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Top design features hypersonic jets, vertical takeoff, and public transportation elements

(PRWEB) February 21, 2012

After reviewing 200 innovative student submissions from around the world, Fentress Architects is excited to announce the winning designs for the 2011 Fentress Global Challenge, an international competition launched last fall for architecture and engineering students to present their visions for the Airport of the Future. Expert jury members narrowed the submittals to 16 finalists, and then to the top three with two honorable mentions. Designs were evaluated on Creative Approach, Response to Site, Sustainability and Functionality.

1ST PLACE

Concept: LDN Delta Airport

Student: Oliver Andrew

University: London South Bank University, London

2nd PLACE

Concept: The Airport of the Future

Student: Martin Sztyk

University: University College London, London

3RD PLACE

Concept: Pocket Airports

Student: Alexander Nevarez

University: Art Center College of Design, United States

Honorable Mention

Concept: Aero-Loop        

Student: Thor Yi Chun

University: University of Science of Malaysia

Honorable Mention

Concept: New Arcticity

Student: Daniel Kang

University: National Taiwan University of Science

FENTRESS GLOBAL CHALLENGE JURY                                                                                        

G. Hardy Acree, Airport Director, Sacramento International Airport                                            

Marvin Malecha, FAIA, Dean of the College of Design, North Carolina State University                                

Helen Norman, Editor, Passenger Terminal World                                                                                

Tibbie Dunbar, Executive Director, Architecture + Design Museum                                                                

James P. Cramer, Hon AIA, Hon IIDA, Cofounder & Chairman, Design Futures Council                                

Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, Principal-in-Charge of Design, Fentress Architects

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: LDN Delta Airport

DESCRIPTION: The LDN Delta Airport is designed as prefabricated, mass-produced islands situated in the Thames Estuary, upstream from London. The airport would ease the overcrowding of the surrounding airports as there are no cars, runways, nor check-in desks, but is served solely via public transportation. Flight information is connected through passengers’ cell phones, providing the departure time and assigned gate. The airport supports vertical takeoff with hypersonic jets capable of flying at the edge of space, lifting off from purpose-built landing pads and uses the tidal currents to run on total sustainable power.

JURY COMMENTS

“This airport proposed two vital elements: unmanned aerial vehicle elements, since future aircraft will rely heavily on technology to control airline cost, and vertical takeoff and landing capability, which reduce the airport landmass footprint.” — Acree

“LDN Delta Airport takes into consideration new technologies with the use of GPS and smart phone technology. It connects to land through public transport, good for inter-modality and the environment, as less people are using their cars.” — Norman

“The connection to a meditation landscape to ease the tensions of travelers is exactly what is needed. Also, flotation devices solve a combination of environmental and urban design concerns.” — Malecha

“The LDN Delta Airport demonstrates innovative and ecological solutions all combined with human scale and user delight in an urban setting.” — Cramer

“This student’s approach captured the challenging elements necessary for a successful airport in the future, including multimodal transportation, conscientious design, and social considerations.” — Fentress

A Word with Fentress Global Challenge Grand-Prize Winner Oliver Andrew

"Taking part in this competition has been fantastic from the moment I read the brief to the moment I put pencil to paper. I spent many long nights sketching and thinking the concept through, in order to create something innovative and revolutionary in airport design. My concept goes beyond today’s airport design to propose a pioneering ecological solution for the future," said Andrew. “A competition at this level is a real honor. I look forward to working with everyone at Fentress Architects."

2nd PLACE: The Airport of the Future     

DESCRIPTION: In the Airport of the Future, algae farms produce biofuel for aircrafts and the airport facility, which can be processed by neighboring oil refineries.    

