FA+A Qualifications Unitarian Universalist Association

Unitarian Universalist Association

Finegold Alexander + Associates Inc (FA+A) is pleased to submit our background information on relevant experience and a team to part-ner with Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in the transition to 24 Farnsworth Street. We have reviewed the pertinent information and visited your current and future homes and understand the transformational nature of your project.The Fifth Principal of the UUA is “The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large”. In many of our projects we are charged with fostering relationships and beginning conversations with a variety of interest groups. From parents and teachers involved with the renovation of their school to a Jewish congregation at an expanding synagogue, we always find value in the input of the group. We want this process to be a collaboration – drawing on our design experience and your visions and hopes for the future of your site. The three key components we bring to this assignment are:A. Principal commitment to listening, interacting and leadership with the UUA community based on previous experience.B. A background in designing office, cultural and spiritual spaces.C. Ability to provide a contemporary office environment reflecting the inclusive, welcoming and socially progressive values of the UUA.The project team will be organized with a Principal-in-Charge, a Project Manager, a Design Director, a Project Architect and support-ing technical personnel. The Principal, Project Manager and Design Director remain with the project from inception to completion. For this project, Jim Alexander will serve as the Principal-in-Charge, Rebecca Berry will be the Project Manager and Tony Hsiao will be the Design Director. All three members are experienced in transformational projects with a focus on sustainability.We have included our long term interior design collaborators, Stefura Associates, as an integral part of our team. This relationship extends over 20 years and includes shared values as well as office space. Our review of your preliminary project schedule, budget, program and the need for Principal leadership are an excellent match with our experience. They are the sound beginning of the conversation with UUA on implementations of the planned move to 24 Farnsworth Street. Specific background information follows.

Beginning the Conversation

James G Alexander, FAIA, LEED AP

Cultural + Spiritual

a. Experience with cultural and spiritual spaces.Finegold Alexander + Associates Inc practices architecture as a collaborative art and its projects are mainly for those in the humanities, those fostering a sense of community, engagement, and collegiality. The inclusive inspiring nature of cultural and spiritual spaces has been a great influence on our work. The aspect which welcomes diverse people and their communities to a shared, yet personal experi-ence, requires careful thought and inspired vision. In the case of 24 Farnsworth Street the broad message is communicated immediately by accessibility, informal architectural features and finally by the tactile feeling of entry. Regardless of whether our cultural, theater, and religious projects contain grand architectural spaces, the ability to express a welcoming, open environment along with a sense of positive expectations is our goal.

Ellis Island National Monument

Our work at Ellis Island began with an empty, abandoned and deteriorating building. Its transformation into the Museum of Immigration was a clear lesson in the emotional power of human events to form appropriate inspiring architectural space. At another scale, our new chapel for the B’Nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim congregation expresses the collective vision of the religious community through its architec-ture, interior design, and art work.

B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim Synagogue


Transformational

b. Experience leading transformational projects and change management. (UUA will be transitioning from a largely closed environment to a largely open environment). A dramatic transition occurred in the B’Nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim move from their existing synagogue to a repurposed and reused 1960’s office park. The move involved visionary leadership and consensus building to embrace change for an expanding program to serve a larger more diverse congregation. The new location with its light filled community court, worship and social spaces and open planning process have all contributed to the smooth transition to the new space.Several projects required major transformations in organizational relationship, management and —equally significant—in user


303 Congress Street

perception of the group. Having done the programming, we are currently completing the construction for the move of the Cambridge Housing Authority from an undistinguished speculative office building to the former Police Headquarters in Central Square. The creation of a light filled layout with direct street level access is a major organizational change. A new open communicating stair, informal break-out areas, and an open loft mezzanine are all designed to foster interaction and knowledge spillovers between CHA staffers. An experience in transition from old to new space is reflected in the move of Project Hope from a cramped residence used as office space into a new building on Dudley Street in Roxbury. The FA+A team worked on the program, designed the new building and the open office plan with system furniture. This major change involved hands-on collaboration between the design team and Sister Margaret’s Project Hope staff.

