Westfair is the publisher of the Westchester and Fairfield County Business Journals, the area’s leading business publications. Adam Stark, President of Stark Office Suites, was asked to join Westfair’s Podcast, Business Buzz, to provide insight on the future of the local office market, near and long-term. For insight on Listen to the full conversation here: https://bit.ly/Adam_Stark_Westfair_Interview
Drone and cloud company Aquiline Drones has signed a 10-year lease at downtown Hartford’s Stark Building aimed at expanding its footprint and workforce across several floors. The company reports their Hartford offices will employ an additional 54 management, business and production professionals for a total of 70. Read the full story on the Hartford Business Journal: http://bit.ly/Aquiline-Leasing-Stark-Hartford
During these unprecedented times, business owners in Hartford have adjusted their work routines, with most of the city working from home. Now more than ever, some business owners are reimagining their new workplace post-COVID-19, and looking for cost-effective solutions, due to the downturn in the economy.
COVID-19 has had a devastating effect in Hartford, business professionals may need to pivot and revise their office workplace by reducing the overhead and come up with new cost-efficient solutions. Some professionals will turn lemons into lemonade by starting their own business and looking for an established presence for their new brand.
Both scenarios require a polished professional image. Let’s face it, many of us have put our polished professional image on pause during the past three months as we worked from home. Now that we’re scheduled to open back up shortly in Hartford, we have to get back on our A-Game, because an image is everything in this city.
Those days of video conference calls with the dog barking and the kids joining in the background don’t have to be a part of the new workplace. Coffee shops are not where vital meetings are held, Stark Office Suites can help. Our Virtual Office Solutions gives your business that established presence you deserve; and offers the perfect long-term complement to the home office, providing cost-efficient solutions that can easily flow into full-time solutions as situations change.
This solution also provides access to professional offices, conference rooms, a business mailing address, a dedicated inbound telephone number with friendly and professional receptionist services to screen calls, and greet clients, in addition to state of the art technology including professional videoconferencing.
We understand how important your image is to your business and professional brand, and our Virtual Office Solutions will impressively showcase you. This solution also provides access to our premium Manhattan offices (One Grand Central Place, 110 East 59th Street), as well as our suburban offices in the Counties of Westchester, Fairfield, or Hartford, CT. There has never been a better time to reimagine your new workplace solution, let Stark Office Suites help.
Since opening its first executive suite in 2004, Stark Office Suites, has grown to feature eleven
premier executive suite locations in New York City and across Westchester and Connecticut. It’s
year sixteen, and we sit down with Adam J. Stark, President and Founder, and talk about the
first executive suite at 445 Hamilton Avenue in White Plains, New York.
Question: Tell us about 445 Hamilton Avenue?
Adam: 445 Hamilton Avenue is our original location and has always been home for us. We have
experienced much success throughout the years and have expanded the facility many times.
When the option arose for us to take the entire eleventh floor, it was an exciting opportunity
for us to increase our space.
Question: Why do you feel White Plains is such a great destination for business owners, and
what are your thoughts on White Plains in general?
Adam: White Plains is the business center of Westchester. Our suite is centrally located in the
heart of the business district, within walking distance to the train station and surrounded by
beautiful parks, great restaurants, terrific retail shopping and attractive housing and hotel
options. There are also numerous cultural and entertainment activities in the vicinity. These
are the attributes that make White Plains desirable, and why it attracts many of our clients to
set up their business headquarters at our Hamilton Avenue location.
Question: Is there a specific thing that you love about the Hamilton Avenue location?
Adam: I think the combination of convenience, style and location makes our White Plains suite
a unique option for those who want those city amenities while remaining closer to home. The
offices have floor to ceiling windows with fantastic panoramic views of White Plains and the
surrounding area. White Plains has always been a natural choice for our clients who had
previously been in Manhattan and were looking for an alternative closer to home. The city has
many of the city amenities that many of our clients desire without the drawbacks of the long,
hassled commute to Manhattan.
Question: What is next for Stark Office Suites post COVID-19, as many are worried?