JURY COMMENTS        

“The airport of the future shows how a self-sustaining concept can become ubiquitous with broad implications for seaside developments.” — Cramer

“This is a strong scheme with vital emotional and intellectual connections to the land. The drawings present an elegant structure that has the ability to grow and change; open spaces complement architecture that seems to sit easily on its landscape.”— Malecha

"I was thrilled to have received 2nd place, let alone being shortlisted for this competition."—Second Place Winner Martin Sztyk

3RD PLACE: Pocket Airports

DESCRIPTION: Pocket airports created a new aircraft, integrating quiet electric propulsion, supersonic speeds, and vertical takeoff/landing capability.

JURY COMMENTS

“The airport uses existing infrastructure within a city for the airport--a good approach where cities have a lot of derelict buildings, as it encourages regeneration.” — Norman

“This is a strong vision of what aviation could look like 150 years from now. By utilizing existing structures, this student improves passenger experience, allows faster travel time, and frees up valuable land to be used for other purposes.” — Fentress

“To be considered among the future up and coming designers and architects, gives me a great sense of personal satisfaction and accomplishment.” — Third Place Winner Alexander Nevarez

Oliver will be awarded the top prize valued at $10,000, including $3,000 cash and a paid internship at Fentress Architects this summer. The runner-up and third place winner will receive cash awards of $1,000 and $500 respectively. The top 16 finalist designs will also gain international exposure in the traveling exhibition Now Boarding: Fentress Airports + The Architecture of Flight, which provides a multi-media journey through the past, present and future of airport design. The exhibit debuts on July 15, 2012 at the Denver Art Museum. Visit http://www.fentressarchitects.com/aof for more about the competition and http://www.nowboarding.org/ for information about the Now Boarding museum exhibition.

Fentress Architects is a global design firm that passionately pursues the creation of sustainable and iconic architecture. Together with their clients, Fentress creates inspired design to improve the human environment. Founded by Curtis Fentress in 1980, the firm has designed US$26 billion of architectural projects worldwide, visited by over 300 million people each year. Fentress is a dynamic learning organization, driven to grow its ability to design, innovate and exceed client expectations. The firm has been honored with over 385 distinctions for design excellence and innovation, and in 2010, Curtis Fentress was recognized by the American Institute of Architects with the most prestigious award for public architecture, the Thomas Jefferson Award. Fentress has studios in Denver, Colorado; Los Angeles, California; San Jose, California; Washington, D.C.; and London, U.K. http://www.fentressarchitects.com

Please contact Angela Potrykus at 303.282.6192 or Potrykus(at)fentressarchitects(dot)com for additional images, jury comments or other information.

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Angela Potrykus, PR
Fentress Architects
303-282-6192
Email Information

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Fentress Architects Unveils Winning Student Designs for Airport of the Future

The Golf Course Design Architects industry was hit hard by the recession as golf courses drew fewer customers. In addition, the overbuilding of golf courses during the 1980s and 1990s left industry firms with little to design as the demand for golf decreased. However, more people are expected to hit the links in the coming five years, which will boost demand for golf courses, and in turn, demand for industry services. For these reasons, industry research firm IBISWorld has added a report on the Golf Course Design Architects industry to its growing industry report collection.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) February 21, 2012

The number of golf course projects declined since 2007, when the subprime mortgage crisis compressed investor assets and, therefore, resulted in a pause in construction. A weak recovery from the ensuing Great Recession has limited opportunities for the Golf Course Design Architects industry. IBISWorld estimates industry revenue will decline at a 3.5% annualized pace in the five years to 2012; this including a 4.7% rebound in 2012 to $163.3 million. According to IBISWorld industry analyst Agata Kaczanowska, due to stalls in business since 2007, employment fell at an average annual rate of 1.8% to 1,613 employees as companies cut costs through layoffs. Nonetheless the number of businesses in the industry increased at an annualized rate of 1.4% in the past five years to total 1,406 in 2012. This increase in firms resulted primarily from growth in the number of non-employers, as some laid-off employees established their own businesses in the same field because it is so specialized. Unfortunately for these companies, more firms bidding on fewer projects boosted competition for golf course design architects, even on smaller contracts. More bids per project forced prices down, squeezing average industry profit.

