FALL 2016
Design Fuel Welcoming ai Design Group It’s hard to believe November is already here, and the holiday season is right around the corner. 2016 has been an eventful year, to say the least! In July we announced our merger with ai Design Group, an architecture and interior design firm based in Charlotte, North Carolina. We could not be more thrilled to welcome this talented group of individuals into the Progressive AE family. Together, we are creating a stronger, more diverse full-service design firm with active work in 48 states, a team of 200 professionals and more than 65 years of combined history as leaders in architecture and design. Like Progressive AE, ai Design Group has established a reputation as an industry leader in specialized markets. Our two companies are a natural fit, with similar cultures and aligned strategies. Together, our combined firms will offer expertise in ten different market sectors.
our clients as the merger allows us to grow geographically, access a deeper talent pool, increase our knowledge-base and share best practices to enhance the delivery of services nationwide.
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We look forward to this first year of collaboration and growth.
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The holiday season is a time for reflection and to give thanks. At Progressive AE, we think back to the amazing projects we’ve been a part of, and the incredible people we’ve worked with along the way. This year has been one for the books, and we look forward to the surprises and opportunities of 2017.
From all of us at Progressive AE, we wish you a wonderful holiday season and a healthy and We look forward to this first year of collaboration prosperous new year. and growth. It will also be an exciting time for Happy Holidays!
Brad Thomas, President and CEO
Brad Thomas, President and CEO
Wes Jones and Kim Marks of ai Design Group A CONVERSATION WITH
We sat down to discuss the firm’s history and what they’re looking forward to in their new partnership with Progressive AE. When was aiDG founded and why did you want to create your own firm? Kim: We started the firm in 2003. For me, creating the firm was about coming back together with a group of people I had worked with earlier in my career, and who I enjoyed working with. Wes: We started ai Design Group with a focused vision: to create a firm where serving clients was paramount, while also providing a vibrant and rewarding place to work for the core team who established the firm along with us. What are some exciting moments or projects that have come to define aiDG? Wes: Our early successes included new headquarters for Time Warner Cable and SPX. In 2006 we completed Ballantyne Village, a mixed-use retail complex. Throughout the 2000’s we garnered national recognition for our work with Speedway Motorsports, Inc., completing unique projects across the country that have helped define the race fan experience.
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The merger offers all our employees the potential for professional growth...
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Kim: Surviving the recent recession as well as we did demonstrated the strength of our firm, and of our relationships with clients. Babson Capital is a great example of that. We’ve been working with them for years and have seen them grow from a small investment firm to their current position with Barings, a global firm with thousands of employees. We’re currently designing their new headquarters in Charlotte’s center city.
What were you most looking forward to in merging with Progressive AE? Kim: Providing a better foundation for our employees means the most to me. Moving into new market sectors is part of that; we’re able to give our designers the opportunity to work on a diversity of project types. Wes: I would agree with Kim. The merger offers all our employees the potential for professional growth through shared expertise and access to expanded market sectors. We felt from the beginning that the similarities in our cultures made us a natural fit and would allow us to build on each other’s best practices. Tell us a little about where you work – both geographically and market sectors. Wes: Our work takes us all over the country, primarily through our projects within the automotive and motorsports markets. Our newest partner, Ryan Doherty, has built a strong retail practice serving numerous AAA centers along the Eastern Seaboard while delivering signature retail and mixed-use projects regionally. Kim leads our interior design team which provides a wide range of services throughout the region and supports all of our architectural efforts. What do you love most about being based in Charlotte? Kim: I love being right in the middle of the community. We are in the literal center of the city and the region. There’s a lot of energy that comes with that. Wes: Since we began working together in Charlotte in the mid-nineties, we have seen extraordinary growth in the region. Charlotte is a vibrant city that is attracting millennials in great numbers. Kim and I are very involved in a wide range of professional and civic organizations and love the access our “uptown” location provides us. It’s easy to understand why Progressive AE’s search led them to our front door and we couldn’t be more excited about the potential for success our combined future holds.
