We are excited to announce that our project in partnership with Pepper Construction Group won the PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD at the IIDA Ohio Kentucky Chapter Interior Design Awards!

An overwhelming THANK YOU goes out from our team to all who voted as over 700 total votes were cast!

This project at Pepper Construction Group of Ohio is the first to achieve WELL v2 SILVER CERTIFICATION in the state of Ohio! Through International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) certification, they have confirmed their commitment to HEALTH | SAFETY | DIVERSITY | EQUITY & INCLUSION. 

The WELL Building Standard encompasses ten concepts: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind and Community, which in turn consist of 108 features with distinct health intents. Projects are evaluated through documentation and site verification on what features are met, and can be awarded Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum WELL certification. Under WELL v2, project types are categorized under Owneroccupied, where the project is mainly occupied by the
project owner, or WELL Core, where the project owner occupies a small portion of the project area and rents/leases most of the space to one or more tenants.

Does this sound like a good fit for your business? If so, there is a 5-step process to certification. A WELL Accredited Professional is someone who is knowledgeable of the conceptual and applied frameworks of WELL and are experienced in its application. WELL AP’s can help guide projects to successful certification awards. WELL Certification and the WELL AP credentialing program are third-party administered through IWBI’s collaboration with Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), which also administers LEED certification.

In response to the pandemic, the International WELL Building Institute developed the WELL Health-Safety Rating for buildings which focuses on operational policies, maintenance protocols, emergency plans and stakeholder education to address a post-COVID-19 environment now and broader health and safety-related issues into the future. The WELL Health-Safety seal signifies a commitment to supporting the
health of individuals within that space.

In addition, to address the pandemic, the IWBI is now offering free access to its COVID-19 Training for Professionals, which provides evidence-based strategies and expert recommendations to promote health and safety as businesses look to get back to the workplace. Currently, there are 4,921 projects encompassing over 698 million square feet across 65 countries that are applying WELL. Pepper Construction of Ohio is one of those projects and is located in Dublin, Ohio. When they relocated their
offices to a newly constructed industrial building, they saw an opportunity to embrace the ideals of WELL and decided to pursue certification. Having a WELL AP on the design team enabled assurance that the project would incorporate elements to meet the required preconditions and as many of the optimizations to achieve the highest rating. Research shows that when organizations support the health of their most valuable assets — people, they often experience lower turnover and burnout, as well as, greater productivity and engagement driving improvements for their bottom line.

For more information on the WELL Building Standard, contact a WELL Accredited Professional, or see their website at: WWW.WELLCERTIFIED.COM

By Debra McLaughlin – Sr. Designer, NCIDQ, WELL AP

GREATSPACES Fall | Winter 2020 issue of their digital magazine

With the global pandemic that we are all experiencing, now more than ever building owners and tenants
are focusing on the health of their occupants. This is at the center of the WELL Building Standard, which is the leading global rating system that focuses on the ways that buildings and everything in them, can improve our comfort, drive better choices, and generally enhance, not compromise, our health and wellness. WELL is an investment in the world’s most valuable asset—people.

Launched in October 2014 after six years of research and development, the WELL Building Standard is the premier standard for buildings, interior spaces and communities seeking to implement, validate and measure features that support and advance human health and wellness. It was developed by integrating scientific and medical research and literature on environmental health, behavioral factors, health outcomes and demographic risk factors that affect health with leading practices in building design, construction and management. Drawing from the experience of thousands of WELL users, practitioners,
medical professionals, public health experts and building scientists around the world during a two year pilot phase, WELL v2 was recently approved and is the current standard

The WELL Building Standard encompasses ten concepts: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind and Community, which in turn consist of 108 features with distinct health intents. Projects are evaluated through documentation and site verification on what features are met, and can be awarded Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum WELL certification. Under WELL v2, project types are categorized under Owneroccupied, where the project is mainly occupied by the
project owner, or WELL Core, where the project owner occupies a small portion of the project area and rents/leases most of the space to one or more tenants.

