The tenant landscape of major cities across the country is ever-changing. From commercial offices to retail shops, tenants move around the city, searching for the best place to conduct business. New York City is not an exception; in fact, as the purported financial and commercial capital of the world, it seems numerous businesses eager to take the best buildings in town, looking for new and existing spaces to make them their own.
New York City is home to many tenant improvement contractors who are ready to help establish these areas and are proven by their top-quality work; the top 15 are listed here.
15) Reliant Realty Group
590 Madison Ave, 21st Flr, New York, NY 10022
Reliant Realty Group is a full-service real estate firm based in New York City. In addition to real estate services, Reliant boasts an in-house general contracting team able to take on any project with the utmost professionalism and care. Services the team offers include tenant improvements, renovations and additions, and new construction, The highly-trained staff has finished over one million square feet of residential and commercial spaces throughout metro New York. Reliant is recognized by Expertise as one of the Best Property Managers in New York.
Reliant led the tenant improvements for a branch of Rite Aid Pharmacy in New York. The project involved extensive interior and exterior renovation to transform the space formerly occupied by Eckerd Pharmacy.
14) Talisen Construction Corporation
213 W 35th St, New York, NY 10001
Founded by Principals Robert Knox and Joseph Rigazio in 2009, Talisen Construction Corporation is one of the fast-growing general contractors in New York City. The firm’s stated mission is to “provide the New York Metro area with premier construction services,” a mission inspired by the visionary principals. Knox has more than 35 years of experience in the construction industry, giving them the ability to realize any concept and project. Rigazio, meanwhile, brings with him more than 23-years of experience in the business and technology industries.
The multi-level offices of A&E Networks at 235 East 45th Street were handled by Talisen. The project included renovated office areas, conference rooms, CEO office space, new lounge, and kitchenette. The lounge has a rustic-industrial feel thanks to the interior decorating of Kathy Kuo, while the kitchenette features mixed-blue tiling and sleek slate countertops. Custom millwork and new features add a new level of sophistication to the CEO’s office.
13) B&B Contracting Group
247 W 35th St, Ste 1101, New York, NY 10001
A specialist in tenant improvements, B&B Contracting Group has been serving metro New York since the 1990’s. The firm is experienced in handling projects for a wide array of sectors, from hospitality and retail to healthcare and education. In addition to tenant improvements, B&B also offers interior renovations, fit-ups, and building maintenance. Their offices are located in New Jersey, New York City and Albany, NY to ensure thorough service in the Tri-state area.
One of B&B’s frequent clients is Chase Bank. Tenant improvements and interior renovations were made on 40 Chase locations across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The renovations were notable in that all work was done after hours, with the banks open to the public during regular business hours.
12) Flory Construction
2325 Verna Ct, San Leandro, CA 94577-4205
Based in San Leandro, CA, Flory Construction has a portfolio spanning the entire country, from California to Arizona to New York. President David Flory founded the company in 1965 and provides construction, tenant improvement, and remodeling services in the commercial, industrial, and retail sectors.
Flory handled the improvements for the offices of VSCO in Oakland and New York City, the latter of which involved the construction of 8,000 square feet of space. The firm worked with VSCO and Debartolo Architects to deliver an open-floor office, allowing for multi-use spaces, including flexible workstations, lounge and dining areas, a photography “cyclorama” wall, and space for artistic venues.
11) ICON Interiors, Inc.
307 7th Ave, New York, NY 10001
With more than 76 years of collective experience under their belts, Robert Frankenberry, Richard Hartz, and Jonathan Bennis, LEED AP, founded ICON Interiors, Inc. in 1997. The firm specializes in providing full constriction management and general contracting services for interior projects. To this day, Frankenberry, Hartz, and Bennis personally lead each project of the firm, creating a unique environment for teamwork and collaboration between clients, consultants, architects, contractors, and building management.
ICON’s services were sought to construct Dropbox’s corporate headquarters at 50 West 23rd Street. Located on the 4th floor of the building, the office has a total area of 50,000 square feet of open working space, including conference rooms with clear glass fronts. The charcoal-colored row of columns forms the axis on which the long and narrow space is organized. A variety of sitting options were made available in the work area, from bar-height tables and stools to couches around coffee tables.
10) Kajima Building and Design Group
1 Meadowlands Plaza, Suite 1401, East Rutherford, NJ 07073
Kajima Building and Design Group has been a design-build firm with a reputation for delivering quality projects since 1964. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, with offices in New Jersey, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Memphis, and Cincinnati, the firm is the American subsidiary of Kajima Corporation, a Japanese company founded in 1840, and has since expanded offices to 20 more countries. Kajima ranked 13th among the top 225 global contractors according to Engineering News-Record.
