project: EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY CAMPUS MASTER PLAN
date: 2008
location: RICHMOND, KY
client: EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
contact: JAMES STREET, ASSOCIATE VP FOR CAPITAL PLANNING AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Urban Collage, Inc. in collaboration with Perkins + Will Architects and M2d Design was charged with creating a master plan for the Eastern Kentucky University. Urban Collage’s role was to identify relationships between the universities edges and surrounding urban context of the city of Richmond and establish ways to develop cohesion between the two entities. UC also played a large role in the placement of new educational facilities including the extension of the “Colonel Path,” a multi-use trail intended to improve overall campus walkability and connections to surrounding spaces.

Throughout the master planning process UC was involved in:

• Identifying short and long term development opportunities for the university.
• Analyzing the existing urban context and providing potential issues and opportunities to enhance the campus as well as its relationship with Richmond, KY.
• Studying potential university facility arrangements that improve the campus residential and academic environments as well as its overall walkability.
• Providing conceptual site design to offer an initial feel of the possibilities these improvements may have on the campus as it stands today.

project: BLUEGRASS COMMUNITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE NEWTOWN PIKE CAMPUS PLAN
date: 2008 – 2009
location: LEXINGTON, KY
client: BLUEGRASS COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE
contact: AUGUSTA JULIAN

Urban Collage was retained as part of a team led by EOP Architects and Perkins + Will to develop a plan for a new 65-acre campus of Bluegrass Community and Technical College. The plan creates a blueprint for the growth and development of BCTC and environs and builds on continued momentum in Lexington’s north side.

The campus is proposed on the former site of the Eastern State Hospital (ESH), the nation’s second oldest running mental institution. ESH’s corner stone was laid in 1816. Many of the existing buildings are original and considered historic structures. The historic nature of the site as well as its context within Downtown Lexington and the surrounding historic neighborhoods had to be taken into account when planning and designing the campus. The site is also surrounded to the south and east by industrial uses that were taken into consideration as long term development opportunities in this growing and evolving community.

The BCTC campus was seen as an opportunity to complete the “higher education triangle”, giving a main entry way to Lexington a new vibrant feel while also creating a usable, comfortable, and exciting higher education campus.

project: GEORGIA PERIMETER COLLEGE CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT PLAN
date: 2004
location: CLARKSTON, GA
client: GEORGIA PERIMETER COLLEGE
contact: DR. DENNIS R. HARKINS

Urban Collage was retained by Robert Charles Lesser & Co., LLC (RCLCo) and Georgia Perimeter College to provide guidance and insight into Georgia Perimeter College-Clarkston Campus’ long-term growth strategy. The process included an interactive vision session with college leaders and stakeholders to discuss and define potential opportunities on the Clarkston Campus and the development of several campus plan alternatives to accommodate future growth.

Initiatives were devised to facilitate growth of the college in terms of increasing enrollment, increasing the college’s role and function in the larger community and establishing and advancing the college’s presence along Memorial Drive and in DeKalb County. Specific campus opportunities included on-campus student housing, student recreation areas, a Student Wellness Center, a Center for International Language and Culture, and a Campus/Community Arts Center.

project: NORTH AVENUE CORRIDOR STUDY
date: 2007 – 2008
location: ATLANTA, GA
client: GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
contact: HOWARD S. WERTHEIMER, AIA

Acquisition of the North Avenue Apartments combined with Georgia Institute of Technology’s land holdings and continued development of research facilities along North Avenue created a need to develop a strategic plan for the future of the North Avenue Corridor. The North Avenue Corridor Study was developed to establish a conceptual plan for campus development along North Avenue, more fully integrate the corridor into the Georgia Tech Campus, and identify necessary transportation improvements.

Specific recommendations called for consistent streetscaping of North Avenue from the Downtown Connector to Northside Drive, a new plaza in front of Bobby Dodd Stadium, and removal of walls and fencing to open the lawn at Tech Tower to North Avenue. Future campus development on the south side of North Avenue may include student support facilities, expansion of the Alumni House, administrative office space, and/or faculty housing opportunities.

