Indoor B-ball, giant Scrabble board add playful side to Lambert Edwards new $1M digs in Heartside

Deborah Johnson Wood

Shooting hoops and wordsmithing on a 10-foot by 10-foot Scrabble board are just two of the ways employees at Lambert Edwards & Associates can de-stress in their new office space in Heartside. In late May, the public and investor relations firm relocated from the National City Bank building on Monroe Avenue NW to an environmentally renovated former auto repair shop at 47 Commerce SW.

"At first the contractors and architect thought I was joking when I said I wanted a basketball hoop in the corner," says Jeff Lambert, president. "But part of the reason for (buying) the building is about how we can really invest in the culture of our firm. You can have some great conversations around the basketball court."

Lambert says they built the office around the natural light that streamed through the existing large windows by adding glass walls and skylights. The original brick walls, a media studio for producing videos and podcasts, and a blend of private offices and open workspaces give the place an air of "professional cool, a sharp-looking and creative space for clients to come in and work," he adds.

The next project is to complete the 1,200-square-foot roof deck where employees and clients can take breaks or have meetings. The deck will have wireless Internet access, and Lambert says the company hopes to donate use of the space for charity events.

The firm partnered with five of its clients on the renovation and relocation: Pioneer Construction, Springthrough, EPS Engineered Protection Systems, Inc., Avian and Two Men and a Truck.

Lambert expects the project will receive LEED certification.

"We're really pleased to be part of the revitalization that's going on in Heartside with Gallery On Fulton, 38, Stella's and Viceroy," Lambert says. "Part of why we invested in the space was to be able to attract talent from other markets because we know that the environment we work in every day is very important."

Source: Jeff Lambert, Lambert Edwards & Associates

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].