Does this sound like a good fit for your business? If so, there is a 5-step process to certification. A WELL Accredited Professional is someone who is knowledgeable of the conceptual and applied frameworks of WELL and are experienced in its application. WELL AP’s can help guide projects to successful certification awards. WELL Certification and the WELL AP credentialing program are third-party administered through IWBI’s collaboration with Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), which also administers LEED certification.

In response to the pandemic, the International WELL Building Institute developed the WELL Health-Safety Rating for buildings which focuses on operational policies, maintenance protocols, emergency plans and stakeholder education to address a post-COVID-19 environment now and broader health and safety-related issues into the future. The WELL Health-Safety seal signifies a commitment to supporting the
health of individuals within that space.

In addition, to address the pandemic, the IWBI is now offering free access to its COVID-19 Training for Professionals, which provides evidence-based strategies and expert recommendations to promote health and safety as businesses look to get back to the workplace. Currently, there are 4,921 projects encompassing over 698 million square feet across 65 countries that are applying WELL. Pepper Construction of Ohio is one of those projects and is located in Dublin, Ohio. When they relocated their
offices to a newly constructed industrial building, they saw an opportunity to embrace the ideals of WELL and decided to pursue certification. Having a WELL AP on the design team enabled assurance that the project would incorporate elements to meet the required preconditions and as many of the optimizations to achieve the highest rating. Research shows that when organizations support the health of their most valuable assets — people, they often experience lower turnover and burnout, as well as, greater productivity and engagement driving improvements for their bottom line.

For more information on the WELL Building Standard, contact a WELL Accredited Professional, or see their website at: WWW.WELLCERTIFIED.COM

Fusion Alliance is moving to a new office – but it's a much smaller one.

The tech consulting firm is one of the new tenants in the Pointe at Polaris office development along Lyra Drive between the mall and I-71. In August it signed a lease for 8,200 square feet of space.

In doing so, it's moving from its home of 12 years on Polaris Parkway, which is three times the size of its new facility. President Rick Mariotti said the company had to get with the times.

"Our old space was created at a time when we were doing a lot of in-house development and support and we needed these large data centers that would bring a lot of people together in an agile environment," Mariotti said.

The company had been thinking for years that it didn't need so much space. Its staff of 500 includes teams in Cincinnati and Indianapolis and more employees in Pennsylvania and Texas, many of whom had learned to collaborate remotely. Then the pandemic forced a trial by fire.

"We already wanted to move away from the cube farm, to a space designed to facilitate collaboration in other ways," Mariotti said.

Work-from-home proved an easy adaptation for the company, but it recognized employees want to meet face-to-face at least part of the week. So Fusion Alliance challenged its architect, Design Collective, to develop a space accordingly.

The new office is built like an open office environment with a kitchen area, conference space, small huddle rooms and a coffee shop-like feel. But the company is now embracing "hoteling" too – employees won't get a set desk, instead most will circulate through a few days a week as work demands.

So, while Fusion Alliance has 140 employees in Central Ohio, this office will only have about 30 to 50 working there each day, probably with most coming in for meetings and gatherings with clients, and working from wherever they prefer the rest of the time.

"I hope it's a little more creative a space and it inspires people," Mariotti said. "There are opportunities for people to engage in different ways, sit and stand, but this will create a more relaxed work environment."

VanTrust Real Estate LLC developed the building, which has 70,000 square feet of office space, 30,000 square feet of retail space and 216 apartment units. There, they join Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Ohio and Cathcart Rail.

VanTrust also recently began a second phase with a 145,000 square foot office building and 260 apartment units. Bank of America signed on as the anchor tenant for that building, where it will occupy a 60,000-square-foot office space.

Mariotti said the design of the new office is inspired by big technology companies and how they've reacted to the pandemic and work-from-home.

"We knew the space would get smaller, but Covid has accelerated it," Mariotti said.

