(September 11, 2009) - A pair of New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) projects – Trenton’s Daylight-Twilight Alternative High School and Vineland’s Gloria M. Sabater Elementary School – have been selected as winners of 2009 Impact on Learning Awards by School Planning & Management Magazine.

The awards are given to projects where real-world problems are solved through innovative design, engineering and technology solutions.

USA Architects, Planners and Interior Designers, P.A., of Somerville, N.J., received the awards as designer of both “demonstration projects,” which are designed to be the cornerstone of revitalization efforts. Both schools met the challenge of incorporating community components while serving as catalysts to revive urban communities.

The Daylight/Twilight High School provides another route to a diploma for students who have dropped out of high school. The school includes on-site support services for student parents, such as childcare and health services. Art gallery space and multipurpose meeting rooms are available for community activities and events. The building brings together various community-based learning institutions, including Mercer County Community College, the Trenton Public Library and the Trenton YWCA.

The 112,000-square-foot facility consists of two vacant 5-story buildings and a one-story building that was renovated and connected by a newly constructed in-fill 3-story wing. It opened in September 2008.

The Mercer County Improvement Authority managed the project as the redevelopment entity for the demonstration project. Trenton Demonstration School Development, LCC, was the redeveloper and Joseph Jingoli & Son, Inc. the construction manager.

Vineland’s 135,000-square-foot Sabater Elementary School and 25,000-square-foot Vineland Community Health and Education Center (VCHEC) help provide athletic venues, health care and areas for advanced learning for students during regular-school hours and for community use after hours. The gymnasium, computer laboratory facilities and cafeteria/auditorium are available for community use. The VCHEC provides primary, preventative and dental health care for students.

Administrative and funding assistance for the community design features were provided by several not-for-profit and community organizations, such as the YMCA, the South Jersey Healthcare System and the Vineland Public Library, as well as other entities, including Boscov's Department Stores’ $1 million donation.

The City of Vineland served as the redevelopment entity to manage the project. The project’s co-redevelopers were an association of Joseph Jingoli & Son, Inc., Tri-County Community Partnership and the Cumberland County Empowerment Zone Corporation. Joseph Jingoli & Son, Inc. provided construction management/contractor services. The school opened in January 2008.

Award recipients will be honored at the 2009 Impact on Learning Awards Luncheon on September 27, 2009 during the Council of Educational Facility Planners International’s annual conference in Washington, D.C. Award-winning projects are featured in a special Impact on Learning Award supplement of School Planning & Management Magazine.

Demonstration projects are funded by the SDA and are built under its oversight. They are managed by the municipal redevelopment entity and redeveloper.

The SDA has completed 613 projects in SDA Districts: 50 new schools; 44 extensive additions, renovations and/or rehabilitations; five demonstration projects and more than 500 other projects. In addition, it has completed 22 projects in Regular Operating Districts: five new schools and 17 extensive additions, renovations and/or rehabilitations.