Category: Office Space

We always love meeting with our tenants to find out what inspires them. As an architectural design and construction management company, Level-5 Design stood out to us in one of our favorite pieces of architecture, Arena Place. We stopped by to meet with CEO Juan Alaya to get his perspective on the office space and the latest trends in commercial architecture.

What does Level-5 Design do?

L5D: We specialize in commercial architecture and construction, but we do everything including interior design. My primary focus is managing the construction sites, and Huang helps me out with the interior design. But we both have a background in design.

Most of my clientele is in the restaurant sector, or just commercial developments – shopping centers and office spaces. I do a lot of dental offices and medical practices.

What’s the story behind your business?

L5D: I have a Bachelors in Architecture, and graduated together with Huang. After that I started working on my licensure, and ended up getting that shortly after I started the company. I worked for an architecture design build firm for 6 years, and started wanting something more challenging and different so I started this firm.

I started this firm on my own and was managing everything. I would do the design and then the construction as well. So, I would draw for x amount of time and it got to the point where I designed at night and would run construction during the day. I have the Surface Pro, which can runs the design programs, so I would be designing in the car a lot of the time. I use the Surface for sketching – I love to sketch. I was waiting for that one thing to come out that could be a computer and a drawing utensil at the same time.

Do you primarily work with clients in Houston?

L5D: We work all over – for example I mentioned a project we were working on in Dallas. My ideal would be all four major cities in Texas. But they’re also so different. Even Sugarland is different than Houston , Missouri City, Baytown or the Woodlands. So you never know what you are going to get in to in terms of permits. Commercial deals with different problems than residential though – it’s more legalese.

How would you describe your style?

L5D: My personal style is very modern, as you can probably tell. I love modernism. If I could do that I would, all of the time.

Mies van der Rohe is my favorite architect and designer – he designed that white chair. The MFAH was done by Mies van der Rohe. That’s the only Mies van der Rohe building here. Houston has a couple of really cool buildings – there’s also the Menil, which is an architectural masterpiece done by Renzo Piano. I could float over there all day.

I’m working my way into art, too. I’m not there yet completely. I’m actually a big fan of graffiti – if I could do my house in graffiti, I think I would. I also really like Pop Art like Andy Warhol, or Surrealism like Salvador Dali.

How do you balance your personal interests with what you do for your clients?

L5D: One time I was watching cake wars – I’ll watch anything that is creative and we all get inspiration from the weirdest places – but there was a girl on the show who wanted her wedding cake to have these specific elements. Three of the cake makers were creating around what she wanted, and there was another lady who made what she felt like she wanted. I remember thinking that I never wanted to be like that. I’m modern, but people like different things, like contemporary or antique.

The one thing I will never sacrifice is function. If something isn’t functional it bothers me. A lot of the time, specifically with residences, I would want to make sure that they were open and fluid, and minimize hallways. It can be a real challenge to design for more traditional tastes. But then there’s also a good chance that if they have traditional tastes, they won’t be coming to me.

I’m actually meeting with a more traditional client this week to discuss if they’d like to do something more expressive with their space. Right now this more modern look is a good direction to go in. Look at all of the McDonald’s that are going up: they’re all hyper modern with open space.

How did you first hear about the Boxer Property?

L5D: It was a referral. I started this company three years ago, and I worked out of my house. It was a smaller office space than this one, and the space got to be a little cramped. I have an engineer who also works in Arena, so I came by and they toured me, and I liked the space. I had to repaint it, because it was all white. I feel like this building has aged well. And they recently redid this office building.

Level – 5 Office Space Amenities in Houston

What are the needs and amenities that you looked for when finding your office space:

L5D: They are really on top of the maintenance – the person who balances this building always does a really good job on the AC and the elevators.

The elevators are always there. It’s like they’re always waiting for me. We install elevators in some of our projects, so I’m really particular. Every elevator I get into, I’ll see who made it. I’m completely aware of how it’s functioning and how much it costs. Most elevators are terrible.

