MERRILLVILLE and GARY, IN and SCHAUMBURG, IL, ISSUED November 4, 2026…The Tolleston Opportunity Campus, home of the newest Crossroads YMCA facility, is one of the latest furniture design projects successfully completed by Pulse Technology (https://pulsetechnology.com), a technology company which also has a specialization in office furniture design.
Pulse Technology has collaborated with the Crossroads YMCA on four projects, and a shared design language connects each facility-while maintaining a unique identity for each location.
The main lobby of the new Tolleston facility features a mixture of soft and hard seating options, all within the Hon Company’s signature lines. In particular, the Hon Tangram, a modular, angular sofa arranged in a zigzag shape, connects the Gary location to its sisters at Southlake, Hammond, and the Crown Point Sportscenter. Hon’s Etch chairs also define the lobby area, adding a pop of orange against the neutral grey of the tables.
Architects and interior designers at Shive Hattery created a standout lobby with a range of colors, shapes, and installations built into the bones of the space. With the warm tones of the wooden accent wall in mind, Pulse Technology designers Abigail Mancione and Jolee Allerding created a palette consisting of a burnt orange, a desaturated blue, and a neutral grey.
“We know that in a space like the YMCA, the furniture we provide has to achieve two goals: create a distinct look that is easily replicable across multiple facilities, and make sure each piece is durable enough to withstand continuous use,” said Mancione. “With each project we’ve designed, we’ve learned which material holds up best with the products facilities staff uses; we’ve learned what type of wear these pieces are put through daily; and we’ve learned how to give each facility its own character while maintaining the same shapes and lines.”
That carefully constructed color palette complements the most eye-catching element of the lobby: an installation of various braided ropes, all hand-braided by different groups within the community, representing different braiding styles.
“For the Tolleston Campus, we knew the architecture would have warm wooden features and, of course, the braid installation, so keeping the colors complementary allowed us to make sure everything stood out in contrast to one another.”
Additionally, two large community spaces within the facility feature deep teal accents, and to complement those statement walls and accessories, Pulse’s design team opted for clean, white desks.
Pulse Technology furnished the Gary YMCA with functionality and the community’s needs in mind. With spaces for studying, resting between games, or simply passing the time between the end of the school day and the beginning of community children’s nighttime routines, each piece installed at the Tolleston Opportunity Campus is built to be well-loved for years to come.
“We’re honored and privileged to have worked on this project with the Crossroads YMCA,” Allerding said. “Finishing up our fourth collaboration with the Y is surreal and rewarding in a way unique to these projects, where you can imagine the impact on the community throughout the entire process, and we can’t wait to continue to help create spaces like these across the Region.”
The facility is now open to the public.
Caption: Tolleston lobby
About Pulse Technology
Pulse Technology is a leader in the field of print management, network services (IT), audio-visual (AV) and other office solutions including furniture design and sales, office products, mailing equipment and their supplies, and robotics, with a history dating back to 1955. The company celebrated its 70th anniversary in June 2025, recognized by industry, state, and business officials at its Schaumburg headquarters. Pulse Technology is the re-branded name for several well-known area businesses: Des Plaines Office Equipment, McShane’s, and Kramer Leonard. Headquarters are in Schaumburg, IL, with a location also in Merrillville, IN and a service area that includes southern Wisconsin. Pulse Technology continues to expand its offerings to meet the technology and business needs of companies throughout the Midwest.
The firm provides products and services to a diverse client base that includes schools, hospitals, law offices, accounting firms, educational institutions and financial institutions, among others. The firm has won the Sharp Document’s Hyakuman Kai award for sales excellence since 1988, the Elite Dealer by The Week in Imaging since 2007 and was named to the Inc. 5000 list for fastest-growing businesses across the United States. Pulse Technology has also won the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award and is a multiple-year recipient of the ENX Magazine Difference Maker recognition. Pulse Technology has also been selected for the “Best Places to Work in Illinois” list for 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. For additional information, please call 847-879-6400 or visit https://pulsetechnology.com. Or visit the Pulse Technology LinkedIn page at https://www.linkedin.com/company/pulse-tech/
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