DMR has been awarded two new school design-build projects in West New York and Elizabeth, marking another major milestone in the firm’s expanding design-build portfolio. DMR was selected in partnership with the Terminal Construction Corporation for both of these projects and is working under the oversight of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (NJSDA), which manages the program. The news comes after the successful September openings of DMR’s most recent design-build projects in Wood-Ridge and Bayonne.
The new Elizabeth school is a $76.8 million investment and will serve more than 900 students throughout 142,000 SF and is one of the largest of its kind in the city. The new facility will include seven pre-kindergarten classrooms; six kindergarten classrooms; six self-contained special education classrooms; 22 general classrooms for grades 1-5; nine general classrooms for grades 6-8; one resource room; five small group instruction rooms; three science classrooms; and dedicated space for vocal music, art and a media center with a makerspace. The project is expected to be completed in 2028.
The new West New York project is 162,000 SF middle school for grades 6–8, representing a $92 million investment that will serve approximately 875 students. The new facility will include 30 general classrooms, six science labs, multiple science prep rooms, dedicated art rooms, and a wide range of specialized learning and student-support spaces designed to offer a modern, flexible, and technology-forward educational environment. The project is expected to be completed in 2028.
This project follows two successful design-build school completions by DMR, both of which opened in September 2025.
- The Hudson County Schools of Technology Craig Guy Center at Bayonne High School, a 20,000 SF, $24 million vocational center with culinary labs and fabrication shops tailored for career and technical education.
- Highland Avenue Learning Annex & Recreation Center in Wood-Ridge, a 56,500 SF addition and 44,000 SF renovation to the existing Doyle School that addressed enrollment growth with new classrooms, flexible learning spaces, and support facilities.
Together, these four projects reflect how the design-build model is being used to reduce delays, improve cost certainty, and unify design and construction under a single contract.
“Design-build allows us to accelerate the entire process in ways traditional delivery can’t,” said Pradeep Kapoor, AIA. “With tight timelines, we’re often able to begin critical-path construction months earlier because design and construction happen in parallel. That level of coordination and responsiveness is key when you’re building schools for growing communities.”
“Our priority was to deliver a high-quality facility on a timeline that aligned with our community’s needs,” said Mayor Paul Sarlo of Wood-Ridge. “The design-build approach allowed us to move faster and stay coordinated throughout the process, which was essential for a project of this scale. The new Highland Avenue Learning Annex and Recreation Center has already had a positive impact on our district.”
“The design-build process is efficient because everyone is working toward the same goal from the start,” said Donald N. Dinallo, President & CEO of Terminal Construction Corporation. “When you are side by side with an architect like DMR, the workflow becomes even smoother. Decisions are faster, challenges are resolved quickly, and the whole project benefits.”
Design-build was made more accessible to public agencies in New Jersey following the Design-Build Construction Services Procurement Act of 2021, which allows municipalities and other government bodies to pursue this model for projects over $5 million. The legislation has helped create more flexibility to help meet tight timelines and evolving student needs.