Adam: From our standpoint, everybody needs to find their way through this transitional period
that’s coming up. We have continued to work with our clients through this critical time, offering
them as much support as possible. We are all in this together and Stark has made significant
efforts to be there for our clients. We intend to continue to assist them with their business
needs as the “New Normal” evolves.
Our goal, as everyone finds their footing again, is for Stark to continue to enhance our service
offerings, provide new and better services, and continue to grow as we have been for the past
16 years. For instance, currently we have enhanced our videoconferencing service to assist
people with connecting and conducting meetings while maintaining social distancing.
We think the flexibility and services that we offer are going to be even more in demand. The
idea of working closer to home to avoid a daily commute will likely remain an attractive
alternative for many people. Having the flexibility to work locally while retaining a convenient
option to work in NYC when necessary will be more important than ever. At Stark we can
provide this office solution for our clients. A location like White Plains is perfectly positioned
for this type of flexibility, given that our virtual and full-time office plans allow access to our
other locations, including our suite directly across the street from Grand Central Terminal.
Here at Stark Office Suites, we have always emphasized client relationships, whether it is a
client who is starting with a mailing address or a multi-office suite. We understand that our
clients’ needs change over time, and given the current uncertainty that is more true than ever.
It is hard for many of us to predict what we may need 6, 12, and 24 months down the road.
That’s where we come in. Stark can provide service offerings that are flexible enough to
accommodate the changes that will come over time. Our mission is to be able to meet our
clients where they are now and assure them that as their needs evolve that we will be able to
continue to partner with them by providing flexible solutions that can evolve alongside them.
All the while, we will continue to make the investments in facilities and technological
infrastructure to keep their office solutions at the leading edge of the industry.
Question: What I seem to gather from you is that Stark is there throughout all stages of a
business and is built with that flexibility in mind of how business owners go through different
changes. Tell me more about that?
Adam: Yes, that is precisely it. Stark has been able to offer varying options to clients as their
business model changes. We provide a level of flexibility, but our clients are not transient.
Our suites are used exclusively for our clients, which is an important distinction to make.
Throughout the years, we have been able to provide a broad menu of services for our clients so that they never feel pigeonholed. We place a strong emphasis on building relationships with
our clients and helping them throughout their business stages.
Question: In thinking about how the Coronavirus pandemic has impacted businesses, what are
your thoughts on the “new” office landscape?
Adam: In looking at the Coronavirus pandemic here in New York and the issues that people
might be facing, I believe that many people are going to be looking for a suburban option with
NYC access, and we want them to recognize that we can provide that service. For the successful
established professional who wants to be closer to home and drive to their office but still have
access to New York City when they need it, Stark is the answer. I invite business professionals to
visit our website and learn more about all of the office solutions available here at Stark Office
Suites.
About Adam J. Stark, President, and Founder, Stark Office Suites: Adam is an entrepreneur at
heart with an eye for business innovation. Following a highly successful career in finance, he
branched out on his own in 2004 to found Stark Office Suites.
Adam quickly emerged as a major player in Westchester County’s business community while
growing Stark Office Suites into the premier provider of office space and services for
professionals and entrepreneurs in the region, serving over 800 businesses. He has been
featured in The New York Times, Forbes.com, The Journal News, The Westchester and Fairfield
County Business Journals, The New York Real Estate Journal, The Stamford Advocate, The
Northern Westchester Express, The Mount Kisco Examiner, 914INC. and many other prominent
media outlets.
Adam was a recipient of the Business Council of Westchester’s Rising Stars Award and the
Westchester County Association’s APEX award for young professionals. In 2016, Adam was
named to 914INC.’s “The It List: 50 Names You Need to Know To Do Business In Westchester.”
Adam lives in Northern Westchester with his wife, Marisa, and their seven children.
Question for you: How does a busy, jammed packed, collaborative working environment
sound right about now? Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies sold you on
this environment, you know, the pack them at one long table “shared environment”
complete with craft beer Fridays, ping pong all day, and other shared co-working
experiences. The current safety and social distancing guidelines have made co-working
spaces far less desirable and have created more of a demand for private and
professional workspaces.
