After contemplating a move to NJ to beat their rising real estate costs, National Elevator Cab and Door (NECD), one of NYC’s leading manufacturers of elevator interiors, found a facility to relocate its 50,000sf manufacturing and office space among the bustling manufacturing community at the Brooklyn Navy Yard (BNY). Having spent over 50 years under the same roof in Woodside, Queens and developed deep roots in the city with both its urban presence and its diverse work force, this 90-year-old multi-generational family-owned business looked to do all they can within budget to allow them to stay local in the five boroughs.

The 47,000sf facility spans two separate buildings at BNY, allowing for 14,000sf of office space coupled with a 33,000sf manufacturing facility used to build some of the highest-end elevator interiors in the city, including the Empire State Building, Hudson Yards and the Freedom Tower. Through close collaboration with the client and consulting engineers, a design solution was proposed that allowed the two buildings to communicate efficiently with each other and promote a streamlined flow of production, circulation, and communication.

The client’s priorities for their new facility were not primarily aesthetic, but rather to creatively overcome the financial constraints associated with building and working in the five boroughs, therefore maintaining their local presence. The design team proposed creative cost-saving solutions and materials which performed both pragmatically and aesthetically. Exposed concrete floors, a graphic install of linear lighting and an emphasis on organized infrastructure contribute to a clean, modern, industrial space. The result garners a sense of pride and accomplishment across the entire NECD organization and establishes a more cohesive, efficient, and safe home for the company’s staff to thrive for generations to come by helping NECD maintain its foothold and thrive within the vital manufacturing community of New York City.