HAMILTON, N.J.—Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., an employee-owned, award-winning full-service architectural, interior design, landscape architecture, and planning firm, is pleased to announce the company has been awarded the 2023 Firm of the Year by the American Institute of Architects-New Jersey Chapter (AIA-NJ). The annual award is given to a design firm that has produced notable architecture and made an impact on the architectural profession.

Celebrating 70 years in business, Spiezle prioritizes innovation, industry involvement, and sustainability. The firm is an employee-owned company whose work across multiple industries and market sectors is recognized in this award of distinction by the AIA.

“This is a remarkable honor for all of us at Spiezle. We thank AIA NJ for awarding us this recognition,” said Thomas S. Perrino, President and CEO at Spiezle Architectural Group. “We’re exceptionally proud of our history here in New Jersey. This award is a testament to our dynamic and talented team members and meaningful partnerships within the state. We’re focused on continuing to build an incredible team of employee-owners who will keep driving innovation and creativity in our industry.”

Spiezle’s nomination touts the firm’s inclusivity initiatives, which include the Women’s Leadership Committee, Design Committee, and a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging advancement. This year, Spiezle has been recognized as one of NJBIZ’s inaugural 2023 Empowering Women Honorees for being committed to supporting and elevating women in New Jersey. Spiezle is also dedicated to developing the next generation of architects. The firm supports its Emerging Professionals Group in its pursuit of licensure and is an active participant in summer internship programs with area universities.

Spiezle will receive the formal award as AIA’s NJ Firm of the Year for 2023 at a ceremony taking place at Clarks Landing Yacht Club on January 13th, 2024. The event will be attended by AIA members from across New Jersey.

“We celebrate our 70th anniversary in 2024 and this award is another example of seven decades of our continued success. Congratulations to everyone at Spiezle for this very special achievement,” said Perrino.

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UNION CITY, N.J.—Personnel from the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) joined civic officials for the groundbreaking of a new school that, when completed, will be used to educate students in grades 7 through 9. The school is needed due to overcrowding in this city located across the Hudson River from Manhattan.

The to-be-named school will encompass approximately 132,000 square feet of educational space over its six stories. Nearly 1,000 students will be educated in traditional classrooms as well as science laboratories, art rooms, robotics lab, music room, dance studio and even a rooftop environmental lab. The school will also host a gymnasium, cafetorium and modern media center.

Dobco, Inc. is tackling the design-build contract for the new school. Their partners on the job include designer NK Architects, P.A. and manager Anser Advisory. The project is seeking to attain LEED Silver certification.

“As we stand alongside our partners today, together we break ground for a state-of-the-art school that will provide Union City students with an educational facility that will help prepare them for high school and the future,” SDA CEO Manuel Da Silva said during the groundbreaking. “The new and renovated facilities delivered by the SDA in communities such as Union City are vital to ensuring all New Jersey students have access to the resources needed to succeed.

“We look forward to our continued partnership with the school district, city, and construction partners as this project advances through the construction phase.”

When the school opens, it will be the sixth Capital Project completed by the SDA in Union City since the school construction program commenced.

“With the help and support of Governor [Phil] Murphy and our Mayor and State Senator Brian P. Stack, we are honored that this SDA-funded new school facility will provide highquality education for future generations of our Union City students,” added Silvia Abbato, Superintendent of Union City Schools.

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MURFREESBORO, Tenn.—Commercial real estate firm Ryan Companies is now underway on a 56,000-square-foot school charter located in the Nashville suburb of Murfreesboro.The Rutherford Collegiate Prep (RCP) school will be the largest in the region to offer curriculum from Noble Education Initiative (NEI), a nonprofit that manages other schools in the region.When completed, RCP will serve nearly 500 students in grades K-5.

RCP is designed by LAI Design Associates, LLC, with Ryan Companies serving as general contractor.The charter school will incorporate a teaching approach that emphasizes collaboration in larger, more flexible classrooms.Different grades will receive simultaneous education in conjoined classrooms that offer flexible areas for group learning.

