Editor’s note: This story contains bonus video material featured in our free SmartEdition available at http://newsandtech.newspaperdirect.com

 

New York publisher Straus Newspapers this month will shift its operations into a 10,000-square-foot building designed to keep all of its newspapers on the same page.

Straus, which prints nine weeklies in contiguous communities in New York state and New Jersey, tapped ArcWest Architects to oversee the space design and furnishing of the project, which involved gutting an existing two-story building in Monroe, N.Y., and retrofitting it to meet Straus’ needs.

Photo: ArcWest Architects
The second floor of Straus Newspapers’ ArcWest Architects-designed headquarters features a centrally located page layout area that permits easy communication and interaction.
 

“We needed to create a better working environment for everyone,” said Jeanne Straus, president. “ArcWest helped us strategically plan the building and we relied on their newspaper industry expertise.”



Straus is shifting more than 50 administrative, editorial and layout staffers to the building from a 4,000-square-foot office the publisher has occupied for the past 15 years.

The company outsources its production and postpress to The (Bridgeport) Connecticut Post.

“It’s cramped,” Straus said of her current facility. “This new building will allow us to create a great working environment.”

A key component of the new space is a prominently located page layout area, equipped with flat panel screens. The goal, said Kevin Anderson, ArcWest partner, was to construct an area that would encourage interaction among editors and artists and would also let everyone see the progress of the papers’ layouts.

Flow of information

“With newspapers, the flow of information is key,” Anderson said of the building’s design. “But there still remains the need to keep the physical and visual connection between the departments.”

To that end, ArcWest recommended that the office remain open and that workstations are easily accessible to ensure unity among departments.

“This way everyone can keep tabs on what’s going on with the production of the newspapers,” he said. “That’s the nucleus of the plan, to allow staffers to be involved with the activities surrounding the production of the newspapers.”

The building is also cloaked with windows that flood the work areas with natural light, a departure from Straus Newspapers’ older office.

“Everyone will have access to light in their work areas,” Straus said.

Straus, who said her goal is to purchase an additional weekly every 12 to 24 months, said the building will serve Straus Newspapers’ future for years to come. “We’re excited that the space that will allow us to encourage communication between the departments. ArcWest did a great job.”