Mancini•Duffy Completes Transformation of Normandy Real Estate Partners' 575 Lexington Avenue

Reimagined Entry and Lobby of 35-Story Office Tower in Midtown Manhattan

Mancini•Duffy, a leading architectural and interiors practice, has completed the transformation of Normandy Real Estate Partners’ 35-story, 749,040 square-foot office tower, 575 Lexington Avenue. The firm’s dynamic design created an inviting lobby, new storefront, grand entrance, state-of-the-art elevator cabs, and a high-definition media wall. This was Mancini•Duffy’s first collaboration with Normandy; presently, the firm is working on the renovation of another building in the developer’s portfolio, 125 W. 25^th Street.

“Mancini•Duffy is proud to once again work with Normandy Real Estate Partners on its asset at 575 Lexington Avenue,” said Christian Giordano, President of Mancini•Duffy. “We’re passionate about creating inviting and functional spaces that have a unique aesthetic, which also provides our clients with the tools necessary to attract top-quality tenants and be competitive in today’s market.”

Mancini•Duffy’s updated design features a two-story entryway, whose exterior canopy extends inward and acts as a ceiling for the interior lobby, creating a continuous connection between the indoor/outdoor spaces of the building. The bright, new entryway opens up the exterior of the ground-floor retail space, while paying homage to the dark glass façade above. Inside, the lobby is accentuated by a high-definition media wall which displays natural landscapes and programs geared towards clients and special occasions.

Interior and exterior finishes and materials used by Mancini•Duffy at 575 Lexington Avenue included white quartzite stone, statuary marble, wood, veneer, stainless steel, and high-end light fixtures. 

Mancini•Duffy Amplifies Law Firm Interiors Practice Under Leadership From Dina Frank And New Senior Design Professional Stephen Gertz

Industry veteran retains leadership, bolstered by additional expertise.

Mancini•Duffy has retained a new senior design professional to bolster its law firm practice led by industry veteran Dina Frank, AIA,IIDA, principal and president emeritus. Stephen Gertz, a widely recognized expert in the design of corporate offices, with particular expertise and extensive experience with law firms has joined the team as the Director of its Law Firm practice.

Mr. Gertz comes to Mancini•Duffy with nearly four decades of experience as Executive Vice President and Principal with Keiser Associates. There, he brought, designed, and managed a broad range of law firm projects including those for Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass, LLP and BuckleySandler, LLP. His most recent finished work was a renovation project for Morgan Lewis & Bockius, LLP. The work involved upgrades to a 14,000 square-foot conference center, the integration of full AV systems in all rooms and a new 25,000 square-foot practice floor featuring new planning and design standards which were implemented throughout the firm. 

His success in developing working relationships—some as much as 20 years long—with his clients has led many of them to follow him to Mancini•Duffy, where he can effectively continue to serve them in a larger, more diversified firm with a strong history of quality design and service. Gertz holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Notre Dame.

“As client and industry needs change, we felt it time to deepen our expertise and bring Stephen to our team. His insight will further enable Mancini•Duffy to make bold, prudent moves in the future, especially as the firm moves into its next 100 years,” said Dina Frank. “We are excited to add Stephen’s skills to the law firm practice team, and I am thrilled to be working with him.”

Mancini•Duffy’s law firm practice has served many of the nation’s premiere legal powerhouse firms, including Latham & Watkins, Dorsey & Whitney and Stroock & Stroock & Lavan.

Mancini Duffy Names Rudy Espiritu Technical Director-Senior Associate

Prominent Design and Construction Professional Brings Broad Experience In Architecture and Construction Management

In an effort to further expand its industry-leading architectural and interiors practice, Mancini•Duffy has hired prominent design and construction executive Rudy Espiritu to serve as a Technical Director/Senior Associate. Mr. Espiritu brings over 13 years of experience in architecture and construction management to his new position at Mancini-Duffy, joining an accomplished team of professionals at the firm.

“I am very excited to work with some of the most talented architects and designers in our industry at Mancini•Duffy, a firm with a tremendous history and many exciting projects in the works,” said Mr. Espiritu. “Personally, I am also looking forward to expanding my knowledge base as I learn from some of the best people in the business.”

Prior to joining Mancini•Duffy Mr. Espiritu was an Associate Partner, Project Manager and Project Architect with Foster + Partners. Among his many noteworthy projects while with the firm, he was involved in the complete renovation of the New York Public Library at 42^nd Street.

Additional former senior leadership roles include Mr. Espiritu’s tenure with HLW International, where he oversaw 4.5 million square feet of new construction. While at HLW, he served as Project Architect on the ESPN Digital Center II, a 190,000 square-foot, ground-up Digital Release Facility. He was also involved in the 6,000 square-foot, fit-out of the flagship food service and public assembly facility for the NY headquarters of Google. He was Project Architect/Project manager for the 83,000 square-foot, mixed-use retail and residential tower at 300 East 79^th Street. Mr. Espiritu also worked on the Hilton Grand Vacations Club, a 130,000 square-foot, ground-up project which consisted of a 27-story timeshare unit building, with 161 hotel units, including lobby, spa, and back –office operations, on 57^th and 6th Avenue in Manhattan.

“Rudy is extremely talented and well-respected in the industry,” said Anthony Schirripa, FAIA IIDA, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Over the past year, our practice has grown significantly - in all aspects - and we believe that Rudy will help us to further facilitate this expansion as we seamlessly combine his skills and past experiences into our team dynamic.”

