Since its inception in 1997, RCN has been a pioneer in providing the “Triple Play” offering of voice, video and broadband services. Today it is a leading provider of all-digital and high definition video, high-speed internet, and premium voice services to residential customers and now to small-to-medium business customers through separate business unit RCN Business Services.
Competing in a market against giants like Verizon and Time Warner, RCN Business Services, prides itself on providing high-quality customer service from the initial set-up and installation to ongoing care and customer support. “We cater to small businesses from very large corporations to the small pizzeria. We are all about serving the customer,” said PK Ramani, SVP Customer Care and President, RCN Business Services.
In addition to sections of Manhattan and Brooklyn, RCN provides state-of-the-art fiber-optic entertainment and communications services to Astoria, Corona, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Far Rockaway, Flushing, Forest Hills, Fresh Meadows, Kew Gardens, Long Island City, Maspeth, Middle Village, Rego Park, Richmond Hill, Sunnyside and Woodside.
Several years ago, RCN’s offices were located on Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens. They eventually relocated to Manhattan.
But when they recently had a chance to build their 21st century dream offices, they decided to return to the place where they had first established roots – the borough of Queens.
BACK IN THE BOROUGH
“When our lease expired and we saw what the new rent would be,” said Karen Lalli, RCN’s Director of Corporate Real Estate, “we didn’t want to pass those increased costs along to our customers.”
“After a search, we found a great space in the thriving, up-and-coming community of Long Island City. Plus it was a chance to create an office we could be proud of,” she added.
The location they found provided a blank palette – an entire floor of a heavy industrial factory building with high ceilings, large windows and expansive space punctuated by tubular concrete column. It was perfect for the types of renovations they envisioned. The space also came with a history, as the home of the former Lion Match Company, which grew to international fame with “Glamour Girl” matches in the 1950s.
The building stands right on the corner of 23rd Street and 43rd Avenue – nearly in the shadow of the Queensboro Bridge.
Not only was RCN excited about returning to its roots, the move offered an opportunity to qualify for a host of tax benefits under the Industrial and Commercial Abatement Program (ICAP) for relocating to the area and property tax abatements under the city’s Commercial Expansion Program for improving the commercial space.
GOING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL GOLD
Many businesses in both the private and government sector have committed to eco-friendly practices. In recent years, New York (both the state and the city) have been making the point that improving commercial spaces, especially upgrading to higher energy efficiency, isn’t just good corporate citizenship, but good business.
“When we took over the space in February, we decided it was the perfect opportunity to support our ‘Green Initiative,’ conceived by our CEO, Pete Aquino in 2008,” Lalli said. With the help of Code Green, a consultant firm that specializes in eco-friendliness, RCN is pursuing a candidacy for LEED Gold certification.
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™ was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, with Silver, Gold and Platinum as the highest standards.
The qualification process for certification of sustainable green building and development practices is rigorous, and practically speaking, Gold is as high as one can reach in an existing structure, according to some experts.
In order to achieve such a high standard, RCN had to make use of technology, both high- and low-tech.
Many old, multi-floor factories had huge windows for the simplest reasons – windows were cheaper than brick walls, electricity was expensive and daylight was free.
“One of the keys to the site was to actually let some of the light that was coming in through the windows flow into the offices,” Lalli explained, adding, “A big component to the green movement is… letting everybody have access to natural light.”
To accomplish this, wall partitions include large glass panels that are striated up to above eye level, so they transmit the maximum amount of light while maintaining a sense of privacy.
“What we did to achieve the maximum natural light was to pull all the offices into the interior of the space and put all the work stations and open spaces at the perimeter,” she pointed out.
Still, some artificial lighting is required; RCN employed high-efficiency fixtures for the common spaces, and every single office and workstation has under-cabinet lighting so that “when someone wants a little more light they can turn it on themselves – the staff is learning to turn lights on and off,” Lalli said.
The system is working so well that she quipped, “We joke that we never actually turn the lights on.”
Employee participation includes translucent manual blinds on the windows, so impacted staffers can cope with direct sunlight – that could be not only blinding, but hot in temperate weather.
In addition to taking advantage of great windows and skylights, RCN embraced the height and industrial roots of the space by not covering up the plumbing and electrical work with unnecessary building materials, especially by eliminating the “dropped ceiling.”
