SYRACUSE, NY – November 9, 2015 – Barclay Damon, LLP, a 275-lawyer super-regional law firm, will move into Onondaga Tower in downtown Syracuse and rename the building after the law firm.
The firm's Syracuse office will move from One Park Place to Barclay Damon Tower, on the corner of E. Jefferson and S. Warren Streets in July 2016. It will initially occupy 50,000 sq. ft., with an additional 10,000 sq. ft. scheduled for occupancy in the Fall 2017. "Construction of the new space includes fresh workplace design features that take into account changing demographics and advances in technology in the legal profession," said John Langan, the firm's managing partner who added that "Barclay Damon is pleased to maintain its commitment to the City of Syracuse by remaining downtown."
Among the many innovative components of the new floor plan are large and less-formal work areas, including a 3,400 sq. ft. multi-media café designed to spark greater collaboration; more outdoor space in the form of a 2,000 sq. ft. 15th story rooftop terrace; same-size offices for all attorneys; convenient parking inside the building for its clients and employees; and use of glass throughout, so all 158 employees enjoy natural light and views of the downtown skyline from their work areas.
Using the most current design materials and mechanics, the space will boast an eye-catching two-story reception atrium, flanked by glass conference rooms with views and natural light for client meetings and presentations. With the press of a button the walls can recede and instantly establish a 2,200 sq. ft. venue for client events and other social gatherings.
The building is at the center of downtown, and is now lighted at night with a myriad of color schemes to bring life to the Syracuse Skyline. Lighting themes at the building have brought awareness to various causes (such as blue lights for Autism, pink lights for Breast Cancer awareness, gold lights for Child Cancer awareness), and show support for our local sports teams, all part of the continued revitalization of downtown Syracuse. "Design decisions were centered around achieving greater exploration, engagement, and energy among our workforce," Langan said adding that "with the recent combination of Hiscock & Barclay and Damon Morey, we have continued to grow across our eleven offices in what has been for many a challenging economy and changing law firm environment. We look forward to the next decade to see a new generation of lawyers and clients leveraging technology and working more collaboratively. We are listening to our clients and our younger legal talent to build office space reflecting those changes." The owners of the building, the CBD Companies, a partnership with developers Charles Sangster, Courtney Wilson, and Cadaret Grant & Co., have already invested $9 million in the building, with an additional $6 million planned to prepare the space for the Barclay Damon offices.
The firm's commitment to remain in downtown Syracuse comes after the announcement last week from Gov. Andrew Cuomo that California-based Soraa, a solar panel manufacturer, is planning to set up shop near Syracuse, bringing hundreds of jobs and millions in investments as part of the city's business improvement momentum.
The firm will initially occupy four floors of the 15-story tower and have signage at the top of the building. "The building is virtually brand new, except for the original outside skin, and the space we are building for Barclay Damon is like nothing else we have seen in Upstate New York," Sangster and Wilson said in a statement. Other tenants in the building include Aspen Athletic Club, Jolime restaurant, Ephesus Lighting, and a number of other leading professional service firms in the area.
The renovation redesign is by King & King architects, as supported by Effects Group of Syracuse. According to Peter King of King & King architects, "Using Barclay Damon's vision and goals of looking to the future and providing space for the next generation of lawyers, from the very beginning we carefully considered not just how the office environment is working today, but to really think with the future in mind. What will it be like 5, 10, 15 years from now? It is with this dedication to long-term thinking and research, in this case into the law office for the next generation, that the new office design will create a collaborative, flexible, inspiring, and sustainable workplace for everyone."
Barclay Damon, LLP, listed as a "Top 250 Firm" by The National Law Journal, is a full-service, 275-attorney law firm, with offices throughout the major cities of New York State, as well as in Boston, Washington, Newark, N.J. and Toronto. The firm, which The National Law Journal ranks the 159th largest in the nation, provides comprehensive legal and business counsel to a diverse client base in 33 practice areas.