FA+A Office

Cambridge Housing Authority

Systems: Furniture + Acoustics

c. Experience with furniture systems.Today, we recognize that office work occurs in one of three major modes: focused, sharing and teaming. Focused work takes place in private spaces when tasks require an individual to concentrate on the task at hand. Shared work mode describes the casual interaction and exchange of information between smaller groups. Teaming mode describes more formal meetings of larger groups of people. In the past, the percentage of focused workspace accounted for 80% of an office space. In spaces planned today, it now accounts for 40%-50% of the office space, with the remainder of space devoted to sharing and teaming activities. What yours will be is to be determined through the programming and design phases.

Perkins School for the Blind (Stefura)

Furniture systems solutions that we have developed for our Clients support the three work modes. In focused work areas, higher and/or glazed panels, primary work area orientation and “white noise” offer the user a higher degree of privacy. Access to IT and individualized control of lighting, heating and air quality are added for increased comfort. In areas where shared work mode is in play, spaces feature increased visibility, flexible arrangements of work surfaces (both horizontal and vertical), a variety of seating types and flexible and easy access to IT. We have developed many of these types of spaces for educa-tional facilities, public libraries and corporate offices.Teaming activities are often accommodated in conference and meeting rooms.

Knoll (Stefura)

Venture (Stefura)

Sustainability

d. Experience with sustainable architecture.We believe that designing and implementing projects in an environmentally sustainable manner is a moral imperative. Our approach begins with establishing with you, the Client, your sustainability goals for the project. We believe these goals must reflect your values as an organization and industry best practices. The decision by UUA to adapt an existing space to your needs is a clear embodiment of your principle of caring for the earth, as utilizing an existing building provides real and significant energy savings and reduces the environmental impact of your organization’s physical headquarters. We have been an industry thought leader in the area of reusing buildings for nearly 50 years.



Your decision to use an existing building means that our decisions will revolve around retrofitting for energy use reduction and materi-als and furnishings selections. There is a wide array of choices falling under different programs for sustainable certification. Our team is fully versed in these certification systems and will use that knowledge to help you make design decisions which speak to your values. The current benchmarking standard for sustainable building projects is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). We have designed 10 LEED Certified projects, including a current project for offices for the Cambridge Housing Authority and the City of Cambridge which involves the adaptive use of the historic Police Headquarters building constructed in 1933. The project has a LEED Platinum target, the highest level of LEED certification.

Monarch Lofts

Arts + Artifacts

e. Ability to assist with art, artifacts, and other legacy items and the development of a plan to incorporate these effects into the project. The legacy of memory is a vital component of much of our work. How memory is incorporated with our projects takes a variety of paths. For our historic projects, what happened there, who was the architect, and what place in the civic presence, is of special concern. The history is researched, recorded, and is often posted as memorabilia in the structures or recorded in pamphlets. Sometimes this his-tory is embedded in the building. At Ellis Island, for example, we discovered notes and messages written on some walls. These have been preserved as part of that living history. Sometimes, we imbed architectural features that are significant. Original artwork, murals,

Holyoke Public Library

Westwood Public Library B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim Synagogue


stained glass, sculpture and other artifacts have been successfully transformed and enrich the quality of the built environment in their new homes.In other situations, we find there is first a wish to bring along most everything to the new place. As design and construction develops, the understanding develops that the things are not as important as the legacy of the previous generations’ names. We have found ways to bring order to this process, sometimes organizing the artifacts in one place, as a piece of history, sometimes more dispersed. Most find the former works well, whether they be photos, names, or artifacts, leaving the new space quite free to create a new history. In space such as you imagine, the use of sacred text quotations, appropriately placed, could begin to help create that new sense of place.

