DBI Projects

It is with great pleasure that we announce the promotion of two senior members of the DBI team: Jonah Stern to Director, Head of the Boston Office, and Katrina Flora to Senior Development Manager. Please join us in celebrating their achievements.   Over his decade-long tenure at DBI, Jonah has developed impactful solutions for a multitude of educational, social service, and religious organizations. His clients include Temple Israel of Boston, CalArts, Congregation of the Mission of St. Vincent de Paul, and JNF-USA. Jonah leads DBI Projects’ Boston office, which provides a diverse array of planning, real estate advisory, and project management services across New England. Around the office, Jonah is best known for his witty humor and his ability to be a strategic thought partner for clients on complex issues. His unique ability to work with organizations at the earliest stages of project planning, and develop comprehensive implementation strategies, makes him an invaluable asset to the DBI team and those with whom we work. Senior Development Manager Katrina Flora specializes in project planning and strategy. She has worked with innumerable organizations to facilitate project financing, navigate complex entitlements, and synthesize wide swaths of data to formulate strategic real estate plans. Clients like Bard College, LEEP Dual Language Academy, Steward, New Gables Capital, and Hot Bread Kitchen have leveraged this expertise. Katrina approaches challenges with an open mind and is always willing to put in the hard work to get the best outcome for her clients. 

We are excited to share the opening of Democracy Prep Public Schools' new location in the Bronx at 1000 Westchester Avenue. The ground-up building provides a rich, welcoming, and diverse place for 900 Pre-K through 12 students to learn and flourish across 96,167-sf.   DBI Projects is proud to have partnered with Democracy Prep to plan and realize this vision. We supported the site search, led negotiations with the landlord, and oversaw the project through early planning, design, construction, and the TCO readiness process that ultimately enabled the school to move in. DBI team members Ester Ehrlich and Miguel Roldos were particularly critical in ensuring the team’s timely receipt of the TCO. The new site was chosen to enable Democracy Prep students to study closer to home. Now, nearly two-thirds of high schoolers will no longer need to commute from the Bronx to Harlem to attend class!   An abundance of natural light illuminates the 40-plus classrooms that feature high ceilings and large, soundproofed windows. Color-filled outdoor play terraces, an indoor gym, acoustically padded music rooms, science rooms, art spaces, and early childhood education spaces are found throughout the building.    DBI Projects is thrilled to see students and teachers settling in this summer. Thank you to our amazing clients at Democracy Prep for the opportunity and OPEN Impact Real Estate, Michael Graves , GF55 Architects, Atlantic Development Group, and Bolivar Construction for making it all happen.

An incredible team effort from everyone involved. It's wonderful to see the public enjoying this milestone project at the World Trade Center!

Join us in congratulating Geethika Jakkala on her recent promotion to Project Manager! Geethika is cherished by colleagues and clients alike, and we are immensely grateful for her outstanding contribution. Specializing in projects with complex and challenging logistics, Geethika ensures smooth transitions for organizations and consistently goes above and beyond to support her clients. Working predominantly across residential and commercial sectors, she has supported a diverse range of organizations from multi-building residential co-ops to boutique training centers, developing and refining an agile and impressive skill set. Well done, Geethika we’re thrilled to celebrate your success!

A couple of weeks ago we had the chance to revitalize planter boxes around DREAM’s Mott Haven Campus.   A special thanks to DREAM for the opportunity, John Mini Distinctive Landscapes for their generous donation of plants and soil, and to the DBI volunteers who weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty! We appreciate everyone’s willingness to contribute their time, effort, and green thumbs to benefit the local community.    We’re always on the lookout for volunteering events – if we can be of assistance to your organization, please get in touch!  

Feeling inspired after this year's Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) NYC Symposium, which included tours of New York University’s recently opened facilities at 370 Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn and 181 Mercer Street in Greenwich Village. We were particularly grateful for the insights on the development of the John A. Paulson Center (181 Mercer), which shares program similarities with our work at Pace University’s 1 Pace Plaza East, planned to include a home for the Sands College of Performing Arts and renovations to the Maria Tower student residence. It was great to see how the NYU project team successfully integrated numerous diverse programs under one roof and designed new teaching and learning spaces for the Tisch School of the Arts. Thank you to all those involved from NYU and SCUP! We were glad to sponsor the event.

Our NYC office is #hiring two positions, Marketing Manager and Communications Coordinator, to join our growing team.   If you've got built environment industry experience and a passion for creative storytelling, we'd love to hear from you.   Check out the job listings linked in the comments and please share with your network!

Recently, we proudly hosted a celebration to honor the women of DBI Projects. The team enjoyed an inspiring workshop led by Christine Courtney, engaged in insightful conversation, and shared delicious food! During the event, we gathered excellent ideas for our next annual program, dedicated to celebrating women's achievements and fostering female leadership in our industry. We are proud to foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to reach their full potential.

We're #hiring a new Marketing Manager in New York to drive growth and lead our brand to new heights! Apply today or share this post with your network.