How does the daily workflow of your business inform the use of your office space?

L5D: Most of my meetings are off site; I’m mainly offsite. I’ll be in the office for maybe 2 hours a day, and then I’m running around. In terms of office space, I can never have enough printers. I can never have enough space. If I let it, it will be full of drawings.

I am a contractor, so I do work with a lot of subcontractors. If you point out anything in here, I know how to get it, and who installed it, and how much it costs. It bothered me for a while because I didn’t know how things were built. In architecture school they don’t teach you that at all. We felt like when we got out of architecture school, they didn’t prepare us enough. We all started pushing to get on with an architecture firm and learn, and you realize that it’s totally different than school.

As you can see, I can’t have enough screens. If I could have 17 screens I would have 17 screens with drawings, pdf, excel, word all around the office. They really do help. My big thing is tech – if it’s there I need to use it. And if I’m not using it, I’m falling behind. I have my Note, my Surface Pro, my computer here, my computer at home, my truck. I have two mice and I like to sketch a lot when I have the time.

If I were back in school, I wouldn’t worry as much about what the professors thought of me. I always needed to see a point to what I was doing, and there were a lot of times when I didn’t see the point. I wouldn’t draw something if I didn’t know exactly how I was going to build it, and keep it within a budget. There’s so much to it.

Developments in Level – 5 Office in Houston

What changes have been happening lately, or are around the corner? Have you seen an increase in clients lately, with all of the recent developments in Houston?

L5D: Everywhere! Up North in Spring the Exxon Campus just opened, so that was a big flux. There’s been a giant flux in Katy Fwy too. My friend who works for the company that did the Asia house is also on the Phillips Company project. The Phillips Company is on Beltway and Westheimer. So if you see a ton of cranes and four buildings going up, that’s that project. The Exxon campus was the big one, and everything else went around it. But they all started competing at the same time. Shell started putting up their buildings, and then BP started putting up their buildings too.

What’s next on the horizon for Level 5 Designs? How is your company evolving or growing in the office space?

L5D: I’ll probably need more space pretty soon, depending on how many more people we bring on. I need space for peripherals. This year has been pretty busy for all of us.

For more information about Level-5 Design & Construction Management, visit their website at level-5.net, or hit them up on Twitter @level5designs.

Arena Place has undergone exciting new renovations and amenities lately, and so have our tenants there. One of the recent additions in houston office building, ShawDashian is a full-service Marketing and PR firm that specializes in mending broken wings, with an eclectic flair.

We caught up with Maria Southall-Shaw, General Manager, in their bold new office space, designed in daring red and black. A spacious view of the Houston office skyline is out the window at 7322 Southwest Freeway and abstract paintings energize the walls between window vignettes of adjacent offices. Maria loves the way that ShawDashian has more flexible options in their office space as a tenant with a property management company like Boxer. The company has been growing like a fish since they partnered with Shadow Creek Ranch to start the HOA Newsletter Magazine!

 

What is the hardest part about relocating?

SD: Although we are a new client to the Boxer property (3 months), we aren’t new to leased space. We have had three other office locations.

Relocating is always a nightmare, but the hardest things about relocating are the actual and intrinsic costs associated with a move – everything from changing letterhead, accounts and downtime, to reestablishing yourself within the community.

Amenities Of ShawDashian Office Space

What were the needs and amenities that you looked for when finding your office space?

SD: We are probably one of your most discriminating clients. We prefer our business in a high-rise office with a view, property security, a parking garage, janitorial, access to a major freeway, a cafeteria, and professional on-site management.

I came here because I loved your marketing first. I didn’t even know this building. I like the access here to the Galleria area and Sugar land. And then I have to tell you – PJ, he’s amazing. When I came into the space I was leery. When you’re considering moving, you’re on the fence. I hate moving, relocating is just wrong, and so is making a long-term commitment.

