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.
We have kicked off Design Development for the National Parks of Boston (NPB) Headquarters building in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Over the past few months, we have been working collaboratively with NPB staff to forge a clear vision for the project, aiming to streamline NPB operations and create a more cohesive, adaptable working environment. The renovation will ultimately revitalize the 1901 building, fostering improved teamwork and efficiency, while recognizing the unique history of the building, vibrant culture of the National Parks of Boston, and significant location in the Charlestown Navy Yard.
We kicked off our project for the Beebe Plain Land Port of Entry, as a continuation of our work with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) through our national IDIQ contract. Located in northern Vermont along the U.S. and Canada border, this historic border station facility will be renovated to better serve travelers, helping to streamline the flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The project will be a model for sustainable design principles in national infrastructure and will innovatively update the building, supporting the GSA in improving climate change resilience, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Our work with MASS Design Group continues on the design of a new building for the New Lots Library in East New York. 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. Sited near a historic African Burial Ground housing the remains of enslaved individuals, the design will have an emphasis on learning from the past to inform the future, interwoven with narratives of social activism, education, community, and restorative justice.
The New Lots library is one of the largest libraries in the BPL system, offering a diverse array of programs for all ages. Also a hub for educational adult learning programs, the library is one of five across the Brooklyn Public Library system that has a dedicated Adult Learning Center, catering to individuals from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Over the past year, the branch hosted around 2,500 programs and welcomed over 168,000 visitors.
The concrete foundations and finish surfaces are almost complete for our residential project in upstate New York, marking a significant step in the construction of the Dutchess County House and Artist Studio. The board-formed concrete retaining wall is not only a crucial design component, but is also an integral part of the structure, seamlessly uniting the outdoor and indoor living spaces as it stretches from the outside property through the heart of the home. Situated within a south-facing forested hill, the concrete retaining wall is one of many unique moments that blend landscape with human habitation in this place for living, working, and playing.