Offices Renovated At SJU

The faculty, administrative staff, and students at St. John's University School of Education are enjoying new offices and lounge space at Sullivan Hall this academic year, thanks to Graf & Lewent Architects (GLA). The full-service design firm redesigned and guided the renovation of approximately 20,000 square feet of office space on three floors of Sullivan Hall in just 10 weeks.

The existing facility was basic utilitarian, unimpressive classroom and office space and typical of an older institution. Block walls, drop ceilings with fluorescent lighting, cubicles and a lack of color and style characterized the space, which serves approximately 120 staff members.

"St. John's was seeking a more open, inviting space, with more natural light," said Howard Graf, AIA, the project director for GLA. "We reconfigured the offices and workstations to improve traffic flow and allow centralized filing, opened up the entire space by removing corridor walls to bring in natural light to interior areas and removed the drop ceilings, exposing new oval ductwork for a greater ceiling height." New floor and wall finishes of bright complementary colors brought cohesion to the redesigned space, giving the entire project a very contemporary look.

GLA introduced several new amenities to the $3 million renovation project. A sub-basement storage area was converted into a snack bar and lounge for students, bringing food service to a portion of the campus that previously did not have it. An interior window wall replaced cargo-style doors to give a sense of openness. Low ceilings in another space that was originally designated for classrooms necessitated the use of unsightly wall units when air conditioning was introduced. Through careful design, GLA successfully added ductwork for central air conditioning without compromising ceiling height.

One of the greatest challenges was the project's schedule. "St. John's University wanted the project completed in time for the start of the academic year, which was a very aggressive timeframe. This compressed schedule impacted every detail of the design," noted Graf. "We had to factor in product ordering lead times when specifying major equipment as well as interior materials, such as light fixtures. Our extensive experience sourcing materials to meet stringent requirements enabled us to design just the right look and keep the project on schedule." GLA worked closely with project contractors to carefully manage construction in order to avoid disruption to the classes in session over the summer. With only one elevator in the building, all deliveries had to take place during off hours.

"Howard Graf and his staff understood the importance of our schedule, and they did an excellent job of responding to questions and clearly communicating their ideas throughout the process," said Ibi Yolas, project director for St. John's University Design & Construction Department. "Their documentation was excellent, which kept everything on track. Howard was always ready to help us in any matters."

Graf & Lewent Architects is one of the New York area's premier specialty architecture firms offering a full range of services. The firm has extensive experience in laboratory, corporate interior, higher education, airport and airline-related fields. Their expertise includes design of sophisticated control/dispatch centers and special technical training and testing facilities. The firm prides itself on style that balances creativity and imagination with practical, buildable design. Howard Graf and Steve Lewent assure their prestigious clients personal principal involvement in all phases of projects. For more information, call 718-651- 6200 or visit www.glarchitects.com.