Leviton Manufacturing Company has been family-run for 103 years - an eon in tech business time. But as one of North America's leading producers of electrical and electronic wiring devices, the company doesn't have an old-fashioned outlook on business and, in fact, has moved aggressively to be on the cutting-edge. 

To complement its business outlook, Leviton needed its offices to be "green" as well as to accommodate future growth. Thus, this summer Leviton relocated its global corporate headquarters from Little Neck, N.Y., to Long Island's Suffolk County. 

Leviton outfitted the four-story, 140,000-square foot facility in Melville with the latest "green building" materials including Leviton's own lighting energy management systems and designer switches, outlets and dimmers. Interior renovation of the complex took 18 months to complete and included a new floor plan design and building systems makeover.

Beyond just being green, the new building also had to be accessible first to Leviton's current employees and second to its customers. The new headquarters are close to public transportation and airports as well as in the center of the Long Island business community. Some of its business partners are literally across the street. Leviton worked with Cush & Wakefield, extensively researching where to locate their new office, examining economic and demographic data. 

To make the building suit their needs, they stripped it down to the bare steel and rebuilt it within 10 months. The outer walls of the building are made of glass to bring in natural light, and the interior features an open work environment to allow more collaboration among staff and departments. 

Mark Fogel, vice president of human resources and administration for Leviton, and the lead executive responsible for the project, said that a supportive management team and a small project team were the keys to getting the new building up and running so quickly. 

"Our small team worked fast, handling all new issues normally within 24 hours. I simply cannot thank them enough," commented Fogel. "You have to be flexible and able to overcome challenges quickly."

Fogel says companies should keep employees top of mind during the relocation process. Leviton chose a relatively local move, so that most of its employees would not have to relocate their homes. They looked at employee demographics and how the move would impact their lives. Then they examined accessibility to make sure airports and hotels were close by. Fogel also recommends checking with other building tenants to see if they are happy. 

As they moved in this summer, Leviton renewed its efforts to be more active in the community by joining the Long Island Business Association. They helped employees go "green" by offering premium parking spaces for hybrid cars. Fogel advises other tech companies to "get in there and play. You can't sit on the sidelines."