NewGround Wins Awards of Distinction from Modular Building Institute for Two Bank Projects

St. Louis, MO —NewGround was honored by the Modular Building Institute (MBI) with two Awards of Distinction for its work on the Bank of Lancaster, in Burgess, VA, and the Bank of the Pacific, in Bellingham, WA, at the 2009 MBI Convention.

“We are once again thrilled to be honored by the Modular Building Institute. NewGround strives to provide clients with the most efficient techniques in design and build. Our Accelerated Development Projects illustrate that modular building provides the flexibility to accommodate the needs of a retail environment, while providing all the benefits of being time and cost effective,” said Joe Ijjas, Vice President of Accelerated Development, NewGround.

The MBI Awards of Distinction review and assess commercial modular building entries submitted by MBI member companies. Entries are judged in the areas of architectural excellence, technical innovation, cost effectiveness, energy efficiency and the length of time to complete.

NewGround was awarded First Place for the category of “Permanent Modular Buildings Under 2,000 square feet” for their work on the Bank of Lancaster in Burgess, VA. NewGround was challenged with space limitations when it came to building a new branch for the Bank of Lancaster. The 1,190 square-foot branch had to have maximum visibility, employ a work efficient design and engage customers. NewGround utilized factory-built construction to provide more functional space and areas to promote product and services, while maintaining an inviting décor. Interior soffits and varying ceiling heights were applied to create a more spacious environment. The design also features a greeter station and teller counter allowing for a more welcoming experience and efficient customer service.

NewGround also received an Honorable Mention award within the category of “Permanent Modular Buildings Over 2,000 square feet” for their work for Bank of the Pacific in Bellingham, WA. NewGround used a Craftsman-style motif to envelope the modular units used to construct this facility. Blending earthy sensibility with the reflected taste of the Bank of the Pacific, NewGround created a natural and relaxing setting for customers to contemplate their financial decisions and conduct transactions. Native stone accents on the interior and exterior of the building add to this definitive look and feel. The use of custom soffit features, curved flooring transitions, and angled walls give the facility a “stick built” look, while maintaining the key benefits of modular construction.

About MBI
Founded in 1983, the Modular Building Institute is the only, international, non-profit trade association serving non-residential modular construction. Regular membership includes wholesale manufacturers, direct manufacturers, and dealers of commercial modular buildings, while MBI’s associate members are companies supplying building components, services, and financing to the industry. It is MBI's mission to grow the industry and its capabilities by encouraging innovation, quality, and professionalism through communication, education, and recognition. MBI also administers an educational foundation. For more information, visit modular.org.

NewGround Expands Significantly in IT/Mission Critical Sector

St. Louis, MO (April 6, 2009)—NewGround, a leading international design and implementation firm, announced today a significant expansion of its IT/Mission Critical resources. This expansion will enable the company to better serve its growing client base with additional technical and executive talent. The IT/Mission Critical team joining NewGround will leverage technical planning and design skills with NewGround’s existing  core strength in design and build, program management and consulting service offerings.

“Data technology will continue to expand exponentially over the next 10 years, and critical infrastructure will have to be expanded to support this growth” said Kevin Blair, President and CEO of NewGround.  “Growing our technical capabilities across the various sectors in the IT/Mission Critical space ensures that NewGround is well positioned to take advantage of the many new growth opportunities ahead.”

NewGround’s expanded IT/Mission Critical team has a wealth of experience in the consulting, planning, design/build and program management of IT/Mission Critical facilities for companies such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Bank One, Northern Trust, First Chicago NBD, and other large corporate and public sector clients such as the Chicago Board of Trade and the GSA/IRS.

“We have assembled a team of leaders with a successful history of innovation and insight to build our IT/Mission Critical group, complementing our core company expertise,” said Blair.

Joining the NewGround team are: 

Thomas Stratford
Tom Stratford joins NewGround as a nationally recognized planner in the IT/Mission Critical sector for over 25 years. He has served a large client base of both financial institutions, as well as corporate clients, nationwide. He specializes in the consulting, planning and design of data centers, operations centers, communications facilities, network centers, co-location operations, call centers and other IT/Mission Critical facilities. Tom is well regarded for program/criteria development, work process analysis, infrastructure planning and design, redundancy/reliability/maintainability planning, power planning and hardware planning.

