Libman Wolf Couples: specializing in synergy, responsibility and accountability.

A total in-house group of professionals which includes interior architects, designers, engineers, construction managers-as well as code consultants - is what sets Manhattan-based Libman Wolf Couples apart from the rest. Libman Wolf Couples is a Design/Build firm specializing in the architectural design, renovation and building of commercial, residential and retail interiors. The firm is unique in that it has unified the expertise of the architect, engineer and construction manager into one orchestrated team, offering clients expertise from pre-lease services to actual move in; the firm's proven track record of tight controls allows them to guarantee an "on-time and on-budget" project.

Design/Build, as a concept, dates back to Egyptian times when the architect was also the builder, known as "The Master Builder." Its popularity has continued throughout the centuries with its notoriety centered on the ability to "fast track" a project at a guaranteed, not-to-exceed price. Specifically, Design/Build combines the architecture, engineering and construction of a project and offers an economy of scales with a reduction of at least 28 percent of overall project costs, and is also an effective way to complete a project at nearly half the time.

Design/Build has been successfully implemented in the majority of all commercial projects in Japan and Europe. It was recognized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1985 as an alternative method to insure a project for "on-time and on-budget" results and the United States has increasingly acknowledged its potential in the interior sector of the market; earlier this year, the construction of the new Federal building in downtown Manhattan was highly publicized, heralded for its timely and on-budget completion using the Design/Build approach.

But Libman Wolf Couples isn't known only for Design/Build; in fact, according to president Kenneth Libman, in a majority of projects, the firm is retained in a design capacity first because of LWC's strong design intent.

"This allows us to establish a level of comfort and professionalism first with the client," says Libman.

Libman says at the onset of each project whether it is 3,000 or 300,000 square feet, the entire team meets to determine the project's objectives so that everyone is working toward the same goal. This includes the firm principals: Libman as well as director of Architecture Richard Rudman; director of Engineering Steven Snyder, P.E. and director of Construction Arthur Komberg. Together, the four principals bring 71 years of experience to a project.

"We bring extensive expertise with a proven track record to every project - a system of checks and balances that leaves no detail unanswered," said Libman. "Our concept is to identify unforeseen field conditions and streamline key issues before work begins in the field."

To date, LWC has been awarded a client roster of more than 200 that includes such names as Chubb Insurance, Weight Watchers International, Pace University, NationsBanc and (Stanley) Kaplan Educational Centers. Unique to the industry, the firm's office also functions as a showroom. Each department is set up as a vignette featuring a wide spectrum of materials including ceilings, flooring, lighting, furniture and custom finishes - all in different grades and in different price points.

"It allows the client to visualize as many materials, technologies and applications as possible, without having to expend time touring different sites. It also enables them to know us better and see how we work as a coordinated team."

In today's economy landlords are finding more ways to market their buildings and have been turning, with increasing frequency, to pre-built or spec spaces. Prebuilts, which are typically fitted out to include perimeter offices, reception and support areas, provide a move-in condition, rather than having prospective tenants visualize raw space or adapt to previous configurations.

"Some tenants don't have the time or the energy to handle the renovation themselves; they'd rather concentrate on doing what they do best," said Libman. "Landlords, on the other hand, know and understand the most efficient use of their spaces and the best configuration of their floors."

He also pointed out that pre-built spaces work especially well for short-term leases, or for those companies entering the market on a start-up basis.

Isetan of America took the pre-built concept a step further by marketing a high-end installation - which is rich in wood and glass with stone floors in the reception areas and a sheetrock ceiling - in its premium building at 660 Madison Avenue. Libman Wolf Couples completed the first phase of the project - two floors of pre-builts totaling 50,000-square-feet with another 50,000-square-feet on the boards.

So far, the program has been a great success," Libman said. "This is because of the level of the installation and the flexibility the tenants have in moving from suite to suite without incurring added costs, not to mention Isetan of America's aggressive leasing program; it all adds up to a winning combination that is attracting premium tenants such as the boutique investment firms."

Although Libman Wolf Couples has been in existence in New York City for three years it is, nevertheless, firmly rooted in the 63-year-old history of two Montreal, Canada's oldest and most distinguished real estate development companies: Gelber Realty and Fairway Construction. Both are family-owned companies, of which Libman is third generation. This background, he says, is what gives him his innate understanding of tenant needs and building marketability.

"My grandfather taught me the business at a very early age," said Libman. "He'd take me around Montreal and point out older buildings, often referring to them as beautiful, and newer skyscrapers, as less attractive. Even then I knew what he meant: The older buildings were often paid for, with no existing mortgage. The skyscrapers, on the other hand, were very often heavily leveraged."

Today, Design/Build is a buzzword of the 90s, but it is the integration of inspiration and implementation that truly makes Design/Build work for Libman Wolf Couples and its clients.