Her diverse experience includes involvement in biotech projects, urban mixed-use multifamily housing, and client representation at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) for their Capital Program Management Department. Mannion’s impressive track record includes overcoming challenges in obtaining approvals for complex projects, such as the residential mixed-use housing at The Brand in Glendale, California and integrating regional transportation at UCSD.

Commenting on her motivation to join HMC, Mannion said, “I have followed HMC since encountering the firm on interview panels at UCSD. I knew HMC was synonymous with design excellence and was looking for a workplace with focus, strategic goals, and genuine care for its employees.”

In addition to serving clients and ensuring that HMC is even more responsive to their needs as they look to the future, Mannion will focus on business development and serving and expanding the firm’s higher education client base in Southern California.

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COLLEGE PARK, Md.—Architecture and design firm Cooper Robertson has revealed plans for a new campus expansion at the University of Maryland. The new facilities plan results from an 18-month community engagement process with students, staff and community stakeholders to help move the college campus into its next viable phase, which includes green spaces and more pedestrian thoroughfares.

Looking ahead at the next generation, Cooper Robertson’s planning includes identifying development capacity and upgrading those facilities that already exist on the campus. The college aims for net-zero carbon emissions by 2025, and improving multimodal transportation options given there will be five additional metro rail stations soon to debut near the campus itself.

“This plan builds on the University of Maryland’s role as an ambitious, forward-looking, and value-driven academic institution,” Cooper Robertson partner Mike Aziz said of the master plan for UMD. Aziz, himself a UMD alum, said that his alma mater is “setting a highly sustainable and lasting directive for the ultimate success of today’s and tomorrow’s students.”

Via the collaborations between the university and the various stakeholders, the school has come up with a wish list of projects to be tackled. This includes improving space and building performance for existing buildings as well as constructing new research facilities. The master plan also calls for a campus-wide “Innovation Walk” with open spaces and various renovated buildings, as well as biking and walking paths that connect areas both on and off the main campus. Furthermore, campus streets will be redesigned so that motor vehicles as well as scooters and bicycles connect key points on the campus while prioritizing pedestrian accessibility.

“Our Campus Facilities Plan is more than just a blueprint for development; it’s a commitment to our university’s holistic growth,” UMD President Darryll J. Pines said in an earlier statement. “This vision, fueled by input from our diverse community, signifies our dedication to creating environments where every student can thrive, learn and lead.”

In a subsequent statement emailed to School Construction News, Aziz of Cooper Robertson said that decarbonization is one of the key tenets of his firm’s plans for UMD as the school aims to move away from fossil fuels.

“Our strategy for achieving this centers on a phased shift from a centralized steam plant towards district-scale electrification,” Aziz said. “The idea is to combine satellite utility buildings with a large-scale geothermal system, alongside deep energy retrofits on existing buildings and a focus on very high levels of energy efficiency for new buildings. There are a lot of moving pieces in this strategy, but we think the environmental — and operational — benefits are well worth the effort.”

No general contractor has yet been announced for this master plan.

Cooper Robertson’s recent educational work includes expansions at George Washington and Georgia State, as well as other renovations at Caltech, Yale, Georgetown, Duke Medical School, Ohio State and the University of Delaware.

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COMPTON, Calif.—The Compton Unified School District Board of Trustees unanimously selected DLR Group to design the new Centennial High School. In a monumental decision for the district, DLR Group’s design was selected from a field of six submissions in a design competition for the new high school.

The announcement is a continuation of the relationship that DLR Group and CUSD share. Centennial High School will begin construction following the completion of Compton High School, which also features DLR Group’s design and scheduled to be completed in January 2025. The two historic projects reinforce CUSD’s commitment to provide exemplary educational facilities for its students and community.

“This signifies a continued fulfillment of the educational excellence for Compton Unified School District that we started seven years ago with Compton High School,” says DLR Group Principal and K-12 Education Leader Jesse Miller, AIA, DBIA. “These two, brand-new high schools coming online shine a light on the commitment the community and district have made so that their scholars have every opportunity to excel in the ever-changing world.”

Compton is one of the oldest and most notable incorporated cities in Los Angeles County. The district serves approximately 20,000 students in 37 schools. Centennial High School is one of three comprehensive high schools in the district and has an enrollment of approximately 1000 students.

DLR Group’s integrated design team will work with students, staff, and community stakeholder groups to design a campus that celebrates its rich history while incorporating flexible learning environments that support the district’s vision of providing an innovative educational experience.

“We’re excited to select DLR Group for the design of the new Centennial High School,” says CUSD Board President Denzell Perry. “They presented a bold, aspirational, and modern design that complements the look of the new Compton High School, while capturing the history and legacy of Centennial. This project signifies the Compton Unified Board of Trustees’ long-term vision and commitment to our district and community, creating state-of-the-art new schools that will elevate our scholars and city to all-new levels.”