Demand for new courses is expected to decline due to a sustained drop in golf participation. According to the National Sporting Goods Association the number of people who golfed more than once during 2010 was 21.9 million, down from 25.6 million in 2008 and 26.4 million in 2000 (most recent data available). “As many golf courses continue to demand smaller projects in the next five years because the market for new golf courses is saturated, golf course managers are anticipated to hire independent architects as opposed to larger design firms, which are usually more expensive,” says Kaczanowska. Consequently growth in the number of firms in the Golf Course Design Architects industry is forecast to exceed employment increases in the next five years as well. Resumed contracts from before the Great Recession are forecast to generate substantial revenue gains for the industry. However, the industry is expected to rebound slowly in the next five years because of limited demand from golf courses and country clubs.

This industry has a medium level of market share concentration. This industry is characterized by many small-scale operators, often individual proprietors and partners that operate in narrow geographic markets. The majority of establishments do not have a payroll. A large percentage of industry participants are sole proprietors that rely on subcontracted labor on a per project basis, or are hired to join construction teams made up of other specialized designers and architects. Most employer firms are two-person enterprises in 2012. For more information, visit IBISWorld’s Golf Course Design Architects report in the US industry page.

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IBISWorld industry Report Key Topics

This industry plans and designs land developments for golf courses by applying knowledge of land characteristics with the game of golf. Golf course design firms also renovate and remodel existing golf courses.

Industry Performance

Executive Summary

Key External Drivers

Current Performance

Industry Outlook

Industry Life Cycle

Products & Markets

Supply Chain

Products & Services

Major Markets

Globalization & Trade

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About IBISWorld Inc.

Recognized as the nation’s most trusted independent source of industry and market research, IBISWorld offers a comprehensive database of unique information and analysis on every US industry. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, the company equips clients with the insight necessary to make better business decisions. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IBISWorld serves a range of business, professional service and government organizations through more than 10 locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.ibisworld.com or call 1-800-330-3772.

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Gavin Smith
IBISWorld
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Golf Course Design Architects in the US Industry Market Research Report Now Available From IBISWorld

By Eliot Brown

Here’s a sign that the wounds in the construction sector may be slowly on the mend: Architects are working more.

For three straight months now, the Architecture Billings Index ? a measure from the American Institute of Architects ? has shown slight increases in work levels at architectural firms, with the latest figures showing a score in January of 50.9, compared with 51.0 in December. (Above 50 means work levels go up; below means they went down).

Of course, architectural work doesn?t always translate into new construction. But the index tends to provide a decent lens into the mood of the real estate world, and an increase may lay the groundwork for new construction projects months down the road.

The upward tick comes after what was generally a tough year in 2011, as governments and developers steered clear of much new development.

Broken down by types of work, architects working on apartment buildings registered a slightly greater increase in work than others, with a score for the past three months of 52.6.

One can likely expect this to continue: with empty rental apartments continuing to fill up as home-ownership rates drop, the multifamily sector has been the best-performing area of the commercial real estate world, and few analysts expect it to reverse course anytime soon.

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Architects See Glimmers of Hope for New Construction

This artist’s rendering shows what the Infusion Technology Center will look like when it is completed in Innovation Square. (Submitted by Trimark Properties)

Published: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 5:59 p.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 5:59 p.m.

The Infusion Technology Center is one step closer to starting construction at Innovation Square at the former Shands AGH site.

Front Street Commercial Real Estate Group of Gainesville was recently appointed as the property’s exclusive broker. Managing Director Nick Banks said they are looking to fill the space with biomedical and high-tech companies. The center also will need businesses such as law firms to provide in-house services, and retail outlets and restaurants to lease the ground floor.

Banks said he hopes to start signing contracts in the next 30 to 45 days, and construction is planned to start late this year.

“It’s very exciting,” he said. “There’s so much momentum behind this project.”

