Higher Education Qualifications
Land Landscape 3D Modeling Planning Architecture Rendering
Firm Background & Benefits
Firm Background
Stearns Associates LLC is a professional services firm that specializes in land planning, landscape architecture and real estate due diligence. The firm is a general practice firm and is active in the following markets: Higher Education, K-12, Health Care, Multi-family Residential, Single-family Residential, Corporate office, Investment office, Retail and Entertainment, Restaurants, Parks and Recreation.
The firm was established in February 2004 by Tom Stearns after a 16 year career at Hillier-Architecture as a Studio Principal and Director of Hillier’s Land Planning Studio.
Stearns Associates LLC, a domestic limited liability company, was duly filed in accordance with New Jersey State Law on February 5, 2004 and was assigned identification number 0400048642.
The firm is registered as a Category 1 & 4 Small Business Enterprise (SBE) by the NJ Commerce & Economic Growth Commission, Office of Development for Small Business and Women and Minority Businesses. Certification Number: 26337-20
Benefits
Tom Stearns’ over 30 years of experience brings to clients:
Experience with colleges, universities, K-12 and private boarding and day schools.
Experience with a diverse range of Education projects, including student housing, athletic, academic, science, and libraries.
Experience in collaboration with other professionals, and many notable architects.
Knowledge in the development, approvals and building process with emphasis on large, complex and fast-tracked projects.
Experience with municipal site plan approval process on numerous projects.
Diverse Higher Education experience across a wide variety of project types and locales.
A portfolio of significant planning and executed landscape architectural projects.
Experience with LEED and sustainable design.
A design philosophy that respects the site and it’s history yet is balanced by clear, strong architectural ideas.
Expediency, responsiveness and personal service.
Adherence to schedule and budget.
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC D. Thomas Stearns AICP, PP, ASLA, LEED AP
Education
Pennsylvania State University, BS Landscape Architecture, 1974 Continuing Education and studies but no degress conferred: Ball State University, Graduate Studies, Business & Architecture New York University, Diploma Program in Real Estate Investment & Analysis Rutgers University, Graduate Studies, Planning Law Princeton University, Studies in History of Architectural Theory
Professional Licenses
Professional Planner: NJ AICP American Institute of Certified Planners Landscape Architect: NJ, NY, CT, PA, DE, MD, OH, KY, KS, NC, TX LEED Accredited Professional
Tom Stearns has over 30 years of experience as a land planner and landscape architect. He was a Studio Principal with Hillier in Princeton, NJ where he worked for 16 years and was Director of Hillier’s Land Planning Studio. He has been with Stearns Associates LLC now for 10 years.
Mr. Stearns understands how project planning and design must respond to market conditions, physical and environmental constraints, and financial and operational objectives, while not compromising the design integrity. Tom’s success over the years has been based on listening to his clients, being responsive and meeting their expectations for design, approvals, schedule and budget.
His background includes a range of commercial, institutional and residential project types. Commercial projects include corporate, office, research & development, industrial, retail and mixed-use. Institutional projects include health care, higher education, private schools and K-12. He has worked on several NJ Schools Development Authority projects.
Mr. Stearns is a licensed professional planner and landscape architect. Through his extensive experience, he is familiar with federal, state and local land use regulations and knows what it takes to get a project through the governmental approval process. He is especially familiar with the approval process for Princeton Borough and Princeton Township.
Tom brings a design philsophy to planning and landscape architecture that explores historical precedent, theory and strong architectural ideas.
Employment History
Stearns Associates LLC Hillier, Princeton, NJ CUH2A, Princeton, NJ Mark Morrison Associates, New York, NY Thomas Balsley Associates, New York, NY HOK, Dallas TX Landplus West, Indianapolis, IN
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC
Sustainable Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
Stearns Associates LLC is corporate member of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). We are also members of the New Jersey Chapter and the Delaware Valley Chapter (DVGBC) of the USGBC.
Tom Stearns is a LEED® Accredited Professional (LEED® AP). based on LEED NC Version 2.2.
Mr. Stearns has served on the DVGBC Educational Committee, which sponsors educational talks on suistainablility in the greater Phildalphia Area.
Mr. Stearns presented at the 2008 NJASLA annual convention on an overview of the USGBC, LEED rating system, becoming a LEED AP and the Sustainable Sites Initiative sponsored by the ASLA, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the US Botanic Garden.
Mr. Stearns is a member of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, the green roof industry association.
Mr. Stearns has taken the two design courses for Green Roofs including: Green Roof Design 101, and Green Roof Infrastructure 201, which focuses on design and installation.
Stearns Associates is currently working on some institutional projects that are pursuing LEED Certification, and have worked on integrated design teams to think and work across disciplines on sustainable solutions.
Sustainable & LEED Projects
Palmer Square, Princeton, NJ - Intensive Green Roof for 100 units of luxery housing. Roof deck covered an acre with half an acre in mixed plantings of perennials, shrubs, groundcovers and trees. Rider University, West Village Student Apartments, LEED Silver Burlington County College, Culinary Arts Center, LEED Silver (anticipated) The Lawrenceville School, Health & Wellness Center, LEED Silver The Lawrenceville School, Carter House – Girls Residence Dorms, LEED Silver (anticipated)
Stormwater and Best Management Practices
Tom Stearns is familiar with the The New Jersey Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual (BMP manual) and has recently designed the landscapes for constructed wetlands, bio-retention systems and infiltration basins with Van Note-Harvey Associates PC.
