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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 17 N OV E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 4 F O C U S L AW / P O L I C Y experience a safe and secure work envi- ronment," he says. "We've never had a problem. But knowing that we won't is really helpful." Appealing space e makeover made the most of expan- sive views available from the build- ing's upper stories, which overlook the downtown business district and the harbor several blocks away. Maximizing the views and natural light makes the space appealing for cli- ents, guests and personnel, says Smith. "When you walk into the penthouse now, where the reception area is, the first thing you see is the view of the ocean and the islands," he says. "Before now, everything was more walled off." Gut job e project, managed by Consigli Construction and designed by Visnick & Caulfield, involved gutting all three stories. "We moved to temporary space on a different floor of the same building for about a year, while all three floors were worked on simultaneously," says Smith. Additions include hybrid and collab- orative workstations, flexible conference and event space, shared and hoteling offices, meeting rooms and coffee bar and café areas. e layout accommodates a mix of hybrid and onsite work, less use of paper and need for storage, and new technology across the entire footprint. 'Clean look' New furniture and workstations were selected to be more uniform than before, lending a "modern, clean look," says Smith. e heating, cooling and ventilation infrastructure were improved and indi- vidual office controls were updated. e building's large exterior win- dows allowed the firm to bring natural light further inside by fitting up offices with interior glass walls. "You can see through the walls and out the windows," says Smith. "at's a huge change." e layout includes a "wellness suite," which has two private rooms with lock- ing doors and comfortable chairs. It can be used as folks see fit, perhaps for time to relax alone or for a private phone call. "at's something we didn't have before," he says. "We're really proud of that area." A larger café includes booths and tables that take advantage of the view; there are also kitchen facilities. "It's a much larger area for team members to gather and eat lunch and socialize," says Smith. "We didn't have a great area before. It's not uncommon to see people eating their lunch and gazing out at the cruise ships." Smith credits the firm's facilities team and IT department for getting everyone moved back into the reno- vated space without a hitch. "Everyone was scheduled in advance," he says. "An extraordinary amount of work went into that." e changes reflect an evolving cul- ture of collaborative work within the office and with clients, with the goal of being more connected and acces- sible across geographic regions — and a return to the pre-pandemic environ- ment, when meetings were held in person rather than online. "e moment clients and visitors walk in the door, they comment on the view and how nice everything looks, almost without fail," says Smith. "It's facilitated a desire to be here in person." At Dentons "It's been a really exciting project here," says Andrew Helman, the managing partner for Dentons' Portland office, located in 4,400 square feet of office space on One City Center's 11th floor. Dentons has more than 160 offices in more than 80 locations around the world. Boston was the closest location to Maine before the firm expanded to Portland in 2021, operating in a tempo- rary office space for a period of time. e Portland office works with cli- ents in Maine and around the world. "It's been an amazing experienc- ing to live here while also connecting with colleagues and clients around the world," Helman says. Dentons moved into One City Center in June 2023. "Portland is a growing city and businesses increasingly have not only local, regional and national needs but also global needs," says Helman. "Having an office here allows Dentons to serve clients here and to attract top talent in this market." Since 2022, the firm has grown to 10 attorneys and five non-attorney employees, representing a mix of people who have grown up in Maine or have relocated to Maine. "We're able to provide lawyers with a unique opportunity to live and work in Portland while having a practice beyond area code 207," Helman says. e firm identified One City Center as a top choice for its per- manent location after reviewing other options. "It gives us the ability to be cen- tral to the city and to have the space we need as we grow," Helman says. "It also has fantastic views." e office space was pretty much move-in-ready. Attractions included plenty of natural light. Fit-up included new carpeting and paint and the addition of workstations that have the option to sit or stand. ere are features that have become standard, including docking stations, monitors and "interoperability." "All of our offices are designed to accommodate a range of work styles as we move forward," Helman says. Laurie Schreiber, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at lschreiber @ mainebiz.biz Andrew Helman, managing partner for Dentons' Portland office, says attractions of the location include its centrality, room to grow and "fantastic views." P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F D E N T O N S We're able to provide lawyers with a unique opportunity to live and work in Portland while having a practice beyond area code 207. — Andrew Helman Dentons

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