The Metropolitan, formerly the Chase Tower, could be considered both a Rochester symbol and a hub of the recent wave of downtown development in town.

That’s part of why Sharon Napier, CEO of growing creative advertising agency Partners + Napier, set her sights there when the agency needed to move from its legacy home in a renovated High Falls warehouse.

Now Partners, employing over 160 people and serving clients such as Constellation Brands and Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, is set to move into two floors of the striking high rise next week and make its mark on central downtown.

“That we can be at the table at the center of (downtown’s renaissance,) and bring our energy here is exactly where we wanted to be,” said Napier, giving credit to Gallina Development for reinventing the Metropolitan tower in the first place, and making Partners’ vision for its new space a reality.

The finished space “is better than we thought,” she said, adding that it will “inspire creativity” and was “created in a way that people work today.”

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The agency prioritized a “resimmercial” design for its new space, which combines efficient work spaces with the comfort of home through furniture and space choices, said Partners president Courtney Cotrupe.

The 40,000 square foot office is organized into “neighborhoods” that house groups working on the agency’s three largest client fields — food and drink, health and wellness and technology. Another section belongs to Vine Creative Studios, which works with larger clients on high-end, custom design projects. A content studio and editing suite, which will focus on video content, is being built out on the building’s concourse level.

A kitchen and bar area, a number of comfortable meeting spaces and an expansive central staircase pull the space together.

“It’s finding multiple ways to create a flexible space so talent can be comfortable here and do their best work,” said Cotrupe. The office also provides a wellness room for breastfeeding and other needs, and is surrounding by several parks and urban spaces for exercise during the workday.

Thanks to the space’s flexibility, the agency could hold events like art exhibits, musical performances or speaking engagements to connect with the outside community, she said.

Other unique details include:

The bar offers selections from Constellation’s beer and wine portfolio on draft, with tap handles custom designed by Partners professionals as an ode to the agency’s legacy.

A touch of nostalgia can be found in a small serving area off a conference room, where the former building’s outdoor Partners + Napier sign hangs on the wall.

The staircase is constructed from reclaimed white oak, sourced from a 100-year-old barn in the Southern Tier. It will double as a stadium seating setup for all-agency meetings.

The space has the capacity for 225 people, and the agency is getting started early on filling it— they’re currently looking to hire 10 people in various disciplines.

Napier and her business partner Jeff Gabel had a dream to build a nationally recognized agency here in Rochester when they founded the company in 2004, she said. They’ve doubled down on their future in the city with their new space.

“It was about caring for this community but always having a big outside industry perspective,” she said.

STADDEO@Gannett.com