Baltimore City College Library. The original 1928 City College Library, Reading Room, and Program Space were renovated, restoring the original configuration of the spaces, preserving and restoring the historic fabric while integrating new lighting, HVAC, and information technology.

This project removed most traces of a previous renovation and several layers of adhoc modifications, restored the original spatial configuration separating the library from the corridor with a wall of bookcases, and refurbished the original terrazzo, wood, plaster, and stone.

Extensive new technology blends with the old. Advanced AV and IT systems, wireless, laptops, projection, power and lighting, AC throughout.

The program space provides a flexible environment for debates, choir, readings, and testing. The wall display provides storage for the schools historical archive and features nearly 100 years of leadership.

City College rotunda.

City College Library exterior view.

Moravia Park Elementary Library. One of the three pilot schools selected for the Baltimore Library Project, a public/private collaboration between the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and Baltimore City Public Schools. Moravia Park Elementary is an open plan school. The library was prominently located at the top of a dimly-lit ramp/circulation core and, in the manner of the open plan, opens to circulation and the noise, activity and distraction of adjacent classrooms. The result was very much a feeling of a library in a lobby corridor, constantly disrupted and perturbed. The project was to create a new, welcoming, library, an oasis of calm conducive to settling back with a book.

Southwest Baltimore Charter School Library. One of the three pilot schools selected for the Baltimore Library Project, a public/private collaboration between the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and Baltimore City Public Schools. JRS has designed several major renovations for the school funded through public/private partnerships. In addition to the library renovation, other projects included the renovation of the entry, administrative areas, health suite, music classroom, and first grade classrooms.

Thomas Johnson ES Library. One of the three pilot schools selected for the Baltimore Library Project, a public/private collaboration between the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and Baltimore City Public Schools. Thomas Johnson Elementary (1977) is of the vintage of schools built virtually without windows. The lack of daylight and low ceilings were a major problem to the existing library, where the designers compensated by installing borrowed light windows to even darker corridors. We used this to effect by making the library colors ultrabright, the warm colors reflect through the borrowed light windows into the corridor, making the library space warm and attractive by comparison.

Arlington ES Library. The space is defined by a barrel vault that bisects the space. New lighting and specialty light fixtures as well as all new windows make the space bright and light filled without too much glare.

Henderson-Hopkins Library. Located in the historic rowhomes that have been preserved as part of the project. The library design reinforces the bays of the former row houses while maintaining an open and volumetric space.

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor ES Library. The design restores some of the historical features of the space that had been erased by previous renovations while opening up the space to natural light and incorporating colorful design elements.

Harford Heights ES Library.

Morrell Park ES Library.

Windsor Hills ES Library.

Commodore John Rodgers Library

Westport ES Library.

Booker T. Washington Middle School for the Arts. Listed on the National Historic Register, this beautiful Richardsonian Romanesque Revival building was built in 1895 with subsequent additions in 1910 and 1951. The school was designated a Turnaround School in 2010 and received federal funding for improvements. The restoration of this space was comprehensive, striving to undo the damage caused by inappropriate additions over the years.

The first major transformative project at the school was the renovation of the library, which consisted of new stacks and a separate computer room. The prior renovation in the early 1980s had dropped an 8’ ceiling, concealing the top panels of the windows. Completed in 2010.

Booker T. Washington Middle School for the Arts.

Booker T. Washington Middle School Auditorium.

Baltimore Polytechnic Institute Library. The library at Baltimore’s premier engineering and technology high school was updated with new lighting, daylighting, technology, and a stack reconfiguration to allow a larger gathering area at the center for informal study and teaching.

A low plaster ceiling was removed to maximize ceiling heights and the concrete structural “Ts” exposed, providing opportunities for lighting and acoustical treatments.

Extensive new technology is integrated into the space. Advanced AV and IT systems, wireless, laptops, projection, power and lighting, and AC throughout.

Cherry Hill Elementary and Middle School. JRS Architects provided architectural design services to Baltimore City Public Schools under the 21st Century Building Program for Cherry Hill Elementary/Middle School. JRS Architects was the prime consultant for $40 million in construction for renovations and additions to the existing building. With the closure of an adjacent school, the square footage of the current school (68,850 sf ) will dramatically increase with the new program to 120,000 square feet.

Exterior view of Cherry Hill Elementary/Middle School.

Exterior view of the courtyard at Cherry Hill Elementary/Middle School.

Cherry Hill Gymnasium.

Cherry Hill Cafetorium.

Center for Collaborative Arts and Technology (C-CAT). Designed to inspire students to work across disciplines, modeled on modern business incubators, the C-CAT features 16 digital workstations equipped with advanced software for all arts-related fields. Both the technology, and the layout itself, is specifically designed to foster collaborative work and link student experiences with the working world. This unique place to work and study brings the most innovative thinking and resources about creative environments to BSA’s students and faculty.

Center for Collaborative Arts and Technology (C-CAT).

Large group instruction with faculty collaboration space.

Digital Media Lab.

Center for Collaborative Arts and Technology (C-CAT).

