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DiggFrom Loading Dock to Modern Office
By Leah Reddy
Step into the new offices for Trinity’s Technology Information Services (TIS) and your eye is immediately drawn to the data center. Positioned at the rear of the work area and painted an eye-catching burnt orange, it’s visible from almost every desk. Windows into the center of the space reveal rows of tall black racks holding air conditioners, colorful wires, back-up batteries, servers, and other network infrastructure.
“Think of this room as a hub, and all other Trinity buildings are the spokes,” explained network manager Vincent Spence. “This is the core of Trinity’s information technology.”
All computers in Trinity’s system connect to the data center. The information stored there includes not only actual records, but the applications Trinity uses to do business.
“This is state of the art for a small-to-midsize company,” Spence said. “It allows us to protect Trinity’s data.”
The primary threats to digital data are physical: fire and water. Gertler Wente Architects, LLP, worked with TIS and project manager Sasha Blount to design a data center that is as protected as possible. “We were able to run our air conditioner condenser water through the floor, coming up into the units,” James Kennedy, director of TIS, explained, “so if we ever did have a leak, it would leak down into the subbasement.”
The data center also features a duel fire suppression system. If a fire breaks out, a gas called FM-200, which removes oxygen and puts out the fire, will be released into the space. The sprinklers come on only if the gas fails to extinguish the blaze.
In addition to the data center, the new space features a hi-tech conference room equipped for cloud computing and “Tech-Know-U,” a computer learning center. Private offices surround a collection of semi-private cubicles and shared work areas.
Looking around the new space it’s hard to believe that less than a year ago it was “undesirable” real estate, accessible only through a loading dock, and tucked away on a side street near the Holland Tunnel. The L-shaped area, previously used as storage, wasn’t appealing to either retail or office tenants. But with smart design and construction, the 6,597-square-foot spacewas transformed into a modern office.
Leah Reddy is multimedia producer for Trinity TV & New Media.
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