New York Real Estate Journal / Project of the

new york real estate journal • owners, developers & managers • june 9-22, 2009
Visit the paper online nyrej.com
architect
odm
new york real estate journal • owners, developers & managers • june 9-22, 2009
Visit the paper online nyrej.com
23b
Congratulations
Project of the Month
Project Team includes: akf, milrose consultants and fisher dachs associates
Aragon Construction teams with JRS Architect to
create new 60,000 s/f green facility for Mandell School
Upper West Side’s
prestigious Mandell School is set to
expand into a new state-of-the-art
facility at 795 Columbus Ave. – a
15-story apartment building that is
part of Columbus Square, a retail
and residential community currently
under development between 97th
and 100th Sts. Aragon Construction,
together with JRS Architect, P.C., has
been tapped to lead the 50,000 s/f
build-out. The school will comprise
the building’s entire second floor
and half of both the first floor and
cellar.
“It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a school from a
clean shell,” said Gabriella Rowe,
Mandell’s head of school. “We have
the benefit of designing each classroom around the curriculum, as well
as the flexibility to incorporate new
technologies throughout the entire
school.”
Currently with three locations on
west 94th, 95th and 96th Sts., the
Mandell School can accommodate
a total of 300 children, from a two’s
program up to the 2nd grade. When
the new facility is complete, total
capacity will grow to 650 and Rowe
will be able to achieve her vision
of matriculating children to the 8th
grade.
Aragon will be constructing many
exciting features such as a black box
theatre – inspired by collaboration
among the teachers, the head of
the drama department and a theater
consultant – so that students can stage
their own drama productions. Also, a
20-foot-long digital screen that will
display student artwork and constantly be updated is being installed
on the first floor. “This will be a very
conducive learning environment for
vesting requirement. “And students
will be able to enjoy a living wall,
a wall almost completely covered
in vegetation, literally a vertical
garden,” said Rowe, in the sub-level
cafeteria.
As well as renovating the cellar,
first and second floors, Aragon will
be building out an 8,000 s/f outdoor
terrace for the children. A modular
design is being employed that will
allow the school to create a green
roof garden filled with annuals and
perennials, a planting garden and a
poetry reading space.
Additionally, Aragon and JRS
Architect, P.C. have been contracted
to build a 10,000 s/f learning center
for Mandell in another Columbus
Square residential building nearby.
The center will have an early childhood library and a media learning
station where students will be able to
stream videos and become familiar
with online tools. Occupying the
NEW YORK, NY
Aragon is scheduled to begin work
on the school and learning center in
March of 2010, when construction
is complete on the two buildings.
“We are providing a tremendous
amount of due-diligence during the
pre-construction phase to ensure all
long lead items are properly secured.
Schedule is a key component as we
need to have the school punch list
complete for the beginning of the
school year – September of 2010,”
said founder and president of Aragon,
Alex Getelman.
Getelman continues, “We are
delighted to work on such a unique
facility, one where the mandate is to
mold the architecture to the educational vision…this will be a place that
inspires creativity and growth.”
entire second floor and filled with
stacks, carrels and silent study areas,
it will serve children from the three’s
program up to the 8th grade.
Columbus Square is being developed by the Chetrit Group and comprises three contiguous city blocks.
795 Columbus is over 320,000 s/f.
New York Real Estate Journal
would like to wish
Aragon Construction
and the other members of the
Mandell School
project team much success
For future Project of the Month stories,
send to jwallace@nyrej.com
MEP Engineer
NY Tel: 781-878-4540
Proof NE
REal EstatE JouRNal
Changes
New Proof
Size: 2x4 PoM
from: Jeff Wallace
Proof Approved
Section: NY oDM
crop 2”
22b
run Date: 06/09/09
Mandell School Project Team
Aragon ConstructionConstruction Manager
We are proud to have
been a part of the
JRS Architect, P.C.Architect
Rendering of 795 Columbus courtesy of Costas Kondylis and Partners LLP
children,” said Alex Padilia of JRS
Architect, P.C. “We are using playful
colors and plenty of natural lighting to
create a comfortable yet stimulating
atmosphere for the students.”
Numerous sustainable materials
are being utilized in construction
and in the long term Mandell School
hopes to be LEED certified. For
instance, the school will have rubber flooring, which is comprised of
tire rubber and other recycled waste
materials. Also, all classrooms will
have high-efficiency lighting, using
digital photo sensors and dimmers
that comply with the Daylight Har-
AKF
Milrose Consultants
M.E.P.
Building Consultant
Fisher Dachs AssociatesTheater Lighting/AV Consultant
project team!
Construction
Manager
Foundation
& Floor
Contractor
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NE NY Tel: 781-878-4540
NE NY Tel: 781-878-4540