municipal

DMR Architects’ is reponsible for municipal projects that have had great impacts on their communities.

The exterior of the Ridgefield Municipal Complex.

Multiple Practice Areas Help Ridgefield Rewrite Script on Providing Municipal Services

Multiple Practice Areas Help Ridgefield Rewrite Script on Providing Municipal Services 789 444 DMR Architects

The new 27,000 SF municipal building at Shaler Blvd. and Slocum Ave. is the next chapter of Ridgefield’s reinvention story with co-author DMR Architects providing a holistic program integrating innovative planning, public project procurement, architecture, and development practices.

The new municipal building now houses the borough’s administrative offices, municipal/court chamber, and the police and building departments. The move also paved the way for the sale of the former Borough Hall, which will galvanize the Borough’s main thoroughfare through new development.

“While the need for a new Borough Hall was obvious the real challenge came in developing a unique procurement program to meet the Borough’s goals,” said Charles H. Sarlo, Esq. “DMR may be the only architecture firm in New Jersey that is structured to address what was a complex set of issues that included concerns over controlling construction costs and a due diligence process that quickly narrowed prospective locations.”

Multiple practice areas within the DMR umbrella including planners, designers, and attorneys began work in 2018 with a feasibility study of two municipally-owned properties with potential for a new development.

Ease of access, traffic, parking, size, environmental issues and the opportunity to create a public facility hub were all assessed, arriving at the ultimate solution of a site on Shaler Blvd. across from the Ridgefield Nature Center and adjacent to the Ridgefield Community Center.

DMR’s team saw the project from multiple vantage points revealing a cohesive solution for a new right-sized, municipal complex as well as assessing new uses for the former Borough Hall location that will bring in rateables and generate street-level activation in a walkable area of town.  The former Borough Hall site is in the process of being sold, creating financial resources to offset the cost of the new building.

“The corner of Shaler Blvd. and Slocum Ave. also made it a natural connection point to five acres of passive recreational space and walking trails located directly across the street,” said Janet Pini, AIA.  “The complex was constructed with energy efficient materials and technologies, and design inspiration from its location.  An expanse of windows across the back feels like an uninterrupted flow between the complex’s interior and its surrounding topography including the nearby Wolf Creek tree buffer.”

DMR assisted the municipality in having the new Borough Hall site designated as an area-in-need-of-redevelopment, providing the framework to allow greater flexibility in the procurement process.  This approach also allowed the Borough to balance risk exposure and manage project quality and costs through an alternative method rather than utilizing the traditional local public contracts law. This strategy allowed it to engage redevelopers on a maximum-cost basis that eliminated the possibility of cost over-runs while encouraging efficiency through collaboration between the architects and contractors.

The front cover of the Prospect Park Community Energy Plan report.

Prospect Park Becomes First NJ Municipality to Adopt Community Energy Plan

Prospect Park Becomes First NJ Municipality to Adopt Community Energy Plan 789 444 DMR Architects

Prospect Park in Passaic County has become the first municipality to adopt a Community Energy Plan under the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) and Sustainable Jersey Clean Energy Grant Program, an effort to align with The State’s Energy Master Plan, the roadmap to reaching Governor Murphy’s goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050.

The borough used its $25,000 grant to retain DMR to prepare the plan, which identifies more than two dozen initiatives that Prospect Park will implement within a five-year period, including:

  • Installing renewable energy sources, energy storage, and public EV charging stations on municipal properties, and improving energy efficiency of municipal buildings;
  • Creating opportunities for community solar programs that allow the public to purchase solar energy from off-site sources, with an emphasis on availability and affordability for low- and moderate-income households;
  • Outreach campaigns to increase resident and business participation in incentive programs offered by the state, federal government and utilities like PSE&G to transition to electric vehicles, make energy efficient improvements and install solar and other forms of renewable energy;
  • Replace older borough fleet vehicles with newer, preferably electric alternatives, and adopt fuel efficient fleet vehicle management practices;
  • Make energy planning inclusive of low- and moderate-income and non-English speaking households;
  • Adopt zoning and regulatory language that permits renewable energy production and energy storage.

“We applaud Mayor Khairullah and the Prospect Park council for recognizing the role that reducing carbon-based energy sources plays in the overall health and wellbeing of everyone who lives and works in Prospect Park,” said Tracey Woods, Energy Program Manager for Sustainable Jersey. “Their commitment to change shows that any municipality can address climate change in a meaningful way.”

“This is the next step for us toward making more clean energy sources available and reducing GHG emissions,” said Mayor Mohamed T. Khairullah.  “We had a public reading of the plan earlier this month and there was overwhelming support from our residents and businesses.”