Mr. Espiritu is a registered architect in New York and Florida. He received his Bachelor of Architecture from Temple University in Philadelphia and started his career in the same city with Flatiron Building Company, Inc. before moving to New York for a position with Swanke Hayden Connell Architects.  

Mancini•Duffy Survey Shows Most Worker Productivity at Start and End of Day Points to Changes in Office Space Design, Policy and Protocols

Findings Also Indicate That Workday Preferences and Needs Differ Between Generations

Mancini•Duffy, a leading architectural and interiors firm, has released preliminary findings from The Coordinate, its survey on workplace trends. The survey indicates that working hours peak during the beginning and end of the day, where employees are not only more productive, but also give their employers a bonus by extending the workday during commuting time.  

Additional findings point to patterns in work days as well as work hours.  According to Mancini•Duffy’s Director of Workplace Innovation, Fran Ferrone, “Mondays are for planning, Fridays are for cleanup, and most meetings occur mid-week. We see this as not only impacting decisions about space, but about policy and perks; potentially, in a big way.”

 

The differences between ways in which generations see the workday are even sharper:

• Younger generations make exercise a priority throughout the workday.
• Older generations place importance on face time (vs. FaceTime) more than their younger counterparts.
• Gen X and Y value their downtime – reflecting the trend toward project-based (vs. fulltime) work.

These findings are from the first in a series of surveys being conducted by Mancini•Duffy this year to test the hypothesis of “the dissolution of the traditional workweek.” Complete results (and their implications) will be published in early 2015. To participate in the Coordinate survey, visit: http://www.cvent.com/d/d4q2kp. Contact CWI@manciniduffy.com for additional information or questions about The Coordinate.

Mancini•Duffy Serving as Architect-of-Record for Brooklyn Nets Project

Mancini•Duffy pleased to publicly announce that we're serving as the architect-of-record for a new 70,000-sf Brooklyn Nets training facility, designed by Manica Architecture and set to open in time for the 2015-2016 season.

For more information, please check out these articles on SB Nation, and the Brooklyn Nets' own website. MANICA also has some beautiful renderings on their website.

New CWI Article in National Real Estate Investor

"Standing Innovation," the latest article in National Real Estate Investor by our Director of Workplace Innovation, Fran Ferrone, discusses how prolonged sitting is becoming a major concern to employers as the importance of health is gaining momentum in the workplace. Here's a PDF version of the full article, alternatively titled "If Sitting Is The New Smoking, Is Standing The New Patch?"

Fran Ferrone writes a monthly column for National Real Estate Investor about workplace topics that affect real estate decisions.

Mancini•Duffy Heads for its Second Century with Confidence in Growth

Recent Hires in Business Development, Marketing, & Leadership of Law Firm Practice Support the Firm’s Strategic Plan

As Mancini•Duffy gears up for its 100th anniversary in 2015, the firm has given its strategic plan a strong foundation with several important new hires: Morgan Gorospe, Business Development Director; Kristin Valente, Marketing Director; and Stephen Gertz, who will co-share leadership of the law firm practice with Dina Frank.

Ted S. Hammer, Mancini•Duffy President, said, “There’s no question that Mancini•Duffy is hitting the ground running into its next 100 years. Our new strategic plan balances prudence with boldness: we are capitalizing on our historic strengths and excited about our near-term growth.”

Hammer, himself a relative new-comer to Mancini•Duffy, notes, too, that the firm’s ability to attract exceptional talent is a measure of wide-spread confidence in its future. “I joined Mancini•Duffy a year and a half ago because I saw such terrific opportunity and wanted to help realize it. Then last year, Christian Giordano came on board as Principal and Director of Architecture and is making building design a powerful and growing part of our practice. Now,” Hammer says, “three more experienced and gifted professionals are lending their skills and enthusiasm to our business development.”

Morgan Gorospe has 13 years’ experience in business development and project management for leading construction management firms including Structure Tone, Swinerton Builders and Perini. She has not only had great success in introducing new business, but in developing excellent long-term relationships with clients. In addition to a BA in Fine Arts/Emphasis in Interior Design from the University of Southern California, Morgan holds a Graduate Degree in Construction Planning & Management from UCLA. She is an active member of the New York Building Congress, CoreNet, USGBC, and ASHE.

Kristin Valente comes to Mancini•Duffy with more than a decade in marketing, as marketing coordinator for Perkins Eastman for seven years and, more recently, as Northeast Regional Marketing Coordinator for the civil and environmental engineering firm of Greeley and Hansen. A graduate of the University of Vermont with a BA in English, Kristin co-chairs the SMPS New York Chapter Professional Development Committee.

Stephen Gertz is a widely recognized expert in the design of corporate offices, with particular expertise and extensive experience with law firms. During his nearly four decades as Executive Vice President and Principal with Keiser Associates, he brought to that firm, designed, and managed a broad range of law firm projects. His success in developing working relationships—some as much as 20 years long—with his clients has led many of them to follow him to Mancini•Duffy, where he can effectively continue to serve them in a larger, more diversified firm with a strong history of quality design and service. Stephen holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Notre Dame.

All three of these professionals have expressed their excitement at joining Mancini•Duffy because of the firm’s excellent history, its vision going forward, its focus on the practice of architecture and interior design, and its Center for Workplace Innovation. They look forward to telling the firm’s story.