New SpArc Summit

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Author Message Elias Saltz, CSI, CCS, LEED AP Senior Member Username: elias_saltz Post Number: 6 Registered: 03-2009 Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - 12:52 pm:    I'm interested in knowing if any of the regular posters here are planning to attend or presenting at SpArc. It's a new summit that is apparently the successor to (or replacement for) ArchiSpec. This one is being run by Opal Group in July in Austin (?!). (see www.opalsummits.com) I saw Ken present about cutting-edge building materials at ArchiSpec last year. His presentation, along with Neri Oxman's keynote, were the highlights of the event for me. I found ArchiSpec very useful overall last year. But I worry that Opal, running a specifier summit for the first time, will not have its act together enough to put on a really good event. It's my understanding that CSI's MSR is the best of these summits, but I haven't had the opportunity to attend that one yet. Hopefully next year... I've also heard from attendees that ArcUS is getting too large, and is not recommended for that reason - your opportunities to network are too diluted due to the quantity of specifiers invited. So what are your thoughts? Will SpArc be worthwhile? How many of these summit things is it really useful to attend? ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 691 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - 02:21 pm:    Wow, I'm touched. Just being referenced in the same sentence as Neri Oxman makes my day. Thank you for your high praise. I've attended both Arc-US and MSR. Both have very good aspects but they are very different venues. Arc-US does put us through a gauntlet of sorts but we get a lot of opportunities to meet with a large number of manufacturers. MSR provides more opportunity, from my point of view, to build closer relationships. I like to attend both, when allowed, since Arc-US gives me a chance to meet a lot of people, some of whom I will keep in touch with. MSR is more relaxed and is therefore more conducive to allow us to develop our relationships. Both are good. Of course Arc-US is not limited to Specifiers. I think that CSI considers how to address us as introverts a bit better, but I suggest both venues. Elias Saltz, CSI, CCS, LEED AP Senior Member Username: elias_saltz Post Number: 7 Registered: 03-2009 Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - 03:04 pm:    Not saying you were as good as Neri. Maybe just more reality-based. I don't foresee us building out of spider webs any time soon, for example. Seeing her give that presentation was a serious treat. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 692 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - 03:07 pm:    No question. She helped open my eyes to ways we can create real change. Alan Mays, AIA Senior Member Username: amays Post Number: 153 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - 03:16 pm:    Maybe Colin should run the summits! The issue that I had with the ArchiSpec (Las Vegas) was the lack of product reps. I did like the sessions they had. Ken is right about ARC-US. I wasn't invited this past time. The ones that I have attended was more productive in networking with the product reps. Their follow up can be spotty, though. Elias Saltz, CSI, CCS, LEED AP Senior Member Username: elias_saltz Post Number: 8 Registered: 03-2009 Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - 03:41 pm:    The Savannah ArchiSpec had more useful product reps than the Las Vegas ArchiSpec. Also, the Savannah ArchiSpec had Savannah. In Las Vegas we were so far from the city that we couldn't go anywhere or do anything when we weren't in sessions. In Savannah I took the boat across the river multiple times and walked around the town. Lynn Javoroski FCSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1750 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - 03:49 pm:    Everyone seems to want to jump on the band wagon with spec writers - except architectural and engineering firms. Amazing. IMHO, the Master Specifiers Retreat wins, hands down, for the knowledge exchange, building relationships, and the take-away. Being a smaller venue than Arc-US, there's more opportunity for interpersonal growth. The individual meetings are just about the right length, too. Brian Payne, AIA Senior Member Username: brian_payne Post Number: 10 Registered: 01-2014 Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - 07:31 pm:    I thought the Savannah ArchiSpec was solid, not great. I have been told that 5 employees that ran ArchiSpec last year moved to Opal to run this years event after their previous company went out of business. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 693 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - 09:22 pm:    I enjoyed ArchiSpec but I had to wonder how they were making ends meet. Is there really enough demand for this amount of supply? Elias Saltz, CSI, CCS, LEED AP Senior Member Username: elias_saltz Post Number: 10 Registered: 03-2009 Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2014 - 09:55 am:    Ken, I agree. It seems like they spent pretty extravagantly on the Savannah event. Case in point: on behalf of my CSI chapter I contacted Neri's agent to see about getting her to give a program for us, and was rewarded with a bad case of sticker shock. Now that CM is bankrupt, I wonder if she was ever even paid for her appearance. If you have very deep pockets and want to sponsor bringing her to Chicago, let me know! Elias Saltz, CSI, CCS, LEED AP Senior Member Username: elias_saltz Post Number: 11 Registered: 03-2009 Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2014 - 10:56 am:    Er.. the comment about deep pockets was obviously not directed at Ken. We all know that specifiers don't have deep pockets. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 695 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2014 - 11:27 am:    Actually, I have very deep pockets. Very empty, but very deep. James Sandoz, AIA, CSI Senior Member Username: jsandoz Post Number: 136 Registered: 06-2005 Posted on Monday, February 03, 2014 - 12:39 pm:    I got a phone call from SpArc last Thursday. They called the last number I gave to the ArchiSpec folks. I didn't have time to talk when the call came in but the person on the other end of the line said she would e-mail information to me. We confirmed my e-mail address but I haven't received anything yet. Since Austin is only a 3 hour drive for me (and I have friends and relatives there) I would consider attending. The 28th is also my wife's birthday. Maybe I should treat her to a day at the spa if she comes with. She also has two sisters and a brother who live in Austin she could visit. James Sandoz, AIA, CSI Senior Member Username: jsandoz Post Number: 137 Registered: 06-2005 Posted on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 - 08:53 am:    I'm now officially scheduled to attend SpArk in Austin this July. I'm pleased about that and hope to see all (or at least most) of you there. Sadly, I don't believe I will be able to attend Construct 2014 this year. That's especially unfortunate because Baltimore is one of my favorite cities and I have friends in Towson too. