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JEDCO selects award-winning firm to develop Churchill Technology & Business Park master plan

(AVONDALE, La) – Following a public Request for Proposals (RFP) process, the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) has selected Perkins+Will to develop a master plan for the Churchill Technology & Business Park in the Fairfield area of Avondale. The award-winning global multi-disciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm will begin developing the plan in late February. The entirety of the planning process will span ten months, culminating in a presentation of the final master plan in early 2019.
Under the contract, Perkins+Will will provide an analysis of existing conditions and uses of the Churchill Technology & Business Park; a public participation plan to interview and engage with area stakeholders; a master plan of the Park, including land use plan, identification of needed infrastructure improvements, and implementation plan; and an analysis of and recommendations for amendments to the Park’s covenant restrictions. The development of a master plan is a priority initiative of the Jefferson EDGE 2020 plan and will be fully funded by private EDGE Investor contributions.
“The Churchill Technology & Business Park is a unique Jefferson Parish asset and we are fully committed to its future success and smart growth,” said Jerry Bologna, JEDCO President & CEO. “We believe our Evaluation Committee has chosen a firm that will deliver a quality master plan that aligns with our vision and Jefferson Parish’s interests. Perkins+Will brings to us unique experience in developing a variety of well-known sites with attributes similar to those found at Churchill Park. They are global leaders in their industry with an excellent reputation and a long list of credentials. We are proud to partner with Perkins+Will and look forward to creating a truly impressive strategy for the Park’s ongoing development.”
The Jefferson EDGE 2020, the parish’s long-term economic development strategic plan, identified a need to develop a master plan for the Churchill Technology & Business Park, a 480-acre swath of land ripe for development on the West Bank of Jefferson Parish. The Park is home to JEDCO, JEDCO’s Conference Center and Business Innovation Center, and the Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy, a top-performing magnet school emphasizing STEAM curriculum. It is also the home of the Delgado Community College River City Campus and Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence, which is currently under construction.
In the twelve years since the Park was dedicated and its land use and phasing strategies were developed, several major events have transformed the region and the status of Churchill Park. With the identification of five targeted industry clusters through the updated Jefferson EDGE plan in 2015, JEDCO felt the timing was right to develop a master plan for the Churchill Technology & Business Park. In October 2017, JEDCO issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from qualified firms to create the plan. It was the first step in taking a critical look at the future of the park and the role it will continue to play in the advancement of the Parish’s economic climate.
In response to the RFP, JEDCO received ten proposals from a mix of locally-based and non-local planning and design-related firms. The proposals were reviewed and scored by an Evaluation Committee comprised of JEDCO commissioners and employees. Perkins+Will’s submission emerged as the winning proposal. The JEDCO Board of Commissioners, with concurrence by the Jefferson Parish Council, approved JEDCO’s contract with Perkins+Will.
Perkins+Will employs a multi-faceted team of architects, interior designers, urban designers, landscape architects, consultants, and branded environment experts to approach projects from many perspectives. The company has extensive experience in a range of areas of practice; including Corporate and Commercial developments, Civic and Cultural, Healthcare, Higher Education, Science and Technology, among others.  Perkins+Will is responsible for the planning and design of several high profile research parks and districts, including the 20-acre University of California Davis Health mixed-use Research + Innovation District in Sacramento, the 60-acre mixed-use urban research district Innovation Square at University of Florida, the 500-acre mixed-use NeoCity Innovation District in Central Florida, and the 3,800-acre Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama.  Perkins+Will’s projects extend into Louisiana as well, with the Baton Rouge Health District Master Plan and the design of the addition to the Louisiana State University’s Patrick F. Taylor Hall.  The company has 24 offices globally including 18 offices within the United States and six throughout Canada, Europe and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai).
The company will engage with a number of subcontractors for the project including Point A Consulting, a strategic planning practice focused on technology-based economic development initiatives; Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc., a full-service transportation firm; and Morphy, Makofsky, Inc. (MMI), a civil, structural and foundation-engineering firm.  All firms bring with them a long resume of experience in the planning and development of successful research parks and innovation districts, and have successfully collaborated with Perkins+Will on previous projects.
“We are honored to be engaged and truly excited about collaborating with the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission, its partners, and stakeholders to prepare a vision to shape the future growth and development of Churchill Park,” says Stephen Coulston, Managing Principal in Perkins+Will’s Austin office.  “Given our focus on design of campuses and communities of innovation, we see the potential to align a fresh placemaking strategy to the community’s target industries and economic strategy.”
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About Perkins+Will: Perkins+Will is an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm established in 1935. Founded on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance communities, the company collaborates with clients all over the world to create healthy, sustainable places in which to live, learn, work, play, and heal. More than 2,000 professionals across over 20 Perkins+Will offices include some of the brightest minds in architecture, interior design, branded environments, urban design, and landscape architecture. Clients consistently turn to Perkins+Will for their leadership and expertise in areas like sustainability, resilience, health and wellness, and mobility. Additionally, its 10 Research Labs catalyze innovative design technologies and solutions that result in better, smarter, more competitive built environments. The recipient of hundreds of design awards each year, and a progressive leader in corporate social responsibility, Perkins+Will is consistently ranked among the world’s top design firms. The company’s family of partner companies includes retail strategy and design consultancy Portland; sustainable transportation planning consultancy NelsonNygaard; healthcare technology planning firm Genesis Planning; and luxury hospitality design firm Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR).
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