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An iconic Lehigh Valley landmark has gotten a facelift. SAGE Design-Build, Inc. of Allentown, PA, renovated the landmark building at the corner of Brookside Road and Hamilton Blvd., formerly home to Joanne Kostecky Garden Design. SAGE Design-Build, Inc. was hired for both the Design and Construction of the project, and demonstrated its ability to showcase an adaptive reuse of a building from the 1800s. Part of the reason SAGE was a right fit for the job was the ability to bring the right team and knowledge (in particular, knowledge and expertise of working on an old building) to the project, said Paul Barbehenn, principal of Andesa Financial Management.

“When you work with SAGE Design-Build, you can rest assured knowing you are getting the best craftmanship, communication and overall service for your project,” said Mike Baittinger, principal of Andesa Financial Management. “All details will be handled and your requests will be accommodated. You will never feel like you are being sold something – instead, you will be provided a detailed plan showing you what’s best for the project.”

Baittinger added Joe Landrigan of SAGE took the time to really understand their business and our stewardship style. “This style needed to translate to our space and create the same vibe. The team at SAGE was able to create that for Andesa.”

The renovation work began early spring and the Andesa team is in its new space, as of fall 2018. A key element for the Andesa project was to create a space where clients feel at ease and comfortable, especially since they are talking about highly sensitive information regarding their personal finances and wealth. Additionally, a key requirement for the job was to stay with the character of the building, dating back to the 1830s. The height of the ceilings remained, and the exposed brick kept the character, but adding in new floors, stairs and a renovated entranceway was the perfect way to blend the old with the new, according to Baittinger.

Whenever Joe presented an idea, it was always in the vain of doing what was best for our notion, said Barbehenn. “He showed us ideas that were within budget, but then also pointed out ideas in the context of “well if you really want to do this right…” matching our vision of staying in this space for 20 years. There was never another agenda – it was positioned in the way of making the project match our vision.”

“We’ve heard comments like ‘whoever designed this space has done an amazing job at repurposing an old building’ – turning something old into something modern and relevant- the feedback is matching what our intent was when we started the project. We’ve always had the intention of having something warm and welcome - our new site definitely does not feel like your traditional office space,” said Barbehenn. “The very nature of what we do calls for more warmth and a welcoming feel – this space has much more personality and character. We were able to retain so much of the character – the contrast of old and new is striking.”

The bottom line was SAGE was a perfectly-matched partner for Andesa Financial Management’s project – under budget, on time and with no regrets. Both Baittinger and Barbehenn would undoubtedly hire SAGE again for the next project.

SAGE Design-Build, Inc. brings more than 25 years experience in the design, construction and land development fields and extensive knowledge in planning, managing and analyzing the construction management project, regardless of the stage of the project. SAGE’s approach is one that is collaborative, and hands-on every step of the way. In addition to new construction, SAGE also specializes in renovations, code compliance modifications and other construction scenarios.