Tom Stearns has a 20 year working relationship with Van Note-Harvey Associates. He has worked with them on a number of project types in Mercer County and Central New Jersey.
Mr. Stearns has worked on the following BMP projects with Van Note-Harvey Associates:
Pine River Village, Lakewood, NJ - Infiltration Basin. Cedarbridge Office , Lakewood, NJ – Infiltration Basin Bristol-Myers Squibb, New Brunswick, NJ - Bio-retention Sharbell Development, Hamilton, NJ – Constructed Wetlands, & cisterns for roof runoff Rosecliff Independent Living , Lawrenceville, NJ - Constructed Wetlands and rain gardens. RG Office, West Windsor, NJ – Constructed Wetlands STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Services
Land Planning Services
Site Analysis/Zoning Analysis Feasibility & Conceptual Planning Due Diligence Studies & Reports Sustainable Design Master Planning Design Guidelines Permitting & Approvals Assistance Scheduling & Estimating Expert Testimony C & D Variance Testimony in NJ ADA & Code Review
Landscape Architecture Services
Planting Sustainable Design Lighting Grading Hardscape (walls, steps, paving, furnishings) Pools & Fountains Details Specifications Cost Estimating Scheduling
Project Types
Streetscapes & People Places Plazas & Outdoor Dining Green Roofs Motor Courts & Courtyards Daycare Playgrounds Parks & Recreation Campuses Parking Entry Features Site Renovations
3D Modeling
Photorealistic Computer Renderings Photomontage
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Educational Clients
American Boychoir School Beth Medrash Govoha Brookdale Community College Bloomfield College Burlington County Community College Chapin School Columbia University Cornell University Duke University Eden Institute Fordham University Hartwick College Hood College Howard University Hun School Indiana State University Institute for Advanced Study The Lawrenceville School Lehigh University Mercer County Community College Montclair State University Mt. Holyoke College New Jersey Institute of Technology Ocean County College Peddie School Perkiomen School Philadelphia College of Textiles Princeton University Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart Princeton Theological Seminary Rider University Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rutgers University United States Military Academy University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey Villanova University Warren County Community College Witherspoon Institute
Most of the above clients were clients of Tom Stearns and the Land Planning Studio while at Hillier. Some clients were previous to Hillier. Current Stearns Associates LLC clients are listed in bold. STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Rider University West Village Student Residential Housing Lawrenceville, NJ
Architect: Spiezle Civil Engineer: Van Note-Harvey
4 acre site 152 Beds Two 3-story buildings LEED Silver
Landscape Architecture
Stearns Associates is assisting Spiezle Architectural Group and Van Note Harvey Associates with landscape design for a new student housing project for Rider University The project will seek USGBC certification for LEED Silver.
The project also involved the approval of a separate 280 car student parking lot adjacent existing campus sports facilities. Complete June 2009.
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC UMDNJ New Jersey Medical School -University Cancer Center Newark, NJ
Architect: RMJM
UMDNJ 220,000 sf
Medical Research Facility
Landscape Architecture
Stearns Associates was retained by RMJM to assist with the design refinement and documentation of a healing garden for the new University Hospital Cancer Center.
Pit Mondrian was the design inspiration for the healing garden with abstract panels of color and various flowering plants.
The site was a challenge with steep slopes and underground structures.
Completed 2010
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC The Eden Institute Princeton Forrestal Village Plainsboro, NJ
Architect: KSS Architects Civil Engineer: Van Note-Harvey
36,000 sf classroom/office
Landscape Architecture
The Eden Institute, a school for autistic children, will be moving to a new home in Princeton Forrestal Village. Stearns Associates assisted KSS Architects and Van Note-Harvey Associates with landscape architecture for the new 36,000 square foot facility. The outdoor amenities include playground, athletic field, and park/play area.
The Eden Institute provides a comprehensive continuum of lifespan services designed to enable children and adults with autism to lead fulfilling, productive and independent lives in their communities, to the full extent of their abilities.
Under Construction STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Rider University Admissions Courtyard Lawrenceville, NJ
1 acre site improvements Fountain & Courtyard
Landscape Architecture 3D Renderings
Rider University will be building a new student courtyard adjacent to the Admissions Building and library as part of a Campus Improvement project.
Stearns Associates provided the landscape architectural design for a new meditation garden featuring an existing sculpture and new fountain feature.
The purpose of the improvement was to provide a new arrival presence to prospective students from the visitor parking lot.
Design Completed in 2008
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC 3D Photomontage Images by Stearns Associates Institute for Advanced Study Faculty Housing Princeton, NJ
Architect: J. Robert Hillier Civil Engineer: Van Note-Harvey 24 acre site
8 DU Townhouses 7 DU Single Family
Land Planning Landscape Architecture
The Institute for Advanced Study is one of the world’s leading centers for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. Affordable housing for the permanent Faculty in the immediate neighborhood of the Institute is in very short supply. In order to sustain its residential community of scholars, the Institute seeks to build 15 housing units on its campus, immediately to the west of its academic buildings.