Midway Artist Lofts

Open Office

f. Experience with the acoustical and visual challenges of open office space.Open offices provide many challenges and opportunities related to visual and acoustic privacy. For example, sensitivity to the heights of partitions is required. At the Cambridge Housing Authority, we utilized a fixed but hierarchical set of partition heights to establish definition between department areas, to define individual work areas, and to provide more privacy between public circulation areas and departments. Because one of the goals of the project was to achieve a high level of sustainability, all of the partitions have areas of glazing. This enables all the employees to have a view to the exterior.

Project Hope

Knoll (Stefura)

We work with architectural acousticians on our projects to establish goals for sound levels at the project, and to assist us with treat-ment of different surfaces. At Cambridge Housing Authority, together with the Client, we decided to have an open ceiling with exposed mechanical systems. This concept helped define their own sense of place, … “not too high end.”.. Floated areas of acoustic ceiling provide for additional sound absorption within the space and help to define spaces within the open plan. The flooring is either carpet tile or linoleum, both highly sustainable, and highly sound absorbent.

Venture (Stefura)

Diversity

g. Ability to add diversity to the UUA project team. Our office is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Over the years, we have employed many from diverse backgrounds, locally, nationally, and internationally. We are supporters of Boston’s program to hire high school students during summer months. We have worked with non-profit organizations such as Rosie’s Place, Project Hope, and the YMCA. We are currently engaged on projects in diverse communities such as Holyoke, Lawrence, Cambridge, and the greater New England region. In planning our project team, we strive to include minor-ity and women-owned consulting firms.

Team

h. Willingness to devote considerable principal during May and June to providing hands-on project leadership.Our project teams are organized with a Principal-in-Charge, Project Manager, Design Director, Project Architect and supporting techni-cal personnel as the project requires. The Principal, Project Manager, and Design Director remain with the project from inception to completion. Several other key persons are shareholders and have project responsibilities. At our size, roughly 30 persons, we are able to commit the time effectively to lead the team of clients, consultants and construction managers to achieve excellence in pursuit of our client’s goals. For the UUA, Jim Alexander is the designated Principal-in-Charge and will commit the time needed to provide hands-on project leader-ship.

Finegold Alexander + Associates Inc

James G Alexander, FAIA, LEED AP BD+CPrincipal

Jim Alexander is an experienced architect and noted authority in the preservation and reuse of signifi cant buildings. His contribution to the design of nationally and locally signifi cant architectural and planning projects has been acknowledged by numerous prestigious awards. Jim is a registered architect in Massachusetts and four other states, holds a National Architectural Registration Certifi cate, is a fellow of the AIA and a LEED accredited profession. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor of architecture degree, and studied at the Architectural Association in London, England. Jim is past Chairman of Preservation Massachusetts, past President of Ellis Memorial, and an active member of numerous professional and community organizations. He has served on the national AIA Awards Jury, and as a juror mentor to architectural students at various schools.

As Principal, Jim has directed a range of projects, including the adaptive use, restora-tion, and renovation of historic buildings, the design of new buildings and urban revitalization planning. Award winning projects include the restoration of a national monument conversion of a historic city jail to housing and many residential comercial projects in Boston and throughout New England.

Religious, Cultural, Theatres, and Community FacilitiesEmmanuel Church, Boston, Massachusetts Project Hope, Roxbury, Massachusetts Rosie’s Place, Boston, Massachusetts Jesuit Urban Center, Church of the Immaculate Conception, Boston, MAChurch of the Covenant, Boston, MassachusettsEllis Island Museum of Immigration, New York, New YorkMohawk Theatre, North Adams, Massachusetts Leggs Hill YMCA, Salem, Massachusetts Wright Building Historic Museum, Duxbury, Massachusetts Union Station Intermodal Transportation Center, Worcester, Massachusetts The Hatch Memorial Shell, Boston, Massachusetts Boston Center for the Arts,The Cyclorama, Boston, Massachusetts New Hampshire Historical Society, Concord, New Hampshire Municipal Group, City Hall, Symphony Hall & Campanile, Springfield, MABoston Opera House, Boston, Massachusetts