The 150,000-square-foot building is the first private development in Innovation Square. It will be next to the Florida Innovation Hub at UF, an incubator for technology-based start-ups. It is hoped that workers at the two buildings will collaborate.

“We envision that it is likely when they (the start-ups) do graduate that many will go right next door to the Infusion Technology Center,” said Jane Muir, director of the Innovation Hub.

Trimark Properties, developer of the Infusion Technology Center, also plans to build the UF INSPIREation Hall in the square. John Fleming, managing member of Trimark, said it will be a dormitory for entrepreneur-minded students attending UF. It will be open to students of all majors and ages and, in addition to housing, will have a 150-person space to be used for classes, dinners and events.

Construction is planned to start in early 2013.

Fleming said it was a well-planned strategy that Trimark Properties would one day develop with UF. In Innovation Square, it hopes to help create an environment where people can work, play and live.

“Our hopes are to support the University of Florida’s efforts in creating a really urban, unique research park,” he said.

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First private company closer to joining Innovation Square

ATLANTA, Feb. 21, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has signed contracts with LTL ATL JV and Paradies-Atlanta II, LLC giving the green light to more than 20 retail concessions at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport's international terminal.

The new shops -- which include Spanx, MAC, Tommy Hilfiger and Kiehl's -- will be in the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal, its new Concourse F and adjoining international Concourse E.

"We're thrilled to be moving forward with these brands for the international terminal," said Aviation General Manager Louis Miller. "I'm confident our passengers will enjoy these world-class shopping options as they travel to and from Atlanta."

Retailers that will open with the international terminal and Concourse F this spring are Brookstone, CNN International News, Clutch, Kiehl's, MAC Cosmetics, Luxury Boutique, Simply Books/French Meadow Cafe, Sunglass Icon, Sweet Auburn Market Cafe (departures level, pre-security), Tommy Hilfiger and Touch Table.

Concourse E locations, which will be phased in throughout the next 18 months, are Able Planet, CNBC News, CNN.com, Johnston & Murphy, The New York Times News/Goldberg's Deli, Magellan's, Pandora/Brooks Brothers, Shades of Time, Soundbalance, Spanx, Sunglass Icon, Swarovski and The Wall Street Journal News.

The Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal and its 12-gate concourse are scheduled to open this spring. The 1.2 million-square-foot facility connects with the existing international concourse, creating a world-class, 40-gate travel complex.

The international terminal will eliminate the need for Atlanta-bound passengers to recheck their baggage. Passengers will access the international terminal via I-75 at Exit 239.

Click here to see a video update of the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal.

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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Hartsfield-Jackson is the world's busiest airport, serving more than 92 million passengers annually with nonstop service to more than 150 U.S. destinations and nearly 80 international destinations in more than 50 countries. The Airport is a frequent recipient of awards of excellence for concessions, operations, architectural engineering and construction - including the 2011 Global and North American Airport Efficiency Excellence Award from the Air Transport Research Society (for more information, go to http://www.atrsworld.org). It is undergoing $6 billion-plus in capital improvements, which include a new, energy-efficient rental car center; a new, 12-gate international terminal (for more information, go to http://www.atlanta-airport.com/internationalterminal/); and aesthetic and functional upgrades to its concourses, people movers and parking services. For more information, go to http://www.atlanta-airport.com. Check out the Airport's YouTube channel by visiting http://www.youtube.com/AtlantaHartsfield, and become a fan on Facebook.

Contact:
Al Snedeker
404-382-2364

This information was brought to you by Cision http://www.cisionwire.com

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World-Class Shopping in Store for Hartsfield-Jackson's International Terminal

chris atchison Special to Globe and Mail Update Published Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 11:00AM EST Last updated Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 11:24AM EST

If the insiders are right, Canada’s commercial property market is about to get an industrial-level facelift.

Their prediction: a slew of shiny new 500,000-square-foot-plus facilities will be constructed in the next five to 10 years featuring ceiling heights of at least nine metres, in large part to accommodate high-tech automated materials handling systems.

