New York is home to the corporate headquarters of some of the biggest names in every industry. It is called home by some of the country’s most iconic buildings, retail giants, and fantastic office spaces; New York offices are all but required to exude the glamor and prestige attached to the brands they represent and carry on the traditional New York sophistication. That said, our editorial team curated this excellent list showcasing New York, New York’s renowned commercial architects. Some of these firms have worked on international corporate headquarters, from retail to science and technology, and they’ve done so in New York’s finest, most storied districts. Several of them are proud recipients of many awards and draw inspiration from decades of working in and around the industry.
Shawmut Design and Construction
3 E. 54th St. 10th Floor, New York, NY 10022
Shawmut Design and Construction has offices in Boston, Chicago, New York, Miami, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. And each office is staffed by a highly-skilled, experienced team that has worked on numerous complex projects. The firm’s portfolio showcases commercial build-outs, historic buildings, healthcare, educational institutions, sports venues, retail outlets, and even luxury residential homes. The firm’s CEO, Les Hiscoe, is a professional engineer who has served on the Board of Directors of Rebuilding Together New York City and the ACE Mentor Program New York. Under his leadership, the firm had the honor of receiving Engineering News-Record’’s Best Project distinction on two separate occasions. The firm has graced various publications such as the New York Times and the Wallstreet Journal. It has had the privilege of working with several household brands, including Tag Heuer, Apple, Louis Vuitton, Lacoste, Chanel, and Jimmy Choo. Inc. 5000 recognized Shawmut as one of the nation’s leading firms. In addition to these, the firm is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified, fully capable of incorporating any green practices or sustainability efforts a client may require.
One of the firm’s most notable projects is this one featured here. It is located in Boston and entailed an extensive renovation that spanned around 35,000 square feet. The firm was especially challenged with its complicated scheduling and use of alternate materials. We were impressed by its use of various transitional elements and neutral finishes.
J.T. Magen & Company Inc.
44 W 28th St., 11th Floor, New York, NY 10001
J.T. Magen offers a full range of preconstruction, construction management, and general contracting services using a design-build approach. The firm is comprised of an in-house team of architects and engineers, and it extends its services to every key industry sector. Specific specialties include law firms, broadcast and media offices, showrooms, and tech firms. With its respected reputation, the firm has also established relationships with some of the area’s best subcontractors, ensuring its clients of the quality of its work. For all of this, the firm has been repeatedly recognized and decorated with accolades. The firm has completed projects for Nike, Microsoft, Adidas, and L’Oreal, to name just a few. Its work is best embodied by this featured project.
Completed for the Associated Press, the firm worked on excellent contemporary open workspaces and state-of-art broadcast studios. It worked in collaboration with Architecture for this project. We were impressed by its design’s seamlessness and sense of connectivity, in addition to the various distinctions it won for the firm. Some of these include Creative Office Honoree and Large Office Honoree during the NYCxDESIGN Awards 2018. The project is also LEED-Gold Certified.
Structure Tone
330 W. 34th St., New York, 10001
Established in 1971, Structure Tone taps into an extensive array of markets. It provides a full range of services, including site selection and interior renovation, new construction, and full-scale remodeling and modernization. The firm has worked on numerous retail, commercial, healthcare, cultural, and educational structures; some of its most important projects include work on Unilever’s headquarters and Macy’s flagship store. Structure Tone has also completed work for laboratories at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has handled projects for Bloomberg, the American Red Cross, and MTV. Recognized with several awards from the General Building Contractors Association for its cultural, healthcare, and mixed-use work, its spaces are noted for their modern takes and open floor concepts.
Showcased is the firm’s work on the Fisher Brothers Lobby. It worked with roughly 10,000 square feet of space and besides the lobby, worked on elevators, and the exterior façade. It had beautiful stone and glass elements in addition to its light oak ceiling, smoked bronze mirrors, and a Trosch glass storefront. However, one of our favorite elements would have to be its one-of-a-kind digital art display, Living Canvas.
