FAST CARS IN THE BIG CITY: Special Projects Builds Lamborghini Lounge NYC
With a commitment to quality, a keen eye for detail, and extensive showroom experience, Structure Tone’s Special Projects team converted a former art gallery into the private VIP Lamborghini Lounge NYC, a 5,400sf, double-height, state-of-the-art brand destination that offers guests exclusive access to never-before-seen vehicles, Italian culinary experiences, and elite exhibitions. The Lounge provides an immersion into the brand’s DNA with an exclusive, invite-only venue reminiscent of their facilities in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy.
UNDERSTANDING ITALIAN LUXURY
Working with the architect, HS2 Architecture, and the design team, led by Zest Design, the Special Projects team managed the refresh so that every inch of the space embodies the Lamborghini ethos and is a tribute to its rich Italian history. But getting to this point wasn’t always easy; coordinating with the Italian vendors and bringing materials over from Italy presented challenges. Structure Tone’s operations team, including project manager Anthony Mosca and superintendent Jackson Mertus, organized the overseas deliveries during a time when no travel was allowed into or out of the US. And once the supplies arrived, there was extra coordination to ensure that everything matched what was required by the design drawings… and more importantly, New York City building codes.
“A lot of the equipment was measured using the metric system. Structure Tone’s DOB team really helped us out here,” credits Mosca. “They assisted in making sure the Italian designers understood the proper codes.”
BUILDING ITALIAN LUXURY
Led on-site by Mertus, Structure Tone built a two-story, gallery-style venue that offers a wide array of private rooms and meeting spaces for guests to enjoy with an exclusive concierge at their service. A full-service kitchen from La Dolce Vita and furnishings from Living Divani make the space a true “Made in Italy” experience. The team also developed the Ad Personam design studio, which gives collectors an opportunity to configure their own car. Lambo lovers have access to infinite color palettes and material selections to make the process much more visceral. Rounding out the experience is Bang & Olufsen’s Advanced 3D Sound System, the same sound system in the acclaimed Lamborghini Super SUV Urus, that gives guests the perfect amount of
audio pleasure for private events and gatherings.
CONSTRUCTION DURING COVID
Renovating the lounge space took place right at the peak of the pandemic and it was the team’s first foray into enforcing COVID protocols
and restrictions, including social distancing, wearing masks, and creating sanitization stations. “Even though we were working in a double-height space, the square footage was pretty small. It is a huge credit to our operations team that they were able to work 6 feet apart while still using the proper equipment for the high ceilings and maintaining the proper flow of work for the space,” says Marc DeLuca, Structure Tone account executive.
A TRUE TEAM EFFORT
This project was collaborative from start to finish. The entire operations team had interface with various client representatives, who attended weekly meetings and often walked the job with Mosca and Mertus. Estimating also played a key role. Project estimators Rick Traynor and Christina Quiles created extensive budgets and suggested various value engineering options that saved the client money without compromising Lamborghini’s sense of luxury or design quality.
“The versatility and flexibility of the entire team shone on this project,” says Stacey Dackson, Structure Tone vice president and director of the Special Projects team. “We were a trusted partner of a major luxury brand and executed their vision flawlessly, creating this jewel box, flagship showroom for them—a concept that is expected to be rolled out to other Lamborghini Lounge locations across the globe.”