Tom spent the majority of his career at Austin/AECOM, formerly McClier, where he was Vice President and Director of Information Technology. Additionally, Tom served as the lead member of the IT/Mission Critical team at the Facility Group. Throughout his career, he has worked with large corporate and institutional clients such as Wells Fargo, Digital Realty Trust, Comdisco, BankOne, TransUnion, etc. Tom holds an undergraduate degree from Marquette University and is a registered architect.

Alan Belohlavek
Alan Belohlavek joins NewGround as an architect and senior project manager. He has worked in the IT/Mission Critical industry for over 25 years, and for 12 of those years, Alan has worked in partnership with Tom Stratford.  He specializes in space planning, workflow and material handling, technology infrastructure design, systems design including redundancy/reliability/maintainability, architectural/mechanical/electrical peer review, contract and lease negotiations, property management, interior architecture, furniture, fixtures and equipment selection, and project coordination/management.

Alan also spent over 10 years managing large scale IT/Mission Critical projects at Austin/AECOM, formerly McClier. He has also held the position of Corporate Architect with Sempra Energy/Southern California Gas Company and Saunders Development Corporation. Alan has a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Southern Illinois University, is a registered architect, and a certified Facility Manager.

About NewGround
NewGround is a leading international design and implementation firm. For nearly a century, NewGround has been a premier provider of growth solutions, helping organizations advance by focusing on the design and delivery of customer and employee experiences. NewGround provides strategic solutions through the integration of their core offerings, which include: Brand, Consult, Design, Build, Retail and Culture.

The company’s headquarters are in St. Louis, MO, and corporate office in Chicago, IL; with principal offices in San Francisco, CA; Atlanta, GA; Portsmouth, NH and Toronto, Canada.

To learn more about NewGround, call 888.613.0001, or visit www.newground.com.

Time is Right for Financial Institutions to Plan and Design NewGround Report Shows Materials, Construction and Real Estate Have Hit Record Lows

St. Louis, MO —NewGround, a leading international design and implementation firm, today released a report indicating that the ideal time to plan and design for future building initiatives is now. Industry data collected by the firm shows materials, construction, and real estate have hit record lows.

“Material prices are dropping, worker availability is abundant, and land is cheap,” says Kevin Blair, President and CEO of NewGround. “Owners should take advantage of these market conditions before the market turns.”

Construction industry experts are predicting the market turnaround to happen in the next 10 to 12 months due to the economic stimulus package and constrained market demand. NewGround says owners should plan now if they want to take advantage of the market’s bargain pricing.

“Common thinking is: ‘I’ll get in before the prices start going up again.’ But, the reality is if you don’t have plans and designs already underway when the upturn happens, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to take full advantage of the bargain prices created by this depressed market,” said Blair.

According to NewGround, space programming, conceptual design, mechanical, electrical and structural drawings must all be completed before materials can be bought and construction started.

“It’s prudent for owners to plan now because it can take anywhere from 6 to 10 months to plan and design a facility correctly,” says Blair. “If design documents aren’t finished before the market turns, it will hinder the owner’s ability to take advantage of the market’s bargain pricing.”

To request a free copy of the White Paper, call NewGround at 1.888.613.0001 Ext. 8453, or email Kayce Ansell at kansell@newground.com

NewGround Says Going Modular is a Good Way for Financial Institutions to Go Green

St. Louis, MO —NewGround, a leading international design and implementation firm serving the financial services industry, says that modular building offers financial institutions an alternative method to traditional sustainable building.

“Modular building is becoming a popular green solution because of its inherent eco-friendly construction process,” says Joe Ijjas, Vice President of Accelerated Development for NewGround.

According to NewGround, Modular Building minimizes on-site waste, and provides less site disturbance. The modular structure is constructed off-site while foundation and other work is being done, reducing the time and impact on the surrounding environment.

“Essentially, modular building has less construction time, resulting in less energy spent. Modular construction can provide you with a facility built to the same local codes, with construction quality as a comparable site built building, in much less time,” said Ijjas.

Modular structures can also be designed and adapted to include green features and conservation practices like solar photovoltaic panels, daylighting, and rainwater harvesting.

“It is a common misconception that modular building limits options for the implementation of green strategies. The complete opposite is true. Modular buildings possess a unique flexibility for sustainable design,” said Ijjas.

In addition, when needs change for a business, a modular building can be disassembled and the modules can be relocated, refurbished, or sold for their next use. This reduces the demand for raw materials and the amount of energy expended to create a building to meet new needs.

NewGround is a provider of both traditional built sustainable designs and modular solutions.