Smoothly managing a corporate relocation

Real Estate Weekly, March 30, 1994 by Derek Alger

Strategic Planning and Management Associates (SPM Associates) was formed three years ago by Laurence Wansor and Raymond Quartararo to implement every facet of a corporate relocation, thus, allowing the client to continue uninterrupted operations during a smooth, timely, cost-effective transition.

SPM's recent accomplishments include the successful establishment of Price Waterhouse in new headquarters at 1177 Avenue of the Americas, and the relocation of Siemens Corporation to new Manhattan headquarters offices at 1301 Avenue of the Americas.

"The company was formed in 1991 to provide services to tenants and owners on guiding them through the relocation process," said Wansor, 54, who previously was director of construction management for Price Waterhouse.

Wansor said that SPM is currently managing the completion of Price Waterhouse's move and is representing S.G. Warburg & Co. in developing and executing a plan for a new Manhattan headquarters.

"Continuity is a major concern," said Wansor, who attended Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and holds a B.A. from Franklin and Marshall College. "While the relocation is done, it's not the only thing in a client's life, they have to make a living and keep things going. In effect, we're the eyes and ears and we instill information, but they make the decisions."

According to Wansor, SPM delivers a broad scope fo services, blanketing every phase of a corporate relocation, including evaluating site options and working with engineers, consultants, attorneys and architects to negotiate and structure the best lease for the tenant.

"The terms of a lease have a major impact on construction and long-term occupancy costs," Wansor explained. "When SPM enters the process at inception, the client benefits from independent, objective analysis of location options, taking into consideration every possible variable and the effect each has on the cost and project visibility."

Wansor continued that SPM also analyzes potential sites to reconcile building infrastructure with the tenant's technological requirements, including electrical and air-conditioning capacity for computer networks and telecommunications systems.

Once the site is selected, Wansor noted, SPM Associates develops control methodology, project schedules and budgets, which are monitored throughout the construction process.

"Cost management becomes a planned strategy," said Quartararo, who holds an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business and dual undergraduate degrees in engineering design and English from Tufts University. "The planning strategy also incorporates the development of realistic requirements for all of the project's participants."

SPM also evaluates design alternatives in order to permit effective value engineering. Wansor stated that once the design is set, SPM handles every single aspect of the physical build-out, from coordinating the filing of documents with the Department of Buildings to validating every invoice, monitoring field construction activity, and coordinating the purchase and installation of furniture.

"As the owner's representative, we are singularly accountable for the successful implementation and completion of the very complex relocation process," said Wansor, who, in his role as president and principal of SPM, is responsible for all aspects of project administration and management for a number of Manhattan's most prestigious corporations and developers.

"A corporate relocation, like every major development project, involves thousands of details covering a vast universe of disciplines," Wansor added.

Quartararo said, "Given our combined experience in project management and corporate administration, we understand the process from every point of view. Working directly with the contractors and building representatives, we are able to deliver the desired results, on time and on budget, for our clients."

Wansor said that there was a great deal of relocation activity taking place in the city due to the lack of new construction, though such projects did not necessarily stand out in the forefront.

"It's not visible, it's behind the secenes, but there's tremendous activity," Wansor said. "I'm very optimistic about it, obviously from our position, many people need a specialized perspective in relocating."

Wansor, with more than 30 years of professional project management and corporate administration experience, decided to start SPM with Quartararo, who formerly served as manager of real estate and facilities administration at Siemens Corporation, when he realized that a need existed for a company to specialize in helping with corporate relocations.

"I've been in the industry a number of years and it has given me the depth of knowledge to provide that diversity," Wansor said. "Typically, each company is different, but the city does have a cycle, I suppose, with leases in a 15-20 year cycle," Wansor said. "New buildings are not being built and companies are either downsizing or expanding and considering relocating."