Author Archives: Amanda Wunzin

  1. Historic Hotel Renewal in the Rustbelt

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    A former picture of urban decay will now have a new life as a DoubleTree by Hilton in the heart of Youngstown, Ohio. K2M is embarking on this historic property renovation, the first hotel in the city since 1974. The DoubleTree hotel will have 133 guestrooms, a restaurant, Executive Lounge and meeting spaces.

    Opened in 1907, the Stambaugh Building began as Euwer’s Department Store, and housed steel manufacturer Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, and later Morris Plan Bank.  The building was expanded vertically in 1914, adding 4 floors with commercial offices occupying the space. The building fell into disrepair over the years and has been vacant since mid 2000s.

    K2M’s design plans include custom tailored solutions that will enhance the historic architectural features and accents with whimsical nods to the early 20th century shopping experience, honoring the fashionable spirit of the Stambaugh Building.  Balancing the exquisite with the simple & contemporary, K2M will deliver a charming and comfortable guest experience that encourages feelings of fancy.

    Check back as we renovate this historic building, scheduled to open in late 2017.

  2. Kelli Schaffran Takes the Helm at K2M in Ohio

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    Cleveland, Ohio – August 2016 – We are pleased to announce the promotion of Kelli Schaffran to Director of Ohio Operations. Kelli has significantly contributed to the advancement of K2M through developing strong industry relationships, delivering outstanding service and exceptional quality. In this new role, Kelli will lead the Architecture, ID, & Engineering Professionals in the Cleveland and Columbus locations. Kelli has been a key team member at K2M for over 10 years, serving on the Senior Leadership team as Director of Design.

    As Director, Kelli is part of a female led leadership team heading up K2M’s Ohio and Corporate operations. She brings a solid support structure to the team, looking to drive additional growth within strong market sectors. When asked about her new position, Ms. Schaffran stated, “I am excited to lead a talented, dynamic, and creative team of architects, engineers and interior designers. We have a well-developed culture focused around people and projects and I look forward to continuing our legacy of nurturing and growing internal and external relationships long into the future.”

    Kelli is a graduate of Kent State University and is a NCIDQ accredited Interior Designer. Her commitment to excellence has delivered K2M Design numerous awards including, ASID, IIDA, and multiple Hospitality Awards, gaining recognition and visibility for the organization. Her refreshing, approachable and positive leadership style allows teams to flourish under her direction.

    When not at work, Kelli volunteers at her children’s school and enjoys spending time with her family, bike riding, and traveling.

    About K2M Design, Inc.
    K2M Design, Inc. is an award-wining architecture, engineering, interior design, asset management, and specialty services firm that is passionate about people and projects. As we celebrate our 15 year anniversary on September 1, 2016, K2M Design continues to flourish; growing staff, office locations and market sectors across the country.  We strive to build relationships with our clients that are based on trust and results and are committed to being an active partner from project start to finish and beyond.

     

    Crain’s Cleveland – People on the Move

  4. Taking a Top Down Approach to Company Culture

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    As a business owner, Scott Maloney has been a student of company culture for well over a decade. He has long been an early adopter of internal culture, and at K2M he has tested and implemented a variety of people-based strategies that best support our #1 asset – our people.

    Scott has studied great minds like: Simon Sinek, a leadership expert; he has been coached by one of the greatest culture coaches around – Ron Kaminski of CultureShoc; and analyzed business cultures from around the world. These interactions have helped shape the strategy of culture at K2M. The culture of the workplace is not only influenced by the physical layout, but by the collection, integration, and interaction of the people who work in it. A strong connection with colleagues is one of the primary factors for employees’ job satisfaction.

    At K2M, we provide internal communication to celebrate our weekly wins and share headlines about our people and projects (the power of 2!). This helps to connect our eight offices as our business continues to grow. We strive to have monthly social events, whether it’s a Thirsty Thursday in the office, or a 5k fun run at the Zoo, or a trip to the ballpark. We cap the year with an annual, all employee function, where we convene for a company meeting and team building event. These events give the entire organization the opportunity to bond with our peers and counterparts, continuing to open the door to strength based collaboration that is instrumental to the success of our firm.