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The reason developers will move toward building more of these large-scale distribution facilities, explains Stan Krawitz, president of Toronto-based commercial real estate consultancy Real Facilities Inc., is tied to changes in the way Canadians are shopping for everything from books to electronics.

In Mr. Krawitz’s view, the growth of e-commerce is driving the need for an increased supply of high-tech distribution centres across the country as retail sales move increasingly from the brick-and-mortar model of high-street or mall shopping, to virtual browsing and buying.

“Online shoppers spent about $16-billion in Canada last year,” Mr. Krawitz says. “If we look at the U.S. model, where Web sales account for about eight per cent of their retail sales, then you could start to do the math that if we approached eight per cent in Canada, we would need to triple or quadruple the number of distribution-based warehouses we’ll need to accommodate that demand.

“Canadians are by definition slower adopters of technology and changes in retail habits, but we do get there.”

Demand for those large distribution facilities is also being driven by an influx of space-hungry international retailers such as Target, but Mr. Krawitz stresses that it’s largely the growth of online shopping – which is being fuelled in part by an explosion of mobile devices that allow for easy in-store price comparisons and online purchasing – that will push commercial developers to meet the facilities needs of major online retailers.

Market circumstances may be right for a property development boom on the distribution front.

A recent report by commercial property consultancy CB Richard Ellis noted that fundamentals in Canada’s industrial property sector remain strong. The firm predicts that availability rates will drop to 6 per cent this year from 6.5 per cent in 2011, while net rental rates will experience a year-over-year increase from $5.37 to $5.45 per square foot. But the strongest growth opportunities – aside from facilities to support the energy sector – are the large, next-generation warehouse properties, the report concluded.

This trend toward building more distribution facilities doesn’t mean that traditional manufacturing in this country is dead, according to David Bowden, CEO of commercial property consultancy Colliers Canada. On the contrary, he sees a continued need for highly specialized advanced manufacturing facilities.

“Especially where goods are bulky, we’re seeing a return to domestic manufacturing as opposed to having to deal with the cost of shipping those bulkier items such as furniture [overseas],” Mr. Bowden explains. “I think we’re going to see a balance between distribution warehousing as well as manufacturing-specific buildings, but the weighting will be towards the former.”

What does that mean for the lower-ceilinged stock of industrial buildings that were designed largely for light manufacturing use and simply can’t accommodate a distribution-focused conversion?

“For some existing stock, it might mean lower rents, but for others the real estate might be cast into entirely different commercial uses,” Mr. Bowden says.

Jeff Flemington, a senior vice-president with commercial property brokerage Avison Young Inc. in Toronto, points to Ontario towns such as St. Thomas and Cornwall as examples of former manufacturing centres that are seeing a repurposing or demolition of their old supply of light industrial buildings for other commercial uses. Those former factories are being converted into everything from retail spaces, to residential lofts in the case of trendy turn-of-the-century brick-and-beam buildings.

Even in cases where companies do need traditional manufacturing space, he says, many are opting to build new facilities rather than upgrade older stock due in large part to increased relocation costs as land prices continue their steady climb.

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Virtual buying pushes warehouses to new heights

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Citi Community Capital (Citi), Next Street, Carver Community Development Corporation and NCIF joined Jackson Development Group to announce the closing of permanent financing for 4469 Broadway. This recently-completed 8-story residential and commercial building is located at West 192nd Street and Broadway in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan.

This new development consists of 85 units of affordable and workforce rental housing; a new home for a Columbia University-affiliated Head Start program that serves more than 300 young children; 8,500 sq ft of retail space occupied by Deals, a Dollar Tree Stores retail chain; a 60-space parking garage; and office space. An estimated 135 construction jobs were created, and the project is expected to lead to more than 100 permanent jobs.

