Van Wagner

Corporate Offices for Outdoor Signage Giant

In 2003, Van Wagner hired Jeff Simon and Team to move them into the 28th floor of 800 Third Avenue.  During planning they added another half of a floor and an interconnecting stair.  Shortly after completion, with their business growing, Van Wagner leased the rest of the 29th floor and continued growing, adding more space on other floors, using JSA&D each time.

After enjoying the space for 8 years and facing their lease expiration, Chairman Richard Schaps hired Jeff and team to study moving to alternative buildings.  A program projecting Van Wagner's future spatial needs was produced. Two sites were studied to determine how much of those existing layouts could satisfy Van Wagner's needs and how much reconstruction would be required to fulfill their program.  Mr Schaps, a visionary leader, preferred to expand into the 27th floor below their existing offices but used the alternative sites for negotiation leverage.  Jeff then prepared space studies for the added lower floor and modifications to their existing floors.  The company had a policy that people eating in the office must use the lunchroom.  This kept the offices clean, but, moreover, enabled staff to mingle, increasing camaraderie and esprit de corps.  The logical place to locate the new stair to the expansion floor below was under the existing interconnecting stair between the 28th and 29th floors……where the lunchroom existed. JSA&D located an enlarged and re-envisioned café on the main and middle floor, at the stairways, facilitating use by all staff and creating a hub of activity.  One of the keys to a successful office space is to foster a sense of community. The completed café was wildly successful; a magnet enabling spontaneous interaction, the sharing of information and reinforcement of the community. The café also became a place for short meetings over a cappuccino.  The new 27th floor, connected via a new stair from the café, provided glass fronted private offices, conference rooms and comfortable open work places.