Fall 2017
Design Fuel Joining Progressive AE Last year, ai Design Group joined Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Progressive AE to create a stronger, more diverse full-service architectural and design firm. Now, more than year later, we are thrilled by the growth, experience, and opportunities the merger has brought our office and employees. On November 1, 2017, ai Design Group officially adopted the Progressive AE name.
This past year has been filled with exciting opportunities as we’ve begun introducing new markets and services to Charlotte and our clients. In addition to retail, workplace, and sports – which we’ve been leaders in since 2003 – we now offer expertise in community, healthcare, housing, industrial, learning, senior living and worship. Furthermore, we’re now able to offer full-service expertise to our clients. From architecture and interiors, to engineering, landscape architecture, procurement and design-build expertise, we look forward to serving our clients no matter their challenge!
While we look forward to an even more exciting 2018, we remain committed to exceptional client service and building our community right here in Charlotte. This newsletter is our way of staying connected to you. Whether you’re a current or former client, an industry partner, or simply a friend of the firm, we acknowledge your contribution to our success. We look forward to introducing our expanded team and expertise from Grand Rapids, as we diversify into new markets and continue to grow. Get to know the new us at progressiveae.com! We look forward to continue serving our clients as Progressive AE!
Wes Jones
Kim Marks
Ryan Doherty
Doing Business at The Speed of Trust By Brad Thomas, President and CEO At Progressive AE, we have a passion for driving organizational performance – we believe spaces can be, and should be, strategic contributors to a business’s goals and objectives. Whether performance is measured through the lens of people, processes, infrastructure and/or finances, we help clients achieve their goals eachand-every day. In fact, their goals become our goals.
partners. But building these relationships doesn’t happen overnight – they take effort and intentionality. Trust is something that needs to be worked on continuously.
In effort to do that, we ask a lot of our clients. We ask them to share information, to answer questions, unveil their greatest challenges, admit failures, and dream about the future. When we fully understand your organization’s business drivers and performance measures, we can then create targeted design solutions to advance aspirations and create the highest value.
Upon hiring, each Progressive AE employee is issued The Speed of Trust book and goes through a facilitated workshop. This ensures we’re all working from the same playbook. Trust allows us to do what we do. I’ve found it to be a powerful tool as we advance the goals and objectives of our own firm.
Trust is the key ingredient to making this work. We are a relationship-based firm and we couldn’t do what we do without the loyalty and trust of our employees, clients, vendors and community
To that end, Progressive AE implemented Stephen M.R. Covey’s The Speed of Trust program in 2011. The Speed of Trust is founded on the 4 Cores of Credibility – integrity, intent, capabilities and results. It also hones-in on 13 behaviors of high-trust people which have proven to be actionable and universal.
If you have already read this book and would like to share your thoughts or discuss the material, I’d be happy to connect. And if you haven’t, you may want to put it on your “wish list” this holiday season! Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season!
Brightmoor Christian Church Wins National Design Award Brightmoor Christian Church in Novi, MI, has won a national Solomon Award for Best Church Building Design for a Contemporary Church. Presented by WFX, the annual Solomon Awards recognize churches and their partners for excellence in design, operations and technical production. This large expansion and renovation reflects the church’s goal to break down barriers, become fully transparent, and extend unconditional acceptance to visitors and the community. The project included a new, state-of-the-art 2,100-seat worship center to better support the church’s holiday productions and media-driven services. A new entrance experience is highlighted by a 60-foot tall cross and two-story glass paneling along the new gathering “hub”. The hub gives members a chance to connect and socialize before and after services, and often, throughout the week. Dedicated kids and youth space were also key aspects of the project. To learn more, visit progressiveae.com/portfolio/brightmoorchristianchurch
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Featured Project: SecurEdge and The Launch Factory Located in Charlotte’s historic Dyestuff Building, this project involved the full renovation and interior upfit of two unique spaces – SecurEdge and The Launch Factory. The building’s ground floor is dedicated office space for SecurEdge, a wireless technology startup. The space houses the company’s main operations including offices for administrative staff and a workshop for technical staff. A generous board room, break room and break-out collaboration space provides a variety of settings for meeting and working. It’s not your average co-working space. From the Securedge front desk, visitors can look up, through an opening between floors, into The Launch Factory Charlotte’s newest co-working space. With a variety of working options, modern furniture, and views to the outside, The Launch Factory was designed to inspire creative thinking by attracting like-minded, technology-focused entrepreneurs. The design team worked closely with the contractor and local code officials to introduce a mezzanine area within the space, made possible by inventive and strategically placed structural design. A combination of private office space, open workspace, relaxed seating areas, and small semi-private meeting spaces provide the variety and flexibility expected by those working in the space. Other features include a two-story mural by Charlotte artist team Hooker Media and an open break area and counter.