PJ educated me about the Arena Place building , showed me some floorplans, and I came in to see the space. I kept saying “I need about 7000 SF”. And I kept looking at it, and then I kept saying, well “How do I get a kitchen?” and “How do I get more windows?” So we just kept doing this back and forth, where I would shoot him an email and within minutes he would send me one back.

Then I said this one feels good. It feels good. Can I change it a little? He said as long as it’s within guidelines – don’t take down walls or anything.

I love Boxer and the its executive suites . I came in here with the intention to do one year, and I’m doing five. And now I’m talking to PJ about leasing another suite too across the floor on the other side of the elevators and continue my theme.

I enjoy having the energy of all of these other businesses in the same floor, too. Because when you walk in to work no matter how you feel – if business is down or business is up – you know that everyone in here is focused on doing the same thing: moving forward, growing and developing. So you draw off of their energy.

I am so upset that I didn’t find Boxer 5 years ago! I kept moving around every year because I just kept growing, like a fish.

What’s the story behind your business?

SD: ShawDashian Group is as unique as our name. Shaw (last name) D (the big D -my son Devin), ash (my daughter’s name is Ashley). I named my company after my children because as a parent, every day when I go to work and see their names I know that I’m doing it for them. That’s my motivation, my focus, maintains our integrity.

We are a full-service Marketing and PR firm that understands not only ROI, but our clients and needs. We partner with our clients as if their business is our business. It’s a true partnership customized to be successful. We are also the publishers of an amazing unique company, HOA News Mag.  We create customized official association newsletters with a 98% readability. Our goal is to create a partnership between the HOA management company, the Boards of Directors, the Residents and Local Businesses. ShawDashian is formally in our fifth year now – as of August 23^rd – and we have 13 employees (a baker’s dozen).

We have team members with over 20 years in Telecom Operations, 20+ years in all phases of Printing, 20+ years as a lead graphic and design artist, 10+ years in travel sales, 20+ years in mail distribution and the list goes on and on.

What did you do before ShawDashian?

SD: Everyone on our team has years of experience working in corporate America. My background is in sales and marketing working for Home Box Office (HBO) for over 23 years before I started my own thing. I was on projects like Sex and the City, Earth to the Moon, Band of Brothers, and I was with De La Joya on the Golden Boy Tour. I was the handler for these boxers in Vegas. Our role was to make sure they showed up to their signings, made it to the weigh-in, and showed up at the fight. On my projects like Sex and the City and the Sopranos, our role was to travel around and market the shows.

When we started to create Sex and the City when it first came out, we only had 3 episodes. But we hyped the show so that you felt like you knew the characters before you knew the product. We did that for the Sopranos too. But I learned that I was good at marketing. You can tell by your ratings how you are doing in your market, and my section always did very well. It was the greatest job in the world.

How was the company formed?

SD: When I left that major marketing group, I saw how bad a lot of the branding and marketing had turned in other industries. Then Cooke & Brothers, the developers out in Vegas, hired me to manage Shadow Creek Ranch, a master planned community in Pearland. I didn’t know anything about property maintenance, but I do know contract law and marketing. So I came in, saved them $2 million from their budget, and fixed their marketing. I’m still on contract with them there.

When I started working with HOA, I realized they do a lot of amazing things behind the curtain. Residents don’t realize what the HOA should be doing for them. So I went to the Board of Directors, and the developers out in Vegas and I started telling them they need to communicate what this group does for the residents, and do a better job at it. The local businesses need to have support, so the community will support the businesses. The Board of Directors needs a vehicle of a communication tool, and the residents need something so they can learn and speak back to the HOA. So we created HOA News Mag. They’re all customized for the association, and written by the association. We will have over 300 of these that we produce every year. They are made by the Board. We do a paper copy, a flipbook and a pdf. We are the publishers and the producers of HOA News Mag. So we revolutionized the HOA newsletter to be more resourceful and proactive in the neighborhood, rather than reactive.

We champion broken things and make them right. I always want to find the one with the broken wing, and then I want to fix it. The issue is manpower, resources, and I want to do it right, so I take baby steps.

