The most intimate involvement a person has with their environment is with their home. Sensitivity to this fact, whether designing multi-family projects or a highly customized home on a unique site, is the key to successful residential architecture. Attention to detail and strong architect-client communication are rewarded with exemplary design.
Gora/McGahey was commissioned by Zion Lutheran Church to create a long term master plan, utilizing their 16-acre property on Winkler Road near Gladiolus. The congregation was comprised largely of retirement-age couples. They were in the midst of expanding their youth programs as well as increasing their year-round membership. Growth during the winter/spring season has caused the congregation to hold two and sometimes three services on Sunday. As all programs grew, support spaces needed to grow with them
Gora/McGahey planners interviewed representatives of every aspect of the church community to determine the functional and space needs now and well into the future.
We created a master plan based on well thought out individual building designs, pedestrian connectors, vehicular circulation, convenience, and flexibility. This resulted in a roadmap for future development which will include a sports-oriented fellowship hall, a playground, a communal courtyard, and a 1,500-seat sanctuary. The Phase I building, including administration building, classrooms and childcare, opened in 2006. It includes a new narthex connection to the mall of the administration building and the administrative offices. This 39,360 square-foot building was designed to embrace the architecture of the existing campus buildings, including pointed, angular arches, long a signature element of the church.
The facility includes a 350-seat sanctuary that can expand into the 2,600 S.F. cultural center. The cultural center is served by a commercial kitchen. In addition to administrative support facilities, the Temple includes a 9 room licensed child care facility.
Crowne Plaza is a 12,000 square foot multi-tenant medical office building whichis located on College Parkway in Fort Myers. The developer, a local dentist, located
his practice on the second floor. The first floor will be lease space available for other medical
professionals.
<br><br>
The building is a distinctive South Florida modernist design, featuring a large curved canopy
which will protect the windows from the sun and visitors during inclement weather. This along
with carefully detailed wall treatments, sculptural stairs and a curved window wall, will provide
the owner with the unique investment property he desired when he engaged Gora/McGahey.
<br><br>
Crowne Plaza received the 2003 Florida Southwest Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Un-built Design Award. The building was completed in the spring of 2005.
The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District engaged Gora McGahey to create a prototype fire station design which will be used to build stations # 4 and # 5.
Fire Station # 4 is located at the corner of Sunshine Boulevard and 16th Street, and Fire Station # 5 will be located at the corner of Alexander Graham Bell Boulevard and Milwaukee Boulevard. The architects and the fire district agreed that the design should respect the residential character of the neighborhoods where these stations are being built. The exterior of both buildings will feature a brick façade and low-pitched, shingle roof.
The buildings will include three offices and a training room/classroom (which can also be used for public meetings and seminars. There are 12 individual sleeping rooms, five baths, a kitchen, day room and exercise room. Additionally, the 13,000 square foot facilities will each have three equipment bays.
Bonita Springs Fire Station # 2 is a 7,325 square foot replacement for an existing facility in the same location. The site plan was designed in phases to allow continued operation of the existing station.
The new station includes living quarters for nine fire and rescue personnel. It features two drive through apparatus bays which can accommodate up to four vehicles. The office/communications center has been designed to be hardened to provide continuous operation during times of disaster.
The building design combines the district’s requirements of brick exterior walls and standing seam metal roof, with residentially scaled Florida vernacular bungalow detailing, to serve as the transition between commercial development and an established single family neighborhood.
The Allied Health Facility for Edison Community College is a 68,000 square foot building housing the college’s health related programs. The facility serves: Associate Degree Nursing, Cardiovascular Technology, Radiological Technology, Physical/Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy Technology, Emergency Medical Services and general sciences. The Dental Hygiene and Dental Assistant programs are taught in a full service dental clinic.
In addition to the laboratory settings, the facility also includes administrative offices, general classrooms, and a state-of-the-art 100-seat Distance Learning Center.
Completed in 2000, the Allied Health Facility created a new front door to the Lee County campus with a two-story atrium space and curvilinear form, without departing from the character of the existing campus.
The City of Palms Parking Garage is a 5-story, 187,000 square foot precast concrete structure which provides parking for 560 cars. The structure also provides 6,000 square feet of retail space at the street level.
The garage was designed to be sympathetic to its urban context and to be pedestrian friendly. It was also anticipated to be the gateway to downtown Fort Myers and to stimulate interest and activity in the newly created First Street Entertainment district. In addition to promoting business, the retail storefronts on two sides of the building exceed the pedestrian district requirements of providing a transparent glass storefront, promoting a pleasing experience for pedestrians in the district.
The design of the details, lighting, signage, streetscape, and the selection of colors were all part of a package intended to transcend the simple function of storing automobiles, and to become a tool to inspire urban renewal.
The project was also the first experience the City of Fort Myers had in the construction management approach to project delivery. The team of Gora/McGahey, Centex Rooney Construction, and the owner successfully teamed together to create a building which met all project goals of scope, quality, schedule, and budget.
The Fifth Third Bank Building serves as the bank’s Lee County headquarters. The 48,000 square foot, four story building which also provides additional lease area of 33,000 square feet, is the anchor of a 7.5 acre office park, developed on the NW corner of Daniels and Metro Parkways. The construction consists of architectural pre-cast cladding on a steel frame, with extensive use of curtain wall glazing systems. The office park and building are being developed by Antaramian Development Company.
This center is the inspiration of one of the oldest, most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods in Lee County, Harlem Heights. It's foundation will raise +/- $2,000,000 to build this 13,000 square foot facility on a 5 acre site donated by one of their benefactors.The central location of this site will help integrate the existing ball fields and park with the rest of the neighborhood by establishing a recreation corridor accessible by pedestrians, bikes and automobiles. The building design on the site is an extroverted and dynamic composition of spaces that reach out to every corner of the site and to every member of the community.
The 250 seat cultural arts hall and the 6,000 square good education wing are joined by a grand circular lobby that will house various exhibits and receptions. The center will offer a variety of recreational and educational programs for children, teens, adults, and seniors. Groundbreaking is anticipated by the end of 2007