By Tristan Navera – Staff reporter, Columbus Business First, Nov 30, 2020, 3:09pm EST

By Tristan Navera  – Staff reporter, Columbus Business First

Jul 22, 2020, 6:50am EDT

When one of downtown's largest employers eventually brings its employees back into the office, it will do so in renovated space.

Hexion Inc.'s (OTCMKTS: HXOH) bright logo is being prepared to go up on the Continental Plaza tower at 180 E. Broad St. – where the chemical company's headquarters takes seven floors and 120,000 square feet of space. The $5 million in upgrades will take place over a few years.

Central to this renovation is the Catalyst Hub, a 4,500-square-foot common area intended to be a central gathering place for employees.

The company said the renovation created a chance to update its technology, too. In all, 275 employees work at Hexion's headquarters and the rest of its 4,000 employees are around the world, said John Kompa, vice president of investor relations.

"With people spread across space, there are times when we don't have teams interacting with each other and we want this to be a place where they can bump into one another, meet in small groups and share ideas," said John Garner, indirects procurement director for Hexion.

The Catalyst Hub has a number of meeting spaces and gathering areas, a cafeteria, multimedia center and stunning views of downtown Columbus.

"It's going to be a while before everyone's back in the office – a hybrid model is likely in the medium-term, and so it's even more important we find ways for our people to mingle across departments," said spokesman John Branham.

Design Collective is the architect for the build-out, with Dupler Office providing furnishings and Brexton LLC as contractor.

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/07/22/hexion-upgrading-hq.html

By Dan Eaton – Staff reporter, Columbus Business First

Jul 9, 2019, 8:22am EDT Updated Jul 9, 2019, 1:34pm EDT

The couple behind Sow Plated believe they’re sowing a great idea.

“We want everyone to come around the table, but in a healthful way,” said co-owner Sunny Fahlgren. “Food should be celebrated.”

Sow — as in planting seeds — is a new restaurant venture from Fahlgren and her husband John Fahlgren, formerly of Fahlgren Mortine. The name is also an acronym for Sustainable, Organic, Wellness.

“We all know that eating more fruits and vegetables is good for you,” she said. “But the experience should be more than that. If properly prepared, it should look and taste fresh and vibrant.”

The restaurant opens to the public Tuesday at 1625 W. Lane Ave. in the Shops on Lane Avenue.

The space, which most recently was Royal Ginger, is 5,000 square feet. It seats 170 inside including the bar and a private dining room for small events and meetings. Sow Plated also has a 60-seat patio with an indoor-outdoor bar.

Approachability is important. Though vegetable-focused, the restaurant isn’t strictly vegan or vegetarian. Wagyu beef, supplied by Ohio-based Sakura Wagyu, is on the menu, as is salmon. Dishes will rotate with the seasons as well. But fresh produce is the core.

The restaurant will abide by the annual “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15” lists put out by the Environmental Working Group, focusing on organic sourcing for the former and using as much of the latter as possible. It also will use “superfoods” like hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds and goji berries in recipes.

“Our practices will support our ethos,” Sunny Fahlgren said. “Everything is in as natural a state as possible.”

No fryers. No preservatives.

Many of the vegetables are sourced from Cincinnati-based 80 Acres Farms, which grows its produce indoors so the restaurant has year-round access to tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers and more as opposed to be constrained by Ohio’s growing season. Deliveries will be daily.

The menu has salads and bowls, which can be veggie only or have protein added. There are pastas and dips.

Special creations include a caprese pita, which takes the traditional salad and turns it into sandwich form, and the TLT, a vegan take on a BLT using soy-based tempeh. Though not intending to be a juice bar, there will be a fresh juice selection as well, not just to be taken straight but also for use in the restaurant’s cocktails. Sow Plated has a full bar too.

John Fahlgren said they’re fans of dinning out, but when it came to vegetarian and vegan options they felt they were limited to just a choice or two on any given restaurant’s menu.

