CSArch Partners with Private Equity Firm to Launch National Architecture, Engineering and Design Platform

Deal with Signal Hill Equity Partners will support long-term growth, including strategic geographic expansion and enhanced service offerings, for Albany-headquartered firm. CSArch’s existing name, leadership, workforce and operations to remain intact.

CSArch, a leading architecture and engineering design firm in New York State, announced today that it has entered into a partnership with Signal Hill Equity Partners.

The transaction, finalized October 31, marks a significant milestone in CSArch’s strategic growth and succession plans. Signal Hill is a middle-market private equity firm that specializes in investing in regulated and essential service businesses, with approximately $500 million under its management. While already well established in international markets, Signal Hill is partnering with CSArch to support the launch of a national architecture, engineering and design platform in the United States. As the first investment in Signal Hill Fund IV, CSArch is now positioned to expand geographically, add service offerings and pursue additional acquisitions for the newly established U.S. platform.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

CSArch will retain its existing name and workforce as part of the partnership. The firm’s executive leadership, including president Dan Woodside, chief executive officer Rich Peckham and vice president Tom Ritzenthaler, will continue to collectively lead the firm following the transaction.

Day-to-day operations also will remain the same at CSArch’s three office locations: Albany, where it is headquartered, Newburgh and Utica.

In addition to capital, new majority shareholder Signal Hill will provide CSArch with professional and business expertise to help execute the firm’s long-term growth objectives. CSArch opened its Utica office at 600 French Road in August 2024, and has a strategic plan for exploring additional expansion into neighboring markets and states in the Northeast, as well as industries that align with its strengths, such as advanced technologies.

The firm, which primarily serves the education sector, also expects to make additional in-house services available to clients as a direct result of Signal Hill’s investment.

“This is an exciting day for CSArch. Signal Hill has bought into our vision, our culture and our people. We’ve built something special, and, together, we’re going to take it to the next level,” said Dan Woodside, President of CSArch. “This puts our firm on even stronger footing to pursue smart, methodical growth while retaining the essence of what has made us so successful as a team.”

“It was obvious from our first conversation that CSArch would be key to our plans in the United States,” said Ahmed Abdel-Saheb, Signal Hill’s Managing Director and head of its U.S. office in Washington, D.C. “It has all the core traits we look for in private companies that can grow into truly exceptional businesses. I look forward to working alongside the CSArch team as we build on their well-earned reputation, and Signal Hill’s 30-years of collective experience, investing in the Architecture, Engineering, and Consulting sector in the U.S.”

CSArch, founded in 1991, specializes in designing and overseeing the construction of K-12, higher education, civic, corporate and advanced technology facilities. The firm has more than 70 employees across its three offices.

CSArch’s notable projects include transforming the century-old former Albany High School into the University at Albany’s College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering; a $106.5 million capital improvement project for the City School District of New Rochelle; and Binghamton University’s 84,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art baseball stadium and field house.

Signal Hill received legal support from Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP. CSArch was advised by PSMJ Resources, Inc., with legal support provided by Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP.

About CSArch
Founded in 1991, CSArch is an architecture, engineering and construction management firm with offices in Albany, Newburgh and Utica, New York. CSArch specializes in K-12, higher education, civic, corporate and advanced technology facilities, representing a diverse range of building types.

CSArch is made up of hard-working, creative and intelligent design professionals who seek to positively impact the human experience by pushing the potential of the built environment. It has been recognized as one of the Capital Region’s largest architectural firms and one of the area’s best places to work by the Albany Business Review, and has been named a top firm by Engineering News Record, Building Design and Construction Magazine, and Architectural Record. For more information, visit www.csarchpc.com.

About Signal Hill Equity Partners
Signal Hill is a middle-market private equity firm that focuses on investing in regulated and essential service businesses and has raised over $500 million of long-term capital. Signal Hill is managed by a team of professionals who have completed over 250 transactions investing, building, and growing private companies into exceptional businesses. For more information, visit www.signalhillequity.com.