Commercial, Mixed Use and Office

Revitalization of 5 Western Avenue, Cambridge, MABoston University Autism Center of Excellence, Boston, MAThe Berkeley Building, 420 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 303 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts 226 Causeway Street, Boston, Massachusetts Two Atlantic Avenue At Lewis Wharf, Boston, Massachusetts Auditors Main Building, U.S. Forestry Service Offices, Washington, D.C. Porter Exchange, Cambridge, Massachusetts The Old City Hall, Boston, Massachusetts

Education• Pennsylvania State University Bachelor of Architecture• Architectural Association London, England

Registrations• National Architectural Registration Certifi cate (NCARB) • Registered Architect in MA + 5 other states• The US Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDTM) Accredited Professional

Affiliations • Boston Society of Architects• American Institute of Architects• Preservation Massachusetts, Inc.• Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE) • Boston Preservation Alliance • National Trust for Historic Preservation• Citizens’ Housing And Planning Association (CHAPA) • Ellis Memorial / Eldredge House, Inc • National Association of Industrial & Offi ce Properties (NAIOP)

Juries• American Institute of Architects National Design Awards Juror• Pennsylvania A.I.A.• Harvard University G.S.D.• Boston Architectural College


James G Alexander, FAIA, LEED AP BD+CPrincipal

Master Planning/Revitalization Studies Strathmore Mill, Montague, Massachusetts Fort Devens for Mass Development, Devens, Massachusetts Charlestown Navy Yard Master Plan, Charlestown, Massachusetts Springfield Downtown Revitalization Plan, Springfield, Massachusetts Market Square Historic District, Newburyport, Massachusetts Ellis Island National Monument, New York Harbor, New York Bird Estate Master Plan, East Walpole, Massachusetts Digital Headquarters Master Plan, Maynard, Massachusetts Baltimore Waterfront Plan, Baltimore, Maryland Lowell Downtown Plan, Lowell, MassachusettsWashington Navy Yard Master Plan, Washington, DC

Other Relevant ProjectsMidway Artist Studios, Channel Center, Boston, Massachusetts 95 Berkeley Street, Boston, MassachusettsGeneral Cable Mills, Williamstown, MassachusettsMarket Mills, Lowell, MassachusettsNo. 2 Clarendon Square, Boston, Massachusetts

Libraries Holyoke Public Library, Holyoke, Massachusetts Westwood Public Library, Westwood, Massachusetts Newburyport Public Library, Newburyport, Massachusetts Grafton Public Library, Grafton, Massachusetts Hingham Public Library, Hingham, Massachusetts Walpole Public Library, Walpole, Massachusetts Milton Public Library, Milton, Massachusetts

Achievements• Member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects• Past Chair, Board of Directors, Preservation Massachusetts, Inc.• Former President of the South End Historical Society• Former Member of the Boston Landmarks Commission• President, Ellis Memorial/ Eldredge House, Inc• Tsongas Profi le in Preservation Award• Lifetime Achievement Award from the New England Chapter of the Victorian Society

Speaking Engagements • AIA National Conference - The Power of Architecture: Extended Use Projects• AIA National Conference - Reuse of Historic Schools• National Trust Preservation Conference• Massachusetts Statewide Conference on Historic Preservation• Build Boston Presenter - Reuse of an High-Profi le Urban Building + Preservation of Historic Schools• National School Boards Association Convention - Representing the National Trust for Historic Preservation • RESTORE; Renovation Restoration Conference


Tony Hsiao, AIA, LEED AP BD+CDirector of Design

Tony graduated from the University of Michigan in 1980 with a B.S. degree and received his Master of Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 1984. He is a registered architect in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Tony joined the fi rm as a designer in 1984 and became a Principal and Director of Design in 1997. In addition to his outstanding design work, Tony creates and oversees render-ings, presentation drawings, and models that visually communicate design concepts to clients. Tony is a member of the American Institute of Architects, the Boston Society of Architects, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Art Deco Society of America. He is also vice chair of the Mid Cambridge Neighborhood Conser-vation District Commission.

