DBI Projects

DBI Projects Passport: Sarah Braginsky Guides Projects to Success Around the World Seoul. Kyoto. Rome. Dublin. Sydney. Those are just some of the places where DBI Project Manager Sarah Braginsky is currently managing projects with the team for DBI’s longstanding client, the CIEE Council on International Educational Exchange. The largest and oldest nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization in the United States, CIEE maintains a network of over 40 worldwide sites in partnership with over 350 colleges and universities, facilitating 50,000 exchange experiences for people each year. DBI Projects manages capital projects for CIEE, in addition to serving as the organization’s asset manager worldwide. “The work CIEE is doing, creating these incredible opportunities for students around the world to immerse themselves in different cultures and communities, is a mission we are more than thrilled and very proud to support,” said DBI Partner Mariela Abreu, “And the steady-hand Sarah brings to the management process is a consistent factor in the portfolio’s success.” Sarah’s initiation to the portfolio was equivalent to drinking from a firehose. “I?joined the DBI asset management team in 2020 and my work with?CIEE started as COVID response management, negotiating leases and mitigating the organization’s exposure across its worldwide portfolio,” Sarah said, detailing the drastic drop in demand for exchange programs as lockdown measures were implemented at home and abroad. “But CIEE has overcome significant challenges since the pandemic and is now flourishing and ramping back up to meet the rising demand of students abroad.” Sarah plays a lead role in the strategic expansion plan for CIEE study center facilities and administrative operations. In Amsterdam, she successfully managed the search for a new space, oversaw the lease transaction, engaged and led the design team and oversaw construction. She delivered the space on time and under budget for student arrivals in May of this year. In Sydney, a new site has been procured and its design is well underway for immediate construction. And in Dublin, following a successful site search, lease negotiation and change of use process, Sarah is leading efforts to move the organization’s operations into their own standalone building. “Establishing strong relationships with local Center Directors, brokers, architects, engineers, attorneys and other consultants is essential to the success of our projects.” Key to Sarah’s role is understanding local procedures, planning for varying approval timelines, and ensuring that all team members and subconsultants know what their responsibilities are and are delivering on them. “Each project presents unique challenges, however, our ability to swiftly adapt to local regulatory and market conditions allows us to lead successful execution of projects.” You can read the full piece on our website: https://lnkd.in/e8Qbwiv2 #ProjectManagement

DBI Projects and DRIVE CHANGE, INC. Feed the Community! Earlier this Fall, DBI’s Impact Council, the firm’s philanthropic and volunteer initiative, prepared and served food to 250 families at Drive Change in Brooklyn. The organization, which provides opportunities for young people to further their social and professional development through quality employment, launched a food distribution program, CARE (Culinary Access Relief Events), in 2020 to combat rising food insecurity in New York as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drive Change invited the team from DBI to assist in one of its weekly grocery giveaways, in which recipients receive a week’s worth of healthy produce. In addition to supporting Drive Change through its volunteer efforts, DBI worked with the organization to identify a permanent home for its operations, overseeing lease negotiations and construction of its headquarters at the historic former Pfizer Plant on Flushing Avenue in Williamsburg. Completed in 2023, the new space includes a commercial-grade kitchen, flexible teaching space, and administrative offices. DBI has had the pleasure of working alongside countless non-profit organizations to help them achieve their missions and continue their inspiring work. Over 70% of DBI’s clients are non-profits, ranging from community service to education, arts and culture, religious, and workforce development organizations. #NYCCommunity #NYCNonprofit #Foodsecurity

Construction has Started on the New CAMM Art Gallery in Philadelphia! DBI is overseeing the conversion of a century-old space into an art gallery that will house and showcase the association’s collection of Marian art. The Central Association of the Miraculous Medal – or CAMM – is a Catholic religious ministry of the Vincentian priests and brothers dedicated to spreading devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary. CAMM offers guided tours of the art collection, which represents depictions of Mary across centuries and a range of artistic styles, which the organization uses to tell the story of Mary and their mission. CAMM engaged DBI to help define a strategy to relocate the collection from an existing space on its campus in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood to the new space, which was designed by Blackney Hayes Architects to be more accessible to CAMM patrons. Axis Construction Mgmt., LLC. kicked off work on the gallery in September and is anticipated to continue through the end of the year. Work includes cosmetic upgrades, as well as new fire protection and lighting, that will breathe a welcoming environment of creativity and inspiration into the more than 100-year-old space. DBI’s work with CAMM stems from a more than 20-year relationship with the Vincentians. Over the course of our work with the Vincentians, DBI has worked with the order to optimize its religious and academic assets, including university campuses, as well as properties in Lebanon, Greece, and Italy.?