PROJECT PROFILE:
Hanson Technology Center A new leader in advanced manufacturing and technical education Innovative. Transformational. Flexible. The Hanson Technology Center at Lake Michigan College is all of these things, and so much more. This fall, the center opened its doors to students interested in fabrication, welding, electronics and machine tool. With its innovative design, open and flexible classrooms, and state-of-the-art labs, the Hanson Technology Center is leading the way in advanced manufacturing and skilledtrades education. The building’s unique shape is meant to simulate reaching into the future, while the expansive side stretches up the driveway in a sign of welcome. With clear views between classrooms, lab areas and common spaces, the center promotes a sense of investigation that supports the program’s ability to attract, retain and teach students. The flexible design of the lab and classrooms allows for quick response to changing needs within the manufacturing field. Throughout the building, students will find collaboration spaces that inspire teamwork, support diversity of thought and encourage innovation. The center is equipped for efficiency, both environmentally and financially. Heating and cooling needs are met through use of a natural geothermal loop and large exterior windows cut down on electricity needs with increased natural light. By providing a steady stream of qualified, ready-towork employees, the Hanson Technology Center will be critical to the success of advanced manufacturing companies in the region, and across the country. To learn more, visit progressiveae.com/portfolio.
Three Projects Receive AIA Honor Awards Three projects, St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, Mary Free Bed YMCA and the cafeteria at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, earned awards at the 2016 Grand Rapids’ American Institute of Architect’s (AIA) Honor Awards. Additionally, our friend and colleague Mark Kastner was posthumously awarded the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award (see page 4). Each year, the Honor Awards recognize excellence in architecture throughout the Grand Rapids region.
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church was rebuilt following a devastating fire in 2012. The new design creates a spiritual experience for parishioners, while reaching out to the broader community. The presence of the divine is communicated through sensory connectivity to texture, sacraments and stature.
The Mary Free Bed YMCA was built as a community hub to provide children, adults and families access to healthy living. The facility was designed around the principles of Universal Design. The core of Universal Design is inclusion, with the goal of eliminating barriers for all. The project was the first to be certified by the Global Universal Design Commission.
The cafeteria at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s in downtown Grand Rapids was designed to attract visitors and staff while serving as a central hub between two buildings on the main campus. Elements of nature were infused throughout the café to promote healing and relaxation among patients, staff and visitors.
Learn more at Progressiveae. com/strategicinsights.
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1811 4 Mile Road NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525 phone 616.361.2664 progressiveae.com
Remembering Our Friend, Mark Kastner Earlier this year we lost a beloved member of the Progressive AE family, architect Mark Kastner. Mark was a fixture in our company for more than 24 years. A consummate mentor and student of his craft, Mark’s impact was quiet yet powerful. Projects across the country, and many here in Grand Rapids, were shaped by his thoughtfulness, knowledge, keen eye and incredible attention to detail. In early October, Mark was honored by AIA Grand Rapids with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his 33 years of service. The award is given to an architect who clearly demonstrates distinguished leadership in any phase of the profession over an extended period of time. Mark demonstrated these characteristics day in, day out. In fact, he was the embodiment of one of Progressive AE’s company values, servant leadership. Mark’s talent and grace are greatly missed. However, we count ourselves lucky to have known and worked with him for so many years. His award was accepted by his wife and two sons.
From Our Experts Expanding Holland’s Snow Melt System By David Bell
Believe it or not, Holland, Michigan is about to become a national leader in energy production and efficiency. In early 2017, Holland BPW will celebrate the opening of their new energy plant situated along the city’s east side. The combined-cycle natural-gas fired system pairs gas and steam combustion turbine generators. This combination makes the new plant far more efficient than many existing plants. Not only will the new plant be more energy efficient than before, it will also support an expansion to the city’s already famous snow melt system. Our work with Holland BPW and Barton Mallow has enabled a several-fold expansion of the current system.
How does the snow melt system work? Below the streets and sidewalks of Holland are miles of plastic tubes. Warm water from the new plant, which would otherwise be routed directly to a cooling tower, is pumped through the pipes to heat the sidewalks, keeping them clear and dry all winter. Holland’s snow melt system is the largest of its kind in the United States, and its advantages are obvious: safer walking and driving for residents and visitors, extended pavement life and more activity to support Holland’s vibrant downtown. Bring on the snow, Holland is ready! To learn more, visit progressiveae.com/portfolio.
CONNECT WITH US! Our website, blog and social media channels are full of great information regarding projects and general insight about the industry. We’d love to connect with you and hear your thoughts!
Progressiveae.com Rendering of the Holland Energy Park