, I've navigated:
- Capital planning for a 450+ unit building
- Board dynamics from toxic to high-functioning
- Resident communication about necessary but expensive projects
- Property manager relationships and accountability
- Multi-million dollar infrastructure decisions
I Have the Technical Credentials:
- Licensed Architect (RA) in the District of Columbia
- Experience managing design and construction projects ($500K - $100M+)
- Sustainability expertise (co-founded firm specializing in strategic sustainable design)
- Former work with school districts (owner-occupied buildings focused on operational efficiency)
- Boots-on-the-ground experience protecting owner's interests
I Know Your Building Type:
I live in a 50+ year old Southwest cooperative with 450+ units and aging infrastructure.
- The challenges you're facing? We've tackled them.
- The BEPS requirements catching you off guard? We saw them coming and planned accordingly.
I Understand Southwest DC:
Your buildings are like mine, we share similar:
- Construction era and building systems
- Mechanical equipment and infrastructure challenges
- Community demographics and governance structures
- Proximity to BEPS requirements and DC regulatory environment
I'm not learning on your dime—I already know the context.
My Approach
Listen First: Every building and every board has unique dynamics. I start by understanding your specific challenges, financial constraints, and community culture.
Communicate Clearly: Technical decisions need to make sense to non-technical board members and residents. I translate complex building systems and construction processes into clear, understandable language.
Build Consensus: The best technical solution means nothing if the community won't support it. I help boards make decisions collaboratively and communicate them transparently.
Plan for the Long Term: Quick fixes cost more in the long run. I help boards think strategically about their buildings as 50+ year investments that need systematic care.
Respect Your Fiduciary Duty: Board members have legal and ethical obligations to their communities. Everything I recommend accounts for your duty to preserve the building, protect reserves, and make prudent financial decisions.
Recent Accomplishments
While serving as Harbour Square's board president, our board:
- Successfully navigated BEPS requirements without taking on additional financing
- Maintained building systems to meet new energy efficiency standards
- Transformed a dysfunctional, adversarial board into a collaborative, high-functioning leadership team
- Improved financial planning and capital reserves management
- Enhanced communication with residents about complex technical decisions
- Established the cooperative as a neighborhood leader in building maintenance
Note: I didn't personally design these improvements, but I helped keep management educated about BEPS requirements through continuing education I complete to maintain my architecture license. I also led the board's decision-making process and resident communication strategy.
Let's Talk About Your Building
If you're a board member facing capital planning challenges, BEPS requirements, or major infrastructure decisions, let's have a conversation. No obligation, no pressure—just a candid discussion about whether I can help.
Who Is This For
Ideal Clients:
- Co-op and condo boards in Southwest DC
- Buildings with 400+ units and aging infrastructure
- Boards facing BEPS compliance challenges
- Communities with capital planning needs but limited internal expertise
- Buildings with property managers who need technical oversight support
Particularly Good Fit If
- Your building is 40-60 years old
- Your mechanical systems are reaching end-of-life
- You're uncertain how to prioritize capital investments
- You need to write RFPs but lack in-house expertise
- You want oversight on capital projects but don't have technical board members
- Your board has limited construction/architecture experience
How We Work Together
Discovery Conversation (No Charge):
- 30-minute call or meeting to understand your challenges
- Review of any existing capital plans or studies
- Discussion of your timeline and budget constraints
- Clear assessment of whether I can help
Engagement Options:
- Project-Based: Defined scope, fixed timeline, clear deliverable (e.g., 5-year capital plan, RFP package)
- Retainer: Ongoing advisory support for boards who want regular access to expertise
- Hourly Consulting: As-needed guidance for specific questions or reviews
- Construction Oversight: Typically percentage-based or hourly for owner's rep services
Geography: I focus exclusively on Southwest DC, where I live and understand the building stock, community dynamics, and regulatory environment.