    In addition to connecting people, we believe a work place should authentically reflect and support the culture of its users, not only in the way it looks, but also in the behaviors it promotes (your Core Values, Core Purpose, Mission). Companies should strive to understand what motivates employees to connect with one another, and work place interiors should be designed with that in mind.

    When the discussion shifts to how physical space can support a company’s business strategy, design is an extremely powerful tool. Workplace interior projects are ideal for organizational evolution. Carrying out a visioning process prior to design can ultimately lead clients to reassess their organizational structures, engage employees, and craft spaces specific to your company’s needs.

    Scott loves to talk culture and how it affects your business, send Scott Maloney a message if you’d like to talk more about how to improve your company culture through design.

  5. Maloney on the Move: Boston

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    Recently, Scott Maloney had the opportunity to visit Boston, MA for the first time since he was a small child.  Scott started the weekend off with a drink at the top Prudential Tower called Top of the Hub – amazing views from the rooftop bar and restaurant.

    Scott was in Boston to participate in the American Correctional Association’s 146th Congress of Correction meeting.  There were multiple workshops and sessions on a variety of project and operational related topics.  The exhibit hall offered a great opportunity to meet with a variety of vendors and service providers in the corrections industry.  There were great speakers and Scott enjoyed participating in the ACA Facility Design Committee meeting.

    To cap off the trip was a must try restaurant – Mistral located in Boston’s stylish South End.  Mistral showcases uncomplicated French cuisine, highlighted with the season’s finest ingredients. Inspired by the wind that sweeps through the south of France, the decor is reminiscent of Provence.  Thank you to the staff for arranging an incredible meal for our group!   If you are ever in Boston check them out!

     

  6. Speeding Construction with a Flexible, Eco-Friendly Product

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    Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are a high performance building system for residential and light commercial construction. The panels consist of an insulating foam core sandwiched between two structural facings, typically oriented strand board (OSB).  SIPs are manufactured under factory controlled conditions and can be fabricated to fit nearly any building design. The result is a building system that is extremely strong, energy efficient, and cost effective.

    In the construction of our new Key West office, we used the Renegade Panel by MM&I Construction & Design, Inc.  The walls and roof system were developed by MM&I to resist 180+ mph wind speeds.  Another great benefit is the speed of construction. Our Key West office only took 7 days to erect the full building shell!

    SIP buildings typically have a similar cost to wood framed construction depending on the cost of your labor force.  The real benefits are the controlled manufacturing of your wall system, the speed of construction, reduced HVAC tonnage requirements, tighter building envelope, lighter foundation, and the long term energy savings as they are an extremely sustainable product.

    Another SIP performance advantage is high STC ratings. They are excellent at keeping outside noise outside making them attractive in projects where this is important. Hotel projects have been built using SIPs as partition walls between guestrooms for this reason. Compared to the complexity of other high STC systems SIPs are extremely fast to construct.

    Recommendations –

    • Work with an architect or engineer that really understands how SIPs work and are integrated into a project.  You need to design with SIPs as a system from the start so you eliminate the redesign costs that otherwise come up.
    • Chose your manufacturer early and work thru the details of the project.  This will save time (which saves money) in any delays associated with the preparation of shop drawings.
    • Often the manufacturer can team with a local contractor and show them how to erect the panels.  Not only does this help the local contractor, but teaches them how to install this product on future buildings.

    Contact Steve Grasley, PE/COO if you have questions on SIP panels

     

  7. Maloney on the Move: Florida Skies

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    There is no better way to move then with your own plane. Decided to take a little trip from Marathon to Melrose last night for an ‘owner’s meeting’ dinner. Storms off the left and right wing, but got to see this really cool rainbow as well.

    Thanks for the lift Steve Grasley

     

  8. Guestrooms: Living Area as a Focal Point

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    As Scott Maloney travels the globe, he makes it his mission to visit as many exciting hotels as possible, searching for unique design concepts, clever ideas, and inspirations from vast reaches. Recently, while in Amsterdam with EO, Scott had the opportunity to visit Zoku, and was quite impressed at the progressive thinking the owners employed to design this hotel. Zoku is an extended stay product that focuses on the business traveler who has long term stay needs. The operations are quite out of the box, and meld the serviced apartment philosophy with social media in a physical form. Incredible design and detail, mingle cool touches throughout the hotel.