Kajima designed and built the tenant improvements for the Kinokuniya Bookstore at 1071 Avenue of the Americas. The bookstore sits on three levels and a mezzanine in front of Bryant Park, coming from its former location at the Rockefeller Center. The bigger space allowed the bookstore to expand its collection of publications, and to install a cafe on the second floor.
9) CNY Group
214 West 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Founded by President Kenneth Colao and COO Steven Colao in 2003, CNY Group is builder-developer headquartered in New York City. The Colaos are joined by Dennis Prude as the Director of Field Operations in leading the firm, and together they bring a combined 100 years of construction experience to manage a variety of projects, from new construction to interior renovation. CNY serves a large swathe of market sectors, from residential and hospitality to commercial and institutional. The company boasts a portfolio that is spread not only throughout the country but also all over the world and was honored as one of the Top New York Contractors of the Year by Engineering News-Record.
The construction of the administrative offices of Tata Consultancy Services USA, a division of Tata America International Corporation, at 101 Park Avenue was handled by CNY. Comprising of 8,000 square feet of office space, the project featured new glass walls, ceiling, flooring, lighting, glass suite entrance, and enhanced audio/visual conference room electronics. With a budget of $2.5 million, high-end materials and finishes were used throughout the project.
8) Shawmut Design and Construction
3 East 54th St, 10th Flr, New York, NY 10022
Shawmut Design and Construction is an employee-owned construction services firm headquartered in Boston and with offices in New York, Providence, Las Vegas, New Haven, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and West Springfield. In addition to being proudly 100% employee-owned, the company also prides itself on its philanthropy, allowing every employee a day off to volunteer at a local organization. Shawmut serves a diverse set of markets, from institutional and historical, to commercial and residential, to gaming and sports.
Shawmut managed the fit-out for the high-end shoemaker Stuart Weitzman office at Madison Avenue. Designed by TGP Architecture, the project involved constructing 8,000 square feet of office and 12,000 square feet of showroom spaces that are inspired primarily by the current Stuart Weitzman store designs. Weitzman’s passion for ping-pong led to a custom-fabricated ping-pong ball wall adorning the pantry, and the table in the adjacent conference room that doubles as a ping-pong table. The wall between the two spaces can be opened for large meetings and events.
7) Schimenti Construction Company
622 Third Ave. 33rd Flr, New York, NY 10017
Matthew Schimenti formed Schimenti Construction in 1994 as third-generation general contractor, following from the footsteps of his father Donald and his grandfather Michael. Schimenti was originally an architect, designing large scale projects with his partner Max Wechsler. Since then, Schimenti Construction Company has grown to build a reputation for exceeding the expectations of its clients; completing projects under budget, before schedule, and beyond specifications. The company has cultivated long-lasting relationships with some of the country’s most prominent retail brands, including Bed Bath & Beyond, GAP, Kohl’s, Massimo Dutti, Sephora, Target, Victoria’s Secret and ZARA.
Best Buy has been a repeat customer for Schimenti. Schimenti has worked on three branches in New York City alone; in Union Square, on Broadway, and on Fifth Avenue. Schimenti has also worked on the branches in Baldwin, Lawrence, and Valley Stream in New York State, as well as in Union, NJ. The Union Square branch has a total floor area of 39,000 square feet and was completed in only eleven weeks.
6) King Rose Construction
307 West 38th St, Ste 1701, New York, NY 10018
King Rose Construction is a New York City-headquartered full-service general contractor that specializes in commercial and residential projects. The firm was established in 2009 and is led by President Yoel Borgenicht a LEED Green Associate with more than 20 years of construction experience. Some of King Rose’s most prestigious clients include NASA, Tesla, and Columbia University. King Rose has been honored for its contributions in opening economic opportunities in the region with such recognition as the Clinton Foundation Economic Opportunity Award, the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Award, the Columbia University Mentorship Award, and the SEEDCO GOLS Program Award.
When the Macklowe Gallery moved to a wide-windowed corner ground floor space at 445 Park Avenue, King Rose was contracted to help the transfer. The firm transformed the 6,000 square-foot space, previously a bank office, into a setting befitting for the gallery and its acquisitions of fine decorative art pieces. The public spaces for the gallery now boast a first-floor main gallery space, mezzanine library, and lower level showroom, while the restricted areas include a large open office, kitchen/break room, photo studio, mail room, and additional storage spaces.
