Loci Architecture chosen for 5,900 s/f Brooklyn Prospect expansion project; Gabor Szakal is engineer; Talisen Construction is general contractor

Loci Architecture has been chosen by Brooklyn Prospect Charter School to expand the school's Windsor Terrace campus by converting part of a church convent to classrooms and offices, according to the firm's principal Dave Briggs. Brooklyn Prospect, which occupies the premises of a former Roman Catholic diocese school in Windsor Park for its middle and high schools, also has an elementary school in a downtown building that formerly housed a parochial school. Loci previously completed several projects at both of the charter school's locations. The expansion at 3002 Fort Hamilton Pwy. will add 5,900 s/f of teaching and administrative space, and a new music room. The project is expected to take place this summer. Briggs and Loci architect Heather McKinstry are serving as project leaders for the new work at Windsor Park. Gabor Szakal Consulting Engineers, P.C. of Manhattan is the engineering firm and Talisen Construction is the general contractor. "Brooklyn Prospect has been very astute in working cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn to satisfy the school's expanding requirements for well located space," Briggs said. He notes that Loci has been careful to design changes "that respect the original character of the (Windsor Park) building and the presence of the convent." In 2012, Loci designed new biology and chemistry labs, and added a dance facility to the school's gymnasium. Those additions and the new project complement the six-year-old charter school's adoption of an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, which is recognized by many leading universities around the world as a superior qualification for admission. Loci has worked extensively with charter schools and other education institutions, in addition to its residential and commercial interior projects. Mr. Briggs, a Brooklyn resident, is chair of the Amber Charter School in East Harlem, and also serves as a trustee of four New Vision Charter high schools in Brooklyn. "We understand how to work quickly under tight budgets without sacrificing quality, which is extremely important to the expanding charter school movement," he says. Loci Architecture was founded in 1993 with a focus on sustainable design. The firm's projects include non-profit community centers, building restorations, single-family private residences, school renovations, and office spaces. Loci's consistent approach across all their work relates to how each of these places is part of the urban fabric and demonstrates a commitment to creating richer, more dynamic places that restore natural and built environments. Loci's clients include Brooklyn Prospect Charter School, Taconic Investment Partners, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, Volunteers of America, Saint David's School, Global Strategy Group, The Carroll School, Werber Management, and Molloy College. Noted projects include the historic Eastchester Heights complex; the affordable housing development Harlem Townhouse; new Brooklyn Prospect elementary, middle, and high schools; Rose House Residences; the Lincoln Amsterdam restoration; the Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center; 520 Eighth Ave.; and several private residences and offices. Underscoring his commitment to urban renewal and improved city planning, Mr. Briggs co-founded Gowanus by Design, a non-profit organization that is researching urban planning and development solutions for the neighborhood around the Gowanus Canal Superfund site in Brooklyn. He has organized two design competitions in conjunction with the federal Environmental Protection Agency's clean-up plans and plays a pivotal role in reaching out to public officials on behalf of the community. He is also active on several charter school boards, including Amber Charter School in East Harlem.