FINISHING TOUCHES AT DETROIT'S LA JOYA GARDENS

La Joya Gardens nears completion as new residents begin moving in and finishing touches are installed. Located in one of the city’s most vibrant and fast-growing neighborhoods, La Joya Gardens features spacious, modern apartments designed for mixed-income living. Just minutes from Downtown Detroit, residents enjoy convenient access to local shops, stadiums, restaurants, food trucks, and cultural attractions.

CELEBRATING THE RE-OPENING OF LAWNCREST LIBRARY!

After extensive renovations, the Lawncrest Library has officially reopened to the public. Located in North Philadelphia and part of the Free Library of Philadelphia network, the library underwent a $4.5 million transformation made possible through the City of Philadelphia’s Rebuild program.

Originally built in 1961, the library has been thoughtfully revitalized to serve once again as a vibrant and welcoming community hub. Mayor Cherelle Parker led the ribbon-cutting ceremony, celebrating the reopening and recognizing the design work of SITIO in delivering a wide range of impactful upgrades.

Renovations included new building systems, improved lighting, exterior façade enhancements, the addition of flexible meeting rooms, new office spaces, and refreshed furnishings and finishes—modernizing the facility while preserving its role as a vital neighborhood resource.

BUILDING ON AND OFF THE COURT: SITIO CREATES NEW VISION FOR LA LIGA DEL BARRIO

SITIO team members Brooke Kervi and Andrew Ferrarelli are volunteering with the Community Design Collaborative to envision a new Community Hub and Basketball Center for La Liga del Barrio. This past Saturday marked the first community engagement session, where parents, players, coaches, and fans shared their ideas and feedback. La Liga del Barrio, Philadelphia’s first Latino youth basketball league, has been a vital resource for over 25 years—offering programs in basketball, track and field, and more to Latino and minority youth across the city. The league serves boys and girls ages 6–18, fostering athletic development while encouraging academic success.

SITIO TURNS 9!

SITIO turns 9! Grateful for the trust our clients place in us and the wide-ranging opportunities to build enduring places, both near and far!🥂

ANDREW FERRARELLI FEATURED CSI PANELIST

SITIO principal Andrew Ferrarelli was a featured panelist at CSI Philadelphia Chapter’s ‘Grill Series’ for a discussion on "Fast Track Documentation and Management." This candid and insightful conversation delved into the realities of construction when things don’t go as planned. During the discussion, Andrew addressed the challenges of fast-track project timelines and the critical coordination between architects, engineers, contractors, and other professional consultants in the industry.

ANDREW FERRARELLI GUEST JUROR FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Andrew Ferrarelli, principal at SITIO, served as a guest juror for Habitat for Humanity of Chester County’s "Build a House, Build a Dream" competition. In this event, 5th-grade students created designs for their dream homes, presenting their concepts through 3D models, drawings, and sketches. The competition aimed to raise awareness about the need for affordable housing in the Delaware Valley and to garner support for homebuilding programs while providing students with an introduction to Habitat for Humanity's mission. Andrew was impressed by the students' enthusiasm, creativity, and critical thinking, which were evident in their innovative designs.

LA JOYA GARDENS AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT OPENS IN DETROIT

SITIO’s La Joya Gardens marked its much-anticipated opening with a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony. The mixed-use affordable housing development in Detroit’s Southwest neighborhood breathes new life into its block-long site along the Vernor corridor – down the street from Ford’s emerging Mobility Innovation District.

The 53-unit building provides affordable and market-rate apartments, incubator space, and retail. Gracing the streetscape are lush, landscaped plazas connected by a vibrant community pavilion that creates an inviting place for community gathering and events. Developed through a public-private partnership between Cinnaire Solutions, the Southwest Detroit Business Association, and the City of Detroit, this project adds thoughtful density to the area while blending modern design with the neighborhood's existing character through an artful collage of volumes and color.

"What had been a vacant lot along the main commercial corridor in Southwest Detroit is now a beautiful mixed-use building that adds a significant number of affordable housing units for this area," said Mayor Mike Duggan. "This is how we are making sure that as our neighborhoods come back, longtime residents know they can afford to stay and enjoy this revitalization."

To learn more about La Joya visit:

https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/la-joya-gardens-affordable-housing-detroit/

ANDREW FERRARELLI PROMOTED TO SITIO PRINCIPAL

SITIO is proud to announce the promotion of Andrew Ferrarelli, AIA to Principal! Since joining SITIO Andrew has been a key member in the design and execution of complex award-winning SITIO projects such as The Chestnut residential tower and the 2500 League Island Boulevard cGMP building, in addition to various other residential/mixed-use and civic community buildings.  His collaborative approach has earned the respect of clients and consultant teams alike and has made him a valued mentor at SITIO.  

“Andrew’s commitment to design excellence while engagingly supporting clients fully embodies SITIO's core values. He is a natural fit for our leadership team!”  - Antonio Fiol-Silva, FAIA, Founding Principal

"Andrew is an exceptional collaborator, consistently focused on enhancing design and executing essential details that are crucial to the overall vision of the building and site, no matter the scale or complexity.”  - Karen Blanchard, AIA, Principal

KAREN BLANCHARD HONORED WITH TRAILBLAZING AWARD

SITIO Principal Karen Blanchard was awarded the 2024 ESG Trailblazing Award by CREW Greater Philadelphia. The award is in recognition of Karen’s significant contributions as both an architect and an advocate for the profession, with a particular focus on her leadership in supporting and advancing the pipeline for female professionals. CREW Greater Philadelphia is part of a global network dedicated to advancing women in commercial real estate through initiatives in networking, industry research, leadership development, and career outreach.

SITIO RECEIVES EXCELENCIA BREAKTHROUGH AWARD

SITIO is thrilled to be named a recipient of the 2024 BREAKTHROUGH Award for Excellence in Hispanic Business by the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“SITIO has redefined the role of architecture. Known for projects that blend innovative design with sustainability and social impact, SITIO is at the forefront of creating spaces that transform neighborhoods. From revitalizing urban centers to designing public spaces that bring people together, Antonio and his team have demonstrated how thoughtful architecture can bridge divides and inspire collective progress.“

Join us on December 4th at The Switch House at the Battery to celebrate the achievements and resilience of our Latino business community in Greater Philadelphia. #Excelencia2024 #GPHCC #ExcelenciainBusiness

JOHNNY SAMPLE RECREATION CENTER SHOWCASED AT GREENBUILD 2024

The Johnny Sample Recreation Center was featured project tour in the Greenbuild National Conference recently held in Philadelphia. Currently under construction, the renovation and expansion of the center is designed to bring transparency and natural light with a variety of community programs. Designed by SITIO and developed by the Fairmount Park Conservancy as part of Philadelphia’s Rebuild initiative, the center is set to open in 2025 and aims to achieve LEED Gold certification. 📸 by @rebuildphl

2500 LEAGUE ISLAND PROJECT AWARDED AIA PHILADELPHIA DESIGN AWARD

SITIO is happy to receive an Honor Award from AIA Philadelphia recognizing design excellence for 2500 League Island Boulevard. Developed by Gattuso Development Partners, the 130,000 sf life sciences GMP manufacturing facility provides a flexible work and production environment to serve the growing technology and cell therapy industry in the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

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