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Committed to
growth and to the expansion of their staff, Prince, Lobel, Glovsky &
Tye made the decision to move from their low rise offices on
Commercial Street to the 21st and 22nd floors of 100 Cambridge
Street. According to Bob Maloney, Managing Partner of the firm, "One
of our primary business objectives is to grow the firm in both
attorney number and in the range of legal services that we are able
to provide clients. The larger office space at 100 Cambridge Street
positions us to not only grow, but to work more effectively in an
environment that fosters collaboration and creativity. Joe Albanese
and his team at Commodore were there to help guide us every step of
the way.”
The Commodore
team began work with Prince Lobel early in the process, first by
providing pricing to assess their remain-in-place and relocate real
estate options, and then by modeling scope strategies to maximize
the build-out within the established budget. Months before
construction began, the team focused on an extensive
pre-construction effort, working with Gensler to ensure that
schedule and budget were aligned with the partners’ expectations for
their new environment. Maloney recalls, “Our internal team, our
architects at Gensler and the Commodore team were involved in all
aspects of the design and implementation. Throughout the process,
but especially when we started getting down to cost analysis,
Commodore was there to make sure we achieved our goals.”
According to
Jane Rufo, Gensler’s Project Manager and a Senior Associate of the
firm, “The key concept behind the design was the desire to create an
environment that reflects and promotes Prince Lobel’s strong culture
of community. Our goal was to preserve the “small firm” culture,
while creating a professional presence.”
The 15-week
project required Commodore to work closely with each subcontractor,
expediting shop drawings and ordering critical materials even before
the contract was finalized. Quality and schedule were the forces
that drove the project to completion. There was zero-tolerance for
schedule delays. Doors from California and other high-end materials
from distant locations demanded constant monitoring and updates to
the procurement schedule. Pre-ordered long lead materials were
stockpiled on-site to ensure that fixtures and finishes were
available as needed. Daily communications with the landlord and
existing tenants in the otherwise occupied building were essential
to minimize disruption.
Prince Lobel’s
45,000 sf space contains a dense, hard-walled office layout that
maximizes natural light from the windows overlooking Boston. At the
center of the space are a cafe, conference center, computer room,
fitness area, file rooms and the elevator lobby. While traditional
libraries are situated in the corners of each floor, the evolution
of technology required Prince Lobel to dedicate increased space to
computer and server rooms. The two floors are joined by a uniquely
designed communicating staircase with signature glass railings.
Project Manager Rufo describes the stair as a connecting piece that
ties the floors together. “At the
bottom of the stair is a wonderful cafe space. It has windows with
great views around the perimeter that really encourages the sense of
community within.”
“Our central
location in Boston, contemporary facilities, and the smart office
design have made a positive impact, on the way we work internally
and on how our clients, and the larger community, perceive the
firm,” explains Prince Lobel’s Maloney.
Steve Howard,
General Manager of CB Richard Ellis, attributes the success of the
project in part to good construction management. “The Commodore team
studied the plans. They examined the materials called for, the
design and the means and methods. They made our job very easy with
an efficient, detailed process from beginning to end.”
Rufo cites “an
unrelenting dedication by the entire team to the design goals,” as
the main reason for the project’s success. “We never lost sight of
the financial goals. It was a collaborative process from the very
beginning. Relationships between the CM, the client and the
architect were established early. The client trusted our expertise.
They trusted us. That enabled the team to do their best work.”
Joe Albanese,
President of Commodore, also cites trust and openness as the
contributing factors to success. “The client’s openness allowed us
to maximize the value of their investment by giving us insight into
their priorities and objectives. Bob Maloney clearly communicated
where they needed to be. Gensler and their consultants,“ explains
Albanese,
“were extremely responsive to Bob’s guidance. Together, we were able
to provide creative solutions with uncompromised results.”
- Steve
Howard
General Manager, C.B. Richard Ellis |
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