Celebrating Design, Community, and Belonging at the 2024 AIA New York | Center for Architecture Gala! DBI Projects was in attendance at AIA New York’s 2024 Common Bond event and enjoyed catching up with new and old friends alike. In addition to honoring changemakers and leaders in the field of architecture, the gala also serves as the single largest funding source for the Center for Architecture, a leading cultural venue for architecture in New York City and a celebration of the City’s dynamic urban fabric. Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees and to AIA New York for another fabulous event! #commonbondgala

Happy Careers in Construction Month! DBI Projects is proud to recognize the contributions of the many valued construction industry professionals we work with, as well as our own DBI project management team. We appreciate all that you do for us, our clients, and our community. With billions in active projects under management, DBI is always looking for talented professionals to join its team of owner’s representatives. Learn more on our website or by clicking the ‘Jobs’ tab on our LinkedIn page to explore current openings and information on how to apply. #CareersInConstructionMonth #Construction #ProjectManagement #HiringNow

Onsite On Campus: DBI Senior Project Manager Jason Ivaliotis, AIA is Back in the Classroom as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture A little over a month since the start of classes, Jason Ivaliotis is back in the swing of things leading undergraduate students on Pratt’s tree-lined campus in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill neighborhood. In addition to his role as Senior Project Manager with DBI Projects, where he oversees strategic planning, design management, and construction administration on a national portfolio of commercial projects, Jason is teaching the Professional Practice course to third-year students in the Bachelor of Architecture Degree program. The course covers all aspects of the architectural profession, including the social framework and regulatory environment in which the architect operates, the historical and theoretical models of practice, and methods for managing and delivering a complete architectural project. Students are also introduced to the contractual and ethical responsibilities of an architect. “Teaching has enabled me to participate in the exchange of ideas between professional practice and the design studios of academia,” Jason said of his 17 years in higher education, “Engagement with the students requires an open mind to fresh ideas and new perspectives. They inform my personal growth as much as I help facilitate their development into successful young professionals.” When we visited him on campus, Jason was conducting a seminar on the evolution of New York City zoning regulations and their influence on large scale redevelopment. The seminar featured a screening of the documentary film “The Return: Essex Crossing and the Rebirth of a Neighborhood”, which offers a rare glimpse into the history of the Seward Park Urban Redevelopment Area and the emergence of the Essex Crossing Neighborhood through the eyes of the development team and community stakeholders. Jason offered a personal perspective on the evolution of Essex Crossing through his experience as the lead architect on its two largest buildings. The students engaged in a discussion about the power of public-private partnerships and the architect’s role in facilitating a successful process of collaboration, where community groups, designers and private developers can foster a socially sustainable approach to urban development. After serving as a member of the faculty at Columbia University GSAPP and the Parsons School of Design for several years, Jason joined the distinguished faculty at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Architecture. He began his professional career in 2002 and joined DBI Projects as Senior Project Manager earlier this year. #ProjectManagement #Architecture #HigherEducation

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Texas Public Charter Schools Association (TPCSA) Conference! We enjoyed meeting charter school leaders from across the state and answering their real estate questions at our seminar, ???????????????? ??????????????: ???????? ????. ??????, ?????? ????. ????????????????. Special thanks to Paulina Olson of Raza Development Fund for collaborating with us on the presentation. During the presentation, we explored challenges and opportunities schools face when making major real estate decisions. By sharing insight into key property search and financing concepts, attendees left the seminar with tactile knowledge that will inform their own capital planning, including specific considerations and questions to ask when seeking out potential facility solutions. With $3B in active school projects under management, DBI Projects is the foremost leader in education real estate development in the U.S. The information in our presentation comes from real-world experience of delivering charter school projects that run the gamut in size, location, and budget. #TPCSA #txed #TexasCharterSchools

Cheers from the Hotel Chelsea! DBI Projects held its annual fall dinner last night at the iconic Hotel Chelsea. Team members from our Boston, Philadelphia, and Austin offices came into New York for a celebration of hard work and good times.?

The Pros and Cons of Buying vs. Renting: Catch DBI’s Presentation at the 2024 Texas Public Charter Schools Association (TPCSA) Conference in San Antonio. DBI Partner James Neu and the Head of DBI’s Texas Region Bryce Beckwith will be presenting at the TPCSA in San Antonio on October 21-23. Joined by Investment Associate for Raza Development Fund, Paulina Olson, James and Bryce will lead a seminar on how to decide whether renting or buying is best for your school. The session will chart the various options available to school leaders, including important financing opportunities, as well as guidance for renting, buying or building new school facilities. As long-term collaborators, DBI Projects and Raza Development Fund will draw on their experience constructing and financing charter schools, utilizing real-world case studies to assist participants in understanding key concepts. DBI and Raza are currently collaborating on the Green Energy Funds for School’s project, an energy improvement initiative in K-12 schools overseen by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). DBI is the foremost leader in education real estate development in the U.S., with $3B in active school projects under management. We look forward to sharing more and seeing you all in person at the TPCSA! #TPCSA #txed #TexasCharterSchools

DBI is pleased to announce its involvement in the Raza Development Fund's (RDF) Green Energy Funds for Schools project! The opportunity is made possible by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its 2024 Renew America’s Schools program grant, a competitive award to support energy improvements in K-12 schools across the country. This funding and partnership will help participating schools lower energy costs and emissions through facility improvements, ultimately making our schools cleaner, safer, healthier, and more supportive learning environments for our kids and teachers. RDF partnered with DBI to qualify the participating schools’ current energy performance metrics, and will continue its partnership by performing energy audits and developing scope for energy-saving improvements to modernize school facilities. DBI will stay onboard through the implementation process, overseeing renovations and capital improvements. With $3B in active education projects under management, DBI is the foremost leader in academic real estate and continues to excel at guiding mission-driven organizations through new regulatory challenges and opportunities. We are grateful for this partnership with RDF and look forward to working with them in implementing this ambitious, energy-efficient vision. Link to the official announcement: https://lnkd.in/ecA8irGz #GGRFMarketBuilders #climateresilience #educationequity #energyefficiency