A recent project by DMR Architects included a 56,500-square-foot addition and 44,000-square-foot renovation to the existing Doyle School in Wood-Ridge, which addressed enrollment growth with new classrooms, flexible learning spaces and support facilities. — Courtesy: DMR
By Joshua Burd
DMR Architects is expanding its portfolio of design-build projects in the education space after winning new assignments in Hudson and Union counties, the firm announced recently.
In West New York, the practice is teaming with Terminal Construction Corp. to develop a 162,000-square-foot middle school that will serve about 875 students, according to a news release. That represents a $92 million investment, with plans calling for 30 general classrooms, six science labs, multiple science prep rooms, dedicated art rooms and a wide range of specialized learning and student support spaces designed to offer a modern, flexible and technology-forward educational environment.
The firms are also working together for the second project, a new 142,000-square-foot elementary school in Elizabeth that’s slated to serve more than 900 students, DMR said. The $76.8 million facility is expected to include some 50 classrooms ranging from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade, with six that are reserved for special education, as well as a resource room, five small group instruction rooms, three science classrooms and dedicated space for vocal music, art and a media center with a makerspace.
Both schools, which DMR and Terminal will develop under the oversight of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, are slated to be completed in 2028.
“Design-build allows us to accelerate the entire process in ways traditional delivery can’t,” said Pradeep Kapoor, CEO and president of Hasbrouck Heights-based DMR Architects. “With tight timelines, we’re often able to begin critical-path construction months earlier because design and construction happen in parallel. That level of coordination and responsiveness is key when you’re building schools for growing communities.”
The new assignments follow the September openings of DMR’s most recent design-build projects, which include the Hudson County Schools of Technology Craig Guy Center at Bayonne High School and the Highland Avenue Learning Annex & Recreation Center in Wood-Ridge. The former is a 20,000-square-foot, $24 million vocational center with culinary labs and fabrication shops tailored for career and technical education, while the latter includes a 56,500-square-foot addition and 44,000-square-foot renovation to the existing Doyle School that addressed enrollment growth with new classrooms, flexible learning spaces and support facilities.
Together, the projects reflect how the design-build model is being used to reduce delays, improve cost certainty and unify design and construction under a single contract.
“Our priority was to deliver a high-quality facility on a timeline that aligned with our community’s needs,” Wood-Ridge Mayor Paul Sarlo said. “The design-build approach allowed us to move faster and stay coordinated throughout the process, which was essential for a project of this scale. The new Highland Avenue Learning Annex and Recreation Center has already had a positive impact on our district.”
DMR noted that design-build was made more accessible to public agencies in New Jersey following the Design-Build Construction Services Procurement Act of 2021, which allows municipalities and other government bodies to pursue such a model for projects valued at more than $5 million. The legislation has helped create more flexibility to help meet tight timelines and evolving student needs.
“The design-build process is efficient because everyone is working toward the same goal from the start,” said Donald N. Dinallo, CEO and president of Terminal Construction Corp. “When you are side by side with an architect like DMR, the workflow becomes even smoother. Decisions are faster, challenges are resolved quickly and the whole project benefits.”
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