MADGI-designed CBC U.S. headquarters finishes construction; General contractor was Interior Building Services

January 24, 2017 - Design / Build

Manhattan, NY Montroy Andersen DeMarco (MADGI) has completed the construction of Coldwell Banker Commercial (CBC) Alliance’s $1.6 million, 13,000 s/f  U.S. headquarters, located on the 28th floor of 1407 Broadway in the Times Sq. section. MADGI served as interior designer for the project.

CBC Alliance is one of the only full-service national commercial real estate firms focused on serving the middle market. It provides investment sales and acquisition support, tenant and landlord representation, property/asset management, and capital markets services.

CBC Alliance’s leadership wanted the new office to represent the quality of the firm’s services to visiting clients; offer a comfortable, energetic, and collaborative work environment for its rapidly growing team; and provide high amounts of natural light throughout the space.

“Our team’s design approach focused on creating a high-end office interior with an optimized, high-density layout that encouraged employee interaction, but also provided the necessary privacy for client meetings and phone conversations. We have accomplished that by developing a hybrid design that combines open plan areas, private offices, and numerous meeting and conference spaces,” said MADGI principal Steven Andersen.

The construction process took 12 weeks. The general contractor was Interior Building Services and the mechanical engineer was WB Engineers + Consultants.

The design is bright, clean, and contemporary, and incorporates durable and easy-to-maintain finishes.  The program includes a main lobby/reception area adjacent to the main conference room, several smaller meeting rooms, private offices, several open plan office areas, and a pantry. 

“A glazed wall separates the lobby from the conference room, in keeping with MADGI’s goal of maximizing natural light throughout the space. Glazed walls are also used in all private offices.  MADGI did this to accommodate CBC Alliance’s requested culture change, from an environment with many enclosed offices to a combination of open plan space and glazed private offices, in order to build team spirit,” explained MADGI designer Mariana Panova. “Thus, our design team took advantage of the views and high number of windows that provide a great deal of natural light.  In the new layout, private offices are on some sections of the perimeter and some are along the core of the building. The main open areas have exposed ceilings to create a high, open-air loft feeling,” she said.

The biggest challenge for the design and construction team was CBC Alliance’s acquisition of a new business – just after design drawings had been completed. MADGI had to reconfigure the drawings to accommodate the additional employees in the open plan areas. “The team did this without compromising the open feel of the space or impinging on the private offices, by reconfiguring the reception and conference room to accommodate more workstations. In the end, all open plan workspaces have access to windows and natural light,” explained MADGI project manager Sarah Bigos.

The reception area features a marble-look porcelain tile from Porcelanosa, Amian plaster paint called Chromo Coat with a pearlescent topcoat, and a walnut accent finish that adds warmth and richness. The reception desk, from Arnold Group, features a solid surface, faceted front, and a glass top. The reception area’s lounge furniture is from Coalesse.

The main conference room features a floating acoustical ceiling with large-scale Armstrong tile that reduces the visible grid pattern and creates a cleaner aesthetic, all while improving acoustics. Millwork panels in walnut were added. A glass-top table from Prismatique provides a modern, functional addition to the space. Benches at the perimeter provide sufficient seating for company-wide meetings. 

The corridor leading to the pantry and main office incorporates large glass panels that provide an open feeling and allow light into the interior of the space. The pantry itself features a bright, clean aesthetic that uses one of CBC Alliance’s brand colors – orange. It features white Formica cabinetry with Caesarstone countertops, a wall-mounted television, and a small bar-height seating area.

Throughout the space, pendant and ceiling- and wall-mounted linear lighting is by Coronet, and undercounter LED light fixtures are by WAC Lighting. Ceiling tiles and grid are the Armstrong Tegular system. Carpet tiles are by Bentley Prince Street and broadloom carpet is from Totally Carpet, with polished and sealed concrete floors in corridors. The office furniture includes Knoll and Dirtt products.

Founded in 1990 and based in New York City, MADGI, along with its affiliated studios, is a prominent, cutting-edge architectural, planning, and interior design firm predominantly serving the Greater New York area. MADGI is led by three principals: Daniel Montroy, AIA, Steven Andersen, and Richard DeMarco, AIA. The firm employs 40 architects, interior designers, LEED professionals, project managers, and support staff. Building Design & Construction magazine ranks MADGI as the 88th largest architectural firm overall and 43rd largest multi-family designer in the United States.

MADGI’s markets include office and corporate interiors, residential and mixed-use new buildings (both market-rate and affordable housing), retail, entertainment and hospitality, commercial building conversions and market re-positioning, landlord services, and sustainable/LEED design. Headed by principals, the specialized studios have served as either lead designer or architect of record for some of the most innovative – and challenging – projects in the city. The firm is known for its design quality and expertise in cost control, technical issues, and addressing complex zoning regulations.

MADGI’s recent corporate interior work includes the 150,000 s/f East Hanover, N.J., U.S. headquarters and laboratories and the 75,000 s/f Manhattan offices and testing labs of Givaudan Fragrance, as well as numerous projects in New York City for leading global corporations, such as the 14,000 s/f Lavazza U.S. headquarter; the 35,000 s/f U.S. headquarters of Dentsu USA; the 32,000 s/f Mediabistro Holdings headquarters; the 19,000 s/f global headquarters of Trammo; the 10,000 s/f marketing office and fragrance laboratory of Symrise; and the U.S. operations center of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

The firm’s architectural, executive design, and design collaborations portfolio includes the 230-room citizenM New York hotel in Times Square; The Dillon Townhouses and Condominiums, a 205,000-sq.-ft residential complex at 425 West 53rd St. that received a 2012 AIA New York State Award of Merit; the 11-story 560 West 24th St. luxury condominium; the 82,000 s/f Soori Highline luxury condominium on West 29th St.; and the market repositioning of the 100,000 s/f 160 Fifth Ave. office tower in Manhattan.

MADGI recently served as the architect for two of the most prominent restaurants and tourist attractions in Manhattan: One World Observatory – the 90,000-sq.-ft. observation deck and retail space atop the new One World Trade Center, and the renovated landmark Rainbow Room restaurant on top of 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

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