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 701 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 - 03:52 pm:    Since SpArk doesn't cover airfare, I can't afford to go. That and my wife's birthday is a couple days prior to event and I don't want to get divorced by not being home that weekend. Hope you have a great time! Alan Mays, AIA Senior Member Username: amays Post Number: 155 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 - 06:21 pm:    Hmmm. Austin in July. 98-105 degrees with some humidity. Ouch, I remember those days in Texas. I do admit that it is a great place, though. Austin is a great city with a wonderful music background. Be sure to get BBQ there! James Sandoz, AIA, CSI Senior Member Username: jsandoz Post Number: 139 Registered: 06-2005 Posted on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 - 10:46 pm:    Ken, you will be missed. If this event wasn't being held in Austin, which is "driveable" from Houston (Dallas and New Orleans are also) I probably wouldn't be going either. Air fares are high and air travel is just a hassle these days. My wife and I got caught in a bomb scare at the Jacksonville, Florida airport last September. We got home 12 hours late and I was out a night's hotel expense in the bargain. Alan, I've lived in Houston all my life (98-105 degrees with even more humidity) so Austin will be a respite for me. The resort is up in the hills west of town so I expect it will be even better than being in the city. As a former resident of the area you also know some of the very best BBQ is in Luling about an hour's drive south of Austin on U. S. Highway 183. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 704 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 11:26 am:    Not that I imbibe, but I still hear that the best BBQ is Carolina BBQ. Of course we do have much better local beers here so that may be what's affecting the statistics. Anon (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 11:29 am:    There is a waiting list to receive an invitation to sparc summit. Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 717 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 12:27 pm:    Not the impression I have. I received an invitation three days ago, in an e-mail that said I had to respond by 30 January. That suggests they're dragging the bottom of the barrel, because not enough of the important people are attending. Lynn Javoroski FCSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1755 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 12:32 pm:    Sheldon, the only reason you would be at the bottom of the barrel is if you fell in after you'd emptied it. My friend, you are definitely sitting on the top of the barrel. anon (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 12:39 pm:    Or they're trying to find someone to spend the night in the barrel. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 705 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 02:57 pm:    Seems like too often it's my turn in the barrel. No fun going over the falls! Alan Mays, AIA Senior Member Username: amays Post Number: 156 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 05:28 pm:    James, the best BBQ I ever had was in west San Antonio, Tx. The name of the place was Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q. You ate off the butcher paper on outdoor picnic tables. It has the best BBQ I have ever tasted, period. Always a line and you parked in the gravel parking lot off of the highway. You would think it was a gas station if it wasn't for all the cars. Off of Texas Highway 151. Of course a trip to New Braunfels is worth a trip for German food. Liz O'Sullivan Senior Member Username: liz_osullivan Post Number: 126 Registered: 10-2011 Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 05:34 pm:    Luckily for SpArc attendees, there's a Rudy's in Austin, too! Alan Mays, AIA Senior Member Username: amays Post Number: 157 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 05:34 pm:    Ken, Carolina BBQ is nothing to Texas BBQ. I like Carolina BBQ, but it just doesn't get to the level of Texas BBQ. Alan Mays, AIA Senior Member Username: amays Post Number: 158 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 05:38 pm:    Liz, that is the chain restaurant. It is Rudy's BBQ, but it doesn't have the same décor as the original one. Check it out on Yelp and look at the photos of it. I had to go there just to make sure I was seeing the right one. James Sandoz, AIA, CSI Senior Member Username: jsandoz Post Number: 142 Registered: 06-2005 Posted on Thursday, February 13, 2014 - 08:52 am:    Alan (and Liz). I know the Rudy's you are referring to. My long-time friend and architecture school classmate was married in San Antonio in Oct. 2012. The wedding and reception dinner was at the Guenther House near the King William District but the rehearsal dinner was at Rudy's. Yes, very good BBQ and well worth the drive out there. Ken, there is so much difference in Texas BBQ (usually beef), Carolina BBQ, and even Kansas City BBQ that they really should not be compared apples-to-apples or BBQ-to-BBQ. There are great examples of each and the fun is in seeking them out and savoring. You met me last year in Savannah so you have "visual confirmation" that I do enjoy good food. :-) Texas is one of those places that exhibits to a high degree, and benefits greatly from, the melting pot concept of our great nation. This is especially true in culture, entertainment (think of the music coming out of Austin and all the different festivals we have throughout the year), and food. Heck, I'll even call it cuisine. Do you know what goes great with a nice Tex-Mex dinner? A cold Czech beer of course. J. Peter Jordan Senior Member Username: jpjordan Post Number: 676 Registered: 05-2004 Posted on Thursday, February 13, 2014 - 09:56 am:    There is even variety in Tex-Mex (not to be confused with the cuisine of Mexico). What I get in Corpus Christi (where I grew up) is different from Houston which is different from Dallas, etc. One of the 10 best places for barbeque according to Texas Monthly is Galitan's, right around the corner from my house in the Heights. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 707 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Thursday, February 13, 2014 - 12:11 pm:    Yes, Texas BBQ was made infamous by that old joke about the East Coast Yankee that was asked to judge a chili cookoff (sorry about the obscenities, I didn't write it - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/544975/posts) Austin certainly has a great reputation for its music and its commitment to sustainability. I'm sure the conference will be a great time. I wish I could attend.