Past Press

Jarmel Kizel Retained for Lobby and Common Area Renovation Design at Convergence Corporate Office Campus in Whippany, NJ

LIVINGSTON, N.J. (November 8, 2011)—Jarmel Kizel Architects and Engineers, Inc., a full-service architecture and engineering firm based in Livingston, New Jersey, has been retained by Brookfield Asset Management to redesign the lobby and common areas within Building C on the Convergence corporate office campus in Whippany, New Jersey. The campus was formerly owned and occupied by JPMorgan Chase. The 150,000-square-foot building is vacant and being marketed to prospective tenants by Cushman & Wakefield of NJ.

For this assignment, Jarmel Kizel is providing a full array of architectural and engineering services including schematic design, interior design, construction documents and construction contract administration. Jarmel Kizel’s team also will provide artist renderings of the new lobby design that will assist in the promotion of the building.

“Since 1992, our firm has provided architectural and engineering design services at this office campus,” said Matthew B. Jarmel, AIA, MBA and principal of Jarmel Kizel. “We designed two of the five buildings and interior renovations for the entire campus, which is close to 650,000 square feet. We truly know all of these buildings inside and out. We are excited for the opportunity to put the Jarmel Kizel stamp on the modernization of Building C, and look forward to assisting Cushman & Wakefield’s talented team of brokers and supporting Brookfield in marketing the building,” he added.

The renovation of Building C will include many aesthetic changes including changes to the spandrel glass to create a two-story curtain wall and the building’s lobby, create a second floor balcony, new ceiling tiles and wall finishes throughout, new granite or stone floor finishes, new wall finishes, upgrades to the common bathrooms and new energy-efficient lighting. In addition, the first floor lobby area will be enlarged by using some of the existing open office space. The building owner is also proposing renovations to the building’s exterior including a new entry walkway and landscaping.

“We are excited about repositioning this building into a state-of-the-art facility,” said Michelle Berliner, vice president, Brookfield Asset Management. “Jarmel Kizel’s previous experience working within this campus and impressive track record of corporate interior design services made the firm an obvious choice to provide architectural services. This is a highly sought-after corporate campus and we look forward to brining new tenants to the site.”

Over the last 19 years, Jarmel Kizel has provided architectural and engineering design services totaling over 600,000 square feet in renovation projects at the campus. Notable projects include base building designs for Buildings D&E, as well as all of the interior fit-ups at Building D, and the restacking of Buildings A, B and C. The firm also designed all of the powerhouse expansions at the site. Most recently, the firm completed a 100,000-square-foot renovation for JPMorgan Chase at Building C.

The campus, located at 115 S. Jefferson Road in Whippany, consists of approximately 650,000 square feet in five buildings, and a powerhouse facility. The site was previously owned and occupied by Bear Stearns, and acquired by JPMorgan Chase in 2008. A major $23 million power upgrade was completed at the campus in 2010, which makes the campus ideal for data center, disaster recovery and mission critical operations. Situated in a park-like setting, the campus also features 24/7 access and on-site security, with convenience to many major highways. On-site amenities include a cafeteria, grab-and-go cafes, a fitness center, picnic areas and walking trails.

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.