Coolest Offices REDCOM Design Construction LLC

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REDCOM Design & Construction LLC is an 80-person general contracting, architectural design and engineering firm that specializes in commercial facilities throughout the tri-state area.

THE VIBE

Rustic industrial

THE COOL FACTOR

REDCOM, which was established in 1982, has undergone extensive growth over the past decade — and along with its business expansion came a need for a new headquarters. The spot it chose, at 433 North Ave. E. in Westfield, was an unlikely one: A long-vacant car dealership originally built in the ’30s, blighted by contaminated soil and other environmental hazards. Years of the vacancy left the building leaking and moldy on top of it being vandalized.

REDCOM’s own team of in-house construction professionals took on the job of renovating the facility themselves, an effort led in part by the company’s owner and president, Greg Redington.

The team thought to preserve some features of the decayed building — despite it being sold as a tear-down project — such as old wood girders and planking as well as original iron window frames. The window frames were re-purposed in parts of the office, the girders were used to build the pergola in the piazza (which features a fire pit and grill for employee recreation) and the planking was utilized for bathroom doors. A brick veneer was also used to match the building’s original brick facade.

The new office, which had its grand opening in December, is a sum of more than its parts — an office that’s rustic with modern touches, such as its a two-story, glass lobby area and its open “hangar,” a place with stand-up planning tables for impromptu meetings. There’s plenty of fun to be found in the fixer-upper as well, considering that it has a ping-pong table, a dart board and a basketball hoop.

Most importantly, the company’s leaders see the facility as showcasing the skill of the building design professionals working every day inside of it. So, the challenge of transforming a beaten-up car dealership into a cool office was, in the end, thought to be a testament to that team’s capabilities.

THE BUSINESS CASE

REDCOM’s team believes its new headquarters not only helps to attract top talent in a highly competitive field, but also to present the image of a growing, multimillion-dollar company.
Additionally, the office is minutes away from Westfield’s train station and the Garden State Parkway, making it easy for workers to get out to projects across the state and elsewhere.