MANHATTAN, NY A newly completed, 11,000 s/f U.S. headquarters office of SOCOTEC, Inc. (formerly Vidaris, Inc.) designed by Montroy DeMarco Architecture (MDA), received LEED Platinum certification from the US Green Building Council. LEED Platinum is the highest level of certification, indicating an ultimate degree of sustainability through energy efficient design and building systems, recycled and environmentally responsible materials, and sustainable operations and practices. At the time of its certification, SOCOTEC’s headquarters was one of only six LEED CI v4 Platinum certified projects in New York State.
SOCOTEC is a leading provider of sustainability and high-performance consulting and design services in the construction, real estate, and infrastructure sectors. The new office, originally designed for Vidaris prior to its acquisition by SOCOTEC, is located on the 24th floor of the One Five One tower, at 151 West 42nd St., at the convergence of Bdwy. and Times Square. MDA’s designers, in a close collaboration with SOCOTEC’s internal sustainability consulting team, developed the design, implemented construction procedures, and selected materials and systems that meet the requirements of the LEED Platinum certification.
According to MDA project manager Sarah Bigos, “The office occupies the south half of the building floor and is wrapped on the east, south and west sides with large windows that flood the space with natural light and enhance employee well-being. The layout is planned around several functional areas. The reception area faces a 16-seat 490 s/f boardroom that is flanked by two executive offices, two smaller meeting rooms, each of 230 s/f, and several additional offices. Each of these rooms has glass partition walls facing the central corridor so that light and views can be appreciated by the other staff.”
SOCOTEC principal John Amatruda, RA, LEED fellow, BREEAM international assessor, said, “When our previous lease at 360 Park Ave. in Manhattan expired, we looked upon it as an opportunity to rethink our office environment and associated work practices.” At that time, the firm also maintained several smaller satellite offices throughout New York City, all of which had been impacted by workplace changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The landlord,The Durst Organization, also served as construction manager. The contractor was Cross Management Corporation and ME Engineers served as the MEP designer.
