Making noise to get it quiet

Real Estate Weekly, Feb 23, 1994

"Sometimes it actually takes noise to gain some quiet," says Victoria Cerami, referring to an often-used sound masking technique in which is often used in offices to assure speech privacy. Victoria should know. She is president of Cerami & Associates, an internationally recognized acoustical engineering firm, and the only such NYC Woman-owned Business Enterprise.

Under Victoria's leadership the firm has grown consistently and today employs 11.

During her 11 years of practice as an acoustical engineer, Victoria has provided acoustic solutions on over 100 diverse projects. These have included investment office buildings, corporate headquarters, hospitals, laboratories, hotels, apartment buildings, schools, broadcast/recording studios, multifamily residential buildings, and athletic facilities. Happy clients have included the City's leading architectural and interior design firms, engineering practices, major developers, general contractors, and a host of corporate endusers.

"Very few people understand the full range of acoustical engineering," says Cerami. "The tendency is to think of acoustics in terms of sound-absorbing drop ceilings. But acoustics actually go far deeper. Very often, our involvement begins during the design of the building's core and shell, where we incorporate noise and vibration control in structural, mechanical, and elevator systems."

In New York City, acoustical control in this early phase of design is integral to a Class A building designation. As an example, she cites the firm's work on 450 Lexington Avenue, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and which rises above the Post Office.

"A major consideration in the structural design of this building was controlling the noise and vibrations resulting from Metro North's operations," explains Cerami. "Our responsibility was to evaluate the noise and vibration, through every system in the building, caused by scores of trains passing beneath the building every day. Except for the convenience of easily getting to the train station, tenants have absolutely no idea that they're sitting on top of a railroad station," she says.

Cerami & Associates is also at the forefront of acoustical controls related to seismic restraint. This segment of the firm's business is expected to grow substantially in response to federal and state initiatives.

At the most personal level, Cerami & Associates is expert at addressing acoustics in the work environment. The two primary challenges in designing acoustically sound environments are to eliminate intruding noises and provide speech privacy. Cerami & Associates is also frequently commissioned to resolve acoustical issues in specialized spaces such as hotel meeting rooms, conferencing and broadcasting facilities, or telecommunication facilities.

"We approach every project from square one," Victoria says. "We never apply pre-conceived solutions. Every one of our designs is tailored to the preferences, needs and budgets of the particular client."

In 1993 Cerami & Associates developed strategic teaming relationships with Smith Meeker Engineering, a leading audio visual engineer and Ysrael Seinuck, P.C., award-winning structural engineers. These strategic associations provide clients who need them with the opportunity to purchase these services under a single contract, with a single point of coordination and single billing.

Victoria Cerami literally grew up in the acoustical business, the daughter of the legendary Vito Cerami. Vito was a man widely regarded as the pioneer and foremost practitioner of acoustical engineering. He is described as having a "dedication to finding cost effective solutions to real-life design problems and unmatched experience with modern-day building design materials."

Victoria received her formal education at the University of Hartford, and on graduation was recruited to join the nationally renowned General Electric Manufacturing Management Project. Subsequently, she held positions with Industrial Acoustics Company, General Motors, General Dynamics, and of course, Cerami & Associates. She assumed leadership of the firm in 1987 following her father's death.

Vito's reputation for providing personal service to his clients is a tradition staunchly upheld by Ms. Cerami. Building owners and managers, architects, and interior designers are never surprised to see her on job sites bedecked in her hard hat as she works hand-inhand with them to provide acoustically sound spaces.

"I was very fortunate to supplement my formal education with real life lessons from one of the most respected acousticians in the business," Victoria adds. "But perhaps the most important thing I learned was personal service. My dad was renowned for the one-on-one relationships he developed with his clients, and it's a tradition I am determined to maintain." When Vito was hired for a project, each client, regardless of size, received the same attention and dedication to excellence and was assured of Vito's personal service throughout the project.