“We are proud to embark on our third charter school project in the Nashville community in partnership with NEI,” Max Bosso, vice president of real estate development at Ryan Companies, said of the work at RCP.“As one of the top builders of charter schools in the Southeast, Ryan looks forward to applying our expertise to deliver a next-generation educational environment that enables teachers to instruct effectively and students to learn without constraints.”

Ryan Companies has built 203,000 square feet of charter school space already in 2023 and is on track to complete 362,000 square feet of additional educational space in the year to come. Their model delivers schools in only 10 months versus the industry standard of a full year. This saves projects hundreds of thousands of dollars in construction costs.

Ryan Companies will boast 81 charter schools to its portfolio by the end of this year, representing over 2.8 million square feet of educational space throughout the Southeast.

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OMAHA—Creighton University has opened its new CL and Rachel Werner Center for Health Sciences Education, named in honor of major donors to the university. As designed by RDG Planning & Design, the new health sciences education center will focus on interprofessional education for the 21st century.

The 145,000-square-foot space is the new home for Creighton’s School of Medicine, which is anticipated to serve nearly 6,000 students each year. RDG’s design emphasizes collaborative focus between health professionals and EMS technicians to work and learn from one another in a single space.  The space also features an interdisciplinary simulation center and group classrooms to serve both synchronous and asynchronous distance learning in addition to in-person instruction.

“The CL and Rachel Werner Center is a beacon of the growth and progress of Creighton’s health sciences enterprise, which teaches a different kind of care—one that is holistic, empathetic and rooted in our Jesuit values,” Creighton President the Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, Ph.D., said of the new building.  “This facility will grow and deepen the connections we are already making with the patients and communities our health sciences alumni serve.”

The Werner Center is the third collaboration between Creighton University and RDG on the heels of work at the School of Dentistry as well as Creighton’s Health Sciences Campus, located in Phoenix.

“Creighton’s continuous investment in the expansion of its medical education facilities and programs positions the university as an unmatched leader in health sciences education,” said RDG Partner and Architect Brian Halsey.  “By designing spaces that support the development of practice-ready healthcare professionals, we’re able to support Creighton’s mission of public health and well-being, both locally and nationally.”

The Werner Center broke ground in early 2021.

RDG operates from offices in Colorado, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska.

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MARLBOROUGH, Mass.—Boston-based Finegold Alexander Architects has just announced the groundbreaking of the Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School’s new Academic Building in Marlborough. The firm was selected in 2021 to design the new 17,000-square-foot classroom and science lab building with expanded learning opportunities and with state-of-the-art classroom technology. A ceremony to mark the occasion took place on November 14. Featured attendees and speakers include Chairperson of the AMSA Board of Trustees, Raul Porras, Executive Director Dr. Lisa C. Mobley and student speaker Angelina Dasilva of grade 9.

Originally opened in 2005 to bring quality education to an underserved area, AMSA is a public charter school that serves students in grades 6-12 from over 30 communities in the greater Boston area. The school currently owns and occupies a three-building campus located at 165, 199 and 201 Forest Street in what used to be an office park. Finegold Alexander is working closely with AMSA to align the school’s campus facilities to support their rigorous, college-oriented educational program. The first step is the design of the new 17,000-square-foot Academic Building. This first phase also includes the redesign of the campus site circulation to improve the pick-up and drop-off system for students and their families, while providing a defined separation between vehicular and pedestrian traffic

“We are excited to embark on this significant partnership with AMSA to creatively address the design challenges that the school is currently facing,” said Regan Shields Ives, Principal and K-12 studio leader at Finegold Alexander. “Our goal is to support its mission of integrity, excellence, and community through innovative and welcoming design,” said Christopher Lane, Principal and Project Manager at Finegold Alexander.

