Letter from the editors

The second quarter of the year flew by for us here at JMA, in both our Seattle and Kansas City locations. We added new projects to the many we already have in progress – which made it all the more crucial to add team members to our squad. We also reinstated our monthly happy hour excursions, pizza, pool, and drinks with the team – and we still get together virtually once a week to catch up with each other. All in all it seems that work and life are beginning to feel like they did before the pandemic.

We are excited to see what the rest of the year brings our way, and thrilled with the progress of our projects as they get closer to breaking ground – or in some cases, as they are completed. Cheers to a busy summer of work, and hopefully to some fun adventures out of the office!

featured

Kansas City Breaks Ground on New Service Center

*JMA’s Kansas City staff at the ground-breaking ceremony in June: Darren third from left; Megan second from right*

The new Evergy Emporia Center includes the site development and construction of a new 1-story 12,200 GSF, insulated concrete form wall system office building with conference center and an attached 10,000 SF shop area. The site will also include a 6,000 SF metal building system warehouse area, an enclosed 24,000 SF metal building system truck bay, and an approximately 3-acre gravel materials storage yard/laydown area. Roofing materials shall consist of lightweight insulated concrete decking with a roofing membrane. Heated cast-in-place floors shall be featured throughout select spaces as well.

Designed with the philosophies of efficiency and durability in mind, the new Emporia Service Center is nestled within the Emporia community to bring a vital component in providing reliable electricity to the regional area for a long-standing presence. It is of utmost importance for the new service center to highlight high-quality, durable architectural materials and features without being ostentatious.

*JMA team members from left: Teisha, Darren, Reighann and Megan pose on-site with renderings of the project*

The design inspiration for the new service center comes from the local Flint Hills and the historic Tallgrass Prairie throughout the region. The building design shape and materials used are carefully planned to mimic the rolling Flint Hills landscape to tie the new building into the local community.

To highlight the importance of self-care and being one with nature for the employees, a walking trail through the landscape of the site will also be included.

JMA and LIHI Finalize the Tiny Home Manual

It only took a few years, hours and hours of virtual meetings through a pandemic, and the hard work of JMA and LIHI staff to finally finish our Tiny Home Manual – and we can assure you, it was a labor of love.

JMA partnered with the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), to begin work on a construction manual offering a step-by-step guide to building a tiny home. LIHI develops, owns and operates housing for the benefit of low-income, homeless and formerly homeless people in Washington State. This manual will offer guidance to volunteers and construction teams as they continue their affordable housing efforts around the greater Seattle area. We are excited to share that the manual has already been put to use and is gaining positive feedback in the field, you can find a copy in the JMA Seattle office.

In April the JMA team was invited to celebrate the completion of the manual at a newly-finished tiny home village in South Seattle. Food and beverages, as well as an in-depth tour of the village were offered, after which JMA Principal Katerina Prochaska was presented with gifts that included a printed copy of the manual. These villages provide comfortable housing, bathrooms, food, and in some villages - areas for recreation and laundry. If you’re interested in making an impact in our communities visit LIHI’s website and learn more about their objectives and Tiny Home projects.

Row of tiny homes

Room with a view

Office attendant available on site

Each home has unique colors and fabrics

Touring the village

Bathroom facilities

Recreation space with laundry

Shared kitchen with food donations

JMA receives printed manual from the LIHI team

JMA and LIHI team finally meet in person

JMA Brings Mixed-use Apartment Building and Storage Facility to West Seattle

Mixed-use apartment building

New storage facility

The West Seattle Apartment Building is a six-story mixed-use residential structure located in the White Center Neighborhood of Seattle. The project will bring 137 units, including 27 affordable units to an area in need of more housing, and provide more than 10,000 SF of recreation space for residents.

The apartments contain ground floor retail spaces along the street and are part of a larger development that includes a self-storage building. The project is expected to be completed mid-2023.

New Storage Facility underway in Sioux City, Iowa

Kosco Self Storage, a facility JMA designed to include three stories and nearly 600 storage units, is nearing completion and will be leasing soon. Panels are being added at the moment to create a colorful addition to the Sioux City, Iowa community.

Owned by Kosko Properties, the 92,453 SF building offers 35 parking spaces, office space, restrooms, and additional support spaces. JMA was involved in the early planning stages and design development and has seen the project through completion.

Check out the drone video below!

events

JMA Attends the ISS World Expo

In April of this year, JMA Principal Robin Murphy and Architect Casey Kispert traveled to the neon city of Las Vegas to attend the 2022 Inside Self Storage World Expo. During the expo Robin gave a presentation on Divine Design for Self-Storage: How to Plan a First-Class Facility.

Self storage developers, whether new or very experienced, can face all kinds of obstacles in bringing a facility to life. The early stages of a project can be especially crucial to its success. Robin, a licensed architect with over 24 years of experience designing for the self storage industry, spoke about navigating the design and entitlement process.

Both Robin and Casey reported having a great and positive experience and were able to meet up with existing and future clients. Check out some of our own favorite self storage projects – including a couple of award-winning designs!

Evergreen Goodwill: Impact for Good

*JMA staff attend the Impact for Good luncheon, from left: Eric Murphy, Sean Kendig, Alex Wright, Meghan Craig, Dani Karr, Sonia Ramirez*

Each year Evergreen Goodwill provides educational services throughout the greater Seattle area. Students are served through job training and education where they can earn credentials, get placed in jobs and pursue further education if desired.