    The one thing that stood out the most was the de-emphasizing of the bed in their hotel rooms. As you enter, the focus is on the living space with a couch, coffee table, TV, and a dining room table. The bedroom is elevated above the bathroom and accessed by a custom designed movable stair, which they have patented. A very novel idea where you have ceiling heights of 12-feet or more.

    By moving the bed out of the primary floor area, they were able to increase the utilized guestroom space by nearly 1/3 over a traditional guestroom. Putting the focus on the living space makes this hotel room truly feel like home when you walk in the door.

    This forward thinking product would be perfect for areas with high building density, in conversions where apartment and hotel rooms can be intermixed leveraging shared services, and near college / university campuses with adequate ceiling heights.

    If you would like to be put in touch with the owners and creators of this concept or to discuss creative solutions for your next hotel project, contact Scott Maloney.

  9. Top Trends in Workplace Design

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    The ways to engage your workforce within your office continues to expand. Building an environment that attracts the best people takes a space that provides flexibility, and choices for where, when, and how work happens in an office space. The newest trends in workplace design focus on people: bringing people together, giving people flexibility, and making their work place as productive as possible. Here are the top trends in workplace design.

    • Hiding the wires
      If we could only all be Tim Cook at Apple and have a perfect looking work space! The reality is there are wires everywhere – thankfully many of the furniture companies are creating new designs that provide meaningful solutions to hiding wires.  Won’t it be nice when everything is Bluetooth and we don’t even need wires?
    • Bringing the Outside In
      This has been on trend for years, but nature still plays a large part in design especially design with natural and reclaimed materials. Check out the space we designed for Brandmuscle; the design incorporated a living wall.
    • Lighting
      Better workplace lighting (both natural daylight and artificial light) has been linked to a 15 percent reduction in absenteeism in office environments. Having a balance of the two increases your sensory functions and provides for a healthier work environment.
    • Organization with Color
      Scott Maloney recently toured a new office space whose entire operational function was dictated by color. Multiple studies show color boosts creativity, productivity, and happiness. Creating vibrant offices is a critical component to recruiting and retaining top talent.
    • Multi-Purpose Work Space
      Workstations are disappearing; benching is in full swing (Acumen Solutions is great example); non-assigned seating is becoming more popular; and the world is working in an nontraditional way. Flexible work spaces allow the employee to work in a variety of seating configurations from bar top tables, to desk & chair, to soft seating groups, to 2-person tables, etc. – the possibilities are endless! We are also seeing more oval shaped tables that can seat 4-6 people comfortably.
    • Communal Tables
      Hotel and restaurant industries have been doing this for years – cafeteria style, long tables with 5, 10, 20 seats. It’s a trend that commercial office designers have grabbed a hold of. It’s yet another great way to promote collaboration.
    • Mobility
      Crucial to today’s workforce, employees are working at home, on a plane, in a hotel, at the local coffee shop, or at client sites. They need to be supported with technology and business processes that allow them to work effectively wherever they are. Mobile office pods are a fun and comfortable way to accommodate mobile workers. The importance of mobility ties back to multi-purpose, unassigned work spaces – get untethered and go mobile!

    For business owners, directors, and managers, the focus remains on people: being able to attract them, retain them, grown them, and shape their experiences through the built environment.

     

  10. Maloney on the Move: Naples Florida

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    Taking a rare vacation (mostly) – Scott Maloney and his family relaxed in Naples Florida for the 4th of July holiday, it’s their favorite time of year with the fewest amount of tourists. Naples has an average temperature around 75 degrees, is often named on best beaches lists in the US, and is a top golf destination with the most golf holes per capita in all of the US – it’s hard not to love this place!

    Heat & humidity = happiness. Enjoy some beautiful Florida Sunset pics! ?

     

     

     

  11. Knowledge is Power | Understanding the Condition of your Assets

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    For retailers, brick and mortar locations are a visual representation of the brand in the community. Understanding your store’s physical condition is key to maintaining and growing clientele as well as planning capital expenditures. One way to do this is to have a professional team conduct a review of the location to make sure it meets a variety of your brand requirements such as:

    • Physical condition – floor covering, wall covering, ceilings, lighting, building envelope, doors and windows, etc.
    • Signage – Are the current offerings being promoted? Brand standard being used?
    • Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment, Millwork – Is the layout matching you visual merchandising guidelines and brand standard?