“This project is an example of our continued commitment to improving New York’s neighborhoods by bringing in a combination of much needed affordable housing, retail and community services. Our financing partners did an excellent job of stepping up and putting their resources back into communities that they serve,” said Neil Weissman, principal, Jackson Development Group.

“My colleagues at Citi and I are excited to have played a role in financing this important project,” said William Yates, director, Citi Community Capital, “Faced with a tight deadline, the project sponsors and our financing partners truly came together and managed to close a very complex transaction. Our role in this project is emblematic of Citi’s commitment to lend and invest in the communities where we do business.”

Permanent financing for 4469 Broadway was structured through the New Markets Tax Credit Program, a federal initiative designed to spur new or higher investments in businesses and real estate projects located in low-income communities. Citi provided $10.2 million in equity and a 7-year $17 million leverage loan for the project.

“In today’s market, financing for mixed use development is extremely challenging, even more so when that project is located in lower income communities. Next Street is incredibly proud to have secured both senior leverage debt and tax equity to help our client rebuild this block of Washington Heights,” said Gloria Lee, Partner, Next Street, which served as advisor to Jackson Development Group.

“The 4469 Broadway project is an example of catalytic community development through partnership. Carver had the pleasure of working with Jackson Development, Next Street, NCIF, and Citi, all trusted community partners that came together with one goal. Through patient capital and financing expertise from Citi, Carver continues its more than 60-year mission of working with community partners to meet the financing needs of the underserved in the Washington Heights community,” said Blondel A. Pinnock, President, Carver Community Development Corporation.

Saurabh Narain, Chief Executive with National Community Investment Fund summed it up with, “NCIF is a proud participant in this high-impact transaction that will bring much-needed affordable housing and early childhood education to the Washington Heights community. NCIF would like to thank all the project partners, particularly Carver, an NCIF investee and a community development anchor in low- and moderate-income communities throughout New York City.”

About Citi Community Capital

Citi Community Capital (CCC) is a premier financial partner with nationally recognized expertise in financing all types of affordable housing and community reinvestment projects. CCC's origination, structuring, asset and risk management staff across the country provides creative financing solutions designed to meet their clients' needs. CCC helps community development financial institutions, real estate developers, national intermediaries and nonprofit organizations achieve their goals through a broad, integrated platform of debt and equity offerings. Additional information may be found at http://www.citicommunitycapital.com

About Next Street

Next Street was founded in 2005 on the idea of providing growing companies in urban markets with the same level of expertise that investment banks, Madison Avenue, and the elite consultancies provide to Fortune 500 companies. Next Street portfolio companies now generate $600 million in annual revenues and employ over 4,000 people. Most are located in low-income areas. Two thirds are women- or minority-owned businesses. One third are nonprofit organizations. The firm has worked with over 100 small businesses to date. To learn more about the firm’s clients, partners and capabilities, please visit http://www.nextstreet.com.

About Jackson Development Group

Jackson Development Group, LTD., including its construction division, Jackson Builders, LLC, is a New York-based real estate development company specializing in residential and mixed-use commercial construction. The principals of JDG have been pioneering innovative development strategies since 1996.

About Carver Bancorp, Inc.

Carver Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company for Carver Federal Savings Bank, a federally chartered stock savings bank. Carver Federal Savings Bank, the largest African- and Caribbean-American run bank in the United States, operates nine full-service branches in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. For further information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.carverbank.com.

About NCIF

National Community Investment Fund (NCIF) is a non-profit private equity trust fund established in 1996 to invest private capital in CDFI-certified banks around the country that have a mission of economic and community development. NCIF is the largest investor of equity in CDFI banks (by numbers) in the country and has provided thought leadership by developing its proprietary Social Performance Metrics methodology – a tool that enables investors measure the social and economic development impact of CDFI banks. NCIF is also focused on strengthening the capacity of the banks in the NCIF Network. Total assets under management are approximately $150 million including $128 million of NMTC allocations.

