Diversified business strategy key to success.Ask any New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of architectural from to cite the most challenging business period in recent memory, and the answer is likely to be the past four years. The slowdown in the region's economy and overbuilding of many building types--notably commercial office properties--meant less work for all of us. An influx of high-profile international architects has also altered the competitive landscape. For Gruzen Samton, the impact of the World Trade Center attack was immediate. Our offices in downtown Manhattan were completely destroyed. As a result we had to literally re-establish our 66-year-old practice, find new offices and remain responsive to existing clients the whole time. Within six months, we were in our new offices and even managed to make some improvements in the way we do business and streamlining our operations. We retained our client base during this period and actually accelerated the flow of work in our established sectors of expertise during the months following the recovery. A key factor contributing to the firm's comeback was our diversified practice. While many architectural firms scramble during hard times to re-invent their core business, we benefit from a long-term commitment to a balanced portfolio of projects and clients. Our management strategy is to organize specialty studios, each headed by a partner with substantial credentials in planning, design or project management for that specific client type. We focus on industries or sectors with staying power, those that are intrinsic to the infrastructure or fabric of the community. These include transportation, education, justice and housing. We have a range of recently completed work and new commissions in these varied but fundamental sectors. Transportation Users of the New York subway system can see our design work in high-profile facilities that range from Grand Central Station in 1998 to the recently opened West 72nd Street Station. Most recently, we've gained experience in marine architecture, having completed the design for the Port Imperial Ferry Terminal in Weehawken, New Jersey Weehawken is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 13,501. Weehawken was formed as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1859, from portions of Hoboken and North . Education A prototypical New York high school became the model for seven new schools built by the New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. School Construction Authority after Gruzen Samton's 1992 design of the Stuyvesant High School Stuyvesant High School, commonly referred to as Stuy, is a New York City public high school that specializes in mathematics and science. The school opened in 1904 on Manhattan's East Side and moved to a new building in Battery Park City in 1992. for math and science. It is perhaps the most sophisticated high school of its type in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . We've expanded our public school experience with award-winning private school projects for Horace Mann School The Horace Mann School is an independent college preparatory school in New York City . Founded in 1887, Horace Mann spans from nursery school to the twelfth grade and is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League. in Riverdale and Dalton School in Manhattan. In New Jersey, we're involved with Newark Central High School (K-12 school) in the Newark School System, Passaic City Schools and the Gloucester City Gloucester City, city (1990 pop. 12,649), Camden co., SW N.J., on the Delaware River, a suburb adjoining Camden and opposite Philadelphia; site of Fort Nassau (built 1623 by the Dutch); settled c.1682 by Irish Quakers, inc. 1868. Middle School. In the realm of higher education higher education Study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. , we've recently completed a benchmark building for Columbia Law School Columbia Law School, located in the New York City borough of Manhattan, is one of the professional schools of Columbia University, a member of the Ivy League, and one of the leading law schools in the United States. , a student residential building. Justice Either in collaboration with other architects or on our own, Gruzen Samton has been honored with more than 100 awards for the design of justice facilities. Working with federal, state and local clients in new construction and renovation projects, we've completed an impressive number of projects throughout the U.S. within the past 10 years. Two recent commissions are the highly visible Queens Family Courthouse and the modernization of the Emanuel Cellar U. S. Court-house in Brooklyn. Housing Whether market rate, low-income or luxury, our experience with multi-family housing is extensive. Many of our projects, such as Tribeca Pointe and 22 River Terrace in Battery Park City, The Montana on Manhattan's upper Westside and The Cosmopolitan in midtown mid·town n. A central portion of a city, between uptown and downtown. midtown Noun US & Canad the centre of a town Manhattan are prominent on the New York City skyline. Our design credentials for this building type have been recognized by developers in New Jersey, leading to commissions for such significant projects as the new Liberty Towers complex in Jersey City. In Newark, we're planning the conversions of 1180 Raymond Avenue, formerly offices, and the early 20th century Haynes Griffith building, both into apartment properties. What's next As Gruzen Samton's Managing Partner, my charge is to continually explore ways to grow the business while maintaining our standards of design and service. GERARD VASISKO, AIA AIA - Application Integration Architecture , MANAGING PARTNER, GRUZEN SAMTON |
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