Synagogues, Churches and Community CentersTemple Isreal, Omaha, NebraskaB’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim Synagogue, Deerfield, IllinoisValley Beth Shalom, Encino, CaliforniaCongregation Shearith Israel, Dallas, TexasAm Shalom Synagogue, Glencoe, IlinoisAgudas Achim Synagogue, San Antonio, TexasBeth El Synagogue, Omaha, NebraskaTemple Emanuel, Newton, MassachusettsAdath Jeshurun Synagogue, Minneapolis, MinnesotaBeth Sholom Synagogue, Memphis, TennesseeAnshe Emet Synagogue, Chicago, IllinoisTemple Sholom of Chicago, Chicago, IllinoisTemple Emanuel of North Jersey, Franklin Lakes, New JerseyTemple Beth Elohim, Acton, MassachusettsThe Campus of the Jewish Community, San Antonio, TexasMayfield Jewish Community Center, Cleveland, OhioJewish Community Center + Jewish Home and Care Center, Mequon Park, WI Community BuildingsProject Hope, Dorchester, MassachusettsRosie’s Place, Boston, Massachusetts Leggs Hill YMCA, Salem, MassachusettsWest Newbury Public Safety Buildings, West Newbury, MassachusettsWayland Public Safety Building, Wayland, MassachusettsNewton Police Headquarters, Newton, Massachusetts Residential95 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts Wood Mill, Lawrence, Massachusetts Penny Savings Bank Residences, Boston, MassachusettsNeihu Museum Residence, TaiwanCharlestown Navy Yark, Pier 7, Boston, Massachusetts75 Clarendon Street, Boston, Massachusetts32 Garrison Square, Boston, Massachusetts84 Dartmouth Street, Boston, MassachusettsBurroughs Wharf, Boston, Massachusetts

Education• Harvard Graduate School of Design Masters of Architecture• University of Michigan Bachelor of Science

Registrations• National Architectural Registration Certifi cate (NCARB) • Registered Architect in MA• The US Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDTM) Accredited Professional

Affiliations • Boston Society of Architects• American Institute of Architects• National Trust for Historic Preservation• Art Deco Society of America• Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District Commission (Chair)

Design Competition Director • Union Station 2010• Glyndwr University, Wales, UK• Jewish Community Center, Munich, Germany• Holocaust Memorial Frankfort, Germany• Snug Harbor Theatre, Staten Island, New York• IMAX Theater, Chatanooga, Tennessee


Tony Hsiao, AIA, LEED AP BD+CDirector of Design

National Monuments and Significant BuildingsMohawk Theatre, North Adams, MassachusettsTrial Court Facilities, Lowell, Massachusetts (Master Plan)Fall River Justice Center, Fall River, MassachusettsFall River Trial Court Facilities, Fall River, MassachusettsU.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC (Associated Architect)The Wang Center for the Performing Arts, Boston, MassachusettsFall River Courthouse, Fall River, MassachusettsUnion Station Intermodal Transportation Center, Worcester, MassachusettsU.S. Federal Courthouses, San Juan, Puerto RicoThe Hatch Memorial Shell, Boston, MassachusettsBoston Center for the Arts, The Cyclorama, Boston, MassachusettsVermont State House, Montpelier, VermontEducational InstitutionsHarvard University, Cambridge, MassachusettsThayer Hall DormitoryHemenway Gymnasium (Adaptive Study)Mount Ida College, Newton, MassachusettsTufts Campus Center, Grafton, MassachusettsMilton Academy, Milton, Massachusetts (Capital Plan Implementation)Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire (Master Plan)Bunker Hill Community College, Chelsea, MassachusettsUnion College, Nott Memorial, Schenectady, New YorkThe Early Learning Center at the Shurtleff School, Chelsea, MassachusettsBrookline High School, Brookline, MassachusettsWesleyan University, Fayerweather Gymnasium, Middletown, CT (Study)Williston Northampton School, Reed Campus Center, Easthampton, MADover Sherborn Regional School District, Dover, MassachusettsUniversity of Michigan, Student Publications Building, Ann Arbor, MichiganBryn Mawr College, Goodhart Hall Performance Center, Bryn Mawr, PALibrariesHolyoke Public Library, Holyoke, MassachusettsMilton Public Library, Milton, Massachusetts (Study)Hingham Public Library, Hingham, MassachusettsNewburyport Public Library, Newburyport, MassachusettsWestwood Public Library, Westwood, Massachusetts


