Partners blend diverse talents to deliver stellar designs

Real Estate Weekly, May 17, 1995

"The project in Turkey is the adaptive reuse of a 1910 residence of a foreign embassy into a modern retail and office facility in the heart of the city's thriving commerce district," says Randy Gerner, principal in Gerner Kronick Valcarcel, Architects, P.C. "The modernization - technologically, functionally and aesthetically - of antiquated or outdated buildings for repositioning and success in today's competitive market is a specialty that is especially relevant in New York."

If the three partners of Gerner Kronick Valcarcel have their way, the firm will not be known for any one specialty. Rather, this team founded their business with the mission of "quality and diversity."

"As principals of KPF Interior Architects we were somewhat limited in the scope of our work," says Richard Kronick. "We spent more than a dozen years working together, discussing our vision for a new kind of design firm - architects armed with the best modern technology and a command of every type of assignment."

"The result of diversity, from commercial to residential and base building to interior design, is that we continually expand our base of knowledge and our ability to develop creative solutions and techniques for our clients," adds Miguel Valcarcel. "In fact, you'll see an attention to detail in our commercial work that can only come from years of experience in the demanding residential realm."

At the same time, the three partners say they approach residential projects - traditionally considered decorative in nature with innovative form, space and shape concepts and techniques that are the result of their work with large-scale base building and interior commercial projects.

"We aren't in the business of picking paint chips," says Kronick, whose work has achieved international attention and numerous design honors. "Rather, we are committed to developing design solutions which allow our clients to live and work efficiently, and enjoy an aesthetic design which projects their image and enhances their lives."

To that end, the 12-person Gerner Kronick Valcarcel shop has already been commissioned for a number of important assignments. In addition to the adaptive reuse project in Turkey (which also includes the design and construction of a new addition totalling 200,000 square feet), the firm has been tapped to design the corporate headquarters for a major, international holding company based in New Jersey; a 15,000 square-foot headquarters facility in Lower Manhattan; a 9,000 square-foot control center and showroom for a fiber optic firm in a landmark building in Downtown Manhattan; the renovation of a 2,000-square-foot Fifth Avenue residence; and the redesign of office space for a major broadcasting company in Midtown.

"The work is certainly exciting, and we're delighted and honored to have such a following so soon after hanging out our shingle," Gerner says. "We think one reason for our success is the fact that our clients know they are guaranteed the direct, hands-on involvement of our firm's partners in their projects. At the same time, we are already deep enough to provide that type of service for a great number of jobs at one time."

"We are extremely pleased with Gerner Kronick Valcarcel's work, they are a class A operation," said Andrew Pietrini, president of UIS, one of the company's newest clients. "The highest level of professionalism was exhibited throughout the assignment and we look forward to working with them on future projects."

According to Valcarcel, the firm is especially adept at meeting its clients' needs because its team of trained architects has mastered and utilizes the industry's most advanced computer-based design technology. "On the one hand, we are more efficient because we are using cutting-edge technology," he explains. "But we are also able to explore many different avenues for our clients thanks to our system's multi-media capabilities. Given the fact that we have created an entirely new system, we feel our firm is among the most advanced in the country - and certainly in the New York area."

Their computer acumen - while important - pales in comparison with their practical experience. While at KPF Interior Architects, Gerner, Kronick and Valcarcel created a number of the country's most renowned corporate offices. Among the team's most famous projects are the corporate or executive headquarters around the country for such corporations as BDO Seidman, The Equitable, Viacom, Ameritrust, Bear Stearns, Skytel, The Henley Group, Metropolitan Life Real Estate Investor Services, NationsBank, Mobile Communications Corporation of America and MONY. The team also created the new lobby at 477 Madison Avenue, and numerous private residences around the world. Most recently, the team was involved in the design work that helped facilitate C.S. First Boston's headquarters transaction at 11 Madison Avenue.

"We have, as a team, created and implemented architecture and design work for many of the world's most important corporations and discerning individuals," Gerner said. "We now look forward to expanding our design role, practicing both architecture and interior design with the single-minded goal of delivering quality."