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ATLANTA � December 7, 2005 � James R. McAuliffe Architects (DBA CMMI),
an award-winning Atlanta-based architecture and interior design firm, has
been retained to design The Heldrich, a $110 million mixed-use facility
to be located in the heart of New Brunswick, N.J. The project will be a
major component of the city�s downtown revitalization program, and consists
of a 250-guestroom hotel and executive conference center, 48 luxury condominiums,
a casually sophisticated restaurant, metropolitan bar, state-of-the-art
health club and associated retail and other ancillary spaces.
 Also included in the program are the foundation offices for the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University�s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public policy. The John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development is a research and policy organization dedicated to applying the best research to address the core challenges of New Jersey�s and the nation�s workforce. The owners turned to CMMI for its breadth of project type experience with hotels and conference centers, and for its ability to infuse projects with a new sense of style and luxury that may be unexpected in urban projects. The firm has completed projects similar in complexity to The Heldrich, including the $100 million 600-room expansion of the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in downtown Atlanta. �The design of the hotel has its roots in urban contexturalism with contemporary styling,� said James R. McAuliffe, AIA, principal in charge, CMMI. �However, we included some transitional detailing, such as cornice lines, brick work and natural stone to further enhance its place in the community of New Brunswick. It is sensitive to the fabric of the city, defining the street and contributing to the pedestrian scale of the property.� The architecture confirms and enhances the geometry of the 360-degree site, which is oriented toward the city�s cultural district, including three premier art venues.The hotel makes a transition from the commercial to the residential part of the city. The Heldrich is a unique development partnership between the New Brunswick
Development Corporation (Devco), Keating Partners, Rutgers University,
New Jersey Department of Labor, New Jersey Redevelopment Authority, New
Jersey Economic Development Authority, New Jersey Casino Redevelopment
Authority, the Middlesex County Improvement Authority and the City of New
Brunswick.
The conference center and hotel will be managed by Benchmark Hospitality International, an independent hospitality management company based in The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, which operates resorts, conference centers and hotels both domestically and internationally. The Heldrich is scheduled to open in March 2007. About CMMI James R. McAuliffe Architects, DBA CMMI, is an Atlanta-based design firm that offers a unique blend of architecture and interior design expertise. Since 1987, the firm has been commissioned for numerous projects in the public and private sectors, including hotels, condominiums, conference centers, lodges and visitors� centers. As hospitality design specialists, we are experienced with a variety of delivery approaches and construction applications. The firm provides programming, architecture, interior design, wayfinding and sustainable �green� design services in the U.S. and abroad. More information is available at www.cmmi-redlines.com |
