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Silver Lining Interiors New York city’s finest
Inspired by his father, who worked tirelessly on the family’s 19th century townhome, Joshua Wiener, founder and president, brings the same care and quality to every project, helping to develop Silver Lining into one of New York’s finest firms.
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Every Detail, Every Day, Always Done Right by Joel Cornell
2 Spring 2011
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Architecture Leaders Today 3
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By focusing on the highest quality of workmanship, SilverLining Interiors has grown to become one of New York City’s most prestigious high-end residential contractors.
4 Spring 2011
oshua Wiener grew up on the Upper were transferred to the team at SilverLinWest Side of New York City in a town- ing. Wiener began expanding the firm to house built in 1864. He worked alongside accommodate the increasing scope, buildhis father who was always tinkering, ing a team of the city’s best supers, project redesigning and renovating the old house. managers, carpenters and support staff. By It was here that Wiener fell in love with 1991, SilverLining had evolved from painting and plastering specialists to a full-fledged the art of building. Upon graduating from Vassar College general contractor. in 1987 with a double major in psychology In 1999, the cabinet shop to whom they and drama, Wiener used the artisan skills subcontracted much of their work, began he had developed in his youth to establish suffering from financial difficulties and went a painting and plastering company, which out of business. Wiener saw an opportunity has evolved into one of New York’s premier and acquired the failed shop, equipment and high-end contractors. artisans included. “It is an enormous asset “We started out very ‘Tom Sawyer’-esque,” for SilverLining, giving us control over the Wiener said. “I hired friends and acquain- quality and schedule of the custom millwork tances from college to help out here and there. built for many of our projects.” It turned into a sustainable business. I had In 2005, Wiener purchased an empty lot a crew of about five guys and I began hiring in the Bronx where he built a 14,000 sq. ft. more talented and skilled career painters state-of-the-art cabinet shop. The buildand carpenters as the business grew. From ing includes sustainable components like there, we incorporated in 1987 and have hydronic-heated flooring, non-pollutive consistently grown to where we are today.” spray booths and natural lighting throughout Many of SilverLining’s first jobs were calls nearly the entire facility. from flyers posted around the city. Initially, SilverLining continued their steady growth, the company specialized in high-quality painting and plastering. As they completed OPENING SPREAD: Architect: Heiberg Cummings jobs with great precision, their clients recDesign; Photo by Peter Margonelli. ognized their talent and gave them more THIS PAGE: Architect: Heiberg Cummings Design; Photo by Peter Margonelli. work with increasing responsibilities. Many components of a project that are traditionOPPOSITE PAGE: Designer: Benjamin Noriega Ortiz Design; Architect: Brian Boyle; Photo by Antoine Bootz. ally under the general contractor’s contract
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mainly through relationships with New York City’s premier architects and interior designers. In 1993, they acquired their first $1 million project for general contracting services. Today, the firm builds projects ranging from $250,000 to $12 million. Their highly qualified and talented staff of over 140 trained artisans and support staff give them both the capacity and flexibility to build large and small projects alike, with the same attention to detail and service. They also believe that a strong relationship with their vendors is crucial to success and have worked with many premiere companies throughout the northeast including Empire Mirror & Glass, B&H Restoration, Capitol Fire Sprinklers Company, Charles W Beers, Inc., Ferra Designs, Integrated Comfort Systems Inc and Saint John’s Woodworking. Wiener has built this prestigious firm on a simple yet rigorous dedication to quality, a philosophy which radiates throughout all levels of the organization. “For us it’s cultural. If you don’t believe in delivering the highest quality and service for our clients, you simply won’t fit in. We have very high standards,” Wiener said. “The most any one project manager will ever handle is two projects at a time, depending on the size of the project,” Wiener said. “For the larger, multimillion dollar projects, we make sure that the project manager is overseeing only that one project. I always endeavor to keep my best and brightest
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employed and busy. It’s the best way to ensure that you’re always keeping the best people on staff and constantly motivating them to grow and evolve.” “We have several layers of management to ensure the highest quality on each project. We have two executive project managers who oversee our project managers. They provide an additional perspective through many years of experience, and make sure
FERRA DESIGNS Specializing in precision architectural metal fabrication, Ferra Designs' directive is to provide the highest quality craftsmanship to the most discriminating clientele. They meet the most impossible deadlines with a progressive aesthetic for the most the discerning architects and designers. Ferra Designs' technology-based development is fortified by the time-honored traditions of the true craftsman. For more information, visit www. ferradesigns.com.
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that every step of every project is perfectly managed.” Wiener keeps himself involved in every project, while refraining from micromanaging the day to day details. SilverLining believes every client they work with deserves their total commitment and dedicated service from beginning to end. So, in 2000, they established a full-time service department. Their function includes punchlist management, warranty servicing and small projects management. True to their beginnings as a painting company, SilverLining is very much concerned with the finishes and details. As a high-end residential builder working exclusively within New York City, this makes for a perfect fit. Their clients expect the highest quality when it comes to the guts of a project like electrical, plumbing and framing work. But it’s the finished details that make a project sing. “Over these past two years, we’ve seen the prices of our competitors drop significantly,” Wiener said. “We try and keep our prices very competitive, despite our significantly THIS PAGE & OPPOSITE: Architect: BKSK Architects; Photo by Frank Oudeman.
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For us it’s cultural. If you don’t believe in delivering the highest quality and service for our clients you simply won’t fit in. We have very high standards.”
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What we care about is not how profitable we will be but rather to deliver the highest level of quality and service. Clients see the value and from there, growth will continue organically as it has over the past two plus decades.
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Architecture Leaders Today 9
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better quality of workmanship. Yet, people “Rather to deliver the highest level of quality are looking very, very hard at the numbers and service. Clients see the value and from now and aren’t necessarily willing to pay there, growth will continue organically as the slight premium for a better product or it has over the past two-plus decades.” ALT service. Elements of our company such as our PREVIOUS SPREAD: Designer: Garrow Kedigian Interior service department do come at a cost to us Design; Photo by Bruce Buck. and the client. Many times, we’ve witnessed THIS PAGE: Architect: BKSK Architects; Photo by Frank potential clients who have chosen other Oudeman. contractors with under-qualified workers on OPPOSITE PAGE: Architect: Gary Morganroth; staff -- something we refuse to do, no matter Designer: Tsao & McKown Architects how the economy might look.” It’s hard for an architect or designer releasing blueprints to bid to know exactly the level CENACCHI of quality and service they will receive. It’s important for them to research prospective INTERNATIONAL Based near Bologna, in Northern Italy, the millwork contractors and to tour completed jobs to develop an accurate understanding of the contractor of Cenacchi International has been in caliber of the company. Often for an owner business for 40 years. They have come to specialize in high-end residential and retail woodwork, metalembarking on a renovation, it’s the biggest work, and glasswork creations, however, they also financial commitment of their life and they have extensive experience working with innovative after have very little to go on initially. “I materials such as carbon-fiber and poured resins. encourage our potential new clients to tour our completed and in-progress work that will attest to the standard we hold ourselves CAPITOL FIRE to; even jobs built 5 to 10 years ago, to show SPRINKLERS CO. how well our projects hold up both physically Capitol Fire has had the pleasure of working with and aesthetically,” Wiener said. SilverLining Interiors for the past six years. Capitol The leadership team at SilverLining does Fire is a full service fire protection company and not set specific growth goals. That is not their the largest open shop fire protection contractor in concern, despite completing over $40 million the metropolitan area. Capitol Fire has full design, in projects annually. “What we care about is fabrication, and installation capabilities. For more not how profitable we will be,” Wiener said. information, visit www.capitolfire.com.
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