The plan outlines a series of circulation improvements including potential modifications to the North Avenue Bridge over the Connector, reorientation of traffic on Techwood Drive, and potential re-routing of Tech Parkway to better connect North Avenue and Marietta Drive. The plan incorporates previously recommended improvements along Northside Drive at North Avenue and Hollowell Parkway.

In 2008, Georgia Tech retained Urban Collage, Inc. to move the North Avenue Corridor Plan toward implementation. In cooperation with Kimley Horn & Associates, Inc., Urban Collage oversaw the design of the campus and open space improvements along North Avenue between Williams Street and Tech Parkway. The design included a drop off area and pedestrian improvements in front of two dormitories, a pedestrian and event plaza in front of Bobby Dodd Stadium, significant renovations to the Lawn at Tech Tower and North Avenue streetscape enhancements.

project: MONTESSORI OF MACON FACILITY MASTER PLAN
date: 2006
location: MACON, GA
client: MONTESSORI OF MACON SCHOOL
contact: TANYA MELVILLE, DIRECTOR

Urban Collage facilitated the development of a Facility and Campus Master Plan for Montessori of Macon in the fall of 2006. Through a series of Advisory Team meetings and stakeholder workshops, Urban Collage helped clarify the Montessori School of Macon’s vision for the future, including identification of long-term property and facility needs, development of a campus master plan, and establishment of future expansion strategies and principals.

The Master Plan includes short-term strategies for accommodating up to 200 students in 7 authentic Montessori classrooms, an Administration Building and multi-purpose support facilities. The long-term plan accommodates up to 300 students in 11 classrooms and includes a large multi-function space for community meetings and physical activity.

The Master Plan establishes a physical plan with guiding principles for selection of a new campus site, organization of the future campus and future growth and expansion. The plan also details and reinforces Montessori of Macon’s commitment to sustainable/green building practices and the desire maximize daylighting in classroom areas, develop a series of outdoor learning areas and create opportunities to teach responsible stewardship throughout the campus.

project: ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP AND LEARNING & “BUILD SMART” FACILITIES MASTER PLAN
date: 1997 – ONGOING
location: ATLANTA, GA
client: ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
contact: VALERIE THOMAS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FACILITIES SERVICES

Urban Collage performed program and project management for the construction of a new Atlanta Public Schools headquarters, the Center for Leadership and Learning (CLL). The eight-story facility encompasses 232,000 square feet (including 3,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space), includes a 475 space parking deck, and accommodates more than 650 staffers from 12 different departments. Designed with an open floor plate around a central service core, the building provides maximum flexibility for a system that has widely-varied spacial requirements among its disparate departments.

The facility cost just under $33 million to build, which also occurred on schedule and under budget. Urban Collage coordinated efforts between several different departments within APS and with the developer, Carter and Associates, and the contractor, Russell/Hardin, j.v.

Since 1997, Urban Collage has worked in an ongoing role as facilities planning/programming consultant for all Atlanta Public Schools facilities. More recently, the firm was responsible for the management of a comprehensive system-wide Facility Master Plan (known as “The Build Smart Project”). The Facilities Master Plan is a five-year implementation program intended to comprehensively catalog and assess the current and future facility needs of all of the Pre K-12 instructional programs. The current APS system, two years into Build Smart implementation, consists of 95 school facilities with an enrollment of approximately 58,000 students.  The firm has also overseen the Feasibility Study and design of the new Central Office Building and the development of a comprehensive Athletics Plan and Property Management Plan for all discontinued school sites.

In addition, Urban Collage currently oversees implementation of the Build Smart Facilities Plan serving as design project manager for the creation of all design narratives for new and renovated facilities.

project: ANDERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT FOUR
date: 2004
location: PENDELTON, SC
client: ANDERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT FOUR

Urban Collage, Inc. developed a 10-Year Facilities Master Plan through an interactive process, including seven public meetings, with Anderson 4 administrators, Board of Education members, faculty, staff, students, and the general public. Basing the facilities program on the instruction needs of the system, the planning process began with a series of goal-setting exercises and the development of planning assumptions to guide development of the Master Facilities Plan. To accommodate the targeted enrollment of 3,200 to 3,400 students in seven to ten years, three facility alternatives were developed and presented. The three alternatives outlined potential strategies for providing needed facilities based upon the instructional guidelines and the facilities challenges that were created at the beginning of the process.  In addition, the alternatives were based upon three key elements: maintaining and planning for smaller class sizes; providing equity across the district; and being efficient with capitol expenditures and taxpayer dollars.