“We already had a ceiling,” Lalli said matter-of-factly. “We just sprayed the underside of the roof with an acoustic fiber material to absorb some of the sound and we still have these wonderful high ceilings without doubling materials.”
After making the decision to reduce the amount of building materials used, RCN also had contractors segregate and recycle what would otherwise be construction waste, like cut pieces of metal framing, pipe, wiring and drywall.
Even floor and wall coverings are environmentally friendly and recyclable, though the answer wasn’t new at all.
In the break area and some of the entryways, RCN covered the floor with a substance invented in 1860 – linoleum – made from flax seed oil and wood flour, on a canvass backing.
In other areas, instead of carpet, the floors are covered with carpet tiling, which means that small sections can be replaced as needed. The tiles are both recycled, and recyclable.
Even wall coverings are “Forbo Cork” board, an organic corkboard substitute made from wood, which will take thumbtacks, but is “self-healing.”
Controlling temperature is ultimately a high-tech job, with a highly sophisticated, computer controlled “building management system” that monitors the temperature both inside and outside the building.
“The engineers are still tweaking the system” in advance of the LEED inspection, Lalli said. The computer runs the air conditioning unit in such a way that it increases the flow of cooler outside air whenever available to reduce electrical use, she explained.
To wring out every drop of energy efficiency, every appliance, television and computer monitor in the office is “Energy Star” rated for maximum efficiency.
In addition to light and air, RCN’s green plan also minimizes water consumption. Bathroom fixtures are “low flow” with automatic sensors to reduce water consumption.
“All of the sinks in both the pantry area and the bathrooms have aerators on the faucets to reduce the water flow”, according to Lalli, “And as a side benefit, we’ve actually discovered there’s less splashing, so the bathrooms are cleaner and neater.”
GOOD NEIGHBOR
RCN has a history of being a good neighbor – they have given millions of dollars worth of free air time to United Way – and RCN CEO Pete Aquino was recently elected to United Way’s Board of Trustees.
They also hosted an Open House in the new Long Island City offices on August 4, inviting local businesses to a networking breakfast complete with ribbon cutting ceremony and information about tax credits, ‘going green’ initiatives and a tour of the new office. Queensborough President Helen Marshall attended the event and participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“Participating in and supporting events in the communities we serve is important to us,” said RCN’s Vice President and New York General Manager Tony Ontiveros.
In July, RCN returned to be official title sponsor of the High-Speed Transition Zone at the ninth annual Nautica New York City Triathlon, providing free phone service to athletes at the RCN Connection Booth, where athletes could call family and friends
The nearly 32 mile course consists of a 1,500 meter swim in the Hudson River, a 40 kilometer bike ride and a 10 kilometer run that finishes with a sprint to the finish line in Central Park. The event draws international competitors.
The company also sponsored a training tips video to help improve a racer’s time, as well as the “RCN High Speed Course Tour,” a video that gave competitors a road map of what to expect on race day.
Both videos were available on the Nautica New York City Triathlon’s website at www.nyctri.com.
A week before the triathlon, RCN also sponsored New York City Swim Series Aquathlon, which many participants used as a practice for the Triathlon, according to Ontiveros. “[It] is a great example of how we like to stay engaged with our customers, as is our decision to repeat last year’s involvement with the Triathlon,” he said.
“We will also participate in the city’s “Summer Streets” program and are a proud sponsor of the 1st annual New York City Professional Swim on Sunday, September 6, the seventh leg of the FINA 10K Marathon Swimming circuit and the only American stop on the World Cup tour.” Ontiveros said.
The event offers a unique and challenging course, with breathtaking vistas of Lower Manhattan, Governors Island, and the Statue of Liberty, he said.
RCN participated in this year’s Dragon Boat races at Meadow Lake in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, both as an exhibitor and a participant, according to Michele Murphy, RCN communication manager.
Faced with competition from teams of firefighters, building workers and experienced crews of dragon boat racers from around the world, team RCN didn’t fare all that well.
“We finished last… but not for lack of trying,” Murphy confessed.
With their customer-oriented menu of voice, video and broadband, RCN considers itself ahead of the pack in their service area.
RCN recently expanded its “Subscription On Demand” services with the addition of Bollywood Hits On Demand and Filipino On Demand
“We’re excited to return to Queens and be part of the revitalization effort making Long Island City a business destination and community center,” Ontiveros said. “This new office will allow us to better serve our customers and the community for years to come.”
