Long Reach Stonehouse Community Association &
Columbia Art Center
Operated by the Columbia Association, the Long Reach Stonehouse Community Association & Columbia Art Center combines a facility for artistic and educational experiences, with a complex for hosting community services and events.
JP2 was commissioned to renovate portions of the building to include a new entry lobby and elevator providing full ADA access to both levels. The scope of the renovation work was driven by stakeholder interviews and the new interior upgrades will give the center a vibrant new look as well as improved access.
Historic Oakland Manor
Located in the heart of downtown Columbia, Historic Oakland Manor is a house that was built in the early nineteenth century and is used as a venue for weddings, meetings and other special events. The manor includes a ballroom, meeting rooms, a library and offices and is surrounded by beautifully landscaped grounds. In order to improve the appeal and the functionality of the building, JP2 is adding an ADA compliant elevator that will serve all levels. Additionally, an overhaul of the mechanical systems will ensure the comfort of guests and employees.
Bark Social
Adjacent to Merriweather District, the new location for the Bark Social enterprise offers 25,000 SF of indoor/outdoor space planned for dogs and dog lovers to interact. The design embraces the playful spirit of a dog park and incorporates vibrant colors throughout including a custom mural by a local artist. The project creates a haven where dogs and their owners can unwind and enjoy a refreshment.
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Originally designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry in the 1960s, Merriweather Post Pavilion is one of the highest rated amphitheaters in the United States hosting a variety of local, regional and international performers. JP2 was engaged to provide a multi-phase, multi-year renovation of the aging facility. This included newly constructed restrooms and concessions stands, stage and seating upgrades, back of house amenities, and office spaces. As this is an active concert venue, JP2 worked closely with the operator and the contractor to implement different phases in the off season between October and April.
Mount Villa Apartments at Turf Valley
Mount Villa Apartments is a remarkable multi-building community within Ellicott City's Turf Valley Resort complex. The masterplan was developed by JP2 Architects and features 192 elegant one and two-bedroom apartments, with both on-grade and enclosed parking options, complete with EV Parking stations. The site includes a standalone Clubhouse with the leasing office, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a community great room with a display kitchen and fireplace, and dog wash amenities. Residents will be able to enjoy pristine walking paths, and convenient access to shopping, dining, and entertainment, all within a serene resort setting. The first apartment building with 32 units was fully leased shortly after its completion. The Clubhouse and second building, with 40 additional units, are set to open this fall, with the remaining buildings to follow in the months ahead. The apartments offer picturesque views of Turf Valley's championship golf courses - a perfect blend of luxury and convenience.
Merriweather District
The Merriweather District is a vibrant live/work community on a 68 acre piece of land in Downtown Columbia. Located adjacent to the Merriweather Post Pavilion performance venue, the project encompasses a full build out with over 750 residential units, approximately 1.2 million square feet of office and 185,000 square feet of retail shops and restaurants on 22 acres. Project components are centered around an active public park that will act as the district’s center for activities including concerts, outdoor dining, ice skating, and other civic programming. Paths and walkways tie the area together and connect to other areas of Downtown Columbia, including a natural conservation area.
Busboys and Poets
Busboys And Poets in Downtown Columbia is a two-story 7,000 sf restaurant and bookstore in Columbia, MD. The nearly 400 seat location is founder and CEO Andy Shallal’s 8th and largest location. The shell building, also designed by JP2, provides a second floor terrace that can be activated with outdoor seating that overlooks Color Burst Park at Merriweather District, a park that provides year round activities for the community. In addition, the restaurant is adjacent to Merriweather Post Pavilion, offering patrons a space to mingle and relax before and after shows. The restaurant’s interior was designed to embrace the eclectic and unique atmosphere that Busboys And Poets is known for. Creating a space where community could be cultivated was imperative, and the JP2 team worked closely with Shallal to achieve this. The interior spaces include a bookstore, several dining areas , two bars, one at each floor, a private dining room, and room for private events, reading, open mic nights, and other programing.
Pau Cin joined the firm fulltime after his graduation from Morgan State University with a B.S. in Architecture.
Humam Al Qadhi recently celebrated one year at JP2 after graduating from University of Maryland College Park with a B.S. in Architecture.
Melissa Johnson joined the firm this summer as an architectural intern from the University of Maryland College Park.
Hickory Flats is a multi-family residential project featuring 100 apartment units,
two courtyards, and a multitude of amenities, including a large
club room, an outdoor dining patio, and an oversized hot tub for residents to enjoy.
One of the most active sectors in commercial development is multifamily residential construction. Projects of varying density are being built, not just in urban areas but also in the suburbs as the need for housing increases, particularly for young professionals. Most of these projects are four or five story stud framed construction over a concrete podium that is used for other commercial purposes such as retail or parking.
Particularly in urban projects, the residential is often employed as a “wrapper” around a multi-story parking structure to be used by residents as well as other nearby commercial enterprises, sometimes referred to as a “Texas donut”. Another common configuration is also a donut with a common courtyard in the middle providing daylight to the interior units and an amenity to be shared by the tenants. The courtyard may include a pool or simply landscape, lawn, seating, trellis structures and grilles for cookouts.
Other typical amenities include the more traditional common rooms with lounge seating and multiple screens, exercise rooms, and rooftop terraces. In the era of work-from-home, we have incorporated conference rooms and smaller individual pods for video meetings. Also, with many residents having dogs, there are more pet amenities being included in the overall leasing strategy.
There are many parameters that dictate the unit mix but most of the projects that JP2 has worked on lean heavily towards, one-bedroom and junior one-bedroom with a share of two-bedroom units. In urban projects there are typically a few more studio apartments. Apartment sizes in general are getting smaller as developers push for greater efficiency and architects have learned what is essential for a comfortable living environment.