This current shift towards premium services and private spaces has always been a staple
for us at Stark Office Suites from day one. We have often been referred to as “Office
Solutions for Grown-Ups,” and we proudly accept that name!
As companies begin to plan their “return to the office” in this post-pandemic era,
researchers are predicting that the demand for co-working spaces and their amenities
will decrease drastically. The health and safety precautions brought on by COVID-19 will
lead tenants to seek a more private workspace without the crowds of people and
without the worry of being exposed to office spaces in co-working environments that
are used and shared by multiple people throughout the day. These are concerns you will
not have to worry about at Stark Office Suites. We set ourselves apart from the very
beginning by creating a premier environment for business professionals and
entrepreneurs to succeed and take their businesses to the next level.
Entering into this post-COVID-19 reality, people want to return to work in a safer and
more professional environment. Stark Office Suites can meet those needs by providing
options for private offices (yes, we have walls and doors) and suites in some of the most
sought after addresses in New York City, Westchester and Fairfield Counties. Our offices
are fully furnished, equipped with state of the art technology, and administrative
support if needed to maximize productivity.
Our clients don’t have to worry about large impersonal spaces, transactional relations,
and being around large crowds of people coming and going all day. At Stark Office
Suites, we emphasize building client relationships and creating long-term solutions for
our clients. All of our locations have managers on-site to ensure that everything is
running smoothly and client needs are being met. Visit Stark Office Suites and learn
more about our options and how we can help your business post-COVID-19.
In 2017, Stark Office Suites acquired The Hartford Trust Company Building, a historic property located at 750 Main Street across from the Old State House in downtown Hartford. Renamed The Stark Building, some were wondering “Why Hartford”? Keep reading, and you’ll see why Adam J. Stark, President, and Founder of Stark Office Suites, chose to invest in Hartford, CT.
Question: Why did you choose Hartford, Connecticut, as a business location to invest?
Adam: When we were looking to acquire our first property, one of the areas that struck me was downtown Hartford, which was going through a renaissance. Despite a cloud of financial issues that had surrounded Hartford at that time, I was excited about the trend of urbanization taking place where young professionals were moving back to the city center. Hartford was offering that right blend of the city environment, but not being overwhelming. It really felt like a city that was just about to turn the corner into something truly exciting.
Question: Tell us about the renovation process for The Stark Building, which was built in 1921?
Adam: The renovation process was undoubtedly a challenge but an exciting one. The building is almost a hundred years old and one of the oldest skyscrapers in downtown Hartford. Despite its amazing history, it had not received the appropriate level of TLC in the recent past.
We viewed this as an exciting challenge to restore a classic building while including the best modern elements. It took time to get to know the intricacies of how the structure worked, what was there, what wasn’t there, and the possibilities.
We tackled each process carefully by improving the mechanical systems in the building, renovating the lobby and common areas, installing a fiber-optic infrastructure for our tenants and improving the energy efficiency. We had a goal of creating a classic “Class A” property in downtown Hartford that could offer tenants a different experience than what was otherwise available. The opportunity to blend a classic building with flexible solutions that included the latest technology services built into the leases was a truly exciting aspect for us.
Question: What’s one thing about The Stark Building that you’ve created, that you love?
Adam: What I love about what we have done with the building is the combination of tenants that we now have. As we restored the building, there were a number of existing tenants who were excited to be a part of the restoration and we also brought in a whole host of new tenants attracted by the vibrancy of the building’s comeback. This new blend of tenants has brought the building back to life in a way that is truly gratifying. I love walking into the building today and seeing all of the different people, businesses, and professionals in the building and the community that it has become.
Question: Lastly, in thinking about the renovation process, what is your favorite addition?
Adam: I love the outdoor lighting system we installed on the top of the buildings and the light shows that we display at night. We installed a system similar to what is found at the Empire State Building in New York City and it’s become a great addition to the nightime Hartford skyline.
