Centerbrook Elevates Jon Lavy to Principal

CENTERBROOK, Conn. -- Centerbrook Architects is very pleased to announce the elevation of Jon M. Lavy, AIA, to a Principal in the firm. Lavy, 47, is only the fourth Associate in the firm’s thirty-five-year history to be made a Principal. Centerbrook’s staff of 62 is led by four partners and two principals.

Lavy has been crucial to the firm’s ongoing work at Quinnipiac University on all three of the university’s campuses, overseeing such major projects as the TD Bank Sports Center, the new Health Science Center, a 2,000-bed residence hall complex, a dining hall expansion, two new student centers and a master plan for sustainability for the newly developed York Hill Campus, which features an innovative wind terrace, a geo-thermal cooling system, photovoltaic collectors and a co-generation heat plant.

“Jon will bring his Texas charm along with his considerable administrative skills, technical expertise, and design talent to all that Centerbrook does and represents,” said Centerbrook Partner Jefferson B. Riley, FAIA. “It is very rare that we elevate an Associate to Principal, and it reflects not only our confidence in Jon, but also in the firm’s solid future and resiliency in the face of severe economic downturns. Jon is like the conductor of an orchestra, keeping all the elements of a project in sync, communicating with and inspiring each section toward a common goal of excellence. Making inspiring architecture is an art form itself, and Jon is superb at it.”

Lavy joined Centerbrook in 1987 and, in addition to his responsibilities at Quinnipiac, has worked on the Wolf Law School at the University of Colorado, buildings at Yale University, Dartmouth College, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, and commercial projects for companies such as Nortel Networks and MicroGeneSys, Inc.

“Centerbrook has afforded me the opportunity to work on many fabulous projects across the country,” Lavy said. “The wind farm that we established in the heart of Quinnipiac’s new campus is not just some utilitarian, mechanical infrastructure, but also an alluring, social gathering place. It generates both light and delight for students, and exemplifies what we do here at Centerbrook, that is, imbue the practical with aesthetic and social values.”

A native of Texas and graduate of Texas Tech University with a B.A. in Architecture, Lavy has overseen all of Centerbrook’s work for Quinnipiac University since 2003 for Partner-in-Charge Jefferson Riley, who has been the university’s architect for more than 30 years. Upcoming projects include the planning and construction of a new medical school at Quinnipiac’s North Haven Campus and further development of its York Hill Campus.

A member of the American Institute of Architects, Lavy has worked on buildings that have won 14 design awards, most notably the Neuroscience Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a leading biomedical research facility and a Centerbrook client since 1974. He was at Centerbrook when the firm was honored by the national AIA with its prestigious Firm Award in 1998.

Lavy lives in Chester, Connecticut, with his wife, Mary Kay, and their children, Michaela and Geoffre. He is an active volunteer in the community, serving since 2003 on the town planning and zoning commission and as the coach of the Little League team.