“There are state-level grants, tax credits from the Federal Inflation Reduction Act, and incentives through utility companies available right now making it the ideal time for municipalities to create Community Energy Plans,” said Daniel Hauben, PP, AICP, LEED Green Associate. “As planners committed to building healthier and more affordable communities, our team at DMR is equipped to guide our municipal clients through the resources that are available to them now.”

In June 2022 NJBPU approved $820,000 in grants to 46 municipalities to create Community Energy Plans to combat climate change.  Prospect Park was one of only 24 designated as overburdened and eligible for $25,000.

Ridgefield Municipal Complex exterior and the author's photo.

Creative Land Arrangements Power Long-Awaited Projects

Creative Land Arrangements Power Long-Awaited Projects 1633 925 DMR Architects

by Charles H. Sarlo, Esq.

Some of the best untapped development opportunities may be held by municipalities whose well-located but outdated schools and administrative buildings can be relocated, unlocking value that can be then used to finance new facilities elsewhere.

DMR has had an up-close view of municipal innovation in two recent situations that solved the problem of locating and financing much-needed reinvention of public buildings without undue pressure on the tax base. In New Brunswick, an antiquated elementary school became the site of a new cancer center for RWJBarnabas Medical Center and Rutgers Cancer Institute, with a new school developed on another city-owned site featuring modern educational resources and functionality that the old building could never accommodate.

In addition to addressing rapidly evolving educational needs, the New Brunswick program had at its heart two dynamics that are dominating the current real estate landscape: the boom in healthcare-oriented development that pushed RWJBarnabas Health, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, to create a new facility for cancer treatment; and the massive pressure to repurpose and scale-up sites in the face of downtown redevelopment.

In Ridgefield leadership declared its former Borough Hall site on Broad Avenue as an area in need of redevelopment to facilitate a sale, and constructed a brand-new municipal complex on property it already owned that offered superior access and parking. Here the requirement was for municipal services and public safety rather than education, but the driving economic concepts were the same, albeit on a smaller scale in terms of the project itself and the community in which it sits.

Each site represented interesting challenges, and each found their solution in an unusual place: Ridgefield was a perfect match for alternatives to the traditional municipal bidding process, resulting in it contracting for a fixed-price that greatly reduced its risk. And New Brunswick had DEVCO, the City’s vaunted redevelopment resource, at its disposal for both financial and planning solutions.

While residents can sometimes have sentimental feelings about municipal buildings, in both these cases when my colleagues at DMR dug just below the surface, we found that their occupants were eager to trade into something more modern and that there would be no meaningful resistance to moving from within. That tells an important story: that pragmatism about getting the job done overcomes sentimentality among the user-constituents, and once the fiscal and productivity story is told, civil servants and residents alike quickly get on board with making a change.

As schools, police stations, city halls, parking facilities, public works depots and municipal garages age out of their relevance, and as renovation costs continue to be nearly as high as constructing new facilities, we expect to see more of our municipal clients not only updating their facilities, but also turning into the next generation of insightful real estate developers.

The exterior of the Montgomery Municipal Center includes an abundance of heavy timber, meant to honor the township's agricultural history.

Montgomery Municipal Center, Fueled by Robust Community Input, Reflects History and Identity

Montgomery Municipal Center, Fueled by Robust Community Input, Reflects History and Identity 789 444 DMR Architects

DMR Architects conceived the design for the new Montgomery Municipal Center to reflect the township’s identity as a close-knit suburban community with deep agricultural roots while providing a state-of-the-art facility that will serve the future needs of the community and administration.

The 62,000 SF building opened last summer delivering offices for Montgomery Township’s police headquarters and administration, a new branch of the Somerset County Library System, and the council chambers arranged around a central common public lobby.

It is unique in not only its design, hearkening back to old barns and farm structures, but also in its purposes and function, with connected spaces for municipal, library and community programs under one roof. The project was borne from a collaborative approach that included input from municipal and county voices, as well as more than 200 residents.

“The new municipal center has been planned to serve as a community gathering place, something that the township has long sought,” said Montgomery Mayor Devra Keenan.  “This is not just a building to us; it is a representation of Montgomery’s collaborative spirit and pride of place.”

The design takes cues from agrarian architecture with contemporary material choices, seen through the gable roof, stone exterior, metal roofing, wood siding, heavy timber canopies and abundance of glass. The result reflected the collective pride of Montgomery’s elected officials and residents so effectively that the building design was incorporated into an updated municipal seal.

“There is a distinct shift in attitudes away from building utilitarian municipal facilities that are seen as a place people ‘have to go to’. Trends are moving toward providing residents with a location that is more welcoming and engaging to the community,” said Kurt Vierheilig, AIA, LEED AP BD+C. “It’s important to a project’s success to work in unison with residents, county and municipal leaders. The spirit of collaboration was strong at all levels and the final product is something we are all proud of and that will be used for many generations.”