We also just finished renovating the penthouse for a new tenant that helped to restore the magnificence of that truly unique space. There are not many spaces in Hartford like our penthouse, which has fifteen-foot ceilings, a outdoor balcony overlooking downtown Hartford and the surrounding area, giant picture windows, and a 30-foot exposed brick wall with a skylight on top of it. It’s truly something special.
If you wish to learn more about The Stark Building, please visit our website at www.TheStarkBuilding.com.
It’s a fantastic building, visit us, and check it out.
About Adam J. Stark, President, and Founder, Stark Office Suites: Adam is an entrepreneur at heart with an eye for business innovation. Following a highly successful career in finance, he branched out on his own in 2004 to found Stark Office Suites.
Adam quickly emerged as a major player in Westchester County’s business community while growing Stark Office Suites into the premier provider of office space and services for professionals and entrepreneurs in the region, serving over 800 businesses. He has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes.com, The Journal News, The Westchester and Fairfield County Business Journals, The New York Real Estate Journal, The Stamford Advocate, The Northern Westchester Express, The Mount Kisco Examiner, 914INC. and many other prominent media outlets.
Adam was a recipient of the Business Council of Westchester’s Rising Stars Award and the Westchester County Association’s APEX award for young professionals. In 2016, Adam was named to 914INC.’s “The It List: 50 Names You Need to Know To Do Business In Westchester.” Adam lives in Northern Westchester with his wife, Marisa, and their seven children.
All Virtual Office Solutions are not created equal. Many people think all virtual office solutions are the same – phone answering, mailbox service and possibly an uninspiring office to rent if needed. You need to discover the Stark Office Suites Virtual Office difference: premium, flexible options that enhance your professional image while allowing you to keep a tight rein on your costs. Oftentimes a virtual office is simply a way for an office suite to make a few extra dollars on the side. At Stark Office Suites, the virtual office solution is a core part of our offering. We have dedicated virtual spaces and solutions that are there for you as your business grows. This is important because a Stark virtual office is not a temporary band-aid for your business. Our virtual offices are a long-term solution that complements your home office and may very well allow you to maintain your current workstyle and grow your business.
Location, Location, Location: Stark Office Suites offers your business a premier corporate address that you can use on your business card or website. We have some of the most sought-after business locales including One Grand Central Place just steps from Grand Central Station and the Plaza District in Midtown Manhattan at 110 East 59th Street, 750 Main Street in Downtown Hartford, and 243 Tresser Boulevard in Stamford, CT. We help you to be where your clients need you, and provide you with the professional stature that your business deserves.
Local, Professional Call Answering: Your calls will be answered by one of our friendly, professional receptionists with customized answering for your business entity. We thoroughly train our hand-picked staff on how to provide virtual receptionist service to ensure that your clients are getting a first class experience. A number of our clients first experienced us when one of our receptionists answered the phones for a company they were calling!
Office & Conference Room Rental: With 11 locations in Connecticut, Westchester and New York City, our Virtual Office members can rent a professionally-furnished office or conference room on an hourly or daily basis. We offer premium venues ranging from individual offices to boardrooms, informal conference areas to seminar rooms. We have the space that your business needs to thrive. We also offer state-of-the-art video conferencing services that allow you to conduct remote meetings in the same manner as large corporations.
Google Verified Address: Your professional appearance starts long before you meet your client. It starts with having a professional address. Our Virtual Office Solutions provides you with premium business addresses that can be verified by Google. When map listings are generated for online results, your business will be located in a premium office building instead of a residence, strip mall or PO Box.
Flexibility: From a mailing address and call answering to part-time and full-time office rental and file storage, Stark Office Suites Virtual Office Solutions offers a range of options enabling you to select the services you need now, with the opportunity to add others as your business grows or changes. We have been a long-term growth partner for numerous businesses over the past fifteen years. Our goal is to meet your business where it is today and to be there for you as your needs evolve over time. We offer flexible solutions–not temporary ones that only provide short-term assistance.
