Spacesmith was retained by Daytop, a non-profit organization that provides
compassionate, family oriented substance abuse treatment for adults and teens
within NYC and throughout the metropolitan area, to prepare a comprehensive
program for the organization’s space needs. Daytop owned their main building at
50 West 40th Street since 1972 and when approached by a buyer, the board and
management team did not pass up the opportunity to sell and use the gain to
fund programmatic needs. Through interviews, surveys and analysis it was quickly determined that
Daytop’s mission would be best served on one or two large, contiguous floors,
approximately 30,000 sf in total. The small floor plates and inefficient
configuration at 50 West 40th Street were a deterrent to a new leadership
approach which focused on delivering better services and improving moral
through team building.
Spacesmith assisted the brokerage team by preparing test fits, cost
estimates, schedules and due diligence reports for potential relocation sites.
When the final site was selected, Spacesmith assisted in workletter
negotiations with the landlord and prepared extensive design development
documents so that both tenant and landlord could be comfortable with the scope
of work.The design challenge was to have an open work environment that
still respected patient’s privacy and management’s need for confidentiality.
The layout establishes a uniform working area for the employees in the
executive office on the 4th floor and more private, service oriented areas for
employees working with clients on the 3rd floor. Both floors feature the
reception area, board room, and conference rooms directly accessible from the
elevators and away from the exterior windows.