As part of the inaugural cohort for NYC Economic Development Corporation’s Mass Timber Studio, Jason Roberts from MFA and Justin Den Herder from TYLin | Silman Structural Solutions presented how our New Lots Library team has been exploring the use of mass timber in NYC. The first of its kind in the city, the Mass Timber Studio was created to prioritize the decarbonization of the built environment by supporting and helping to advance mass timber projects. During Climate Week NYC, we joined the six other project teams from the inaugural cohort for a final public presentation to share insights on design strategies, structural innovations, regulatory challenges, and other key lessons learned. Deepening our commitment to sustainable building practices and thoughtful material use, this project reinforces mass timber’s potential to reshape urban architecture.
Announcement
Yesterday marked an exciting milestone as we celebrated the groundbreaking at the National Parks of Boston Headquarters, formerly known as Building 107, in the Charlestown Navy Yard. The ceremony included remarks from Acting Deputy Secretary of the Interior, Laura Daniel-Davis, and a program outlining the restoration of the historic building. The groundbreaking ceremony was part of a larger tour of Boston, featuring sites funded through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA).
We were honored to join the Acting Deputy Secretary of the Interior, National Parks of Boston staff, and members of the General Services Administration for this momentous occasion. We extend our gratitude to everyone involved in this project and look forward to sharing further updates as the renovation progresses.
We are pleased to announce two new Senior Architect positions for returning team members, Peter Adams and Katie Shima.
Peter Adams, AIA
Peter Adams rejoined Marble Fairbanks as a Senior Architect in June 2023 after gaining valuable experience over the past five years at FullStack Modular, COOKFOX Architects, Centurion Real Estate Partners LLC, and Assembly OSM. Having worked at the firm from 2015 to 2018 and with over 12 years of experience in New York City, Peter brings a wide range of knowledge within several sectors of the AEC industry to MFA. Currently, he is Project Lead for a renovation and addition project for the historic Beebe Plain Land Port of Entry, on the US-Canada border and is part of a team working on a 60,000SF full renovation of an historic building in the Charlestown Navy Yard for the National Parks of Boston Headquarters. During his previous time at MFA, Peter worked on the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center, Colman Hall at Lawrence University, and POTS. Peter can be contacted at [email protected].
Katie Shima, AIA
Katie Shima has over 15 years of experience in cultural, civic, and workplace architecture. Having worked at Marble Fairbanks from 2005-2006 and from 2009 to 2012, she rejoined the Marble Fairbanks team as a Senior Architect in January 2024 after serving as Design Director at SITU Studio. She is currently serving as design lead for a renovation of the New York University Law Library as well as the National Parks of Boston Headquarters and is part of the collaborative design team with MASS Design Group for the New Lots Library in Brooklyn. During her previous time at Marble Fairbanks Architects, Katie contributed to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Glen Oaks Branch Library, Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center, and Flatform, our installation included in the exhibition Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling at the Museum of Modern Art. Katie can be contacted at [email protected].
Our feasibility study for the renovation of the Gladys Marcus Library at FIT is complete.
Located within the Shirley Goodman Resource Center, the Gladys Marcus Library is FIT’s main campus library, offering a variety of services, resources, and unique programming to both FIT’s physical campus and its global academic community. Over the past few months, we had the pleasure of meeting with students, faculty, and staff for tabling sessions, workshops, and meetings, and hearing their aspirations for their new library. The result of these efforts, coupled with a rigorous analysis of the library, is a comprehensive roadmap to strategically enhance the Gladys Marcus Library as it moves into the future. Thank you to the project team, faculty, students, and staff at FIT for your enthusiasm and thoughtful contributions to this project.
Read more about the Gladys Marcus Library here.
We are thrilled to announce that we have been selected to participate in the inaugural cohort for the New York City Mass Timber Studio through our work on the Brooklyn Public Library New Lots Branch in collaboration with Brooklyn Public Library, Mass Design Group, Envoie Projects, and Silman Structural Solutions.
The first of its kind in New York City, the Mass Timber Studio program prioritizes the decarbonization of the built environment by supporting mass timber projects in their early phases. Projects selected for the inaugural cohort include those that provide community space, residential development, and adaptive reuse.
The New Lots Library, located in East New York is one of the largest libraries in the BPL system, offering a diverse array of programs for all ages. We are now in Schematic Design, working closely with Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) and the community to explore opportunities to transform and expand the branch to better serve its present-day patrons as well as future generations. Read more.
Image courtesy of NYCEDC.