Glen Ridge Public School
DRG Architects has been the Architect of Record in Glen Ridge for more than 20 years. During that time DRG Architects has completed two Long Range Facilities Plans (with multiple addenda), a major addition to the High School, multiple window and roof projects, HVAC upgrades and two successful referendum cycles. In 2017, DRG Architects worked with the district on a referendum to purchase the old ‘Central School’ which was sold by the district circa 1980. The Central School was constructed circa 1924 and required a complete renovation. The referendum also included toilet room upgrades in all four of the other district school buildings along with heating plant upgrades in the elementary and middle schools. DRG Architects worked with the Superintendent and Business Administrator to develop a prioritized scope of work for the referendum including conceptual designs with cost estimates. DRG Architects participated in BOE meetings where the public was invited to hear about the proposed referendum and ask questions about the Board’s decisions.
After successful passage of the referendum, DRG Architects teamed with Partner Engineering to analyze various design options for the heating plant upgrades. Part of that analysis included several meetings with New Jersey Clean Energy Program (NJCEP) representatives to determine the approach that would maximize the financial incentives available under the NJCEP from the NJBPU. DRG Architects and Partner worked to develop an approach to the heating and cooling systems that would provide consistency from school to school while maximizing the energy efficiency throughout the district.
DRG Architects performed a number of the toilet room renovations completely in-house in an effort to provide design efficiency and quick turn around on the project documents. This allowed the district to create an early bid package taking advantage of the summer recess. This methodology has also proven to be most effective when dealing with existing schools and revelation of new information from field surveys requires design revisions and close coordination with MEP design.
