Author Archives: Laurie-Anne Haller

Over the past year, Zubatkin has had the privilege of working with the National Aquarium in Baltimore on the development of a master plan.  Designed in coordination with Studio Gang Architects, the plan provides an entirely new look and identity for the Aquarium, unifying the multi-building campus and adding an “urban wetland” capable of attracting wildlife and increasing local biodiversity. By strengthening connections between urban and aquatic life, the plan positions the National Aquarium as a recognized leader in ecological sustainability. Additional details are provided in The Architects Newspaper.

On Tuesday, May 16^th at 8:30AM, the Greater New York Construction User Council will host a panel discussion on some of the latest trends in museum design and construction. The program will explore key elements to consider in the planning and implementation of building projects for cultural institutions. Senior Principal Andy Bast will serve as one of the panelists.  More information on the event can be found through the following link.

Last week, The Sheen Center hosted a discussion with His Eminence, Cardinal Dolan, and a panel of experts on the fascinating history and historic restoration of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  Each of the participants was involved in the development of a recently published commemorative book entitled St. Patrick’s Cathedral: The Legacy of America’s Parish Church.  Our very own Andy Bast spoke as the author of one of the chapters in the publication.  More information on the book can be found at the following link: http://www.spcbook.org.

The Clark Art Institute’s new Clark Center was recently awarded the prestigious LEED Gold certification by the United States Green Building Council. The Clark Center and its underground physical plant building were completed in 2014 as part of a campus expansion program that integrated construction of the new facilities with a sweeping redesign of the landscape. More details can be found on the Clark Art Institute website.

As part of our work at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we have been overseeing the installation of a geothermal energy system. Ten geothermal wells were drilled to an average depth of 1,800 feet.  More details are provided in Engineering News-Record (ENR), where our very own Julie Geden is quoted. Rendering of the drilling is provided courtesy of Murphy Burnham & Buttrick Architects.

Over the past few months, Zubatkin has been working with the Albright-Knox Art Gallery on the development of an implementation strategy and architect selection process for their expansion project.  We are excited to share that a shortlist of the architects being considered has recently been released.  The five candidates include Allied Works Architecture, Bjarke Ingels Group, OMA, Snohetta, and wHY Architecture.   More details available in the Buffalo News.

It is our pleasure to announce our new Principal, Susan Wallace, and two new Project Managers, Caren Faye and Lee Nel. These team members are being recognized for their valuable contributions to our clients. We look forward to their continued success in these new roles!

Each year, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) selects recipients for the Institute Honor Awards, the profession’s highest recognition of works that exemplify excellence in architecture, interior architecture and urban design. Selected from roughly 500 submissions, we’re pleased to share that St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be one of 18 projects being honored at the AIA’s 2016 National Convention in Philadelphia.  More information on the press announcement and design team can be found on the AIA’s website.

One of our projects, the Hudson Theatre, recently started construction on the renovation of their facility in Manhattan’s Times Square district.  When completed, the project will become the forty-first Broadway theater and have the capacity to seat about 950 people. The Ambassador Theater Group is investing over $10 million to modernize the building, improve backstage facilities for actors and stage crews, install new seats and bathrooms, and add lounge areas. More information can be found in the NYTimes article.

We’re thrilled to share the recent public opening of one of our projects, the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling!

The new museum is located within the Broadway Housing Communities’ Sugar Hill development, a mixed-use building in Harlem designed by David Adjaye that also includes affordable housing units and a pre-school.  For the month of October, the museum will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5pm.  Expanded hours to start on November 5^th.  More details available on the museum’s website.

The Clark Art Institute received an Honor Award in the General Design category from the American Society of Landscape Architects 2015 Professional Awards Program.

The jury stated in reference to the Clark: “Here we see the investment of a cultural institution in its stunning natural environment that is as important as the work inside the galleries.” More details available on the ASLA website.

Later this week, Pope Francis will be the fourth pontiff to visit Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, where he will conduct Evening Prayer at a Vespers service.  To celebrate this important event, the New York Times put together a detailed article on the restoration of the iconic Cathedral.  The story features several graphics that illustrate the technical complexity and scale of the restoration – from the cleaning and conservation of the bronze doors, organ and stained glass to the overall building exterior.  As the owner’s representative, Zubatkin has been very privileged to collaborate with the Archdiocese of New York and the very highest caliber of dedicated professionals to make this project a success.