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He has over 23 years of experience in higher education design, and as a design leader in HMC’s higher education studio, James led the design of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona’s student housing and dining commons and the University of California San Diego’s Ridge Walk North Living and Learning Neighborhood. His promotion underscores HMC’s belief in developing and promoting internal talent and recognizes his role as a leader, mentor, and award-winning expert.

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FORT WORTH, Tex.—Fort Worth Country Day (FWCD) school, the oldest college prep institution in the city, is expanding its footprint with the addition of a nearly 33,000-square-foot lower school building, to be called the Annie Richardson Bass Lower School, which will host some 350 students in grades 1-4.

The $25 million project, due to be completed in the spring of 2025, will replace the former Lower School first constructed at the 104-acre campus in 1964. Among the scope of work for the new Lower School are a 2,000-square-foot library, commons area, two dedicated science labs, a first- and second-grade wing, third- and fourth-grade wing, as well as a dedicated playground and sports court.

Project partners include Lake|Flato Architects of San Antonio, landscaper Hocker Design as well as general contractor Linbeck of Fort Worth.

Sustainable design features will include LED lights, rainwater collection and planting of grasses and other flowers native to the region. In addition, storm shelters will exist at the new building to deal with severe weather in the tornado-prone region.

“Our new Lower School is designed to create exceptional learning environments within classrooms and communal spaces while delivering dramatic improvements for safety and efficiency,” Eric Lombardi, head of school at FWCD, said of the project. “It will have a strong connection to our campus’s amazing outdoors, while also giving our faculty and students first-class spaces to inspire the highest level of elementary-appropriate learning.”

Funding for the work came from FWCD’s “Forward Together” Comprehensive Campaign, which helped raise $31 million from the community.

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Those risky old box cutters, featuring dangerous razor blades, are finally being upgraded to a better way of slicing through packing tape, reinforced tape, plastic wrapping and a variety of other packaging materials.

Prioritizing user safety without compromising performance, The Box Claw’s patented design features a carefully engineered retractable bladeless claw mechanism that efficiently grabs and slices through packaging tape. It allows for a controlled and secure cutting experience, while considerably reducing the risk of accidental injuries to users or damage to merchandise that sometimes happens with bladed box openers.

Ideal for use by both the lay person at home and professionals in commercial settings, the Box Claw also includes a welcome added feature and layer of versatility with its El Marko chiseled tip marker.

The permanent black chiseled tipped marker – located on the opposite end from the bladeless claw – is quick drying and smudge resistant and can be used on nearly all surfaces including wood, plastic, metal, concrete, leather and vinyl. The cap features a tight seal for a long-life and a built-in pocket clip for easy access.

C.H. Hanson

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RIVERSIDE, Calif.—Architect Solomon Cordwell Buenz and general contractor McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. are pressing forward on the $285 million North District Phase 2 Student Housing Development at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). The 424,000-square-foot project is meant to address a dearth of affordable housing at both UCR and the nearby Riverside Community College District (RCCD), which collectively have seen a tremendous increases in recent enrollment.

“We can’t solve all the problems that are challenges for students, but we can solve those two by bringing students to the campus, letting them live here, wear their UCR or RCC T-shirt, and just be part of the campus,” Kim Wilcox, chancellor of UCR, said of the project work. “It breaks down a barrier and, aside from the housing, it provides [students] with a different sense of themselves.”

The development will offer 429 single- and double-occupancy apartments ranging from one to four bedrooms. Each living unit will offer a kitchen and living room space, high-speed Wi-Fi and air conditioning. Communal spaces will include dedicated study areas as well as a café/market, recreational fields and a public park.

The project, funded partially by the State Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program, increases the number of available student beds at UCR and RCC to 1,568.

“The McCarthy team is proud to be part of this revolutionary project, which helps bridge the gap between larger universities and community colleges,” said Sarah Carr, vice president of McCarthy. “This housing development will provide affordable options that will enhance graduation rates not only for UCR students, but for Riverside City College students as well—a benefit to the entire community.”

Wolde-Ab Isaac, RCCD chancellor, added that this joint housing project “is meticulously and intentionally designed to break persistent cultural and psychological barriers that many of our first-generation and low-income students experience through a process of total immersion into the UC system.

“My hope is this unique partnership and innovative approach will serve as a model for others to emulate around the state.”

The first students are anticipated to commence moving into the North District Phase 2 Student Housing Development sometime in 2025.

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., the oldest privately held national construction company in the United States. Based in St. Louis, the general contracting firm operates from California locations including Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Jose, San Diego, Newport Beach and San Francisco. The firm, which is 100-percent employee-owned, is ranked the country’s 19th largest domestic building by ENR, and employs over 6,000 people.