Finegold Alexander has a long history of designing educational spaces, whether it be renovating and transforming existing buildings or new construction, into inspirational and future-forward learning environments. Their impressive portfolio of K-12 projects in New England includes the Eliot Innovation School in Boston, the Gibbs School in Arlington, and the new Gladstone Elementary School in Cranston, Rhode Island. ASMA selected Finegold Alexander for the firm’s expertise and understanding of the school’s needs as it continues to offer excellent academics, ranking as the #3-rated public high school in Massachusetts.

“We are thrilled to partner with Finegold Alexander on transforming our campus into a 21st century educational institution,” said Dr. Lisa C. Mobley, AMSA Executive Director. “Their experience working with other K-12 schools will be invaluable in helping us improve our facilities for our students.”

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CHARLESTON, S.C.—Design firm Woolpert and general contractor Thompson Turner Construction have completed work at the Citadel military college’s newest structure, which replaces the original Capers Hall, first opened in the 1950s.

The new $67-million Capers Hall offers customizable classroom designers, AV capabilities, smart tech devices as well as a contemporary computer lab. The three-story, 97,500-square-foot edifice houses both the institute’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences and also a 250-seat performing arts auditorium, art gallery, mock courtroom, as well as areas devoted to cybersecurity and the handling of other delicate and sensitive information.

“Capers Hall has been a bedrock of this institution for seven decades,” the Citadel Provost Sally SeldeIt said at a recent ribbon-cutting event. “As we stand in this new building today, it’s not just bricks and mortar we see, but the embodiment of a strategic vision—Our Mighty Citadel.”

Woolpert aimed at incorporating as many sustainable elements as possible, including recycling crushed concrete, masonry and stucco from the demolition of the original Capers Hall to be reused in the new facility’s foundation and parking lot. Additionally, Thompson Turner installed upon the roof a photovoltaic solar power system to help offset energy consumption. This is part of the Citadel’s overall goal of achieving LEED Silver certification.

“The building’s exterior seamlessly blends with the rest of the campus’s Moorish architecture through its white stucco façade and incorporation of the building’s original iron-frame light fixtures,” said Woolpert Project Manager David Welling. “The exterior is beautiful, but the technology and interior details within are what truly make this new building so special.

“We are really looking forward to seeing how the cadets and faculty make use of their new spaces.”

Woolpert, founded in 2011 in Dayton, Ohio, employs over 2,000 people on five continents. The firm’s services include AEG, geospatial and strategic consulting.

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ROSENBERG, Texas—Designers from VLK Architects recently helped celebrate the dedication of the new Adriane Mathews Gray Elementary School for the Lamar Consolidated School District.

Gray Elementary School is designed for ease of student circulation throughout its campus, as well as to offer a secure academic environment. Gray Elementary offers six classroom pods for each grade that branch off from the school’s main corridor. Common areas are dedicated to collaborative learning, and outdoors the school features additional learning courtyards. At the campus center is its media center and event space.

Adriane Mathews Gray, an alumna of Lamar Consolidated, created Lunches of Love, a nonprofit devoted to feeding children in need. The organization continues to feed more than 4,000 children daily at the 18 Lamar CISD schools. Accordingly, the school was named in her honor.

“Adriane’s heart for students and her community is contagious, and it was very evident that she loved what she did,” said Dr. Roosevelt Nivens, Lamar CISD superintendent. “It was a true honor to know Adriane, and the service that Lunches of Love provides to the community is second to none.”

“We are extremely excited to be able to work with LCISD and Dr. Nivens to provide another outstanding learning facility to meet their tremendous growth needs on time and within the budget,” added VLK Managing Partner Todd Lien.

VLK operates from offices in Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Fort Worth. The firm specializes in the K-12 design and planning sector. Drymalla Construction Company was the general contractor on the project.