    The result is knowing how often building components need to be refreshed so that proper capital expense timelines and budgets can be set. For instance, re-painting and installing new flooring should be redone at least every 5 years, whereas the roofs need to be replaced every 15-30 years, depending on the roof style and type. For several components on the interior that are brand specific, have your local store manager or staff complete the assessment, but the physical condition assessment work should be done by professionals with strong relevant experience. This expertise provides accurate and reliable data on the conditions, performed by an unbiased third party.

    The asset management team at K2M Design assesses millions upon millions of square feet of retail space each year. We utilize the experts in our company to execute the condition assessment and record the data into your system or K2M Facility. With the data, you are able to make smarter, better capital expenditure decisions that best support your brand.

    Contact Scott Maloney, President, for a consultation on any Assessment needs.

     

  12. Cleveland Team Building: Cavs Parade

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    After 52 years the wait is over! We used this historic opportunity as a fun little team building event in Cleveland. Also, the event made it onto Wikipedia – Largest peaceful gatherings in history! Setting a great example for the world over here 🙂

  13. Florida Keys Team Building: Sunset Cruise

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    Our K2M Florida Keys team did a Lunch and Learn, learning about Mitsubishi HVAC systems, and then capped the night off with a Team Building Sunset Cruise – Commotion on the Ocean! Oh to live and work in the Florida Keys!

  14. Maloney on the Move: Amsterdam

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    Another trip with Entrepreneurs’ Organization, this time Scott is in Amsterdam!

    Check out some snaps from his trip below, but before you do here are a couple of quick facts about Amsterdam: The homes you can see on the canal are narrow and tall because the taxes at the time were based the width of the property.  Also, most buildings lean forward towards a street and have a giant hook at the roof line.  That is so they can hoist furniture up without hitting the building!  Creative Dutch people.

    Finally across Amsterdam you can find a symbol with XXX on it.  One popular theory is that the X’s stand for the three chief perils that the city of Amsterdam once faced: floods, fire, and the Black Death. Another theory holds that the crosses were taken from the shield of the family Persijn, and refer to three of the family’s properties: Amsterdam, Ouder-Amstel, and Nieuwer-Amstel (present-day Amstelveen) amongst all other more modern interpretations. 🙂

     

     

  15. Finding Inspiration in the Location

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    As designers, our inspiration can come from a wide variety of sources: the history of the surroundings, the natural world, travel, music, industry trends, and publications. Many of our projects incorporate a local focus into the design of the space, light fixtures, furniture selections, and even custom carpets influence the local nostalgia of each property. Several of our recent hospitality projects incorporated a strong tie to the local environment, including the DoubleTree Resort in Key West, Florida and the Embassy Suites in Downey, California. Be sure to check out the photo gallery below and our project pages!

    DoubleTree | Key West, FL

    This newly renovated property was inspired by the luxurious mid-century ocean liners that took port in the Keys, the charm and ease of a 1950’s retreat mix seamlessly with the amenities of a modern resort.

    In each of the guestrooms, a focus is placed on the history of Key West, including its discovery by Juan Ponce de Leon, whose profile is displayed as artwork above the bed. Textural elements, both tactile & visual, add warmth to the space while the casegoods’ styling is minimalistic & tailored. The custom carpet selections envision the view of Key West from the sky, with blue and teal colors from the water, and sandy neutrals to mimic the beaches.

    Embassy Suites | Downey, CA

    Inspiration for the project came from the city of Downey’s role in the exploration of outer space. For nearly 70 years, Downey housed the NASA production plant responsible for the systems used in the Apollo Space Program & many other significant aviation, missile, & space endeavors. The design established a sense of wonder upon entering the hotel that would leave a lasting impression on the guest.

    Celestial formations, such as the Big and Little Dipper incorporated into the atrium area and a re-creation of the night sky above Downey adds artistic flare in public spaces. Custom carpeting with delicate streaks of color remind visitors of shooting stars and the mottled background of a veil of clouds, other patterns are reminiscent of ocean waves and the vapor trails left by aircrafts. Throughout the space, the finish palette was kept very neutral to better accent the statement of architectural installations.

