Jones Lang LaSalle to provide pro bono project mgmt. for museum

Jones Lang LaSalle's project and development services group will provide pro bono project management oversight services for the development of the planned Westchester Children's Museum at Playland Amusement Park. The museum will be built within the former bathhouse at Playland Amusement Park. The art deco bathhouse was constructed 80 years ago and had fallen into a state of disrepair. Westchester Children's Museum board member Raymond Quartararo, international director and northeast regional manager for the PDS group, will lead the team. The company will work with Roxanne Neilson of construction management firm RMNeilson Associates, who is serving as project manager, as well as with architecture firm Dattner Architects and the museum's building committee to develop the site. Westchester County allocated $8.8 million for the initial restoration of the bathhouse. Once the county has completed its work at the building, construction can begin on the Westchester Children's Museum. The new museum is slated to open to the public in 2010. The board plans to raise $7.5 million in funds by the middle of this year to begin build out of the museum when the county completes its exterior renovation, and an additional $7 million towards installing the exhibitions and operating the new museum. Fundraising for the museum took a step forward in early July since Thomas and Agnes Carvel Foundation will donate $1.3 million to the campaign. The donation marks a major milestone in the campaign as it brings the funds raised past the halfway mark. Quartararo joined the board of the Westchester Children's Museum in September 2007 after participating in events sponsored by the museum's board for the past several years. He is also a member of the museum's building committee. "Jones Lang LaSalle's expertise with large, complex projects of this nature has been crucial to helping us move the museum forward," said Corinne Zola, president of Westchester Children's Museum. "This effort will greatly benefit the residents of Westchester County and the surrounding areas of the Bronx, Fairfield, Rockland and Putnam. It creates a new cultural, recreational and educational hub for families while fostering year-round visitation to Playland Amusement Park. Ray Quartararo has been indispensable to the museum in his role as chair of our Building Committee, and we are very grateful for his support and that of JLL." "Jones Lang LaSalle is providing assistance and expertise on sustainability efforts," said Quartararo. "We believe this is an important effort to create an educational and entertainment destination for the children of Westchester County and the surrounding area."