With aid of Grant Funding, $24M of Library Projects are set to Begin

With aid of Grant Funding, $24M of Library Projects are set to Begin 789 444 DMR Architects

Aided through a 50% funding match by the first round of funding of the Library Construction Bond Act, authorized in November 2020, library projects in Roselle, Freehold and Montgomery, improvements that represent a total estimated construction cost of $24 million, are set to begin in 2021. The projects will address critical building upgrades and support modern technological improvements to these community fixtures.

In the Borough of Freehold, funding will support a nearly $2 million project at the Freehold Public Library, an original Carnegie Library. Since its construction in 1904, the building has gone through minimal renovations, with many of the original design elements now aging and in need of repair or not suitable for the library’s current needs. As part of this project, a wheelchair accessible ramp and lift and ADA-accessible bathrooms will be added, and aging building elements such as a new roof and improved HVAC systems will be addressed.

In the Borough of Roselle, $5.5 million of funding will help fuel an $11 million renovation and addition. While the resources and needs of the library have expanded greatly since it was constructed in 1938, the limited size and antiquated design of the facility has made it difficult to keep up with modern demands. The 15,400 SF, two-story addition will allow the library to expand its programs and resources, and will include a new youth services section, with both teen and children’s zones, a program room and study rooms. The renovations to the existing facility will address ADA improvements.

In the Township of Montgomery, a new library branch, part of the Somerset County Library System, will be part of the new municipal center, also designed by DMR. $5.4 million from the bond act will support the 20,000 SF library which will include small study rooms, a conference room, a children’s section, a lounge area for parents and casual readers, a sound proof studio for podcasting and recordings and lockers outside for after-hours pick-up of books via a code sent to a mobile phone or device.

DMR assisted each municipality in the grant application for these projects.

Monmouth County Breaks Ground on Security Vestibule

Monmouth County Breaks Ground on Security Vestibule 789 444 DMR Architects

Construction for the West Wing Security Vestibule addition to the Monmouth County Courthouse, designed by DMR Architects, began last month following a groundbreaking ceremony in Freehold Borough.

DMR Architects designed the 3,400 square foot screening area to address modern security equipment and measures that the existing facility, built in 1954, could not accommodate.  It will be used as the lone entryway for all employees and visitors to the building, replacing the courthouse’s previously- used East and West wing entrance hallways.

DMR’s design supports easy sightlines, an intuitive and efficient queuing system, ample space for machines including metal detectors and up to four x-ray machines, and technological upgrades with access to restricted areas and video monitoring systems.

“By investing in the space and technology required to support the most sophisticated safety protocols available today, Monmouth County is demonstrating its commitment to the safety of all those who work in the County courthouse and the hundreds that visit daily,” said Lloyd A. Rosenberg, AIA.  “We’re honored to provide the infrastructure that will allow Monmouth County’s judicial machine to continue running effectively.”

In addition to the construction of the West Wing Security Vestibule, the project provides for the reconstruction of the East Wing main entrance stairs, landing and handrails, along with the restoration of additional exterior entrance stairs throughout the building. All improvements will comply with standards enumerated in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“It was important to address the practical needs of the county while seamlessly integrating the new addition with the aesthetic of the original Courthouse,” said Kurt Vierheilig, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Director of Design and Partner at DMR Architects. “The new security Vestibule will be the new public lobby to the Courthouse, expressing an appropriate Civic presence with its modern exterior design, while improving the efficiency and safety of security screening and interior circulation.”

The Monmouth County West Wing Security Vestibule is one of hundreds of municipal buildings that DMR has designed in New Jersey, and one of ten municipal projects either recently completed or currently underway.

Mellone – Mariniello Recreation Center Opens

Mellone – Mariniello Recreation Center Opens 789 444 DMR Architects

Today marks the first day of programs at the Mellone – Mariniello (M&M) Recreation Center in Hackensack, giving residents access to a recent redesign and expansion that addresses the community’s need for current athletic, meeting and activity space.

The project took an existing 8,000 square foot building and renovated and expanded the facility into a 22,000 square foot facility that now includes an expanded 400-seat basketball arena, a new senior center, a new lobby and three multipurpose rooms.

“DMR’s plans will allow us to host more athletic team practices and games, offer parents an after-school program for their elementary and middle school-aged kids, and give retired seniors a better location for classes and activities,” Mayor John Labrosse said.

“The 21st century community center is a destination where people can often spend several hours meeting with friends, learning new skills, and enjoying team sports all in one place,” said Lloyd A. Rosenberg, AIA. “Places like Hackensack are rethinking their current recreation spaces, not just for its residents’ needs now, but with flexibility to continue to meet these needs over the next generation of users.”

The facility also offers community meeting and classroom spaces, new restroom facilities, a snack bar, storage area, and an office for the center’s administration.

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