S/L/A/M Collaborative, the national architectural firm based in Glastonbury, Conn., on March 6 completed its acquisition of five Heery architectural design practices from CBRE. The terms of the purchase were not disclosed.
The practices—focused on healthcare, sports facilities, and justice—are now known as Heery Design, a SLAM Studio. CBRE had owned Heery International, a project management and design engineering firm based in Atlanta, since October 2017 when it acquired the business for $57 million from Balfour Beatty. After the deal with S/L/A/M, CBRE retains full ownership of Heery’s interior design and engineering businesses that are integral to its project management services.
About 70 of Heery’s employees are coming over in this deal, joining 210 S/L/A/M professionals. Heery’s healthcare practice is located in Denver, Iowa City, Iowa, and Philadelphia. Its justice practice is in Orlando, Fla. And its sports design practice is in Atlanta. Heery Design offices associated with these practices are also part of this acquisition, along with the firm’s architectural book of business.
“The professionals joining S/L/A/M in this transaction are returning to a traditional design firm that values creativity, and is passionate about design,” said Richard T. Connell, FAIA, S/L/A/M’s chairman, in a prepared statement. Those professionals include Heery Design’s managing directors Russ Sedmak, Mike Holleman, and Douglas Kleppin, AIA, LEED AP.
S/L/A/M’s design portfolio includes healthcare, education, corporate and sports facilities. The firm provides integrated landscape architecture, structural engineering, interior design and construction services, with offices in Connecticut, New York, Atlanta, Boston, and Los Angeles.
A source knowledgeable about this deal, who spoke on background, said that a third party representing CBRE had approached a handful of firms, including S/L/A/M, at the beginning of 2018 about their interest in acquiring parts of Heery. This source said that CBRE was primarily interested in finding a buyer willing to acquire all five of the practices it wanted to shed.
This source adds that what CBRE is holding onto from its Heery purchase is a “much larger” piece than what it is selling to S/L/A/M.
Related Stories
MFPRO+ News | Mar 1, 2024
Housing affordability, speed of construction are top of mind for multifamily architecture and construction firms
The 2023 Multifamily Giants get creative to solve the affordability crisis, while helping their developer clients build faster and more economically.
Multifamily Housing | Feb 29, 2024
Manny Gonzalez, FAIA, inducted into Best in American Living Awards Hall of Fame
Manny Gonzalez, FAIA, has been inducted into the BALA Hall of Fame.
K-12 Schools | Feb 29, 2024
Average age of U.S. school buildings is just under 50 years
The average age of a main instructional school building in the United States is 49 years, according to a survey by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). About 38% of schools were built before 1970. Roughly half of the schools surveyed have undergone a major building renovation or addition.
MFPRO+ Research | Feb 28, 2024
New download: BD+C's 2023 Multifamily Amenities report
New research from Building Design+Construction and Multifamily Pro+ highlights the 127 top amenities that developers, property owners, architects, contractors, and builders are providing in today’s apartment, condominium, student housing, and senior living communities.
AEC Tech | Feb 28, 2024
How to harness LIDAR and BIM technology for precise building data, equipment needs
By following the Scan to Point Cloud + Point Cloud to BIM process, organizations can leverage the power of LIDAR and BIM technology at the same time. This optimizes the documentation of existing building conditions, functions, and equipment needs as a current condition and as a starting point for future physical plant expansion projects.
Data Centers | Feb 28, 2024
What’s next for data center design in 2024
Nuclear power, direct-to-chip liquid cooling, and data centers as learning destinations are among the emerging design trends in the data center sector, according to Scott Hays, Sector Leader, Sustainable Design, with HED.
Windows and Doors | Feb 28, 2024
DOE launches $2 million prize to advance cost-effective, energy-efficient commercial windows
The U.S. Department of Energy launched the American-Made Building Envelope Innovation Prize—Secondary Glazing Systems. The program will offer up to $2 million to encourage production of high-performance, cost-effective commercial windows.
AEC Innovators | Feb 28, 2024
How Suffolk Construction identifies ConTech and PropTech startups for investment, adoption
Contractor giant Suffolk Construction has invested in 27 ConTech and PropTech companies since 2019 through its Suffolk Technologies venture capital firm. Parker Mundt, Suffolk Technologies’ Vice President–Platforms, recently spoke with Building Design+Construction about his company’s investment strategy.
Performing Arts Centers | Feb 27, 2024
Frank Gehry-designed expansion of the Colburn School performing arts center set to break ground
In April, the Colburn School, an institute for music and dance education and performance, will break ground on a 100,000-sf expansion designed by architect Frank Gehry. Located in downtown Los Angeles, the performing arts center will join the neighboring Walt Disney Concert Hall and The Grand by Gehry, forming the largest concentration of Gehry-designed buildings in the world.
Construction Costs | Feb 27, 2024
Experts see construction material prices stabilizing in 2024
Gordian’s Q1 2024 Quarterly Construction Cost Insights Report brings good news: Although there are some materials whose prices have continued to show volatility, costs at a macro level are returning to a level of stability, suggesting predictable historical price escalation factors.