10.30.2024

Newburgh ECSD Breaks Ground on New Center for Technical Education

Queensbury Cuts Ribbon on
Legacy 2020 Project

November 22, 2019

On Wednesday, October 23, the Newburgh Enlarged City School District officially broke ground on its future Center for Technical Education. Encompassing 132,424 gross square feet (GSF), the building will be constructed on the main high school campus and will house more than 20 Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

The $75 million project is part of a larger district-wide bond that was approved by voters in May 2019. With CSArch as the Architect and Engineer-of-Record, and in collaboration with Jacobs and Pike Construction Services, the Center for Technical Education is scheduled for completion in August 2026.

Several members of the CSArch design team joined to celebrate the exciting milestone for the district community.

CSArch took over the project in the Fall of 2023. In an effort to better align CTE programming with labor trends, the projected job market, and student interests, the new building will support the relocation of all 18 existing CTE programs, which are currently dispersed throughout four separate district buildings. This consolidation of programming will result in greater collaboration among students and faculty, sharing of resources between departments, and enhanced educational opportunities for all learners.

Encompassing three floors, the design purposefully situates community spaces, gathering spaces, and student support spaces on the first floor. Programmatic spaces on the first floor will include classrooms for veterinary technology and grooming, cosmetology, and barbering, as well as construction trades, auto technology, and welding to provide direct outdoor access and allow equipment to be easily moved in and out of the building. The second and third floors will house general classrooms, science classrooms and labs, and specialized spaces for nursing, culinary, fashion, photography, and video production programs.

Flexibility and adaptability within each academic space were key considerations throughout the design process to ensure the building could support potential new programming and adapt to changing workforce trends over time. Upon completion in August 2026, the Center for Career and Technical Education will project a modern, forward-thinking facility that bolsters workforce development initiatives and prepares future generations of learners for post-graduation success in a rapidly evolving world.

Visit the Newburgh ECSD Center for Technical Education project page for more information.
Renderings of the Center for Technical Education, created by CSArch, highlight the spaces that will support the 20 new CTE programs to be offered for high school learners.

The project team includes:
CSArch Design Team: Thomas Ritzenthaler, Principal-in-Charge; Richard Peckham, SED Advisor; Joseph Metzger, Project Architect; Alexandra Garrity, Project Architect; Zachary Malison, Senior Mechanical Engineer; Jamie Barrett, Senior Electrical Engineer; Nicholas Rohan, Electrical Engineering Designer; David Bratt, Plumbing Engineering Designer; Cindy Maleike, Building Designer; Ashley Sheehan, Senior Interior Designer; Amber Skowron, Interior Designer
Construction Manager: Jacobs
General Contractor: Pike Construction Services
Consultants: Passero Associates, Civil & Structural Engineering; M/E Engineering, Plumbing Engineering & Fire Protection; Food Service Design Studios, Food Service; AVL Designs, Inc., Audio Visual
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Behind the Design of UAlbany CNSE

10.22.2024

"Behind the Design" is a webisode series featuring CSArch design team members that dives deeper into the planning, design, and construction of our projects.
In this video, the CSArch team dives deeper into the renovation and adaptive reuse of a historic building on University at Albany's downtown campus. Originally constructed in 1912, the 129,000 sf former Albany High School was transformed into the University's state-of-the-art College of Nanotechnology, Science and Engineering to provide cutting edge programming and research that advances workforce development. Watch the video to learn how our architects and engineers worked together to solve complex design problems while maintaining the historic integrity of the original building.