Sanibel Sea School Environmental Education Center

Sanibel Sea School Environmental Education Center

Sanibel Sea School Environmental Education Center

Sanibel Sea School Environmental Education Center

Sanibel Sea School Environmental Education Center

Henderson-Hopkins Elementary School corridor.

Margaret Brent Elementary School

ACCE Academy and Independence School at the Robert Poole Building. Part of the 21st Century Building Program. Renovations preserved the character of the nearly century-old building while additions ensured it can effectively house both schools, so that each will benefit from improved facilities.

Exterior view of the Robert Poole Building.

Exterior view of the Robert Poole Building.

Exterior view of the Robert Poole Building.

Learning Stairs in the Robert Poole Building.

Robert Poole Building Cafeteria.

Robert Poole Building Science Lab.

Robert Poole Building Gymnasium.

View of the Robert Poole Building from 41st Street.

Chapel for the Dominican Sisters. A new 6,000 s.f., 100 seat chapel addition to a convent for the Dominican Sisters in Dighton, MA. Constructed of natural cedar and field stone gathered by the sisters from farmer’s fields. The project included acoustical design, lighting design, and liturgical furnishings. The design included spaces for procession, gathering, music, a capella singing, symbolic baptism, a floating tabernacle in a chapel of reservation defined by a double wall with apparently randomly placed colored glass set in tapered openings, a reconciliation room in the shape of a tear, a sacristy, stations of the cross, and a bridge from the convent to an outdoor labyrinth and woodland chapel.

Chapel for the Dominican Sisters.

Chapel for the Dominican Sisters.

Chapel for the Dominican Sisters.

Chapel for the Dominican Sisters.

Chapel for the Dominican Sisters.

Chapel for the Dominican Sisters.

Chapel for the Dominican Sisters.

Jewish Museum of Maryland Historic Preservation.

Jewish Museum of Maryland: Historic Preservation of Lloyd Street Synagogue

Jewish Museum of Maryland Historic Preservation.

Jewish Museum of Maryland Historic Preservation.

Lloyd Street Synagogue Visitors Center

St. Alphonsus Church Restoration. An American Saint, St. John Neumann, professed his vows as a Religious, served as pastor, and was consecrated a bishop in this historic church, where the Latin mass is still celebrated. A landmark in Baltimore since 1845, designed by the eminent architect Robert Cary Long in Southern German neo-Gothic Style.

St. Alphonsus Church Restoration.

St. Alphonsus Church Restoration.

St. Alphonsus Church Restoration.

St. Alphonsus Church Restoration.

St. Alphonsus Church Restoration.

St. Alphonsus Church Restoration.

St. Alphonsus Church Restoration.

St. Alphonsus Church Restoration.

St. Casimir Church. Designed by Palmer, Willis and Lamden, St. Casimir Church was constructed by the Polish community in 1926. It has a large and spacious interior with a seating capacity of 1,200. The restoration of St. Casimir was too large, expensive and complex of an undertaking to be completed at once. First, the building envelope was stabilized and restored to prevent further damage. The roof over the assembly and masonry were restored in 2001-2002. The tower domes, masonry and statuary were completed in 2003. The portico doors, terrazzo lamps and vaults were completed in 2005. The stained glass was removed and fully restored 2007-2008. Having completed the restoration of the building envelope, the interior restoration began in 2008 and was completed in 2010.

St. Casimir Church

St. Casimir Church

St. Casimir Church

St. Casimir Church

St. Casimir Church

St. Casimir Church

St. Casimir Church

St. Casimir Church

St. Casimir Church

Sanctuary renovations to the St. Mary Magdalen's Church in Callahan Center, a 1997 Ziger/Snead design.

An expanded altar platform, lighting design, a new tabernacle and crucifix, silver leaf wall, stained glass, liturgical furnishings, and custom handrails.

Acoustical analysis and integration of digital media were incorporated.

Archdiocese of Baltimore Catholic Center. Complete restoration of the main lobby of the Catholic Center including restoration of the existing granite cladding and floors. ADA improvements: the urban location did not permit a ramp solution to the main entry stair. The original curtain wall lobby was extended to the street to provide an interior lift from the sidewalk.

The warmth of the new wood casework housing a graphic and video display contrasts the original glass and stone and provides a welcoming presentation to users and passersby.

Durrett Sheppard Steel Headquarters Durrett Sheppard Steel Co., Inc. (DSS) is a processor and distributor of steel products located in east Baltimore. Processing capabilities include plasma burning, sawing and shearing from a 200,000 square-foot facility. The project consisted of renovation of the existing administrative building to provide 6,500 of enhanced factory services including new lockers, showers, human resources, truckers’ bull pen, shipping and receiving and a modern cafeteria and training center. A 7,000 square foot addition includes new administrative office, a sales center, accounting, purchasing, a conference room, and a modular, flexible open office area.

Architect's Studio at Clipper Mill. Originally used as a pattern shop for the historic Poole & Hunt Foundry in the 1900s.

Before renovation.  

Architect's studio.

Conference Room.

Western District Police Station