Plaza Construction
360 Lexington Avenue, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10017
Plaza Construction is one of the nation’s largest construction firms. It is headquartered in New York, with regional offices in Miami, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Tampa, West Palm Beach, Orlando, San Jose, and Los Angeles. For more than 35 years, the company has provided construction services for a multitude of commercial and residential properties, retail venues, cultural establishments, government projects, educational institutions, health care facilities, and hotels.The firm draws inspiration from nearly three decades of industry experience and incorporates various sustainability practices, with more than $4 billion in sustainable projects representing every LEED level of achievement. Many of its projects have been recognized for these achievements through various industry awards. Depicted below is an excellent example of its high quality work.
99 Hudson in New Jersey is a residential tower that stands at 79-stories tall, making it the tallest building in the state. It is home to 781 condominium units, ranging from studios to two-bedroom apartments and penthouses featuring panoramic views of Manhattan and the New York City skyline. 99 Hudson has collected two industry awards: the New Jersey Subcontractors Association 2019 Project of the Year and the 56 Annual NJ Concrete Award.
ICON Interiors
307 Seventh Ave. 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10001
ICON Interiors has provided excellent construction management and general contracting services throughout New York City while committing itself to sustainable practices and supporting the green building movement. Its three principals—Robert Frankenberry, Jonathan Bennis, and Richard Hartz—together have over seven decades of experience. Each one of them has worked with several large companies from a variety of industries. Thus the firm has the knowledge and the skill to take on any high-value, high-profile projects. Under their leadership, the firm has been featured in several prestigious publications, including The Real Deal, Business Insider, and the New York Times. It is also LEED-certified and is affiliated with the US Green Building Council (USGBC). Some of the firm’s most notable clients include LinkedIn, Shutterstock, and Deutsch. It has also done work for Google, Reader’s Digest, and About.com.
One of its best projects can be seen in this project. Completed for Undertone, this space is located in the iconic One World Trade Center. For this project, the firm’s team had to work with GKV Architects. It features an open office space, several conference rooms, and a couple of living areas.
Schimenti Construction
575 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10022
With features in the Engineering News-Record and the Building Design & Construction Network, Schimenti Construction is best known for its work in the retail industry and is the firm behind some flagship and landmark stores of several of the most recognizable names in the business. The firm has cultivated relationships with brands like Nike, Zara, Samsung, Barneys New York, Saks Fifth Avenue, and renowned jeweler Tiffany & Co., Manned by over 100 trade professionals. Schimenti is led by its founder Matthew Schimenti, who first began his career at his father’s company, AMD Construction. Matthew spent a decade at AMD, gaining experience as an estimator and project manager. He would finally branch out on his own and establish the firm in 1994 and as he served on the board of directors of the Associated General Contractors of New York State. He is also a member of the New York Building Congress.
This photo showcases the firm’s work for MUJI. It spanned 13,500 square feet and was completed in an impressive 15-week timeline. Located in Midtown Manhattan, this space utilizes the store’s signature aesthetic and straightforward displays, as well as reclaimed wood wall finishes, a feature staircase with glass railings, and an architectural chandelier made of 400 individual LED fixtures.
CNY Group
1440 Broadway, New York, NY 10018
With features in publications such as New York Post, the Commercial Observer, and the Engineering News-Record, which included the firm on its Top 400 firms on several occasions, the CNY Group has been in business since 2003. It provides construction and development services and is best known for its high-rise buildings and complex multi-million dollar renovation work. In addition, it has delved into an extensive array of markets, including commercial, residential, educational, healthcare, and cultural work. Headquartered in New York, the firm is led by Kenneth Colao, Steven Colao, and Davide Prude, who have over 100 years of combined experience. Under their leadership, the firm has completed many impressive projects, including the expansion of Columbia University Law School. The firm was also behind multiple New York-based expansion projects for renowned ice cream manufacturer Häagen-Dazs.
This project entailed several office spaces and excellent interiors. It worked on its construction and spanned around 6,300 square feet and also depicts a partial floor build-out of a high-end showroom. It showcases great high-end materials and millwork, in addition to an exposed waffle ceiling, custom flooring, glass, and lighting.
