municipalbuildingdesign

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.

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.

DMR joined Montgomery Mayor Devra Keenan, local and county officials to open the new DMR Architects-designed Montgomery Municipal Center on June 16.

DMR designed the 62,500 square foot building through a collaborative approach that included the input of more than 200 local residents.  The result is a contemporary style that connects the building to its natural surroundings through the use of similar wood materials, glass walls, stone flooring, and zinc cladding on the façade.

It will be the new home for municipal offices, the police department, council chambers and an additional branch of the Somerset County Library System, and also includes gallery space for displaying community artwork and items of historical and cultural importance.

“The new municipal center has been designed to serve as a community gathering place, something that our community has long sought, and which has proven even more essential after two years of the pandemic,” said Montgomery Mayor Devra Keenan.

“Its rare that we get to work with residents in addition to both county and municipal leaders on a project, but 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,” said Pradeep Kapoor, AIA, LEED AP BD+C.

On Jan. 29 the Borough of Ridgefield and many local dignitaries broke ground on the new DMR Architects-designed municipal complex to be located on Shaler Blvd.

The 27,000 square foot building will be across from the Ridgefield Nature Center and adjacent to the Ridgefield Community Center and will house the borough’s administrative offices, municipal/court chamber, and the police and building departments. The new municipal complex 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 will be constructed with energy efficient materials and technologies and will include a new streetscape and a pocket gathering spot at the corner of Shaler Blvd. and Slocum Ave. The new location strategically anchors the project to the Shaler Blvd. commercial zone, facilitating economic development and providing proximity to the community center.  This facility will replace the existing Borough Hall, which is plagued by inefficiencies.

“This project will address the borough’s needs for a modern, safe and ADA-compliant facility, gratify residents with a new asset to the community, and serve as a bookend anchor of the Shaler Ave. downtown that we are seeking to improve and expand,” said Mayor Anthony Suarez.

“Ridgefield’s governing body has long recognized that it made economic sense to develop and construct a new municipal complex rather than continuing to put tax payer money into a facility that has outlived its useful life,” said Charles H. Sarlo, Esq.  “The mayor and council directed us to be creative in the procurement process so that quality entities could submit proposals to redevelop the borough-owned property for a public use. We’re now witnessing the commencement of the last phase of this process and the next milestone will be to celebrate the opening of this asset with the public.”

Pictured above, Ridgefield Mayor Anthony Suarez was joined by local and state officials to break ground on new DMR-designed municipal complex. From left to right: Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese; Bergen County Commissioner Ramon M. Hache, Sr.; Bergen County Commissioner Mary J. Amoroso; Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton; Bergen County Commissioner Germaine M. Ortiz; Ridgefield Borough Administrator Ray Ramirez; Ridgefield Councilman Hugo Jimenez; Ridgefield Councilman James Kontolios; Ridgefield Council President Russell Castelli; Ridgefield Mayor Anthony Suarez; Ridgefield Councilman Ray Penabad; Ridgefield Councilwoman Lauren Larkin; Borough Attorney Stephen F. Pellino, Esq.; Bergen County Board of Commissioners Chairman Steven Tanelli; Bergen County Board of Commissioners Vice Chairwoman Tracy Zur; Bergen County Improvement Authority Executive Director Mauro Raguseo; DMR Architects Project Manager Janet Pini; and DMR Architects General Counsel and Partner Charles H. Sarlo, Esq.

On Oct. 15, the Township of Montgomery broke ground on the DMR-designed new municipal center, designed to reflect the history and identity of Montgomery Township residents while addressing its current and future civic needs.  It will be the new home for municipal offices, the police department, council chambers and a branch of the Somerset County Library System.

DMR’s plans for the 62,500 square foot municipal center were created after a unique collaborative approach that included input from more than 200 residents in addition to Montgomery Township and Somerset County officials, and embrace a contemporary style with spaces for community artwork and items of historical and cultural importance.

“It is exciting for the entire Montgomery community to begin construction on a new municipal center and library that will serve our community for generations to come,” said Montgomery Mayor Sadaf Jaffer, speaking on behalf of the Twp. Committee.  “I am so thankful to all the elected officials, professionals, and community members who worked on this project and ensured that it will be a beautiful representation of our diverse history and community.”

The new facility will offer seamless transitions between the interior and exterior through aesthetic touches such as the utilization of the same wood materials for columns supporting the exterior colonnade inside the library, glass wall dividers where appropriate to allow for transparency and emphasize connection, and stone floors and counters inside that reflect the zinc cladding used on the building’s façade.

“It is refreshing to work with a group of elected and civic leaders who take such pride in their community, and we’ve enjoyed creatively interpreting their functional and aesthetic needs,” said Pradeep Kapoor, AIA.  “It continues to be an honor to work with The Somerset County Improvement Authority and Montgomery Township.”

The entire building is ADA accessible and will be built to LEED standards with a roof that allows for the future installation of solar panels.  The grounds of the 45-acre complex will preserve the view from Rt. 206 with multiple green spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy, out-of-doors meeting places, a rain garden and an outdoor event space.  Additionally, the parking lot will feature multiple EV charging.

“This project shows how well local and county government can work together, providing state of the art municipal offices and innovative library services that will benefit the community for decades,” said Freeholder Melonie Marano, who serves as a liaison to both the Somerset County Improvement Authority (SCIA) and Somerset County Library System.  “This is truly a joint effort, with Somerset County Improvement authority financing helping build a municipal complex for Montgomery businesses and families that will house a library for residents here and in surrounding communities to enjoy.”