When the developer Hines’s New York office was hired by historic Trinity Church to redevelop its properties in Manhattan’s Hudson Square neighborhood, the real-estate entity decided to relocate its own base in the city from Park Avenue to that area south of the West Village. The design of their new location is an homage to the community’s history as a home of printing presses, yet it projects the refinement of the Houston-based company’s brand. Occupying nearly 12,000 square feet in one of the 11 Trinity-owned buildings, the new LSM-designed space doubles as the marketing center for the entire Hudson Square portfolio—including five potential development sites—saving more than $2 million that would have gone into an off-site facility.
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The architects stripped back the space in the 1930s-era building, unearthing the existing concrete slab and columns, and maximizing ceiling height to recall its industrial character. Drop ceilings in some places control noise and conceal electric, mechanical, and sprinkler components. Glazed aluminum-framed partitions delineate various zones, from conference rooms to amenity areas, while keeping many sight lines clear to encourage interaction. Near the center of the floor is what the architects named the farm table—a counter-high communal dining surface on trestle legs for staff breaks and conversation.
As a model for the development’s potential, Hines’s office has attracted such high-caliber tenants as Google: last winter, the tech giant announced a $1 billion campus expansion across three downtown buildings, two of them in Trinity’s Hudson Square portfolio. Overall, the buildings boast a low vacancy-rate total of 2 percent. The design also benefits the company internally: since moving in 2017, employees are converging and interacting in the communal spaces more than they ever have. “At 499 Park, no one ever ate lunch together,” says senior managing director Tommy Craig. “Now, on a weekly basis, we will have 20 people sitting together at the farm table.”
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