The team featured in this video includes:
- William Pennock, AIA LEEP AP, Managing Principal, Project Manager
- Douglas Dickinson AIA, Principal, Senior Project Architect
- Killian Miles AIA, Associate, Project Architect
- Zachary Malison PE, Managing Principal, Director of Engineering
- David Bratt, Associate, Mechanical Design Engineer
- Nicholas Rohan, Associate, Electrical Design Engineer
- Michelle Grimm, Dean of the College of Nanotechnology, Science and Engineering, University at Albany
- Stephen Reilly AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Historic Preservation Architect, Thaler Reilly Wilson, Architecture & Preservation
The overall project team includes:
- CSArch Design Team: William Pennock, Project Manager; Mark Landon, Project Manager; Douglas Dickinson, Senior Project Architect; Killian Miles, Project Architect; Ashley Sheehan, Senior Interior Designer; Zachary Malison, Senior Mechanical Engineer; Michael Strohecker, Mechanical Engineer; David Bratt, Plumbing Designer; Nicholas Rohan, Electrical Designer
- Construction Manager: Gilbane
- General Contractor: Consigli
- Consultants: Plan A Architecture, Program & Planning; Thaler Reilly Wilson Architecture & Preservation, Historic Preservation; MJ Engineering, Civil and Structural Engineering; Foit-Albert Associates, Fire Protection; Watts Architecture & Engineering, Hazardous Materials; d2d Green Architecture, Sustainability; Design Network Interior Planning & Design, Interior Design
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CSArch Accepts Preservation Award for Design of UAlbany CNSE

10.11.2024

CSArch Accepts Preservation Award
for Design of UAlbany CNSE

September 27, 2024

On September 25th, CSArch proudly accepted a Stewardship Award during the Preservation Merit Awards Ceremony for the design of University at Albany’s College of Nanotechnology, Science and Engineering (CNSE). Organized by the Historic Albany Foundation, the long-running, annual awards program celebrates preservation excellence by recognizing individuals and organizations for their commitment to Albany’s historic architecture.

This year, CSArch was among 17 recipients across nine preservation categories. The review committee noted the restoration of the guastavino tile as an important feature that was retained from the original construction, as well as the careful adaptive reuse of the building without compromising the integrity of its historic character.

“On behalf of the design team, I am honored to accept this award,” said William Pennock, Managing Principal at CSArch. “This building, which sits at a prominent location in the City of Albany, remained abandoned and unoccupied for many years before the University purchased the property in 2013. We’re proud to be part of the project to restore an educational landmark and reimagine the building into what it is today for the College of Nanotechnology, Science and Engineering.”

Click here to learn more about the award recipients.
Originally constructed in 1912, the 129,000 square foot, Neoclassical building served as Albany High School until 1974. After the high school moved to its current location on Washington Avenue, the building housed Philip Schuyler Elementary School before the University at Albany purchased the property in 2013. During that 100-year period, the building retained most of its original character and charm, including the historic corridors, exterior envelope, entry foyers, stairwells, skylights, and a 1200-seat auditorium.

In 2016, UAlbany announced plans to embark on a multi-phased, comprehensive renovation and adaptive reuse of the former Albany High School. Once complete, the building would house the University’s now College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering (CNSE) to provide state-of-the-art educational, lab, and research facilities for engineering and computer science programs. The recently completed phase of the project restored the south wing, which encompasses approximately half of the building’s 129,000 square feet. Construction will now shift to a comparable renovation of the north wing and restoration of the historic auditorium in the sixth and final phase of the project, which is expected to be complete in 2027.

Visit the UAlbany CNSE project page for more information.

The project team includes:
CSArch Design Team: William Pennock, Project Manager; Mark Landon, Project Manager; Douglas Dickinson, Senior Project Architect; Killian Miles, Project Architect; Ashley Sheehan, Senior Interior Designer; Zachary Malison, Senior Mechanical Engineer; Michael Strohecker, Mechanical Engineer; David Bratt, Plumbing Designer; Nicholas Rohan, Electrical Designer
Construction Manager: Gilbane
General Contractor: Consigli
Consultants: Plan A Architecture, Program & Planning; Thaler Reilly Wilson Architecture & Preservation, Historic Preservation; MJ Engineering, Civil and Structural Engineering; Foit-Albert Associates, Fire Protection; Watts Architecture & Engineering, Hazardous Materials; d2d Green Architecture, Sustainability; Design Network Interior Planning & Design, Interior Design
Historic photos of the original main entrance, central corridor, and library when Albany High School first occupied the building in 1913.
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