Developing a cannabis facility? Assemble the right team early - by Brian Anderson

Brian Anderson, Anderson Porter Design, Architects and Construction

Yes, the green rush is on and no wonder why, reports show that the cannabis industry will be worth $50 billion by 2026. So if you are thinking about jumping in and the glimmer of building a marijuana cultivation facility and dispensary is in your eye, look before you leap. Assembling the right team of professionals, ideally right from the start, can ultimately make sure you are poised for success from the very beginning of what can be a complicated process.

Anderson Porter Design, Architects and Construction Consultants in Cambridge, is taking a leadership position in creating an integrated team to ensure successful design and building of cultivation facilities and dispensaries. People come into this business extremely excited, but with knowledge in a few specific areas. It’s all about assembling the right team of professionals with a broad spectrum of skills to fill in the knowledge gaps that can assist no matter where you are in the process of building your facility.

Anderson Porter works with clients from the very beginning planning stages; site selection and permitting all the way through to the design and construction, and even beyond, to the develop of the retail brand experience at the dispensary.

From Anderson Porter’s perspective it all starts with understanding the needs and goals of his clients and integrating their business “grow” goals with the right size facilities to ultimately meet their financial projections. In addition, an important factor not to be overlooked when designing a dispensary is the “retail experience”. In this highly competitive environment, creating a unique “look and feel” can drive clients to frequent one location over another.

There are hundreds of factors that need to be taken into account in every marijuana construction project. Add to that every jurisdiction has different municipal hurdles to overcome. Therefore the number of potential snags in the process expands exponentially, so starting off with the right site can make or break the way the project is going to go.

All of this means that with all the complexities associated with becoming a “Cannabista” and developing a marijuana cultivation facility and dispensary, it is incredibly important to consult with an extremely knowledgeable group of professionals from the start. A group of professionals that can answer all your questions, from real estate to the details around construction and design, a team that is intimately familiar with the latest changes in the industry as well as the local building codes and permitting processes.

Brian Anderson is an architect and principal with Anderson Porter Design, Architects and Construction Consultants, Cambridge, Mass.