Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel Architects, PC (GKV) has completed their design of the new offices of the 120,000-member 32BJ SEIU. Located at 620 Avenue of the Americas in a Beaux Arts building that was formerly a department store, the new headquarters of 32BJ SEIU now unites all of the services and benefits of the union including industry training rooms, right down to a dental clinic, all under one roof.
The design incorporates GKV's diverse strengths, and is a nod to the union's wide and varied membership. To honor that membership in a creative way, GKV divided the office into "neighborhoods" that offer different services or functions to the membership. The main corridor is referred to as Broadway, and cuts through the space on a diagonal, while other public areas are decorated with various tools of the trade, making use of everything from window washers' harnesses to grappling hooks in place of more traditional interior design materials. Organizing, wayfinding and lighting were challenges in the design phase due to the presence of a 100,000 s/f floor plate.
The project consisted of 250,000 s/f spanning 2.25 floors. The union's new locale now includes multi-use office space, industry training rooms and classrooms, a conference center to hold meetings, and a dental clinic.
Other items of note include the re-use of materials, the location of the existing mechanical rooms which are behind glass for members to view, the salvaged original wooden flooring and fluorescent strips, bamboo flooring and diamond plated steel, serve as visual guides to navigate the large interior space.
"By addressing the needs of the Union we have successfully created an efficient yet open work space that incorporates the many services of 32BJ," said Randolph Gerner, AIA, principal of GKV. "More than just state-of the art training facilities and spaces for healthcare services, we have developed an a-traditional office environment that functions collaboratively to suit the unique organization."

To encourage collaboration among Union employees, GKV incorporated benching work areas that create a team-like environment by removing the traditional partitions. Informal meeting areas, brainstorming lounges, a huddle room, and stand-up conference tables also foster communication and interaction. The design is pending a Silver LEED Certification.
About GKV Architects
The firm, with a professional staff of 45, is currently working on an adaptive reuse project of Temple Court; a 160-unit residential multifamily building in Williamsburg; a ground-up Park Hyatt in Portugal; and the headquarters for God's Love We Deliver in New York City to name a few. GKV Architects has recently completed TEN23, a 111-unit rental building adjacent to the High Line in NYC; 2 Cooper, an award-winning residential building in Manhattan's Cooper Square; the New York headquarters for WestLB; the interior design for 32BJ SEIUs NYC offices; and the Park Hyatt in Istanbul. In total, the firm is actively engaged in more than two and a half million square feet of design work in a variety of areas including the residential, hospitality, office interior and commercial sectors. Tags: