On Nov. 6, DMR joined Mayor Anthony Suarez, the Ridgefield Borough Council, local dignitaries and residents for a ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration, including entertainment, refreshments and tours of the new 27,000 SF municipal building.
State, county, and municipal leaders in attendance included Senator Paul A. Sarlo, Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco and Commissioners Mary Amoroso, Ramon Hache, Germaine Ortiz, Thomas Sullivan, and Tracy Zur, among many others.
The DMR-designed facility is a welcoming gathering place, in addition to functioning as the new home for the borough’s administrative offices, municipal/court chamber, and the police and building departments.
“We’re excited to replace the old building which was plagued by inefficiencies with this new complex. It’s modern, safe and ADA-compliant, and will be the location for many more community activities like today’s celebration,” said Mayor Anthony Suarez. “DMR has delivered a new asset to our community that will help grow our downtown district.”
“We took a comprehensive approach to determining the best location, design, and materials for the Borough’s new municipal complex to ensure that the final work product fulfilled the functional needs in a way which was welcoming to community members,” said Charles H. Sarlo, Esq. “In addition, we developed an innovative delivery method to ensure that the Borough would be the recipient of the best value and quality.”
“As municipalities have outgrown the size and technical capabilities of their facilities, which were built in the 50’s and 60’s, there is the opportunity for municipalities to use the development of new municipal complexes as points of pride and centers for community interaction rather than just a unitarian facility.”
The new complex is across from the Ridgefield Nature Center and adjacent to the Ridgefield Community Center. It was designed to symbiotically coexist with its natural surroundings, incorporating the land’s topographic gradation and maintaining the nearby Wolf Creek tree buffer.
The complex was constructed with energy efficient materials and technologies and includes a new streetscape and a pocket gathering spot at the corner of Shaler Blvd. and Slocum Ave.
Pictured above: Charles H. Sarlo, Esq., General Counsel, Partner for DMR Architects; Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese; Senator Paul A, Sarlo; Commissioner Thomas
Sullivan; Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco; Commissioner Tracy Zur; Commissioner Germaine Ortiz; Commissioner Ramon Hache. Front Row: Councilman Craig Dorsett; Councilman James Kontolios; Council President Russell Castelli; (hidden Fire Chief John Hoffman); Councilman Hugo Jimenez; Police Chief Thomas Gallagher; Councilwoman Lauren Larkin; Mayor Anthony Suarez; Commissioner Mary Amoroso.
