In just a few weeks, Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law will be relocating to a spacious building at 104 Wyncrest Way in Hendersonville. The move, which wraps up a more than 12-month construction process, represents the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the firm.
To give readers of The Continuum a behind-the-scenes look at the process, we consulted attorney and partner Chris Johnson, who is serving as the firm’s Move Team Coordinator. His job is to coordinate with all of the key players involved in the construction project. From the builders, to the interior designer, to utilities and security vendors, Chris oversees and coordinates the interactions between the firm and these vital partners who are bringing the new building to life.
Chris says that the move-in date will probably be sooner than the August date originally projected. “We might get very fortunate and move in as early as late June or early July,” Chris said. “Thanks to the skill and expertise of Milton Curtis and his team at Curtis Builders LLC, we are ahead of schedule. Accomplishing this is particularly impressive considering we have dealt with bouts of inclement weather and are dealing with a global pandemic that we feel the effects of daily.”
Coming in at around 7,000 sq. ft, the building has three separate office suites, with Takacs McGinnis occupying about 4,200 sq. ft. Two smaller suites—625 sq. ft and 1,537 sq. ft—are available for rent by other businesses. “Takacs McGinnis will take up the entire left side of the building as you’re facing it from the parking lot,” Chris said. “Though we haven’t finalized who the tenants will be for the other two suites, our goal is to rent those spaces to businesses whose products and services benefit our clients.”
The building features a 432 sq. ft. conference room with an attached kitchen that will be shared by Takacs McGinnis and the building’s other tenants. “We plan to use the room for larger meetings, community and professional education programs, and other special events,” Chris noted. “We should be able to seat up to 40 people comfortably, which is more than double the capacity of the meeting space in our Walton Ferry office.”
The modern ADA-compliant design of the new building increases the comfort factor for clients and employees with push-button entryways, a larger waiting room, and spacious offices. “The offices where we conduct our meetings with prospective clients will be significantly larger than those in our current building,” Chris said. “We will be able to more comfortably accommodate the clients and the family members that they wish to have present. That’s very important to us.”
Chris believes that the new building will be easier for people to find. “While we love our Walton Ferry address, getting there could be tricky and time consuming, depending on the traffic,” he said. “Now, just take Exit 8 off Vietnam Veterans Boulevard, hit the stoplight, make one turn, and you’re there.”
The move means more office space for employees. “Due to space constraints in our old building, not all of us had our own offices,” Chris explained. “All of the attorneys shared a single communal space and both public benefits specialists and our legal assistant were in an adjacent shared room. Though the joint office space works well for us given our team approach to helping clients, it’s not ideal when it comes to the social distancing required during the COVID-19 crisis. In the new building, every employee will have a separate office space, which will make for a safer working environment. In-person meetings will also resume, as the increased space will make it possible for us to adhere to social distancing requirements.”
If you’re a friend or fan of the firm, you know that Takacs McGinnis produces new educational videos every quarter along with a weekly podcast. The new building includes a dedicated space for the production of these educational tools. “In our old building, our quarterly video shoot meant kicking Debra King out of her office for the morning,” Chris laughed. “We won’t have to do that in the new building, plus we will have a more permanent set-up for the podcast recording.”
As the finish line for the firm’s construction project approaches, Chris is grateful for the experience. “My job has been to be a liaison between all of the third-party entities we’re working with,” he added. “I’ve worked with a lot of different vendors over the last year, but none more closely than Milton Curtis, our builder, and Trinity Scharett, our interior designer. Everyone has been amazing. When you’re managing a project of this size and scope, a lot can go wrong.
Thanks to the skillful and professional abilities of all of our partners, the project has come together beautifully. We can’t wait to debut our new space to our clients, the community, and to our professional partners, and experience the positive impact the new facility will have on our ability to do good in our community.”
Takacs McGinnis will be hosting a community open house in August to reveal their new home. Watch the firm’s blog and social media channels for more details.