The Plan: Production Studio Traverse32 Updates Its Home in Former Gimbels Building

Traverse32 found a home on the ninth floor of 100 West 33rd Street back in September 2023. Now the IPG Mediabrands-owned entertainment company is ready to share its recently renovated headquarters — at the former site of the Manhattan Mall and the historic Gimbels department store — with the world.

The renovation aimed to blend modern design with the building’s historic elements, particularly the old Gimbels’ traverse that arches above West 32nd Street in Midtown Manhattan (and which inspired the company’s name). Constructed in 1925, the three-story copper bridge was designed by Richmond Shreve and William Lamb, the same designers as the Empire State Building, according to Traverse32. 

The almost 100-year-old traverse is in a state of disrepair, so for safety reasons it can’t yet be occupied, said Sean Lapham, vice president of real estate planning and operations at IPG Mediabrands. The skybridge still belongs to landlord Vornado Realty Trust, but IPG has the option to claim the space if they eventually want it. For now, it acts as an extension of the workspace, allowing in more natural light.

The 13,000-square-foot office space was designed to foster collaboration and community among both employees and the clients who will visit to screen a film in Traverse32’s Hollywood inspired in-house theater, said Jennifer Nuila, senior associate at architectural, design and consulting services company Gensler.

“This location was preferred because of the traverse, but then they really wanted this high-end viewing experience so that they could bring clients and talent through,” Nuila said. “Brendan [Gaul, co-founder of Traverse32] said if you have to come all the way to Herald Square and you’ve got to get people all the way up the elevator and through the crowds, then when they get here it has to feel special, it has to feel great. And we kept that really hard in mind.”

When people arrive at the Traverse32 office they are greeted with warmth and hospitality, two crucial components of the design. There is a sleek and welcoming reception area showcasing the awards given to the studio’s films, including The Final Copy of Ilon Specht, which won Best Documentary Short at the 2024 Chelsea Film Festival, and Dear Santa, a documentary that won eight Telly Awards in 2021. Around the corner is a gallery-like space across from the theater displaying a variety of movie posters, as well as a small reception section that opens into the employee kitchen. This includes sleek and modern appliances and spaces for staff to eat and work together away from their desks.  

Traverse32 wanted to create a more homey and inviting headquarters that focuses on the storytelling content their clients engage with. 

“We knew what the bones of the space were, and that was a really good starting point for us,” Nuila said. “And there is no big dividing wall or anything like that. It’s one fluid space, which is so cool. If you work here, what could be cooler than being connected to what’s driving the business, like creating these great stories?”   

Amanda Schiavo can be reached at aschiavo@commercialobserver.com.