Minority and Women Business Enterprise Architectural and Engineering Firms to Lead 17 Various PBC Projects

The Board of Commissioners for Public Building Commission of Chicago (PBC) approved twenty Minority and/or Women Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) Architectural or Engineering firms to serve as the lead on seventeen Chicago Public Schools (CPS) capital improvement projects.

“This is a proud moment for Chicago,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said following the PBC meeting. “Our strength is our diversity and slating an all MBE/WBE slate of architects and engineers speaks to the fundamental values of our great city.”

These projects include

• In the Roseland community, Brooks College Preparatory Academy Turf Field Repairs: Brook Architecture (MBE/WBE)
• In the Clearing community, Dore Elementary School Pre-K Expansion: FORMA Architecture (MBE)
• In the Belmont Cragin community, Prosser Career Academy Education Program Renovations: Tilton, Kelly + Bell (WBE)
• In the Portage Park community, Rickover High School Education Program Renovations: Globetrotters Engineering Corporation (MBE) and Koo & Associates (MBE/WBE)
• In the West Ridge community, Decatur Classical School Annex and Renovation: Muller & Muller (WBE)
• In the Rogers Park community, McCutcheon Elementary School Annex and Renovation: STL Architects (MBE)
• In the Chatham community, McDade Classical Elementary School Annex and Renovation: Moody Nolan and Johnson & Lee (MBE)
• In the Albany Park community, Palmer Elementary School Annex and Renovation: BauerLatoza Studio (MBE)
• In the Pullman community, Poe Classical Elementary School Annex and Renovation: Moody Nolan and Onyx Architectural Services (MBE)
• In the West Ridge community, Rogers Elementary School Annex and Renovation: UrbanWorks (MBE/WBE)
• In the Lincoln Square community, Waters Elementary School Annex and Renovation: Bailey Edward Design (WBE) and Doyle & Associates (WBE)
• In the Pullman community, Corliss High School Renovation: Harding Partners and Mode Architects, PC (MBE)
• In the Kenwood community, Kenwood Academy High School Renovation: Milhouse Engineering & Construction (MBE)
• In the Montclare community, Locke Elementary School Renovation: RADA Architects (WBE)
• In the Austin community, Lovett Elementary School Renovation: AltusWorks (WBE) and Brush Architects, LLC (WBE)
• In the East Side community, Washington High School Renovation: Wallin-Gomez Architects (MBE)
• In the O’Hare community, Dirksen Elementary School Annex and Renovation: SMNG A Ltd. and Studio ARQ (MBE)

“As a public developer, we believe we have a responsibility to sustain and grow businesses,” Carina E. Sánchez, PBC Executive Director said. “We have been successful with this effort and, of the firms being recommended, fourteen have agreed to work together as a team on the projects.”

In September, the PBC conducted an outreach to architectural and engineering firms to submit qualifications or update their current information in the PBC’s Architectural and Engineering Letters of Interest and Qualifications database. This database identified firms best suited to perform on these unique projects and the PBC encouraged partnerships to maximize the use of smaller MBE and WBE firms.

“We are proud that we can fulfill our commitment to appoint MBE and WBE certified architects and engineers while increasing capacity and providing mentorship opportunities to growing firms,” Sánchez said.

Each of the approved firms demonstrated recent and relevant construction and/or renovation experience with K-12 schools; successfully executed projects with aggressive schedules and a commitment to maximizing participation of minority and women business enterprise utilization.

“As with past CPS projects, these improvements will bring more of our schools into the 21^st century and represent Mayor Emanuel’s commitment to giving all children the optimal learning environment along with the resources they need to excel,” Sánchez said.