Harrisburg, PA – Today, Department of General Services (DGS) Secretary Reggie McNeil was joined by Office of Administration (OA) Secretary Neil Weaver to open a newly redesigned, flexible office space for staff in the North Office Building as part of the Shapiro-Davis Administration’s Space Optimization Utilization Project (SOUP). The SOUP initiative is the Commonwealth’s first comprehensive review of its real estate portfolio to improve operational efficiency – enhancing the use of state-owned properties, providing modern, flexible workspaces for employees, driving long-term efficient use of real estate, and delivering more centralized, convenient service centers for taxpayers. The space optimization initiative will reduce the Commonwealth’s leased space and enhance Commonwealth-owned facilities to meet evolving workforce needs while generating tens of millions in savings by 2033.
The new space was designed to demonstrate how agencies can reduce their footprint while maximizing the use of available space. DGS developed a flexible space model that enables staff to reserve conference rooms, access private rooms for meetings, and work in an open collaborative area with access to natural light within the 8,700-square-foot fifth-floor space. This innovative design reflects the evolving needs of modern office environments and fosters a collaborative atmosphere, providing employees with shared spaces to collaborate effectively.
"We are pleased to have partnered with OA to co-create an office space that aligns to the Shapiro Administration's priority of enhancing the use of Commonwealth office space so that state employees can better serve Pennsylvanians," said DGS Secretary Reggie McNeil. "The phased approach we’ve taken to modernize state government workplaces and foster flexibility, efficiency, and employees' well-being, will undoubtedly become a showcase as DGS continues to partner with its sister agencies to optimize the Commonwealth’s office footprint throughout the state."
The project repurposed space to meet the needs of today’s employees:
- Minimized construction activity by introducing pods for confidential conversations while keeping the space open for natural light.
- Digitized documents and removed 70 file cabinets to make better use of existing space.
- Centralized the kitchen to one area for the entire floor rather than multiple break areas.
- Coordinated onsite schedules to allow for shared offices and offices to also serve as conference room spaces.
- Leveraged hoteling spaces in Harrisburg and in other parts of the state, to accommodate work requirements.
- Utilized recycled furniture from state surplus.
The project was completed on time and under budget.
This new design can accommodate significantly more employees than it did previously, increasing capacity from 63 employees to 80 employees. This allows for cross-department collaboration and the reuse of vacant space to meet the building’s conference room needs.
The DGS site features a variety of cost-saving enhancements, including being the first state office space to shift primarily to wireless network connectivity. This move preserves the flexibility of the space by preventing costly reconfigurations of networking infrastructure in the future as needs evolve. The building also features enhanced wi-fi connectivity that improves network reliability and speed.
“Commonwealth employees need reliable access to IT systems and tools regardless of their work location,” said Secretary Weaver. “By increasing the use of secure wireless connectivity in our state office buildings, we will create a seamless experience for employees and guests that supports ‘work from anywhere’ flexibility and allows multiple agencies to utilize the same space effectively, while also ensuring that we’re meeting cybersecurity standards for the Commonwealth.”
The Shapiro-Davis Administration is committed to delivering high-quality public services while using taxpayer dollars responsibly. DGS will continue to incorporate data-driven decision-making to guide future real estate investments based on agency needs and employee work patterns. By consolidating services into strategically located, modernized state-owned facilities, SOUP will improve employee experiences, reduce the Commonwealth’s overhead, and create a more efficient, resilient government infrastructure.
For more information on the Space Optimization & Utilization Project, visit the SOUP webpage.