Daily workflow ShawDashian

How does the daily workflow of your business define the way you use your office space?

SD: As a Marketing and PR firm, we are constantly in creative mode. Our world requires us to be able to see not only a glass half-full, but the potential of the open space within the glass. Our suite allows us to surround ourselves with open spaces which encourages us to collaborate with team members. We also have the ability within our amazing suite to go behind a closed door and focus in privacy with the cityscape of Houston right outside our window !

You know when your niche is right because it’s not uncomfortable to you. It’s kind of like this office – when I came in the walls weren’t painted, the furniture wasn’t here and the art wasn’t here. I didn’t own any of this. I just walked into a shell.

Other people thought the office was chopped up kind of weird because it has windows between the offices, and suggested I could do something with them. I wanted to leave them alone. They’re different. They help open up the space, and are also an art piece. When you go up to a mirror or a window, you want to look through it. Even when you already know what is on the other side – because you were just over there – you still find yourself looking past it. It’s part of the art to grab you and engage you when you are in the office. Mirrors and windows are gateways.

I definitely don’t want traditional – I like a more eclectic look. It’s very important to me that everything is recycled – nothing in here is brand new. I had the chairs reupholstered. I went to auctions for everything. These are steel-cased desks that have been painted. All of the paintings are recycled.

I’ve always been red, black and silver, white for my company. But everything in here is green. My whole organization is eco-friendly. The key in marketing is to take something and recreate it. I want my team members to understand that you can take what someone else would consider as junk and turn it into gold. You can tell by the office, in pulling it together and what we did.

And this desk has a lot of history – it’s fifty years old. It will be here when I am gone. I hope someone repaints it again though! (laughs)

How is ShawDashian evolving in the office space? What changes have been happening lately, or are around the corner?

SD: We were fortunate to work with PJ, who is an amazing Boxer management consultant. He didn’t tell us what we needed – he asked us and then gave us options. Our office is more than four walls – it is our inspiration and reminder of the opportunity for our businesses. Some would say it’s our “business getaway”. Since we have moved into our new office, business is booming, our networks have expanded and the possibilities are endless. We are expanding our markets to include Austin, Dallas and San Antonio over the next 10 months!

What inspires you?

SD: The ability to make a difference: with my family, business, clients, community or the world in which we live! It’s not about the dollar – it should never be about the dollar. The money will come, but the love in what you’re doing has to be there first. You have to love what you are doing and be good, so that you can push yourself every day to get better and better.

HostGator, a worldwide provider of dedicated web hosting, was one of the largest commercial real estate leases of 2013 in Houston. Their corporate headquarters at 5005 Mitchelldale Street occupies 61,056 square feet of the four-story office building near the intersection of I-290 and 610.

We were interested to see how they were faring in their new Houston office space , so we dropped by to meet up with Doug Benitez, Houston Regional Director, for a tour of the property. One of the first things we saw in the reception area was an oversized stuffed Snappy the Gator, the HostGator mascot, a quirky blue gator that helps them stand out among other hosting options.

HostGator is known for their great internal customer service. They have 24/7 phone, email, chat, and social media teams, and the workspace in Houston is set up to reinforce these teams. The office space does have the familiar rows of cubicle workstations frequent in technology companies, but they take an open office space approach in that employees can choose which space to work in. The walls are wrapped with fun gator-themed riffs on popular cartoon characters by graphic artist Joe Stutzman.

What was the hardest part about relocating?

DB: Since our business operates 24/7, the most difficult part was coordinating between the movers and our staff to make sure that everything was set up properly with minimal impact to our employees and our customers.

Office Amenties In Host Gator Office Space

What were the needs and amenities that you looked for when finding your office space:

DB: As a growing company, our main focus was to find a location that had ample office space and parking that could support our long-term needs. For years we were split between two different locations in the Houston area, but both limited our plans for expansion. We were fortunate enough to find this property last year. This is a great space because it’s really open, and we’re excited to expand in it as we continue growing.

