Stephen Goe a soft-spoken and well-mannered man with a penchant for design and a perfectionistic approach to his work. His company, Superior Design Inc., began in 1992 during difficult economic times with many similarities to the present.
Prior to striking out on his own Goe had apprenticed as a cabinet maker at the Langenbacher Architectural Woodwork Company in the Bronx, starting in 1985. At the time he was attending New York University and majoring in Physics.
Known for its old world craftsmanship in every phase of woodworking, Lagenbacher had many high-profile projects in New York City, such as 7 World Trade Center, Rockefeller Center, and Bergdorf Goodman, to name a few. Within five years Stephen Goe was made a foreman and was the youngest employee to ever be promoted to that position. He had won numerous awards, was a member of the Carpenter’s Union, and he was still in his twenties.
"I decided that I was either going to put a down payment on my first house or start my own business," he said. He chose the latter. "I bought my first woodworking shop from a company that was going out of business due to the recession in 1992. It was replete with all the necessary woodworking machinery and I recruited nine old world craftsmen to come and work with me," he added. That South Bronx shop was 3,000 square feet, and with a truck that Goe purchased for deliveries, he was open for business.
After letting people know that he had started Superior Design, Goe was contacted by two architectural design firms in Manhattan. "One of our first assignments was a co-op renovation in Greenwich Village. They wanted a new library, custom-built bedroom cabinetry, a new kitchen and woodwork details throughout. Our second assignment was a co-op in Tudor City across from the United Nations. We executed both jobs in a very timely and precise manner," he said. Goe went on to garner a reputation as a perfectionist and as someone who moved assignments along. He had an eye for the details without getting bogged down in minutiae. His woodworking skills and his ability to be a project manager as well, increased his visibility, and more and more assignments came his way in Manhattan. They included kitchens, libraries, bathrooms, custom furniture, woodworking details, doors and windows along with intricate wood carving work. "I became very adept at managing a number of projects simultaneously," he said. Those projects all entailed custom-made and installed pieces from his staff that grew to twenty cabinet makers, plumbers and electricians. In short, from design to creation and installation, Superior Design did it all and did it remarkably well.
When Superior Design moved to Westchester and Rockland Counties the move was planned around the changing life styles of the craftsmen it employed. Stephen Goe married and started a family. His woodworking specialists decided to live outside of the City and shops became available in both Garnerville in Rockland County and Mount Vernon in Westchester. The time was right and between the two complete shops Superior Design had expanded to over 12,000 square feet of custom woodworking design space. "We still do considerable work in Manhattan," Goe said. He is also making an impact in Westchester County. "Our old world craftsmen set us apart and we can honestly say that nobody does better work than we do. For people looking to have things done right the first time by consummate professionals, we are the company. We guarantee all of our work in perpetuity and we build everything we install. If it’s made of wood, we can make it," he noted.
Superior Design is fully licensed and insured. They are considered a leading architectural design and woodworking company specializing in all kinds of wood, including farmed exotic woods and reclaimed lumber which has become very popular of late. For more information contact them at (800) 218-2603 or visit them online at superiordesignassociates.com.