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BREESE, Ill.—Designer Cordogan Clark and general contractor Poettker Construction joined personnel from Central School District #104 for a groundbreaking ceremony at Joseph Arthur Middle School to kick off some overall improvements to the campus. The updates entail 26,900 square feet of expansion in addition to 10,900 square feet of light renovation at the middle school.

Additions will include a competition-level gymnasium that will also serve as the campus’s storm shelter. Other new areas include a modern commercial kitchen as well as a wing of classrooms for grades 4 through 6. Renovations will be undertaken to the entrance lobby to help facilitate better walking traffic.

“This addition is greatly needed to accommodate our ever-growing student population and allow us to be competitive with our surrounding school communities,” Dr. Gabrielle Rodriguez, Superintendent of Central 104, said at the groundbreaking. “We are confident in Poettker Construction and Cordogan Clark’s ability to deliver a more safe, modern, and welcoming learning environment for our middle school students.”

“The Poettker Team is thrilled to collaborate with Central School District #104 to expand the district’s middle school educational and multi-purpose facilities,” said Jon Carroll, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer at Poettker. “We are excited to continue our partnership and deliver an enhanced learning environment for the district.”

The campus improvements are anticipated to be ready for the 2024-2015 school year.

Poettker Construction Company, founded in 1980, provides such services as general contracting, construction management and design-build.

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SAN MARCOS, Calif.—General contractor Erickson-Hall Construction Co. and its partners have topped out on the Palomar College Athletics Stadium, a project the firm commenced on earlier this year. The topping-out coincides with the firm’s first quarter-century in business.

The athletics complex entails new football and softball fields at the Palomar Community College main campus. Working in conjunction with HMC Architects, Erickson-Hall anticipates delivering the completed athletic facility for the community college next year.

“Being chosen to construct these new and important facilities for Palomar College is an honor,” Mat Gates, President of Erickson-Hall, said of the work. “Our team is working hard to deliver two innovative stadiums for Palomar College, each [providing] spaces for student-athletes to train, compete and enjoy, and for spectators to watch various sports with exceptional visibility.”

Added Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey, superintendent and president of Palomar College: “Erickson-Hall has extensive experience in the construction of athletic facilities specifically for schools, and we are excited about the tremendous work in progress. These two new stadiums represent an incredible opportunity to serve our student athletes and our surrounding communities.”

In its first 25 years in business, Erickson-Hall has completed $2 billion in construction work, $1.5 billion of which was in the educational sector. The firm provides such services as preconstruction, general contracting, construction management, design-build, design assist-build, and lease-leaseback.

Palomar College has four locations throughout San Diego County and enrolls approximately 25,000 full-time and part-time students all told.

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ROSEAU, Minn.—Construction management and real estate development firm Kraus-Anderson has finished the second phase of its $43 million renovation project at the Roseau Community Schools in Roseau. The 141,000-square-foot work commenced in July 2020.

The renovations, which were designed by JLG Architects, encompass renovating and expanding the K-12 school, entailing 81,000 square feet of ground-up construction as well as renovating an extra 60,000 square feet of educational space. Phase 1 work entailed most of the remodeling, while Phase 2 work included 16,416 square feet of new construction and redesign. Among the new classrooms completed by Kraus-Anderson and JLG are areas for Career and Technical Education (CTE), band and choir rooms, and administrative spaces. The builders also enlarged the gym areas.

The work also called for updating the HVAC system and making improvements to accord with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). From a safety perspective, the contractors also made improvements to the fire system, applied a more secure front entrance, as well as designed a renovated pickup and drop-off area entailing a circular driveway.

“The project impacted every area of curriculum and teaching within our high school….every area,” said Tom Jerome, district superintendent. “From math and science to music and special education, no part went untouched. Natural light was also an emphasis, conference rooms were added, and even our hallways have been transformed into flexible learning spaces, no longer just serving as passageways for our students. We could not be more excited!”

Kraus-Anderson is based in Minneapolis, with additional regional offices throughout the Upper Midwest.

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