Clune Construction
405 Lexington Ave. 28th Floor, New York, NY 10174
Manned by a team of over 600 talented professionals, Clune operates out of six offices across the country. It has been in business since 1997 and offers an extensive range of construction management services. Since its inception, the firm has managed projects amounting to nearly $1 billion. The firm is the proud recipient of a multitude of awards, some of which include being named one of the Best Places to Work and Interior Contractor of the Year ten times. The firm specializes in a wide variety of market types. These include airport, educational, entertainment, and retail projects. Its portfolio also depicts several spaces for law firms, fitness centers, healthcare, mission-critical, restaurant, and financial sector projects.
This build-out of this 75,000-square-foot space includes the addition of a pantry, conference center, open work areas and private offices. It features several high-end elements including an interconnecting terrazzo staircase, custom millwork ceilings and terrazzo flooring throughout.
Coyle Contracting Corp
102 W. 38th St., New York, NY 10018
Coyle Contracting offers a full range of general contracting and construction management services. The firm’s team of committed and skilled professionals handles every aspect of tenant improvement, from pre-construction and budget preparation to management and actual renovation. These services are provided in partnership with several long-trusted subcontractors. At the firm’s helm is its principal Colm Morrissey whose experience encompasses construction management, architecture, and construction. Under his leadership, the firm had the chance to be featured in Construction Today magazine in 2016.
Some of its other notable works include improvements for Kate Spade and Tory Burch. This project was completed for a studio by Tishman Speyer. It is located in Rockefeller Center and extends around 110,000 square feet. We loved its exposed brick finishes in addition to its luxurious elements and exposed lighting.
ICS Builders
108 W 39th St. 14th Floor, New York, NY 10018
ICS Builders has been in the industry for nearly four decades and has secured itself as one of the area’s leading construction management and general contracting firms. It takes a design-build approach and operates across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Florida, and the District of Columbia. It specializes in a wide variety of markets aside from its corporate interior work, taking on projects from banking and finance, retail, hospitality, and healthcare; with the aid of only the latest technology and techniques, its team uses state-of-the-art computer systems and programs and software, which enables them to handle every facet of a particular project. The firm’s work has been featured in the New York Real Estate Journal and the Building Design & Construction Network.
This project cost around $2.4 million and is located at 1755 Broadway. It was completed together with Vatche Simonian Design for Universal Records. The project’s scope includes constructing administrative offices, a recording studio and an audition room equipped with state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment, and various custom offices for the client’s artists.
King Rose Construction
307 West 38th St. Suite #1801, New York, NY 10018
Headquartered in New York City, King Rose Construction is an award-winning general contractor specializing in commercial, retail, and residential projects. It has been in operation since 2007 and has an excellent command of the New York landscape, which has enabled it to renovate and craft some of its best office build-outs, academic facilities, and retail outfits. At its helm is Yoel Borgenicht, who has led the firm into being recognized as one of New York’s most reputable construction firms. In addition, the firm has been featured in New York Magazine, the New York Times, and Business Insider. It is also the proud recipient of the Clinton Foundation Economic Opportunity Award and the Goldman Sachs Businesses Award. On top of all these, the firm is a LEED-certified firm, and it infuses several green building methods and practices into its work.
This project was completed for Macklowe Gallery, located at 445 Park Avenue at 57th Street, Manhattan. The firm’s team transformed a former bank space into an elegant setting for Macklowe’s museum-quality acquisitions. We were impressed by its main gallery space, mezzanine library, and lower-level showroom for the client’s comprehensive collection of decorative arts pieces sought by private collectors and museums.