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Citi and Next Street Structure New Markets Tax Credit Transaction to Finance 4469 Broadway, a Mixed Use Development

Home » business » Boutique looks ahead as Rainy Hill kicks off

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn
The Nation February 22, 2012 1:00 am

Managing director Prab Thakral said the new project would be on a 5-rai (8,000-square-metre) plot with gross leasable space of about 20,000 square metres.

He said the company would announce details of the project in the next few weeks.

"We have acquired the plot on Sukhumvit with a long lease period of about 30 years. Construction of our new brand-extension retail project will start next year and will take about 18 months," Prab said.

He said the new project would position itself for mid-market retailing, a little lower than its Rain Hill community mall, which targets the upper mass to high-end markets.

"Thailand is experiencing a consumer-driven boom because of its fast-growing middle class. The opportunity for retail is quite large in the Kingdom," Prab said.

The Boutique Group yesterday officially opened its Rain Hill community mall, which has been developed under the concept of "The Cosmopolitan Hangout".

Located on Sukhumvit Soi 47 in the heart of Bangkok, the mall, which cost more than Bt400 million, features more than 40 leading brands, hand-picked to cater to the urban lifestyles of the capital's residents.

The retail complex is designed to be an ideal meeting place of a true eco-conscious retail mall and a hip urban lifestyle, the group says.

Prab said the community mall would turn this location into the newest favourite among target customers, including business professionals in the Sukhumvit area, Japanese expatriates, and residents of Sukhumvit, including the Oakwood and Citadines projects.

"We expect our Rain Hill retail complex to achieve its return on investment within the next five to seven years," he said.

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Boutique looks ahead as Rainy Hill kicks off

WILLIAMSBURG — The problem for WJC middle schools may not be lack of space, but poor use of it.

The James City Citizens Budget Advisory Committee has spent the last few months walking the halls of all three schools to assess every nook and cranny to avoid new construction.

The committee shared its report this week with Superintendent Steven Constantino and his administrative staff. The School Board is next, as well as a rigorous review by school officials.

“A lot of this is not ‘big think,’” said David Jarman, a member of the committee. “It’s just: Can we be more efficient in our utilization of classroom space?”

They found readily available space by reconfiguring rooms. That will preclude trailers, new wings, or building anew –– for nearly a decade.

Last month the School Board looked at several options for overcrowding. It would cost $29.5 million to convert James Blair back to a school and build a new central office.

The School Board decided on trailers at Berkeley for now, but the Budget Advisory Committee is encouraging another look. Jarman said that if WJC continues to do “business as usual,” it will continue to erect small, fancy schools and “sub-optimize” space within them.

3 BIG OPPORTUNITIES

* Increasing class sizes by two students could free up 10-12 classrooms. That alone would accommodate 250 students, alleviating half the problem for the next decade.

It’s a move the school division is already considering to save money as it faces a $7.5 million operational shortfall. Increasing ratios by one student per classroom could eliminate 24 teachers and save $1.7 million. 

* Repurposing activity rooms, auditoriums, gyms, music rooms and art rooms could yield six additional classrooms.

David Jarman said his group found that WJC has historically overbuilt and created large open spaces and high ceilings throughout its schools. Eliminating some programs not essential to the core curriculum would free up space as well. “It’s a difficult issue because it trades off programmatic issues for space issues,” he said. 

* Optimizing full-size classrooms could also make more room within the school. Jarman said some classrooms are only used half of the day and that more efficient scheduling could lead to more efficient space.

Moving storage to an off-site location, converting teacher lounges into classrooms and eliminating non-teaching use of classroom space are other ways the committee’s report identified to improve use of space.

At Berkeley, 11 rooms are used for paper storage, while Hornsby has nine storage spaces for books. Berkeley also has one full-size classroom broken into five offices, and another classroom full of exercise bikes.

Posted comments are for meaningful discussion that is germane to the article. No personal attacks or insults. Submit complaints by clicking Report abuse.