The preferred alternative selected by the District and the public called for construction of a new elementary facility for 450 students; construction of a classroom addition at the high school; and construction of a classroom addition at one of the existing elementary schools.

Implementation Highlights:

• The plan’s recommendations were approved by the Board of Trustees at their June 17, 2004 meeting.

• As a key recommendation of the Master Plan, Mt. Lebanon Elementary School was constructed (see photo in upper right above) and opened to K-6th grade students in August 2007.

• The District instituted its first ever Elementary School attendance areas as a result of a follow up community input effort facilitated by Urban Collage, Inc.

project: DOUGHERTY COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM (DCSS) FACILITIES MASTER PLAN
date: 2001
location: ALBANY, GA
client: DCSS
contact: ROBERT LLOYD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND OPERATIONAL SERVICES

In the fall of 2001, Dougherty County School System, operating a total of 27 schools and a variety of administrative, storage and support facilities sought to conduct a comprehensive Facilities Analysis and Master Plan to guide facility development over the next five to ten years.

Urban Collage, Inc. developed the Facilities Master Plan through an interactive process with Dougherty County administrators, Board of Education members, faculty and staff. Based upon the anticipated instructional program and system goals, teams of facility experts assessed each school and support facility to identify program deficiencies and needed building improvements. The 5-year plan included phasing and budgeting schedules.

Since the completion of the Master Plan, Urban Collage has continued to assist Dougherty County School System with programming, planning and design management.  Urban Collage has assisted Dougherty County staff with four high school addition/renovation projects, 2 new elementary schools, and 5 elementary school renovation/addition efforts.  In 2006, Urban Collage facilitated a 5-year update of the Local Facilities Plan and in 2011 continues to support the system with project planning and design management.

Implementation Highlights:

• Passed a second SPLOST referendum, securing $74 million for facility improvements
• Constructed Jackson Heights Elementary School to replace an obsolete facility
• Constructed Live Oak Elementary School in the growing west side of Dougherty County
• Renovated a historic school building near Downtown Albany and an addition to become the new home of Lincoln Magnet Elementary School
• Over a 4-year period Dougherty County Schools implemented attendance area changes for the system’s four high schools
• Constructed an Advanced Math and Engineering, Media Center, and Cafeteria/Kitchen Addition to Monroe High School
• Constructed a Communications and Arts addition and performed a complete classroom renovation to Albany High School
• Constructed a Health and Advanced Sciences addition and performed a significant classroom renovation to Westover High School
• Significant renovation projects were performed at Lake Park and Turner Elementary Schools
• Currently, Dougherty High School is the site of a Fine Arts addition including new music, art, dance, and drama suites.

project: MARIETTA CITY SCHOOLS FACILITIES MASTER PLAN
date: 2002
location: MARIETTA, GA
client: MARIETTA CITY SCHOOLS
contact: DR. EMILY LEMBECK, SUPERINTENDENT

In the fall of 2002, Marietta City Schools enlisted the services of Urban Collage, Inc. to undertake a process to identify additional space needs and develop a plan to construct necessary classrooms to accommodate and serve the system’s elementary school (K-5) students in accordance with the system’s instructional pedagogy and goals. The Facilities Master Plan is intended to guide facility development, renovation, and repair over the next 5 to 10 years as it fosters informed decision making for capital improvements with a comprehensive, system-wide perspective.
The Facilities Master Plan document includes:

The System Profile, a collection of facts and analyses regarding Marietta City School facilities (K-5) which forms the foundation of the Master Plan.

Four Preliminary Concept plans that were devised by the Planning Team to test the facility alternatives and encourage insightful discussion by the Board of Education, the Master Plan Oversight Committee and the community regarding the future of Marietta City Schools facilities. Facility Master Plan recommendations, including preliminary phasing of improvements.

Facility Master Plan recommendations, including preliminary phasing of improvements.