Farmingdale Cemetery Project Receives Award

The new Welcoming and Information Center at in Farmingdale recently received the 2011 Jeffrey J. Zogg Build New York Award, which recognizes excellence in design and construction and promotes contributions of the building industry to the economy and development of New York State. 

The now completed 22,400-square-foot structure is currently undergoing the LEED certification process with a LEED Silver level target and is considered an example of Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired architecture.

Patchogue-based BBS Architects & Engineers served as architect, interior designer and MEP engineer of the project. Catholic Cemeteries, owned and operated by Saint John’s Cemetery, is the center’s owner.

“The new Welcoming and Information Center is one of the most architecturally attractive and environmentally responsible cemetery facilities both in the Greater New York area and nationwide,” said Randy Van Yahres, Catholic Cemeteries director of Facilities and Planning.

Yahres added that the center was completed on time and on budget, despite work taking place with as many as 38 funerals taking place daily.

The new structure serves as the cemetery's focal architectural point and center of operations. It houses the visitor's center, chapel, public spaces, and offices. The project encompassed ground-up construction of the center's structure, all interior finishes, utilities and building systems, and development of the surrounding five-acre site that includes a surface parking area, circulation roads, utility connections, and sustainable landscaping and water management techniques. 

The site work involved creating large, naturally landscaped rain gardens that collect the rainwater runoff for drainage purposes and feature low-maintenance grass species.

Conrad Pickel Studio, Inc. designed and fabricated the stained windows installed in the chapel.  

“The design of stained windows is harmonized with the building’s architecture,” said Paul Pickel, the studio’s president.  “The prevalent colors of the stained glass - golds, browns and blues – reflect the color palette of the interiors.”

The local building code presented the project team with an additional challenge.  “The Town of Babylon, which includes Farmingdale, requires all new, public use buildings of more than 5,000 square feet to comply with LEED requirements,” said BBS principal and the project’s lead designer Roger Smith.

“The St. Charles Resurrection Cemetery project presented the BBS design team with an exciting opportunity to collaborate with a client that shared both our appreciation of architecture and deep concern for the environment,” said Smith. "This collaboration gave rise to a very high quality project that will serve the local community for decades to come."