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Space utilization study in hands of School Board

Consuro Managed Technology and Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford, two north Texas companies, are the subjects of a Dell(TM) Inc. Customer Case Study published on Dell’s website. Consuro, a premier Texas-based managed technology services company serving businesses from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies, worked with client Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford, an architecture, planning and interior design firm, to refresh its IT systems to improve performance availability and scalability while keeping costs down.

Fort Worth, Texas (PRWEB) February 21, 2012

Consuro Managed Technology and Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford, two north Texas companies, are the subjects of a Dell(TM) Inc. Customer Case Study published on Dell’s website. Consuro, a premier Texas-based managed technology services company serving businesses from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies, worked with client Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford, an architecture, planning and interior design firm, to refresh its IT systems to improve performance availability and scalability while keeping costs down.

The case study highlights the benefits achieved by Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford through its work with Consuro. According to the Dell report, “In professional services industries such as architecture and design, technology has been the great leveler. Armed with the same applications and tools as larger firms, small and midsize businesses are able to capture a larger share of the market.”

To accomplish Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford’s goals, Consuro --- an IT consultant group and local Dell certified partner --- worked closely with the client’s Director of Information Technology, Jason Adams, and Eric Hahnfeld, AIA, President. Together, the team implemented a Dell and Microsoft infrastructure, helping the architecture firm be more productive and efficient, and to enhance competitive positioning.

Consuro met with Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford to understand their business, and then created a technology plan to specifically meet the client’s needs. According to Mr. Adams, this methodology resulted in surprising cost savings.

“Consuro developed a virtualization plan that saved us 50 percent compared to scaling the traditional way of buying more hardware to fix the problem,” said Mr. Adams.

“We deliver much more than hardware,” added Ben Tiblets, Consuro co-president. “We analyze each client’s specific business then develop a custom plan. Our multiple solutions guide our clients as they choose what is best for their company. Then we show them how to leverage the systems for their needs.”

Not only is Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford seeing improvement in their infrastructure, they also recognize increased employee productivity. The firm’s 29 registered architects, interior designers and architectural interns primarily use Autodesk Revit® Architecture design application. Previously, employees experienced about five to six minutes lag time in saving Revit® files, often 200 megabytes or more per file, which could add up to one hour per day per user.

“By deploying Dell EqualLogic storage, we eliminated lag time in saving Revit files. Our users are each getting as much as a full hour back of design time every working day,” said Mr. Adams. “That hour per day multiplied by these architects working 50 weeks a year yields 4000 annual reclaimed productivity hours for the firm.”

According to Mr. Hahnfeld, the Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford team enjoys many other benefits as a result of the technological transition, including:

“We have a culture of innovation at Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford,” continued Mr. Hahnfeld. “Leveraging technology to keep us at the forefront of architecture firms in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and help us compete with larger firms is a perfect example of this. And Dell and Consuro are key to making this possible.”

About Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford

Originally founded in 1963, Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford has been involved in a wide variety of public and private sector architecture, planning and interior projects throughout Texas. The firm has developed a specialty base in institutional, educational, healthcare, cultural, faith-based and commercial facilities with a strong reputation for providing responsive, quality-oriented projects. The Firm has been a past recipient of the Texas Society of Architects Architecture Firm Award for recognition of distinguished architecture and meritorious contributions to the profession and the community. Learn more at http://www.hahnfeld.com.

About Consuro Managed Technology

Founded in 2008, Consuro is an information technologies managed service provider (MSP) whose comprehensive Windows-based desktop and server management, network administration, computer hardware and software consulting, offsite backup, asset procurement, and other advanced data center solutions serve large and small business clients in many industries from offices in Fort Worth/Dallas, San Antonio, and San Angelo, Texas. To learn more about Consuro, please visit http://www.consuro.com.

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Lauren Kwedar
Consuro Managed Technology
800-776-9720
Email Information

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Consuro Managed Technology and Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford Featured in Dell Customer Case Study