What’s the story behind the business? (How long has HostGator been in business, how many employees, what does HostGator do? And how was the company formed?)

DB: HostGator was founded in 2002 by Brent Oxley, who started the company in his dorm room while attending Florida Atlantic University. Since then, we’ve grown into a world leading – industry recognized hosting provider hosting over 9 million domains. We provide shared, reseller, VPS, and dedicated web hosting services. We have nearly 500 employees in our Houston office and are continuing to grow. Two years ago Brent sold the company to Endurance International.

What did you do before HostGator?

DB: Prior to HostGator, I was an Internet Entrepreneur focusing on advertising and marketing. I ran several successful websites which created a large visitor base bringing in advertising revenue. I’ve been with the company for 6 years. All of the other upper management in the Houston Corporate office started out on the front lines doing customer support.

Daily workflow of HostGator Office Space

How does the daily workflow of your business inform the use of your space?

DB: The floorplan and location of offices within the different building wings has been really conducive to the successful workflow of our different departments by allowing us to segment the areas that we need. The 2-story office suite features private conference rooms, single offices and open cubicle spaces for support, sales and billing departments of the company. There’s no assigned seating, but lots of extra space. People tend to go to the same desk every day. Designated breakout areas throughout the office space create privacy for collaborative discussions between teammates.

We did research on lighting to understand what the best type/level of lighting is for employee productivity. It’s important to us since our employees spend a lot of time at the computers. Some employees like the lighting and others don’t. For instance, some people prefer more of a living room type office with no overhead lighting and a standing lamp.

More importantly, the layout of the building has given us the opportunity to enjoy the perks we had in our old building, as well as adding several new dimensions to help with employee engagement. With the extra space, we’ve added a cafeteria that also has room to hold game room items like a Ping-Pong table and arcade games. We’ve also recently added a gym and a dedicated video game room for lounging, watching TV, and hosting video game tournaments.

Do all employees work in the office, or do you have remote workers?

DB: Since we’re a web hosting company, there are security concerns around working from home. Also, it’s great for morale for people to be in the office and to engage with them face to face. It’s part of the company culture. The company culture is young, fun, it can be fast-paced, casual and constantly changing. There is lots of opportunity for advancement.

How is HostGator growing in the space?

DB: We have been fortunate enough to be able to continue to expand our workforce and now have the extra space to accommodate the new employees. We’ve also been able to create new training areas that can accommodate both small and large groups so that we can invest more in our employees. In addition, the numerous private offices and conference rooms allows our leaders to conduct meetings more frequently.

HostGator has a good range of international business, and surprisingly enough language barriers are low. They mainly use Google translate and Spanish speakers – the overnight team sees most of this traffic. But most people speak pretty good English.

What inspires you?

DB: Morale is a big priority because the philosophy at HostGator is to keep the employees happy in order to keep the customers happy when they call in for support. The upper management at the company has all risen through the ranks from customer support positions, so they have a good understanding of the demands of the work.

Since employees are frequently on the front lines of customer service, HostGator is big on employee perks. We have added in several game rooms, a workout room, provide a free employee lunch to every day in the cafeteria, and have an in-house masseuse. We regularly do quarterly company outings. The latest one was to Oil Ranch, a big outdoor amusement area with a bouncey house and other family-friendly activities. Recently HostGator hosted a pre-screening for a private X-Men movie at the movie theater with free concessions for employees.

I’m still an entrepreneur by heart and continue to take risks on new ideas that are constantly coming to mind. Many of the inspirations have been the new startup companies selling for millions if not billions of dollars, with outside-the-box ideas that benefit people in their everyday lives. Technology is a big part of my life, which I plan on contributing to, with hopes that one day an idea of mine will take off.

Visit HostGator at www.HostGator.com or find them on Twitter @hostgator or on Facebook at facebook.com/HostGator.

If you’re looking for your own office like this in Houston, check out this helpful Office Space Search of our available properties in Houston.