New Directions
GreenBy3 has a strong connection to the Charleston Digital Corridor, an entity that is a driving force for attracting technology companies and supporting local startups. In fact, the connection stretches back to when the Digital Corridor’s incubators, Flagship 1 & 2, were just startups themselves.
The Digital Corridor was launched by Ernest Andrade in 2001 to attract, nurture and promote the knowledge economy in the Charleston region. In 2008, Digital Corridor organizers decided to open The Flagship; a co-working facility for knowledge-based businesses.
Also in 2008, Jorge Riano launched GreenBy3, a company that works as a client representative in commercial construction projects.
Riano’s expertise in technology, facilites management, construction oversight, and sustainability led him to work as an advisor to Andrade during both phases of The Flagship project. Phase One transformed a former video retail store at the corner of East Bay St. and Calhoun St. into 6,000 square feet of flexible office space on one floor. Phase Two renovated the former Channel 5 TV station into 13,700 square feet of flexible office space on two floors.
The new Flagship 2 uses lots of windows to bring in natural light, reducing energy costs. Bricks reclaimed from the former structure were used for interior walls.
The result was ideal work space for high-tech startups that is conducive to collaboration and sharing resources, and a contemporary, hip environment utilizing many materials reclaimed from the original buildings as well as environmentally-friendly features such as low-flow toilets, motion sensitive lights, indoor bike racks, and super-efficient heating and cooling systems. After the completion of Flagship 1, GreenBy3 become a tenant and had offices there prior to “graduating” from startup status and moving to space on the former Navy Base in North Charleston.
Lots of inviting gathering space at Flagship 2 offers small startup companies opportunities to get to know and collaborate with others
“GreenBy3 assisted the Charleston Digital Corridor as we were renovating the space that became Flagship 1, the city of Charleston’s startup incubator,” Andrade said. “GreenBy3 worked with the architect and designer throughout the entire process and helped us ensure the renovation would be sustainable. Jorge Riano also created a guide for Flagship tenants that includes suggestions and solutions for running a business with the environment in mind. We were so pleased with what GreenBy3 did on Flagship 1, we asked them to assist with the renovation of the space that is now Flagship 2. I highly recommend GreenBy3 and its services.”
GreenBy3 uses coordination, collaboration and sustainability in the management of commercial construction projects for clients. In the last five years, GreenBy3 has worked with numerous clients, including fellow Flagship graduate PeopleMatter. GreenBy3 recently oversaw the renovation of a historic, but empty, building in downtown Charleston into PeopleMatter’s corporate headquarters. With GreenBy3’s help, PeopleMatter’s new building represents its high tech environment with a data center and redundancy, as well as collaborative and creative spaces to reflect the company’s cool culture.
GreenBy3 helped PeopleMatter renovate this empty building on Upper King St. for corporate headquarters.
Nate DaPore, president and CEO of PeopleMatter, said,“When you’re growing a high-energy software company at a fast pace, the last thing you want to do is manage the day-to-day operations of a construction project. GreenBy3 does that for us and we’re called in when needed. It’s tremendously valuable knowing someone is our voice on the project. We place a tremendous value on the service GreenBy3 provides. The value is 10 times whatever we’re spending with them.”
The key to GreenBy3’s success on any project is coordination, collaboration and creativity. Riano sees himself as a liaison between the client, general contractor, architect and the many others involved in the construction process; and he is passionate about encouraging a mind shift within the construction industry that focuses on all parties working together to achieve the best result for the client.
“We are enthusiastic about helping our clients, and helping the project team deliver an exceptional product with all the expectations the client is looking for, and possibly a little bit more,” Riano said.
“This is what I love to do. From site work, to technology and security, to being creative and using alternative materials and design ideas, to selecting furniture … Being able to help our clients in all areas of a project is just plain cool, fun and exciting.”
Tagged: Business incubator, Charleston Digital Corridor, PeopleMatter, Project Bahamas
