May 2, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by Interstate Office Products.

The work being done inside the South Dakota Rehabilitation Center for the Blind can be nothing short of life-changing.

The office space, however, was considerably less compelling.

“The furniture we’d had in there was hand-me-downs from other state offices,” said April Schulte, vocational rehabilitation center manager. “Our new furniture was built specifically for the center, and it has greatly improved our workplace and the area we use to serve clients.”

But renovating the space at 2900 W. 11th St. required working with efficiency – both to fit within the time frame allotted to the project and to stay within the project’s budget.

“Some of their furniture was first manufactured in the 1970s, so it needed an update,” said Mark Payne, Interstate Office Products account manager. “They wanted more flexibility, and the space was tired. The offices and workstations were inconsistent, and we knew they could function better both for the team and the people they serve.”

Working with interior designer Jenessa Neve and collaborating closely with Schulte, the Interstate Office Products team helped guide the transformation.

“The rehab center team had a really good plan and had thought through what they needed in each space, which allowed us to turn it around very quickly for them,” Neve said. “They had thoroughly considered what they needed to function.”

“We needed to move quickly to minimize the disruption to our staff and our clients. This is also not a typical office and cubicle area due to the varied needs of our clients,” Schulte added.

“Interstate was great to work with. They would stop in if we had questions, they learned our terminology and explained theirs, and they were able to recommend what would be the best fit based on our needs.”

In addition to workspace for the 12-person team, the center, which is under the Department of Human Services, serves clients in two training programs. One helps South Dakotans who are blind or visually impaired learn the skills they need to live independently, and the other provides employment-skills training, which assesses clients’ work skills and helps them find employment in the community. The center also includes a low-vision clinic.

“We just had a lot of unique needs, and our entire work area received new furniture, plus our building owner updated the paint and carpet, so there was a lot of planning and coordination required,” Schulte said.

But it all paid off, as you can see from some of the before-and-after images:

Before and after:

Before and after:

Before and after:

“The space is very timeless and uniform,” Neve said. “The finishes were consistent throughout, so it really updates the space, and it will stay relevant going forward.”

All team members received height-adjustable desks, and other height-adjustable work surfaces were used to better support clients.

“We have adjustable tables in the area where we teach home management, for instance,” Schulte said. “So if we’re working with a client who utilizes a wheelchair, we can easily adjust a table to meet those needs.”

Before and after:

The more streamlined office also allows easier access to power, which was brought to the desktop rather than underneath it, Payne pointed out.

“That was a big upgrade,” he said. “Everything needed to be very uniform, so you see that continuing throughout the private offices, workstations and client-facing areas.”

Before and after:

All the seating was upgraded, storage was streamlined and enhanced in some areas, and some built-ins were added.

Before and after:

The entryway and conference spaces received new furnishings too.

Before and after:

“It just is more inviting to everyone that works there,” Payne said.

Critically, the team also couldn’t stop serving clients while the center was being renovated. Close and timely coordination helped ensure the disruption to staff and clients was minimal.

“We were hoping to get it all done in a month, and with just a few exceptions, it was. We were able to move back in on time and fully function,” Schulte said.

The Interstate team was “very happy to meet their timeline, which required a quick turnaround,” Neve said. “We think it turned out really well, and it was a very positive experience overall.”

Before and after:

“We recognized they wanted to work with someone who had the capability to provide a long-term furniture solution much like the same quality they’ve been used to all these years,” Payne said. “We really had zero issues coordinating with everyone involved, and it came together seamlessly.”

Now that the team is back to work in the new space, “they’re all kind of speechless,” Schulte said. “Working for the state, we appreciate the investment that’s been made here. Our team just keeps saying how amazing the space is. They are more productive, and they are better able to serve clients. The employment-skills training area looks like a modern work area, which helps clients learn to navigate a workspace similar to those they will encounter when they are employed in the community.”

Working with Interstate Office Products was a huge positive, she added.

“They had very good communication and were quick to respond, which is something that was important to us,” Schulte said. “The timeliness and quality of the work stood out. It was essential for us to get back to serving clients, and just in general the way Interstate worked with us throughout the project was greatly appreciated.”

Is your workspace ready to support your organization’s growth? Visit i-o-p.com, or call 605-339-0300.