5) Clune Construction Company
405 Lexington Ave, 28th Flr, New York, NY 10174
Founded in 1997, Clune Construction Company is a national employee-owned general contractor headquartered in New York and with regional offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, DC. This 500-employee firm boasts an annual portfolio of projects with a total valuation of more than $900 million. The company is as much honored by their work as they are honored by their ethics, having won both the Top 10 Interior Contractor of the Year Awards and a Torch Award from the Better Business Bureau.
Clune was responsible for the build-out of a 147,000-square-foot, LEED Gold-certified law firm office on five floors. The project included a reception area, perimeter offices, administrative support areas, conference rooms with audiovisual equipment, a library, a multi-purpose room, mail room, pantries, restrooms, and elevator lobbies. Design-wise, the office features 16-foot by 56-foot mosaic feature walls, staircases, and high-end finishes.
4) J.T. Magen & Co.
44 W 28th St, 11th Flr, New York, NY 10001
J.T. Magen & Co. is a general contracting and construction management firm founded in 1992 by CEO Maurice Regan. The firm offers pre-construction, construction management, design-build, and general contracting services across the country, and has established offices in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles (under the name JTM Construction Group). Comprising of forward-thinking in-house architecture, engineering, and construction professionals, the company pursues its mission and vision to “add value and exceed expectations” to each and every client. In 2018, Engineering News-Record named J.T. Magen as one of the Top 10 Contractors in New York and New Jersey, and as one of the Top 400 Contractors nationwide.
Ares Management hired J.T. Magen to build its office at Park Avenue. The Gensler-designed space covers over 60,000 square feet. Other notable projects include the historic building renovation of Nordstrom’s flagship store, and the building conversion of 1 Wall Street as a mixed-use development that boasts condos, retail, and leisure facilities.
3) Turner Construction Company
375 Hudson St, 6th Flr, New York, NY 10014
Established in 1902 in New York City, Turner Construction Company currently holds a portfolio worth $9.22 billion, from a wide variety of project types, including new construction, renovations, and tenant improvement. Turner is responsible for the construction of many landmark projects in New York City, including the United Nations Secretariat, Lincoln Center and Yankee Stadium. The firm is also strongly dedicated to sustainability, boasting a staff that includes 300 LEED Accredited Professionals and a portfolio that includes two Platinum and nine Gold certified buildings.
Inside the Time Warner Tower at Columbus Circle, Turner fitted-out the offices and digital broadcasting facilities of Time Warner, CNN, CNNfn and Turner Broadcast Sales. The Time Warner office alone occupying 758,000 square feet, the project also included common areas and amenities such as a conferencing center, a 4,000 square foot data center, centralized mail and copy area, and commissary and media screening center.
2) Holt Construction
875 Ave of the Americas, 11th Flr, New York, NY 10001
Believing that success is ”99% sweat and 1% luck,” Fred L. Holt resigned as a master carpenter in one of the old New York companies to establish his own in 1919. This firm would become Holt Construction as it is passed down through the generations. Currently, lead by third-generation CEO Jack Holt and fourth-generation Managing Director Jay Holt, LEED AP, the firm continues to deliver top-notch work across the country and through multiple market sectors, proving the ideology in the national level.
The Swatch Group partnered with Holt Construction to construct the new flagship retail space for their Omega brand in New York City. Located at the Brookfield Place, Holt gave extra care and attention to space, considering the high-end brand the would-be store would occupy. To this end, Holt used custom, high-end materials to fit the brand.
1) Structure Tone
330 West 34th St, New York, NY 10003
Structure Tone, part of a family of companies which include LF Driscoll, Structure Tone Southwest, Pavarini Construction Co., Pavarini McGovern, and Govan Brown, is known for its interior buildout and tenant improvement work in New York City. James Donaghy serves as chairman of the company, while Robert Mullen is its CEO. Together, they lead the company is working on some of the largest projects in New York City, with a portfolio of $1.8 billion and a total area of 2.17 million square feet The firm employs 500 professionals in New York, all of whom are trained in a “client first” mentality. The firm has won numerous accolades through the years, including the ACEC Platinum Award for Building/Technology Systems, and a spot on Commercial Observer’s Top 10 Construction Firms of NYC.
The prestigious law firm White & Case selected Structure Tone to construct its 440,000 sf office at 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York. The features of the office include full-length glass fronts and conference rooms that were installed with acoustic panels that reduce noise. The lobby features an internal staircase that connects the 49th and 50th floors. The build also has a small library that’s home to a desk belonging to George Case, a founding partner of the firm.
