A space analysis can help you maximize existing room.

Businesses are looking for creative ways to impact their bottom line in a positive way. Size and effectiveness of current real estate holdings may be one of answers if your company faces this situation. Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel, an award-winning New York City-based architecture and design firm specializing in these very issues, can perform a space analysis to help your company devise ways to use your existing space much more effectively, possibly freeing up enough square footage to sublease.

Not only do companies need to consider the physical layout of their office, but they should also consider how people work: Is there a significant portion of your employees that telecommute? Do you need more communal space for impromptu meetings rather than formal conference rooms? Is it important to have an impressive reception area? Perhaps it is more important to provide an employee cafeteria. Depending on the answers to these questions, each office should be designed to meet the unique needs of the business while maximizing space efficiency according to the work style of the company.

Restructuring can create positive results and opportunities for subleasing while providing valuable insight whether to renew an existing lease or relocate to a new space with lower rent per square foot. Throughout each of the real estate cycles, GKV Architects has helped innumerable businesses, including top law firms, financial service firms, international media companies and renowned charitable organizations evaluate their commercial space needs and develop plans from right-sizing to expansion.

Financial service firms, law firms and media companies experience rapid growth in a short period of time and should evaluate their spatial needs annually to see if there is opportunity to consolidate or if they are growing out of their current space. Mobile workstations or team centers are a modern option for companies with employees that travel significantly or do not require private offices. Often space dedicated to support staff or storage is misallocated and should be assessed regularly.

Whether it's a matter of removing walls, adding dividers, or just simply refining a floor plan for workstations and a reception area, an architect's valuable input is a huge asset to help make or break the end result. Examining the space under your feet and understanding how your company really works may be one of the most effective means to impact your bottom line during a softening economy.

BY RICHARD KRONICK, PRINCIPAL, AIA GERNER, KRONICK & VALCARCEL, ARCHITECTS, PC