August 2014
St. Johns County’s Newest K–8 Schools Help with Wayfinding
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — Several students in St. Johns County started school on Aug. 18 in new K–8 schools: Patriot Oaks Academy and Valley Ridge Academy.
Renovation Breathes New Life into Methuen School
METHUEN, Mass. — Not long ago, the future of Massachusetts’ Methuen High School was in jeopardy. Although the school’s original 1970s-era building was well designed and solidly built, the antiquated open classroom design did not provide an optimal learning environment.
UW-Madison Designs for Collaboration
MADISON, Wis. — University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison nursing students will kick off the fall semester in a new $52.8 million facility. The school’s recently completed Signe Skott Cooper Hall offers more than 166,000 square feet of high-tech learning space and was officially dedicated on Aug. 23.
Rollins College Rebuilds Strong Hall
WINTER PARK, Fla. — Rollins College recently completed Phase II of the two-phase, Strong Hall construction project that included completely rebuilding the historic residence hall from the ground up. Construction was completed in time for students to move in on Aug. 20. The facility still features a central courtyard and was designed with the original Spanish-Mediterranean architecture that defined the previous building, which first debuted in 1939.
Joint Venture to Expand Saint Peter’s University
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — A unanimous vote of support by the Jersey City planning board on Aug. 13 paved the way for Saint Peter’s University to expand its residential offerings. The Jersey City school, together with Sora Development of Maryland, plans to erect a 21-story, mixed-use tower at a cost of $220 million. The tower will cater both to Saint Peter’s students and working professionals.
Ryan Stichler
C.W. Driver announced that Ryan Stichler will join its San Diego office as director of project development. Prior to joining C.W. Driver, Stichler worked at Kitchell as the business development manager, where he expanded business opportunities and maintained relationships with a variety of clients including architects, engineers and subcontractors.
Jeffrey L. Ray
Jeffrey L. Ray recently began his tenure as dean of the Kimmel School of Construction Management and Technology at Western Carolina University. Ray was previously the dean of Southern Polytechnic State University’s School of Engineering Technology and Management, where he had also served as a professor since 2007.
Vinyl-Coated Fabrics
Phifer’s Murotex is a high-performance, vinyl-coated polyester mesh engineered specifically for commercial wall coverings, acoustical panels and upholstery. Durable, easy to clean and flame retardant, Murotex fabrics meet most commercial office building specifications and codes. This product, a design within the Phifertex group, is antimicrobial, stain and fade resistant, and can be woven in any combination of colors and patterns.
Ductless Air-Conditioning Units
Mitsubishi Electric’s STAR line of ductless air-conditioning and heating units allow schools to save space while also saving energy. The company offers more Energy Star systems than ever, incorporating eco-comfort technology, dual- and triple-allergen filtration, odor elimination and whisper-quiet operation. Unlike older, inefficient heat pumps, there is no cold air delivery with Mitsubishi electric’s cooling and heating systems. The Hot Start system does not activate the fan until the desired temperature is reached, so it never blows cold air.