Ashley McGraw Architects Honored with 6 Design Awards from AIA CNY Chapter

Ashley McGraw Architects has been recognized with six design awards from the Central New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The annual design awards program recognizes outstanding works of architecture. The six awards included 3 “Award of Excellence” designations, the highest level of award. The 6 awarded projects were:

  • Award of Excellence for the Syracuse University Schine Student Center Renovation

  • Award of Excellence for the Sustainable Energy Fund Net Zero Energy Office Building

  • Award of Excellence for the Binghamton City School District Benjamin Franklin Elementary School Ground Floor Renovation

  • Award of Merit for the Liverpool High School Athletics Wing Addition/Renovation

  • Award of Merit for the Sauquoit Valley High School Auditorium

  • Citation for Design for the Liverpool Public Library


Syracuse University Schine Student Center (Category: Institutional)
As campuses embrace a multitude of changing trends and expectations, incorporating them all into renovations in an integrated way brings great challenges. Syracuse University faced this challenge as they approached the substantial renovation of their campus center. After three decades of service, Schine had lost relevancy and vigor. It faced significant hurdles: confusing circulation; hard-to-find student support program spaces; outdated dining model; and poor accommodation of those with differing abilities and backgrounds. The 108,000 SF renovation provided a welcoming hub enabling easy connection with resources and activities. Schine’s transformation embodies the nexus of three design principles: universal design, student-centered design, and design for diversity and inclusion.


Sustainable Energy Fund Net Zero Energy Office Building (Category: Commercial - Large)
Working with the goal set by the Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF), a new Net Zero Energy office building was designed and built to demonstrate that a Net Zero Energy approach can be used for a leasable office building for a similar development cost to comparable office buildings. The building is expected to refocus the spotlight on the central and eastern Pennsylvania community seeking to complete new projects with innovative, energy conscious construction.

Drawing on Passive House strategies, the design sets a regional standard in sustainability - from both economic and performance perspectives. The SEF building will consume about 75% less energy comparable commercial structures in the region while generating 30% more energy than it needs - on site!


Binghamton City School District Benjamin Franklin Elementary School Ground Floor Renovation (Category: Institutional)
Benjamin Franklin Elementary is a stately 1920’s brick building that serves as an icon for its neighborhood atop a hill. But, save for a major theatre renovation in the early 2000’s, not much had been updated prior to this Capital Project to reflect changing teaching methodologies. The goal of this project was to create a fun, interactive environment appropriate to the age group and with it develop a “masterplan” for future application on the upper floors.

To put active learning on display and create a centrally located “gathering” space like the theater on the upper floors, the Large Motor Skills Room was relocated to the center of the Ground Floor. At the corridors, the designers also looked to bring a sense of the outdoors inside. Where the hallways had been long and relentless, with little visual or physical break across their length, a warming wood wainscot with an energetic curved profile was installed. The classrooms were renovated for optimal learning conditions and teacher/student/parent interaction, which is particularly important in this age group.


Liverpool Central School District High School Athletics Wing Addition/Renovation (Category: Institutional)
A cornerstone of a recent capital project was the expansion and transformation of the athletics wing, resulting in modern athletic a facility for the District’s physical education programs, athletic teams and community. The addition and renovation to the athletics wing features an expanded gymnasium with an elevated 160-meter walking track, new fitness center, upgraded wrestling area, new locker rooms, PE and athletic staff office spaces, trainer’s room, restrooms, concessions, as well as updates to the existing pool. Fostering school spirit and community pride in the District’s facilities, a key component of the project was integrating the Liverpool Warriors branding throughout the athletic facilities and school.



Sauquoit Valley Central School District High School Auditorium (Category: Interiors)
The Sauquoit Valley High School auditorium had only undergone cosmetic renovations and upgrades to lighting and sound since being built in 1932. The renovation and expansion allowed for a larger stage with fly space, the addition of 100+ seats, and improved sight lines from the now two-tiered balcony. New seats with ADA accessibility, lighting system, sound system, rigging systems, and stage curtain were also added. To double as a testing hall for New York State Regents exams, 100 flip-top tablet arms were added to the theater to maximize the programming of the space. The greatest feat of this auditorium transformation was to find the space for the additional seating. This design went vertical to take on underutilized space on the floor above the existing balcony, providing additional height and depth to the seating area. The acoustic design of the wall paneling completed the transformation, marrying design and function to create a beautiful and modern auditorium.



Liverpool Public Library (Category: Interiors)
The Liverpool Public Library is a community hub in the Village of Liverpool which was in desperate need of a renovation to transform the 1980’s interior into a space reflective of its vibrant, collaborative, and supportive nature.

The design team worked closely with the library Director, Assistant Director, Board, and staff to carefully assess the current program and create a new set of program requirements including the addition of a lounge and living room spaces, quiet study room, a flex use space called “studio @LPL”, relocation and expansion of the Teen Area, Circulation Desk, and Circulation Workroom, and complete reorganization of the stack and computer areas, and the Children’s Library. The design strategies reimagined the role of the Library in the Liverpool Community and transformed the space to support and foster dynamic interaction.



AIA CNY plans a Celebration of Architecture awards ceremony in Spring 2022 to celebrate the achievements in design excellence by architects in the Central New York Region; and to honor the architects, clients and consultants who work together to create and enhance our built environment.

Derek Goodroe