Rebecca Berry, AIA, LEED AP Associate, Sustainability Team Leader

Rebecca was graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1995, with two S.B. degrees and received her Master of Architecture degree from the Massachu-setts Institute of Technology in 1999. Upon receipt of her Masters she received the Alpha Rho Chi medal, a national award in recognition for service. She is registered in Massachusetts. Ms. Berry has been the Architect on a number of projects, including institutional projects, both lowincome and market rate housing, and religious projects. She joined the firm in 2006.

Rebecca serves on the board of directors of the MIT Crew Alumni Association. She is an active member of the Committee on the Environment for the Boston Society of Architects. She is a member of the American Institute of Architects and the Boston Society of Architects. She chairs the firm’s sustainabilities initiatives.

Project Experience

Revitalization of 5 Western Avenue, Cambridge, MA (Adaptive Use)Boston University Autism Center of Excellence, Boston, MA (Renovation)Congregation Shearith Israel, Dallas, TX (Renovation + Addition)Congregation Valley Beth Shalom, Encino, CA (Renovation + Addition)Congregation Shaare Tefilla, Dallas, TX (Renovation + Addition)Congregation B’Nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim, Deerfield, IL (Renovation + Addition)Cresent Court, Chelsea, MA (New Construction)Fall River Justice Center, Fall River, MA (New Construction)Harvard Memorial Church, Appleton Chapel, Cambridge, MA (Preservation + Renovation)Leggs Hill YMCA, Salem, MA (New Construction)Mount Ida College, New Residence Hall, Newton, MA (New Construction)Salem Jail Housing Complex, Salem, MA (New Construction + Adaptive Use)Temple Beth Shalom, Needham, MA (Renovation + Addition)Westwood Library, Westwood, MA (New Construction)

Prior to Joining Finegold Alexander + Associates

157 West Canton Street, Boston, MA (Renovation)Casa Familia - Family Shelter, Roxbury, MA (Renovation)Dayton Hope VI - Elderly Housing Building (30 Units), Dayton, OH (New Construction)Dover Lofts (16 Units), Boston, MA (New Construction)Franklin Hill Housing (390 Units), Boston, MA (New Construction)Jamaica Plain Cohousing (30 Units), Jamaica Plain, MA (New Construction)Simmons College, Residence Halls, (Campus Study)The Modern (26 Units), Roxbury, MA (New Construction)Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA (Master Plan)Classroom RenovationsStudent Services Center RenovationNew Residence Hall (81 Units)

Education• Massachusetts Institute of Technology Master of Architecture• Massachusetts Institute of Technology Bachelor of Science in Art and Design

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology Bachelor of Science in Art and Design

Registrations• Registered Architect in MA• The US Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDTM) Accredited Professional

Affiliations• Boston Society of Architects• American Institute of Architects

Volunteer Activities• Habitat for Humanity Volunteer and Americorps Member• Designed and supervised construction of 5 units in South Boston and two unit rehab project in Roxbury, MA• Supervised construction/led volunteer construction teams on 13 other units of housing (single and multifamily) in Boston, Alabama, Georgia, and Romania

Volunteer Activities• Building Design+Construction - 40 under 40 Honoree• Habitat fo Humanity Golden Hammer Award• Alpha Rho Chi Medal

Documents

FA+A Qualifications Unitarian Universalist Association