Kimmerle Group honored as AIA-NJ 2016 “Firm of the Year”

Shown (from left) are: Patrick Luzzi, KG managing principal; George Kimmerle, KG founder and president/partner; Ben Lee, 2017 AIA-NJ president; Cindy Cui, KG senior associate; and William Kimmerle, KG senior associate/senior project manager.

Harding, NJ Kimmerle Group (KG)  – a multifaceted architectural/design organization offering real estate planning and development services – has been named 2016 “Firm of the Year” by the N.J. chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA-NJ). The award is based on professional, community and technical accomplishments, and recognizes a N.J.-based firm that demonstrates exceptional service to the architecture profession. KG also has a NYC office, Urban Studio, located in Chelsea.

The award was presented to KG during AIA-NJ’s Annual Inauguration and Awards Gala.  

“It’s an honor to recognize Kimmerle Group as the AIA-NJ Firm of the Year,” said Ben Lee, 2017 AIA-NJ president. “I have known George Kimmerle for more than 30 years and it has been wonderful to see Kimmerle Group grow, thrive and venture beyond the conventional practice of architecture.”

KG is comprised of 35 professionals of varied specialties to assist a diverse clientele in every phase of project development including master and urban planning, architecture, interiors, project management, FFE and branding. The firm is focused on redevelopment and planning work with an emphasis on repositioning and reinventing existing buildings and communities, and assumes an environmental stewardship role in New Jersey’s rural areas.

As an active partner in the communities it serves, KG also has a 30-year history of public architecture, particularly in areas serving at-risk children and adults, crime victims, the mentally and physically disabled, and seniors. The firm donates countless hours to not-for-profit causes throughout the tristate area, and has been recognized for its long-term commitment to New Jersey-based non-profit agencies and organizations.

For example, with “Dierdre’s House,” a historic structure converted into a child advocacy center in Morristown, KG created an entirely new building type based on the various protocols for child abuse investigations. There, child victims and witnesses of crimes are interviewed by law enforcement, prepared for trial, and medically examined and treated under one roof. Two decades later, the center – honored by the American Institute of Architects and the American Justice Association – has been institutionalized nationwide.

More recently, KG designed Spectrum for Living’s center for disabled adults in rural Ringwood. Due to the property’s environmentally restricted NJ Highlands location, Spectrum initially anticipated a 3,200 s/f facility. Working with the NJDEP and local officials, KG secured approvals for 10,500 s/f and ultimately transformed a historic barn into a state-of-the-art daycare/education setting with a distinctive multi-form, farmstead aesthetic.

The AIA-NJ recognition follows several other notable accomplishments for KG in recent months. The firm’s sustainable Harding Township headquarters was honored by Commercial Property Executive as the winner of a Distinguished Achievement Award in the “Best Design” category.  KG also was named a finalist in the “Business of the Year” (1-50 Employees) category in the 2016 NJBIZ Business of the Year awards program.

Comprised of six components – Kimmerle Newman Architects, Urban Studio, Real Estate Services, Workspace, Project Management and Branding – each with complementary specialties – Kimmerle Group has established a reputation for its design and development work in the areas of corporate architecture and interiors, education, healthcare, urban design and planning, industrial and retail, private and multifamily housing and historic preservation. Kimmerle Group is active throughout New Jersey, New York, and nationally across the United States. The firm is headquartered in Harding Township with offices in New York City.