4 Expert Tips To Achieve Consensus During Lobby & Hallway Renovations

From the bustling boroughs of NYC to the serene suburbs of Westchester County and beyond, one theme remains consistent in the field of co-op and condo common area renovations – achieving consensus during a lobby or hallway renovation is a Herculean task! However, the result of our 30 years in business and hundreds of successful projects, my firm, Sygrove Associates Design Group, has unlocked the key to gaining that elusive agreement.

It’s no secret that residential building renovations bring out a myriad of opinions. Whether it’s about the choice of wall paint or the intricacies of an architectural detail, everyone, from the Board president to the newest owner, has a perspective.

In my experience these are the top concerns of stakeholders:

1. Staying authentic to the building’s architectural era.
2. Ensuring the renovation positively impacts the building’s value.
3. How to achieve consensus –  in other words, how to avoid disaster!

Let me take you through our 4 tried-and-true approaches that help our clients achieve consensus during lobby and hallway renovations that allows our projects to run smoothly:

When we’re brought on board, we often hear residents complain, “The Board always does whatever they want, regardless of our opinions.” In order to change this narrative right from the start, we create a forum where all stakeholders feel free to express their ideas and concerns. When everyone feels valued and integral to the project, it leads to a smoother process and happier outcomes.

If your Board or the interior design firm itself encourages residents to vote on important decisions, beware. It’s a very bad idea. We learned early on that voting breeds more division than unity. Voting creates a breeding ground for resentment because there will always be winners and loser. The aftermath includes phone calls to Board members all day and night and impromptu resident-led petitions. We advocate for a different approach…surveys.

The most effective tool to gauge residents’ preferences without sparking contention are surveys. A survey designed with thoughtfully curated questions provides you with invaluable data that empowers the Board to make decisions that resonate with the majority. Surveys enable our firm to maintain a harmonious atmosphere before, during and after the project.

You, as a Board member or property manager simply cannot communicate too much – it’s the key to gaining consensus during lobby and hallway renovations. It’s crucial you do everything to keep the stakeholders calm. We always recommend posting frequent and regular notices explaining what’s going on, what’s going to happen next, and when it’s going to happen.

You may also want to consider holding a one-time forum where the final selected design is presented. We recommend you call it a Special Meeting. This way people don’t automatically assume there will more forums (because there will not!). Invite the design team so they can answer questions that you may not be able to.

Achieving consensus during lobby and hallway renovations isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s a journey of understanding, patience, and collaboration. If you’re on the brink of a renovation, hire an interior design firm that values consensus as much as design, style, and craftsmanship. The end result? Warm and welcoming spaces that everyone loves coming home to.

Consensus: The judgment arrived at by most of those concerned.