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The partnership between Artaic and FilzFelt prioritizes sustainability, employing Artaic’s technology and mosaic manufacturing expertise to repurpose FilzFelt’s offcut felt. This leftover felt is reused to produce custom, artistic wallcoverings that effectively absorb sound.

To mark the Mosaik launch, FilzFelt introduces five designs by Boston-based designer Kelly Harris Smith. When creating these designs, Kelly found inspiration in both traditional textile patterns and the works of German textile artist Anni Albers. Her sound-absorbing collection features playful patterns that give a contemporary twist to the ancient art of mosaics. This marks Kelly Harris Smith’s fifth collaboration with FilzFelt.

FilzFelt

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BRONX, N.Y.—The Urban Dove Team II Charter School has opened its new transfer high school at 671 Prospect Avenue in the Woodstock section of the Bronx. Montroy DeMarco Architecture designed the school building’s renovation and expansion. Urban Dove is an innovative charter school focused on meeting the needs of students who are overage- and under-credited and off-track to graduate high school on schedule.

Urban Dove, established by Founder and Executive Director Jai Nanda, also operates a high school in Brooklyn, located at 1256 East 21st Street. The new school, named Urban Dove Team II Bronx, houses 300 students and 70 staff, who have relocated from a former location at 860 Forest Avenue in the Bronx.

The Bronx property owner Nivneh Capital Group/The Iconic Group and architect Montroy DeMarco Architecture (MDA) created the new campus for the charter school by combining, redeveloping, and expanding three adjacent commercial buildings within the Prospect Avenue site. Urban Dove rented the redeveloped property through a long-term lease and named it the Evan Leif Educational Campus in honor of one of the donors supporting the organization.

Nanda, a former teacher and basketball coach, recognized the positive impact team sports have on youth both inside and outside the classroom. He developed the Urban Dove program to utilize sports to teach at-risk teens the critical life skills needed to succeed. Two campuses are located in Brooklyn and in the Bronx.

“We have created a safe, supportive educational model that is successfully helping students get back on track to graduation,” said Nanda. “Our incredible students deserve an incredible facility, and we are so excited about this brand new, first class building where our students can continue to grow and learn. Montroy DeMarco Architecture designed a beautiful new school that will serve our Bronx students and faculty for years to come,” he added.

“The redevelopment included the gut rehabilitation of the adjoining three-story buildings and the addition of a fourth floor, to accommodate the needs of the growing school. We are very proud to include the Urban Dove Team Charter School among our tenants and to contribute to the improvement of the Woodstock neighborhood,” shared Hillel Fischman, Principal of The Iconic Group.

“This 39,000-square foot project combined three structures into one cohesive building that both meets the programmatic needs of Urban Dove and positively impacts the neighborhood by renovating previously underutilized buildings,” said Daniel Montroy, AIA, MDA Principal. “The three adjoining structures originally totaled 34,000 square feet, while the new fourth floor expansion added 5,000 square feet. A 1,900-square foot area on the street level is set aside for retail use,” he added.

Each Urban Dove student enrolls in a three-year personalized instructional program that leads to a high school diploma, develops job skills, and provides a foundation for higher education. Students spend 2.5 hours per day participating in sports, nutrition, and fitness activities that develop teamwork, healthy competition, and self-confidence. Coaches use sports to help students focus, manage emotions, and becomes positive members of a community.

The renovation and expansion project team also included structural engineer KPFF Consulting Engineers Inc., MEP engineer A&D Engineering LLP, and general contractor NY Major Construction & Development.

The school site consists of three adjacent buildings on Prospect Avenue, facing east between 152nd and 155th Streets that have been combined into one lot. The site is within a short walking distance of the Prospect Avenue and Jackson Avenue subway stations on the Number 2 and 5 lines and the Longwood Avenue station on the Number 6 line.

Constructed around 1915, the buildings have masonry facades, which have been revised and architecturally unified during the renovation. The center building is steel framed, while the flanking building have timber structures. Prior to the redevelopment, the front façade of the southern building had been substantially concealed with both stucco and cultured stone, and original terra cotta ornamentation has been covered with paint. However, the front façades of the other two buildings were in relatively good condition, although the street levels had been modified in the past with the addition of retail storefronts and some brick has been painted.

Windows on the second and third floors are framed with monumental brick pilasters and triple rowlock arch surrounds with ornamental terra cotta and brick keystones, which have been retained during the renovation. The project team also preserved original decorative insets of dogtooth courses framed with rowlock brick borders that provide visual interest between the third-floor windows. A projected brick frieze runs below the roofline. The façade is capped with a terra cotta band and open brickwork cornice.

Prior to the conversion into the school, the buildings had been occupied by a variety of commercial and manufacturing uses, including most recently a billiards café and laundromat on the street level, and a church and dance hall on the upper floors.

