Times Mirror Company

Times Mirror and its subsidiaries, Matthew Bender Company, Times Mirror Magazines, Newsday, and Los Angeles Times occupied six floors at Two Park Avenue in New York City, totaling approximately 262,000 SF. These subsidiaries, all publishing companies related through the parent company (Times Mirror), each sought a different environment for their workplace and a different image for their company.

A common theme was the desire to depart from the traditional formality of the publishing industry which, in the past, was characterized by many closed offices and dark woods. Instead, SNS Architects & Engineers, PC designed open, flexible plans with generous workstations to give a light and airy environment with less focus on closed offices. Large expanses of glazing with a mixture of clear and translucent, patterned glass were utilized in the enclosed offices, huddle rooms, and conference rooms. Light, elegant wood and stonework were used, albeit sparingly, in the reception and public spaces to convey a sense of the importance of these major companies.

A common need to all the subsidiaries was cabling to accommodate shared computer facilities, teleconferencing, sophisticated voice and data requirements, and audio-visual presentations. Stacked rooms were provided on each floor to receive cabling from a central computer/server facility, which was then distributed to the floor. Empty conduit, running vertically between these rooms and horizontally in the ceilings, provided pathways for future runs. Workstations were designed for flexibility in accommodating changing voice/data requirements.

Each company achieved, within its budget and its different parameters, a space unique to its requirements and to its image.