Historic Building Ready with 21st-Century Tech

Historic Building Ready with 21st-Century Tech

State-of-the-art A/V awaits Good Haus tenants

The Jefferson Avenue Center in Columbus, Ohio, is dedicated to preservation with a purpose. “Using real estate as a catalyst for social change,” the Jefferson Center revitalizes and redevelops neglected historic buildings and underutilized land to provide vibrant, affordable spaces for nonprofit tenants.

Integrated Building Systems helped with the Jefferson Center’s transformative work at The Good Haus—a building constructed in 1888 and formerly named for its nearly century-long tenant, the Maennerchor, the nation’s oldest Germanic singing society. Left vacant and exposed in areas to the elements for nearly a decade, the structure required extensive repair and renovation.

In the news: Read about the Good Haus in the Columbus Dispatch.

Today this 10,700-square-foot building in Columbus’s Brewery District boasts a unique, historic design with efficient, contemporary features for five nonprofit tenants.

Design-stage decisions made easier

During renovation, Mode Architects recommended Integrated Building Systems to The Jefferson Avenue Center for help with workspace audio-visual (A/V) needs. With the help of a visit to the Tech Studios to see state-of-the-art solutions, Executive Director Katharine Moore partnered with Integrated Building Systems to determine the A/V solutions that best fit the project’s needs and budget.

“There are a number of people in town selling audio visual equipment – but many of them seem to be techies trying to launch a small business,” Katharine said. “We wanted to be guided by grownups who have a sizable business with a variety of solutions to offer, not just one line to push. That was Integrated Building Systems! The staff’s expertise and availability made all of the difference, and their good humor kept the design process from being daunting.”

We wanted to be guided by a business with a variety of solutions to offer, not just one line to push. That was Integrated Building Systems!
— Katharine Moore, Executive Director, The Jefferson Avenue Center

Essential video conferencing systems

A/V system in the conference room: TV display, pendant mics, speakers, Crestron controller

A/V system in the conference room: TV display, pendant mics, speakers, Crestron controller

The Good Haus conference room is outfitted with solutions for presentations and video conferencing. The focus of the room is an 86” TV display, which plays audio through speakers mounted throughout the room. This system is also equipped with an HDMI wall outlet, which allows tenants to easily connect their laptops to the display. A small touchscreen control panel manages these systems and the input.

HD Marshall camera

HD Marshall camera

To pick up what is happening in the room for video conferencing, there are two pendant-style triplex microphones and a mounted, fixed-focus HD camera.

Outside the conference room, a small digital display shows if the room is in use, and is programmable with the name of the meeting.

Integrated Building Systems also installed digital signage in the lobby and a video display in the lower-level conference room.

Digital signage greets visitors and staff.

Digital signage greets visitors and staff.

How is the new technology impacting The Jefferson Avenue Center and Good Haus?

“Having state of the art technology enhances our whole brand! If nonprofits want to attract top talent and to be held in high regard by corporate sponsors, we have to invest in our facilities and operations,” Katharine said.

Ideas for your workspace

Since its founding in 1993, Integrated Building Systems has solved technology infrastructure and integration challenges for clients from diverse industries, including nonprofit, industrial, banking, medical, and public utility.

From corporate headquarters to warehouses, training rooms to public spaces, small project to large, we customize technology solutions that meet our clients' needs today and position them for future growth.

Visit our Project Gallery to gain inspiration for your space.