On The Boards Here’s a sneak peek at some of the projects our teams are working on right now:
300 South Brevard
RedStone Retail Center
With a goal of repositioning this
RedStone is an open-air retail complex
aging office space from a Class-C to
anchored by a 14-screen cineplex in
Class-A, the design team created a new
Indian Town, South Carolina. The center
entrance experience and co-working
will include spaces for a variety of
areas throughout the renovated
retailers as well as a large green area for
lobby. The building’s exterior was also
outdoor concerts and farmer’s markets.
modernized.
Kerry Group We’re currently in the middle of a three-phase project with Kerry Group, an Irish food ingredients company. Phase one is under construction. Phase two will include extensive site work and an addition and renovation to an existing facility.
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330 South Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28202 phone 704.731.8080 progressiveae.com
FROM THE BLOG
Community on Foot: Mixed Use Trends on the Urban Front By Denny Gappens, Architectural Designer When was the last time you walked to work, to eat, or to play? Conversely, when was the last time you drove? For myself, an urbanite by definition, and like many others in their mid-twenties and thirties, the answer is about how recently you walked. No longer content with long commutes, or having to always drive between destinations, many people in these generations are flocking to urban environs for the conveniences associated with them. One of the single largest contributing factors to our lifestyle is mixed use developments. Shopping, dining, and workplaces accessible by short walks, public transportation, and a density that links them all, are fueling the renewal of existing urban places, and a genesis of new placemaking...
To read the full article, please visit our blog at progressiveae.com/strategic-insights.
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
Role of Recruiting in Company Culture Everyday, we work to bring value and expertise to our clients and their projects around the country. We’re able to do this through the talent and experience of our professionals – and place a lot of effort into hiring the brightest and the best. Progressive AE’s Corporate Recruiter, Ryan Struck-VanderHaak, answers questions about the value of new hires and what it means for clients. How does recruitment support and create a strong company? “Finding great talent helps us grow by adding new skillsets, perspectives, and approaches that ultimately help our clients. We already have an incredible diversity of talent, from architecture and engineering to construction services and interior design, but it’s still exciting to bring in talented new employees who want to grow with us.” Why is recruitment important for company culture? “It’s great to find people who are skilled in their field, but from a growth philosophy, we value the whole person. This means we’re also looking at how employees will work across disciplines in integrated teams, and how they’ll serve and support our clients.” How will recruitment support our clients and projects? “Each employee brings unique skills to our team, and the more range of skills we have, the better we’re able to serve clients. For instance, we’ve recently hired engineers experienced with energy modeling, architects at the forefront of universal design, and project managers with incredible portfolios of far-ranging work. This additional knowledge will help our clients achieve success through performance.” Why is broadening our search geographically important for local clients? “Charlotte and Grand Rapids are awesome “hubs” for attracting talent as both are known as great places to work and raise families. Having two offices allows us to partner on projects throughout the country while adding new employees from all over. And bringing in employees allows us to serve our clients in 48 states.”
For more information, visit progressiveae.com/careers