Learn more about the Stark Office Suites virtual office difference. Visit us at Stark Office Suites Virtual Offices.
Enter Stark Office Suites and discover private, turn-key office space, complete with high-speed internet, video conferencing, VoIP phones, upscale furniture and professional amenities including a welcoming receptionist and reception area, state-of-the art technology and a fully-stocked kitchen area with fresh coffee service.
Stark Office Suites is not the shared, open co-working office spaces with its many drawbacks, including ambient noise, distractions and social distancing issues. At Stark Office Suites you could have your own private office where you can shut the door behind you and settle in to your executive desk. Have a team? We have complete office solutions for them too.
Stark Office Suites delivers the office solution that works well with the challenges we face today and enables owners to focus solely on growing their business. With 11 locations throughout New York City, Westchester & Fairfield Counties, and Hartford,you can enjoy a close-to-home work experience at premium business addresses with enterprise-class technology, professional phone answering, thorough, nightly office-cleaning and also have use of offices and conference rooms in any of our 10 locations. Our Manhattan locations at One Grand Central Place across the street from Grand Central Station and our Plaza District location at 110 East 59th Street offer unparalleled convenience and elite addresses where you can continue to meet with clients in NYC when necessary.
Contact us now to learn more and reserve your next office.
The rich history and architectural excellence are why many businesses choose to call Hartford their home. In addition to being the capital of Connecticut, Hartford is also becoming the hub of growth in the state of Connecticut.
Within Hartford’s historic buildings is a new, vibrant energy which offers organizations with the unique opportunity to be part of the area’s transformation. The Stark Building is a completely renovated historic building built in 1921, located in the center of downtown at 750 Main Street. An office at The Stark Building blends the modern amenities of a contemporary business facility with the old-world charm that has taken hold of this historic city to create an unparalleled work environment.
The Stark Building offers organizations with a unique opportunity to cost-effectively experience the elegance of an historic building replete with modern amenities such as floor to ceiling windows and high-end fiber optic technology.
Just across the street from The Stark Building is the Old Statehouse located at 800 Main Street. Originally built in 1796, the Old Statehouse was once a state capitol building where all three branches of government held their chambers and debated the matters of the day. Along with its historical significance, the Old State Building’s architecture features a Federal style exterior, Victorian chambers, and Colonial Revival courtrooms.
Downtown Main Street also is home to the Cheney Building , another historical landmark located at 942 Main Street. The Cheney Building is a brownstone building that was constructed between 1875-1876 by the Cheney brothers. A seven-story building on the corner of Main Street, which is known for its broad arches, limestone trim, and crowned with low asymmetric towers. While it was once home to the G. Fox and Co. department store, it now features a mix of office and retail space including a Residence Inn and City Stream Brewery Café.
We invite you to contact us at 860-361-7900 or visit us for a tour of great office environments: The Stark Building 750 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103.
In light of the current situation unfolding with the Coronavirus, Stark wanted to reach out to everyone with some status updates and useful information.
Currently, The Stark Building and all Stark Office Suites locations will remain open during normal business hours. It is our hope that we will continue to be able to operate in the current manner.
During this time, we ask all clients who come to our facilities heed the CDC’s advice with regard handwashing and “social distancing” within the suites. During this crisis, if you become ill or begin to exhibit any symptoms of illness, we strongly encourage you to communicate with your doctor and remain home to help ensure everyone’s health and safety.
As recommended by the CDC, everyone should take the necessary precautions to ensure that we all remain safe. You can help prevent yourself from getting and spreading the virus and other respiratory illnesses by following these steps:
Stark is taking this outbreak very seriously and we are committed to remaining proactive in our response and diligent in our efforts, with our focus on everyone’s health and safety being foremost in our minds. As the situation continues to evolve, we will keep you posted with regard to any changes that need to be made related to our services. Stark will continue to monitor this situation very closely on a day to day basis and react accordingly to the rapidly changing course of events.
We will keep our clients updated on the News page. Thank you and stay well.