Past Press

Jarmel Kizel Architects and Engineers Inc. Completes Projects for the Jersey City Community Charter School, the Deron School and The Learning Experience

LIVINGSTON, N.J. (May 15, 2009) -- Jarmel Kizel Architects and Engineers Inc., one of the state’s oldest and largest architecture and engineering firms, has recently completed work on school projects for three clients throughout the state of New Jersey.

The Livingston, N.J.-based firm has completed work on a major addition to the Jersey City Community Charter School in Jersey City, N.J.; a major addition to the Deron School of New Jersey, in Montclair, N.J.; and work at multiple locations for The Learning Experience. Schools are a specialty for Jarmel Kizel, which is known for providing one-stop shopping for architecture, engineering and interior design services.

“Our extensive expertise in the education sector has allowed our firm to provide the services and designs to meet the specific needs of these schools,” said Matthew B. Jarmel, AIA, principal of Jarmel Kizel Architects and Engineers. “It is extremely rewarding to play a part in developing environments that further the education of children, and in turn benefit both the parents and the community as well.”

The addition to the Jersey City Community Charter School at 128 Danforth Ave. in Jersey City opened this past fall. The 20,500-square-foot addition nearly doubled the size of the existing school. Jarmel Kizel provided architecture and engineering services, including mechanical, electric and plumbing engineering and structural engineering.

The school serves 594 students in grades K-8, with 396 being located in the Danforth Avenue building. The school was founded by the Urban League of Hudson County in 1997 and opened its doors in September 1997 with 77 kindergarten students. In subsequent years, the school added a grade every year, with the addition of the eighth grade class in the 2005/2006 school year completing the school’s organization.

Jamel Kizel has been involved with the school almost since its inception, initially helping with the permitting for modular classrooms, then providing architecture and engineering services for the renovation of the second floor of the building, which was originally a catering hall, into classrooms. The most recent project, the three-story “annex,” includes classrooms, offices, a library, a “cafetorium” (combination cafeteria and gymnasium) and a rooftop playground.

In addition, Jarmel Kizel designed a three-story, 15,000-square-foot addition to the Deron School of New Jersey at 133 Grove St. in Montclair. The school is a private day school that provides programs for children with special needs. The addition was designed to upgrade the school, which was originally built in 1912, to meet state Department of Education standards, including making it handicapped accessible.

Jarmel Kizel provided architectural services; mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering services; and structural engineering services, while civil engineering services were provided by Jarmel Kizel Witczak Land Planning and Design, a subsidiary of Jarmel Kizel that specializes in civil engineering and site plan design. In addition, Jarmel Kizel managed the entitlement process, including the presentation to the zoning board.

This was the second major assignment undertaken on behalf of Deron by Jarmel Kizel. The firm had previously designed Deron’s Union, N.J., school, which involved the adaptive reuse of a 50,000-square-foot industrial building into a state-of-the-art school.

Finally, Jarmel Kizel has completed work on multiple sites for The Learning Experience centers that have opened within New Jersey over the last several months including those in Blackwood, Bordentown, East Brunswick, East Windsor, Howell, Manalapan, Readington, Toms River, Voorhees and Waldwick. Sites currently under construction include Edison, Freehold, Hackensack, Hamilton, Manahawkin, South Brunswick, Montvale, Plainsboro, South Toms River and Toms River.

The Learning Experience is a brand of child development centers that provides childcare and education for children from six weeks of age through kindergarten. Jarmel Kizel developed the prototype design for the brand, which encompasses areas for teaching, free play and naps. In addition, Jarmel Kizel assists in site planning, zoning entitlements and building approvals. The firm is a one-stop source for all of The Learning Experience’s design needs including brand architecture, base building design and civil engineering, structural engineering and mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering.

Jarmel Kizel has provided services for more than 100 Learning Experience sites in 12 states and Jarmel Kizel Witczak Land Planning and Design has provided civil engineering services for 10 sites in New Jersey.

“We are pleased to provide a full range of services for these Learning Experience sites,” said Charles Witczak, principal of Jarmel Kizel Witczak Land Planning and Design. “The Learning Experience is one of the fastest growing childcare concepts, and we are honored to have been involved in its extraordinary growth throughout New Jersey and the country.”

About Jarmel Kizel Architects & Engineers, Inc.
Headquartered in Livingston, N.J., Jarmel Kizel Architects and Engineers, Inc. is a full-service integrated architecture, engineering, interior design and energy consulting firm serving a distinguished client base of commercial and residential real estate companies, and a myriad of corporations throughout the Northeast.  The company employs registered architects, interior designers, professional engineers, LEED-AP professionals and technical support personnel that provide clients with a single source for all of their facility needs from architectural design, interior design, structural, MEP and civil engineering, to energy solutions and product procurement management services.  For more information, contact the company’s Livingston headquarters at 973.994.9669 or visit www.jarmelkizel.com.