    Also, check out our featured projects in the 2016 Shaw Carpet look book.

     

  16. Maloney on the Move: Thailand!

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    Last week, Scott Maloney traveled to Thailand for Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s Global Leadership Conference in Bangkok. The conference was held in the Royal Navy hall which is on the Chao Phraya River.

    Scott also got to partake on an incredible emerald Buddha tour, walking through the Royal Palace compound in the heart of Bangkok. It was a mere 114 degrees outside, Scott said it was probably the hottest he’s felt traveling to Thailand.

    Enjoy some pics from his trip!

     

  17. Maloney on the Move: Golden Lamb Hotel

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    What a great find in Lebanon Ohio – Ohio’s First Hotel, The Golden Lamb hotel established in 1803, this historic hotel still holds all the charm today.

    The hotel has 18 historic hotel rooms with antique finishes all named after famous guests. The Golden Lamb has hosted a number of historical figures, including 12 United States Presidents (from as far back as John Quincy Adams to as recent as George W. Bush), and today is still serving excellent cuisine to guests from all over the country.

    Built by the shakers has incredibly simple detailing, great charm, it’s own museum, and it’s very own ghost and former resident Sarah.

     

     

  18. Maloney on the Move: Mexico

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    IMG_8551Last week Scott Maloney took an excursion to Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

    The Mayan ruin city was constructed nearly 1000 years BC – oddly enough it was re-found in 1850 and restored by Andrew Carnegie in the 1920s.

    Here’s a couple snaps from his trip!

     

  19. Maloney on the Move: India!

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    Introducing our new Blog series: Maloney on the Move!

    Scott Maloney is a man on the move and we want to share his experiences with you! In February, Scott’s escapades took him to New Delhi, India with Entrepreneurs’ Organization, and he took a personal trip to Bankok.  Below is a snapshot of his trip. 🙂

     

  21. K2M Team Building: 2016 Annual Meeting

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    In January, all of the K2M offices converged in Cleveland for our annual meeting and team building session at the Residence Inn Cleveland Downtown. Each year, we work on a philanthropic effort with our team building event and this year was no different – we assembled home kits for homeless veterans to help them get back on their feet through the Faces of Hope program with Volunteers of America. We use the team building/annual meeting as a time to connect, build relationships, and have some fun!

    We ended the night with dinner at Hodge’s and bowling at the Corner Alley downtown.

     

  22. Introducing K2M Design’s New Website

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    We’ve been working very hard at bringing you something special, and today is the day we have been waiting for: our fully-redesigned website, K2MDesign.com.

    The new site underscores the essence of K2M’s focus on “the power of 2” – our people and our projects.

    The new site works on all devices. It is easily navigated, fast-loading, and image intensive showcasing the people and projects at K2M Design, a full-service design and asset management firm with offices in six US cities.

    With many great features, including expanded project and staff sections, an ability to dynamically sort content, and a new blog that links directly to social media, k2mdesign.com has been designed with your experience in mind.

  23. Dallas Renaissance wins 2015 IIDA Award

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    K2M Design was awarded a 2015 IIDA Award in the Hospitality category for the Renaissance Hotel in Dallas, TX.

    “This world-class space is modern and cool, with one of the best ballrooms I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a lot.” – J.W. Marriott Jr., Marriott Hotels

  24. Solaria Design and Consulting merges with K2M Design

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    K2M Design is continuing to grow in the Florida Keys.

    [Key West and Marathon, Florida] – The acquisition of Solaria Design and Consulting, based in Marathon, Florida, provides in-house engineering services to compliment architectural, interior design, and capital asset management services at K2M Design. The integration of Solaria adds Steven Grasley, PE as Chief Operating Officer for K2M’s six (6) offices nationwide with staffing of 50 persons.

    The integration of Solaria Design into the operations of all K2M offices is the culmination of three (3) years of project partnering and built on a relationship of common values, a shared focus on responsible design, and project process strengths. It is with tremendous excitement K2M Design is proud to announce the Keys only full service design and engineering firm.