Construction Begins on $144mil Courthouse

Largest Civic Project Ever in Mendocino County

Excerpt: It will take two years for construction crews to complete a public project that is expected to pump millions of dollars into the surrounding community, and in effect expand the commercial core of Ukiah with promises of new retail developments and infrastructure improvements.

“There’s no doubt that we are at a unique point in time where the decisions we make today will dramatically shape the future of our downtown,” said Deputy City Manager Shannon Riley.

The scale of the new courthouse project is monumental:

  • The new courthouse will embrace the latest technologies and meet national standards for ‘green’ public buildings. It will replace a 1950s-era county-owned building which is dated in appearance and function. The current courthouse is out of compliance with current safety, seismic and accessibility codes and deemed by federal officials as a high-risk building because of seismic concerns. The Judicial Council of California after years of delays ranked the new Mendocino County Courthouse as an “immediate need.”
  • It dwarfs other private and public improvements locally past and present. The state funded project has been 20 years in the making, a stop and go process that survived funding crises, multiple delays, and public debates about its location.
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The Latest In Orlando International Airport’s Expansion

Excerpt: On September 20, 2022, Phase I of MCO’s Terminal C welcomed its first arrival, an Aer Lingus flight from Manchester, United Kingdom. The Colorado-based architectural firm, Fentress Architects, designed the highly anticipated new terminal… GOAA, in collaboration with Fentress, sought to provide travelers with the “Orlando Experience” as soon as they disembark the aircraft. Terminal C houses retail spaces for Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, so arriving and departing passengers can easily secure Orlando-centric theme park souvenirs.

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City OKs Conditional Rezoning for Judicial Center

Excerpt: Steven White, who grew up in Chapel Hill and graduated from N.C. State University, is a principal and Washington, D.C., studio director for Fentress Architects, the designer of the additions. White “views each project as a chance to blend history, community and sustainability and to shape an urban landscape that enriches both people and the environment”…

The new courthouse will have a drop-off area and secure entrance for the public on North Grove Street. Parking will be in a large surface lot on the north side of the building. The courthouse addition contains seven courtrooms for District and Superior court and other judicial proceedings, improved security for judges and staff and segregated access corridors for jail inmates. 

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Fentress Architects Celebrates Denver International Airport’s 30-Year Legacy

Excerpt: Fentress Architects celebrates the 30th anniversary of Denver International Airport—still one of the most recognizable airport terminals in the world. As a global transportation hub and architectural marvel, Denver International Airport continues to set standards in innovation, sustainability, and passenger experience.

“Our big ideas have led us to become the 3rd busiest airport in North America and 6th busiest airport in the world. In 2024, more than 82 million passengers transited our airport, and we expect to see that number increase further in the years ahead. Vision 100 and Operation 2045, our strategic plans, are helping to guide us to grow thoughtfully, with an eye toward safety, sustainability, and resilience.”
— Phillip A. Washington, CEO, Denver International Airport

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Thomas J. Walsh Elevated to AIA College of Fellows

Excerpt: Fentress Architects proudly announces that Thomas J. Walsh has been elevated to the prestigious American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows, a distinction that recognizes exceptional work and contributions to the architecture profession and society. Fewer than 3% of AIA members hold the esteemed FAIA designation.

“Thom Walsh has been at Fentress Architects for 36 years, leading airport terminal projects throughout the U.S. and around the world,” said Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, Fentress Architects Principal in Charge of Design. “He has advanced the practice of terminal design, leading stakeholders, teams, and communities through large scale projects with complicated planning and phasing.”

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AIA elevates 93 architects to the College of Fellows

Excerpt: The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is elevating 83 member-architects and 10 non-member-architects to its College of Fellows, an honor awarded to architects who have made significant contributions to the profession. New Fellows will be honored at the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design (AIA25) in Boston.

Newly elevated member: Thomas J. Walsh, AIA Colorado

Thom Walsh
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LEED-Certified Embassies in Washington, D.C. Highlight Countries’ Cultures & Values

Excerpt: At the northwestern end of Washington’s Embassy Row, the stretch of Massachusetts Avenue between the National Cathedral and Dupont Circle where a majority of the 175-plus embassies in our nation’s capital are sited, the Royal Norwegian Embassy pays homage to its country while respecting the scale and aesthetic of its residential neighbors.

“Architecture can play a profound role in the diplomatic environment,” says LEED AP BD+C Laura Grafel, a principal at Fentress who served as project manager. “The renovated embassy promotes health, well-being, openness, transparency, craft, dignity and respect for the diplomats, staff and guests and ultimately has the power to shape diplomatic relationships in the future.”

Hosting an approximately 50-person staff, the embassy comprised the ambassador’s 1931 Italianate-style residence and a two-story limestone chancery added in the 1970s. Following a 2016 survey of the chancery’s conditions, Fentress Architects, a USGBC Silver member, collaborated with embassy representatives to design a 30,000-square-foot renovation and expansion in 2022 that earned LEED Gold certification.

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Futuristic airport designs are revealed in Fentress Architects’ awards nominations

Excerpt: Fentress Architects announced a shortlist of projects for the firm’s 2024 Fentress Global Challenge (FGC). The 2024 call to action for graduate students was to design an airport terminal for the year 2100 CE. Students were encouraged to consider projections such as site availability, climate conditions, modes and destinations for air travel, and more that could impact the design.

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