Can you say "change order"?

Hmm... 2-1/2 weeks before we move in, we decide to make a major change in the floor plan. Originally, the main entry stairs leading from the ground floor lobby to our 2nd floor reception area was to be a wide, welcoming and inviting structure that would leave the way to the elevator (towards the back of the building) with a clear and open path.

But as we proceeded with the work, we found that the space was 5 inches narrower than originally planned, a support column in the middle of the stairs could not be removed for structural reasons, and perhaps most importantly, a large cross beam at the bottom of the stairway also had to stay.

This made for a sense of having to duck under a large object before proceeding up the narrower stairs. After the temporary stairs were moved to the center of the lobby space, we realized that it really made more sense to keep the stairway in the new location.

It's directly under two skylights, feels more natural, and because the stairs were designed to give a sense of floating and airiness, doesn't visually block the path to the elevator as much as you would expect.

So expect to see our newly configured grand staircase in this space in just a few short weeks!