It was essential for the new plan to include a high school regulation size basketball court, dance studio, and weight room to address the athletics component of the curriculum as well as comfortable classrooms for academics. MDA has completely redesigned the buildings to meet these requirements.

Utilizing the features of the existing façade, the school’s street level main entrance is now located at the center of the combined and unified structure, within an existing terra cotta surround. A new stairway and elevator provide vertical access to the other floors. Offices and five classrooms are located on the street level, and the layout has been configured to accommodate the retail component occupying the northeast corner. A large dance and yoga studio, a weight room, and a cafeteria occupy a majority of the cellar, which also houses a staff lounge, nurse’s office, and support spaces.

Creating the basketball court required major renovation and structural redevelopment work. The court was built on the second floor in the northern portion of the building. In order to obtain enough floor space for the court, the demising wall between the central and north buildings was removed and a new partition wall was built to divide the court from the remainder of both floors. The third floor above the court has also been removed to provide the required 25-foot vertical clearance. KPFF designed wide span steel trusses above the court to carry the load of the new fourth floor and roof above.

The remainders of the second and third floors house a total of five classrooms and several offices. Vision panels in the third-floor corridor provide a view into the court below. A new fourth floor addition features five additional classrooms, offices, and bullpens. The addition was constructed with light gauge framing and clad with EIFS (external insulation finishing system).

The basketball court features a hardwood floor installed over sleepers and shock absorbers to provide player comfort and sports performance properties. Lights are high efficiency LED fixtures.

In addition to serving students and faculty, the building has also become an asset to the community, as Urban Dove has made the basketball court available for community use outside of school hours. In addition, the renovated front façade will create a focal point that will enliven this portion of Prospect Avenue.

Nivneh Capital Group, in collaboration with The Iconic Group, partnered on a mission to acquire, develop or redevelop, and operate a highly select and diverse portfolio of commercial, residential, and industrial rental properties in and around New York City. By focusing on well-situated land and underperforming structures of all use-groups, the two firms concentrate on providing these assets the operational expertise, attention, funding, and improvements they require to appreciate in value.

Based in New York City, Montroy DeMarco Architecture (MDA) is a prominent architecture and planning firm predominantly serving office, commercial, institutional, retail, multi-family, senior housing, and hospitality markets in the greater New York area. MDA’s affiliate Montroy Andersen DeMarco (MADGI) provides interior design services to commercial, institutional, and multi-family clients.

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HOLLISTER, Calif.—General contractor Blach Construction is hard at work on a new hub for student activity at San Benito High School District’s (SBHSD) Hollister High School, the tenth-largest high school in Northern California. When completed, the Student Union Building will serve as a public meeting space for nearly 4,000 students at the school, as well as offer amenities such as expanded food service capacity for the rapidly increasing student population, which is only 65 percent served via the school’s current facilities.

As designed by Aedis Architects, the 8,500-square-foot student union will be made of steel to ensure its durability. The steel design will also speed up the project buildout timeline and reduce construction costs.

The student union will be located at the heart of the school’s campus, thereby ensuring its prominent placement. Its completion will also help ensure that more than 90 percent of the student body will be provided with meals.

The recent groundbreaking for the new building was attended by personnel from SBHSD, as well as Speaker of the California State Assembly Robert Rivas, himself an alumnus of the district.

“We have enjoyed a trusted and collaborative partnership with San Benito High School District, delivering many innovative projects alongside Aedis for the betterment of Hollister High School and its surrounding community,” Blach Project Executive Brad Fannin said at the groundbreaking. “Building the new Student Union Building is particularly gratifying as it will enable all students to thrive at school, offering greater access to improved food service offerings and central gathering spaces.”

In a subsequent statement to School Construction News, Fannin said that the net-zero-ready campus is complemented with an adjacent main thoroughfare as well as placing utilities underground so as to be more welcoming and more congruent with the newer student union facility.

“This complex scenario requires high-level coordination with the local utilities, ultimately allowing the college to avoid the use of natural gas in its operation and saving the district critical funds,” Fannin said. “Gavilan’s new campus in Hollister will be well-situated to offset its energy usage with a solar array or other renewable energy system.”

The project is partially funded by the state and is expected to be ready for this fall. Blach and Aedis previously delivered a Science and Robotics Lab for the HHS campus, as well as several athletic facilities and a visual arts performance building too.

“Our new Student Union is a marquee project for the community that will further enhance our Hollister High School campus and, more importantly, positively impact the needs of our expanding student body,” SBHSD Superintendent Shawn Tennenbaum said of the work. “Once complete, it will offer students new and centralized areas to meet, collaborate and study while enabling us to increase our crucial food service offerings.”

Blach Construction was founded in 1970, and its work in educational construction is well known throughout the Golden State.

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