Talisen Construction Corporation
213 W. 35th St., New York, NY 10001
In the industry for the better part of a decade, Talisen Construction extends its premier construction services throughout New York’s metro area. It has secured its spot as one of the best companies around and is noted for its strong clientele list, mostly repeat clients. It is known to employ innovative solutions, and its team can draw from a large pool of resources. The firm’s process emphasizes and prioritizes the importance of working closely with each client. A proud recipient of the Gold Nugget Award, the firm divides its tenant improvement specialization into six categories: interior corporate fit-outs, executive offices, banking centers, health care, retail, and education.In the industry for the better part of a decade, Talisen Construction extends its premier construction services throughout New York’s metro area. It has secured its spot as one of the best companies around and is noted for its strong clientele list, mostly repeat clients. It is known to employ innovative solutions, and its team can draw from a large pool of resources. The firm’s process emphasizes and prioritizes the importance of working closely with each client. A proud recipient of the Gold Nugget Award, the firm divides its tenant improvement specialization into six categories: interior corporate fit-outs, executive offices, banking centers, health care, retail, and education.
This project depicts the firm’s work for A&E Networks. It partnered with Mancini Duffy architects and showcased its extensive interior renovations. It features excellent office areas, conference rooms, a CEO office space, and an added-in lounge and kitchenette. The lounge, in particular, showcases furniture design and decoration by Kathy Kuo, who opted for rustic and industrial-looking pieces.
Wonder Works Construction
114 Mulberry St. Front 1, New York, NY 10013
Wonder Works has been in the industry since 1987. It is a private development and construction firm. The firm takes a proactive approach from budget formation and development site analysis to architectural design and worksite maintenance. In addition, it keeps an open line of communication with its clients through daily reports. The firm has been recognized several times for its excellent work and services. Some of these include features in the New York Post, the New York Times, and the Commercial Observer, and it has also made an appearance on FOX61. A Design Inspiration Award and a Brooklyn Building Award also point to the firm’s general excellence. The firm is led by its founder, Joseph Klaynberg, who built the firm from the ground up and is a veteran in the industry. He has over three decades of experience and a background in civil engineering.
Completed in the heart of New York, this project was first constructed in the 1940s on Manhattan’s Madison Avenue. It is regarded as one of the country’s best and leading ateliers and challenged the firm with its extensive renovation. As a result, it now features a modern update and various contemporary finishes on its otherwise traditional and timeless space.
MG & Company
350 7th Ave., New York, NY 10001
MG & Company dynamic boutique construction management and general construction firm in New York City. Established in 1916, the firm first worked under the name Bronx Builders and specialized in New York’s restaurant industry. Now, the firm has grown into specializing in an extensive range of market types. It has established itself as a premier design and construction company having completed projects in the highly competitive disciplines of hospitality, commercial, and residential. The company’s work includes schools, residences, offices, retail stores, and restaurants.
The company prides itself on reliability, experience, and long term relationships with clients and architects. These qualities are what sets it apart from other builders. This boutique-sized firm is currently composed of 25 experienced professionals—many of whom have been with the company for over a decade. Its personalized approach has also consistently brought in repeat clients who continue to trust the company for their construction needs.
Aside from its contributions to the commercial construction industry, the firm strives to give back to its community in various methods. It achieves this through affiliations with organizations like Meals on Wheels, City Harvest, Open House New York, and The Edible Schoolyard. It is also the founding benefactor for the New Practices program at the Center for Architecture.
This project is located at 52 Gansevoort Street and was completed for the Starr Restaurant Group. For this project, the firm had to work on resurrecting the restaurant’s original and classic style. To achieve this, it repurposed several elements but also infused several modern touches.
Quest Builders Group
242 W. 30th St. Suite #503, New York, NY 10001
Quest Builders Group specializes in various market sectors, including commercial, hospitality, healthcare, education, retail restaurant, and residential projects. The firm has been in business since 2000 and extends its services throughout the New York Metropolitan area. The firm has had the privilege of working on corporate headquarters in a variety of diverse commercial environments. Additionally, the firm has completed projects for several national corporations, financial institutions, and noted healthcare providers. The firm is manned by a group of licensed and experienced professionals. Aside from its superior craftsmanship, the firm is also noted to use only the best materials and adherence to cost-effective solutions.
This tenant improvement spans 150,000 square feet. For this project, the firm had to work on the extensive renovation of select floors. This project also had various custom finishes, all-new carpeting, and unique fixtures.
