RBW buys 100,000 s/f in Kingston, commences $7 million renovation

Kingston, NY Lighting design company RBW has moved its factory and HQ from Brooklyn’s Industry City to Upstate New York, supporting the area’s shift to becoming an innovation and manufacturing hub. The company closed on the sale of a 100,000 s/f former IBM call center for an undisclosed amount.

The 10-year old lighting brand was founded by RISD graduates during the last recession and quickly became one of the top manufacturing and design companies. As they heralded quality onsite manufacturing in Brooklyn, their fixtures became a go-to for all types of designers like Rockwell and Yabu Pushelberg, and adorned the offices of tech giants including Uber, Yelp and Nest as well as hotels and residences throughout the country.

At Industry City the brand celebrated their unique approach to fabricating onsite while their executives worked nearby. Drawing inspiration from the great European design factories, they set out to further evolve their manufacturing, labor, and technology model by building what they are calling the “Factory of the Future” in their new Upstate location. The brand is making a multi-million dollar investment in the new facility that was formerly an office building—once a part of the IBM campus.

RBW’s renovation of the space will follow biophilic principles in architecture, emphasizing its natural surroundings, and targeting a minimal ecological footprint. RBW has partnered with Neil Logan and Dutton Architecture for the renovation. RBW plans to create an innovation campus with an all-new approach to the office with all facets of the company’s operations under one roof, from design and manufacturing to traditional open bench desking and break out spaces promoting collaboration in ideal settings. The projected construction cost is $7 million.

Leading the project team are Alex Williams, founding partner and director of growth; Theo Richardson, founding partner and director of development; Charles Brill, managing partner; Alan Ince, director of people; and Jana Milcikova, director of product operations.