Jan. 17, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by Interstate Office Products.

One is in a historic downtown building, the other in a newly constructed east-side office, but in one innovative way, their view is the same.

Both businesses recently designed and furnished their workspace with customizable movable walls.

“And we just ordered multiple additional units to support increasing our office size because we’ve found them to be such a good fit. So we’re practically doubling what we ordered the first time as we continue to grow,” said Kevin Tupy, founder and CEO of Cresten Capital Holdings.

When Cresten purchased the historic downtown Beach Pay Building at 122 S. Phillips Ave., it entirely renovated its own office suite before moving in the team from a south Sioux Falls office.

Working with Interstate Office Products, Cresten selected glass walls with customized trim and height to help define its individual offices.

“In our previous office, we built our own walls and actually spent more building them with sheetrock and wood,” Tupy said. “We would have been in a lot better situation if we’d done this previously at our old location. And if we ever did move, not that we would, but if we did, they’re adaptable and designable for future space. In terms of value and overall quality for the price, it was beyond what we anticipated.”

The walls, which are a Steelcase product, are self-supported at the top without having to be mounted to a ceiling, said Mark Payne, a workplace specialist at Interstate Office Products who helped Cresten with the space along with interior designer Erica Endres.

“They chose all glass, which turned out really nice,” he said. “They had a vision to create the spaces, be able to see in and out, and give everyone the same visibility within the space.”

The Cresten team loved the look, Tupy added.

“At first, we thought people would feel like they’re working in a fishbowl and even looked at frosting certain areas to provide a little privacy, but overwhelmingly everyone in the office loved the transparency and openness of not having obstruction and being allowed to see other people and what’s going on,” he said.

Cresten also worked with Interstate Office Products on furnishing parts of the office, including common-area lounge pieces.

“It’s a really cool look,” Payne said. “They’re growing fast, they like to keep it fun, and we were just happy to be a part of the whole renovation of that floor.”

The modern, comfortable pieces add to the overall aesthetic effect of the office, Tupy said.

“They provided us exceptional service, timely response to all our communication and went above and beyond in the sales and installation process,” he said. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to have such a contemporary office design in such a historic building in downtown Sioux Falls.”

From one of the city’s oldest structures to a brand-new one, the same flexible-wall approach was brought to new construction in the office of Real Property Management Express.

The team recently moved into a new building near 57th Street and Sycamore Avenue after five years in a reconfigured former house not far away.

“We had rapidly run out of space,” president Merlin Huff said. “Leading up to COVID, our team had grown by leaps and bounds, and we were double or tripled up in an office. People were sitting on top of each other, and with COVID that wasn’t going to work.”

In looking at office needs, “we wanted a solution where everyone would have their own office space, and that would be a challenge because we wanted efficient use of square footage,” he continued. “But we noticed even small-square-footage offices functioned well with a lot of light and a lot of glass, so that’s how we designed our new building.”

Working with Interstate Office Products, “I had a vision in mind of what I wanted our office to look like, and I shared that vision with them. I envisioned a lot of glass and very tall ceilings, and we went back and forth with our building designers exploring possibilities,” Huff said.

Interior designers Marcia Young and Abby Tufvesson worked with the firm to determine a design that fit the vision.

“He was very interested in the modular wall aspect and just really liked the look of it – all the glass and visibility was definitely something they didn’t have in the old space,” Young said. “It was very closed off. These offices are small, but narrow, with a glass wall on one side, so they can have a sense of seeing other people and chatting back and forth even though there’s a wall between them. They have really high 10-foot ceilings, so the walls are floor-to-ceiling full glass that creates a really interesting look when you walk down the hall.”

It creates an open office feel but “without the noise pollution and yet still maintaining a sense of privacy,” Huff added. “It achieves a lot of what a cubicle setup would but without feeling like you’re in a corporate gopher farm.”

Another unexpected bonus: “People are much more inclined to keep their desks clean,” he said. “There’s no door to hide behind. It is a custom-built design, but the advantage of the big glass walls in terms of space use is well worth the added cost.”

The office incorporates two kinds of glass walls, one with more traditional framing and another that’s slim and sleek with an open, seamless look.

“In the conference rooms, we used that look as it’s very eye-catching,” Young said. “The slider doors have a glass polished edge, which eliminates framing around the door for a sleek look.”

The walls could move around or move with the business if needed, she said.

Real Property Management Express also integrated nonpermanent, unassigned office spaces, where “people can come in and drop a bag and computer, and there’s a monitor and sit-to-stand desk,” Huff said. “All offices have those desks, and it’s really been a treat for our teams. It’s more ergonomic and helps with productivity.”

Through the project, “they were great partners,” Young said. “You could tell he really cared about how this came together and was very involved in the selection and design. It was just a great process.”

Huff agreed.

“It was great working with Marcia and the team. They were wonderful. Sometimes, the sheer number of combinations and patterns can be overwhelming, and they did a great job making recommendations, exploring possibilities and making our dream a reality,” he said.

“ I just felt overall the office is a huge upgrade for our team. I felt like we were doing high-quality work, and now I feel like we have a building and environment to match.”

His advice to other business leaders: “If you’re considering a project like this, don’t go halfway. Go all the way. The expense is worth it. We thought it might make sense to save and upgrade our furniture on a progressive basis, and fortunately there are a lot of lending programs that make doing it all at once a good financial decision. More importantly, it was a huge morale piece for our team to move into a custom-designed office with new furniture. It’s a beautiful thing to feel connected while maintaining a sense of safety and privacy. I encourage business leaders to move in a direction of community and connection whenever possible.”

Are you ready to move your office space into 2022 and beyond? Visit i-o-p.com, or call 605-339-0300.