This past June the Goodwill team held a 3-course luncheon to showcase their Impact for Good on the Seattle waterfront in Bell Harbor. Student success stories were shared and invitees learned more about the program and how they can help make an impact on their communities. JMA is proud to be a partner with Evergreen Goodwill and has a long history of working with the non-profit on many design and architectural projects around the city.

The team enjoying lunch

Yummy halibut entree

Learning about the program

Our flower boy, Sean

Fun Facts about the Impact program

If you are interested in making an impact you can visit Evergreen Goodwill’s Impact page, where you can also learn more about the program and see some of the student success stories they have shared.

in the office

A change of view

As the Seattle waterfront continues to change and grow after the demolition of the viaduct above Alaskan Way, a new project is beginning to come to life. Reaching upward toward the sky behind the historic Maude building – home of our Seattle JMA office located in Pioneer Square – is the soon-to-be boutique office building in the city:
The Jack

At 145,500 RSF The Jack also boasts a 16,000 SF rooftop terrace to enjoy the view of Puget Sound. We’ve been enjoying our view in the meantime, but architects can’t help but enjoy watching a design come alive, JMA Principal Robin Murphy captured some photos along the way, check out the time lapse below.

Visit The Jack website to learn more about the project and the future building amenities.

Team Spotlight

This quarter we are excited to introduce a few new people who have joined our ever-growing team.

Caroline le

Designer, Professional Wrestling Maniac, Future Avenger

What inspired you to pursue a career in architecture?

I like to tell people that when I was in middle school I really enjoyed art and math, so someone suggested I go into architecture when I grow up, and I just sort of said, “okay!” This is truthfully how it happened, but looking back I did realize that I always had a love for art and design, and a fascination with built environments and how people lived/used/interacted with it. Regardless, it all led me on the path to architecture, and I haven't turned back since!

What has been your favorite place that you’ve traveled to?

My favorite place I've traveled to is Vietnam. The last time I went was when I was 8 years old, so it's been a while! But it was such an amazing experience for me to walk the streets of my home country, see where my parents grew up, connect with family that I didn't even know existed, and of course getting to eat authentic Vietnamese food (nothing here compares, except for my mom's homecooking). Life felt so different when I was there, and I'm hoping to be able to visit again next summer!

When you aren’t working what do you do for fun?

In my free time I love weightlifting, playing boardgames (I own over 80 boardgames!!), and playing The Sims!

What is your favorite thing about Seattle?

I was born in Seattle and lived here my whole life, so often times I think my favorite thing about it is just the sense of familiarity everywhere I go. My family is here, my in-laws are here, I went to school here--I can always find memories in every corner of the city. And at the same time, there's still so much to discover and many opportunities to create new memories! I don't see myself leaving anytime soon :)

Anshuli Vaidya

Designer, Outdoor Adventurer, Professional Dog Lover

What inspired you to pursue a career in architecture?

As a child, I was inclined towards art and science, and architecture seemed like the best fit which would be an amalgamation of the two. I am really passionate about design and creativity which acts like the driving force.

What has been your favorite place that you’ve traveled to?

I can confidently say that Hawaii is my latest favorite place that I have traveled to. I visited it during this summer break and returned refreshed and energized to start my work at JMA.

When you aren’t working what do you do for fun?

I enjoy going for hikes during the weekends. A stroll in the park along with some yoga helps me unwind at the end of the day. The latest addition to my list of fun activities has been boxing which I am pretty new to but enjoy it to the maximum.

What is your favorite thing about Seattle?

My favorite thing would be the ocean front and Pike Place Market. The weather is mostly always pleasant to walk around which I really like.

Any interesting tidbits about you ... hobbies, career goals, etc.?

I am extremely fond of dogs and would jump to any opportunity I find involving them. Career wise, I plan to study for certifications and work towards getting my architectural license.

Melika Seyedakefi

Designer, Traveler, Future Tony Award Recipient

What inspired you to pursue a career in architecture?

The influence your design has on people's daily lives is one of the most inspiring aspects of architecture. Consequently, you as a designer need to explore a lot of areas to improve your problem-solving skills and remain updated on the latest technology and trends of the place where you practice architecture. To me, these are the most fascinating aspects of architecture.

What has been your favorite place that you’ve traveled to?

As of yet, I have not been to Europe, which might change my answer to this question, but if I had to choose, I would pick New York based on what I have seen so far. It is a city that could surprise you every time you step foot in it. Every door leads to a new planet you've never seen before.

When you aren’t working what do you do for fun?

During my free time, I enjoy reading books and listening to podcasts. I also practice writing play scripts for theater.

What is your favorite thing about Seattle?

Seattle's natural beauty really inspired me. There is so much eye appeal about the city, and I love the scale of it, it is so in tune with a human scale that you don't feel so small.

Any interesting tidbits about you ... hobbies, career goals, etc.?

My hobby is cooking and baking, and I know many Persian recipes.My concern is that everyone should have access to education. As a result, my retirement goal is to design schools for cities in Iran that are deprived of education.

stay tuned …

JMAIL is our quarterly newsletter offering project updates, office news, team updates, adventures and more. Look for our Q3 issue which will be published in early
October, 2022. We love hearing from you, if you’d like to send the JMAIL team
a message or offer feedback click the link below.

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