In assembling the restaurant, however, they knew it couldn’t just be a sit-down space. He said they’re melding full-service and fast-casual. Dishes were conceived with portability in mind, understanding that a portion of today’s consumers want their food faster either for pickup or delivery, via the number of third-party services out there.

The couple explored several options before zeroing in on Upper Arlington. John Fahlgren said they like the central location, easy access to and from downtown with nearby neighborhoods including Clintonvillle, Grandview Heights and, of course, Ohio State University.

The amount of development occurring on Lane Avenue also was a draw as well with new projects in the works from Crawford Hoying and the Arlington Gateway being developed by Continental Real Estate Cos., Arcadia Development of Ohio and Kohr Royer Griffith.

The commitment to health and wellness goes beyond what’s served. The restaurant plans to host yoga classes in off hours and will have courses hosted by a dietician as well. It is participating in the Round it Up America program with those donations going to Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s mental health efforts.

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/07/09/new-restaurant-in-upper-arlington-puts-focus-on.html

Since 1969, Design Collective has believed in creating lasting partnerships with our Clients and Community - So please join us as we celebrate 50 years of fantastic design, projects, & people - Cuz we are just getting started!

Our BACKYARD BLOCK PARTY starts Thursday, August 1st from 4-8 pm at our office at 151 E. Nationwide Party will feature :

• Live Music & Outdoor Games

• Inflatables & Family Fun Activities (families welcome)

• Lite Bites by City Barbeque

• Commemorative Craft Beer by Brewdog

To rsvp or for more details visit

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/design-collective-50th-anniversary-block-party-tickets-65563270507?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&aff=escb&utm-source=cp&utm-term=listing

Cameron Mitchell's 1st restaurant undergoing makeover with new look, updated menu

Just because Cameron Mitchell Restaurants LLC is in a bit of a local growth spurt, it doesn't mean it’s neglecting the eateries that built the business.

Much of the news from the Columbus-based company and its namesake restaurateur has been about new restaurants, including the upcoming Hudson 29 Kitchen & Drink and a just-confirmed steakhouse in Grandview Heights, but the oldest restaurant in the portfolio is getting a refresh as well.

Cameron’s American Bistro, 2185 W. Dublin-Granville Road, will reopen Jan. 27 with a remodeled interior and a re-conceived menu. It closed Jan. 14.

“It’s basically a brand-new restaurant,” Mitchell told me.

Despite the new look and new grub, the restaurant is sticking to its neighborhood bistro roots. Cameron’s is Mitchell’s first restaurant, opened in October 1993.

“We’re excited to launch again,” he said.

The new look is described as brighter with warm earth tones and new lighting. Two granite-top dining tables for larger parties will be added. The bar is getting a new granite bar top and flat-panel televisions. Employees are getting new uniforms.

The menu update includes appetizers like salmon carpaccio with house-made crackers and oysters bingo, which has creamed spinach and an asiago aioli. Entrees include the familiar like Cameron’s Walleye alongside new choices such as mushroom gnocchi, pork chop & clams and roasted chicken with a quinoa cucumber salad.

New wine and beer have been added at the bar, while seasonal cocktails including the popular American Bourbon Cider and Hot Buttered Rum remain.

Nine-year Mitchell’s veteran Kelli Gordon is general manager and Jeff Lindemeyer is executive chef.

Another older Mitchell restaurant could be in line for future upgrades too. Mitchell previously told Columbus Business First that the Cap City Diner on Olentangy River Road – the third eatery he opened – could be remodeled down the road as well.

Cameron Mitchell’s company has grown to 19 restaurants under eight different brands. That includes 11 Ocean Prime restaurants, which is the company’s growth brand outside of Central Ohio, including an upcoming Beverly Hills site. It also has a catering and events division and a sister company, the Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern, which has 15 restaurants.

January 22, 2014
By Dan Eaton
Columbus Business First
Read the article online