Stearns Associates assisted with the cluster plan and landscape architecture for Township approvals.
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Burlington County Community College Culinary Arts Center Mt. Holly, NJ
Architect: Spiezle
14,000 sf lot 4,250 sf new addition 24 seat teaching kitchen 40 seat outdoor café
LEED Certified
Landscape Architecture
Burlington County Community College in Mt. Holly, NJ is renovating a historic building in downtown Mt. Holly into a culinary arts center. Stearns Associates is assisting Spiezle Architectural Group with landscape design of a new dining terrace and courtyard.
The project will be LEED Certified.
Currently Under Construction
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Alexander Kasser Theater Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
Architect: Hillier
53,000 sf Theater 500-seats 1,100 car Parking Garage
Landscape Architecture
Photo: Montclair State University
The building and garage pay tribute to the Spanish mission-style of the University's historic buildings. The Theater welcomes visitors with a sweeping plaza and a broad, arcaded loggia. Services addressed landscape, hardscape and site lighting design of the entry plaza and adjacent campus area.
Previous work while with Hillier
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Cyber Café Sprague Library Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
Architect: Ikon5 Architects
1,000 sf Café Addition Dining Terrace
Landscape Architecture
Stearns Associates LLC assisted Ikon5 Architects with documentation of the outdoor dining terrace for the Cyber Café. Services addressed landscape, hardscape and site lighting design of the café terrace and adjacent campus walks.
Completed 2008
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Princeton University Art Museum Storage Building Plainsboro, NJ
Architect: Solomon Bauer Architects Civil Engineer: Van Note-Harvey
21,000 sf Museum Storage 1 acre net site
Landscape Architecture
Princeton University commissioned the design of a new art storage facility for their art museum. The facility would be located on a vacant site at the Forrestal Campus in Plainsboro.
Stearns Associates provided the landscape architectural design working with Van Note-Harvey and Solomon Bauer Architects of Boston.
3D Image by Solomon Bauer Architects
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Beth Medrash Govoha Princeton Avenue Apartments Lakewood, NJ
Architect: Thomas Brennan Civil Engineer: L2A
4.2 Acres 102 Apartment Units, 4-story 202,000 sf
Land Planning Landscape Architecture 3D Modeling/Rendering
Beth Medrash Govoha is the largest Talmudical Academy in the United States and one of the largest in the world. A Haredi institution, it was founded in 1943 by Rabbi Aharon Kotler with 13 students in Lakewood Township, New Jersey.
Its enrollment in 2008 exceeded 5,300 students. Its prestige has drawn tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews to Lakewood in the last two decades.
Services included preliminary planning studies to test achievable densities on the urban site, assisting the school with developing an AE RFP, and providing planning, landscape architectural and 3D modeling services.
Under Construction STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Beth Medrash Govoha Bais Aron Study Hall Lakewood, NJ
Architect: Mark Mariscal Civil Engineer: Flannery
2.75 Acres 14,465 sf
Landscape Architecture 3D Rendering
BMG is building a new study hall on a 2.75 acre site that also has a 1,000-student elementary school, a playground and dorm building on it. The project includes a new 14,465 sf study hall, 34 parking spaces shared with the asphalt play area, and a dumpster area to service the study hall. Services included schematic design and construction documents, landscape architectural services and 3D modeling for a tight urban site.
Completed 2010
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Beth Medrash Govoha Kleinman Family Campus Lakewood, NJ
Architect: Mark Mariscal
3.50 Acres 144 Bed Dormitory 12,00 sf Library
Landscape Architecture 3D Modeling/Rendering
BMG is planning a new campus on a 3.5 acre site that is a full city block in Lakewood. The site has two existing study halls. New buildings include a 144 bed dormitory, a 12,000 sf library, with surface parking.
Services included concept design and landscape architectural services and 3D modeling for donor presentations.
Design Completed December 2010
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Beth Medrash Govoha Kleinman Family Campus Lakewood, NJ
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Beth Medrash Govoha Martin Klein Residence Hall Lakewood, NJ
12,000 sf landscape
Landscape Architecture
Before BMG asked Stearns Associates to provide design studies to show how landscape improvements could be made to an exiting residence hall with an eroded slope along the main campus drive.
We provide simple photomontage studies to illustrative simple and inexpensive landscape treatments that could improve the arrival presence to the campus. After Design Completed 2010
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Cornell University, Sage Hall Johnson Graduate School of Management Ithaca, NY
Architect: Hillier
145,000 sf
Sage Hall Johnson Graduate School Of Management
Landscape Architecture
Photo: Robert Barker, Cornell University
Landscape and site design for a small site around a historic adaptive reuse in a historic sensitive part of the campus.
Previous work while at Hillier
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Princeton Theological Seminary Henry Luce III Research Library Princeton, NJ
Architect: Hillier
80,000 sf Henry Luce III Research Library
Landscape Architecture
Photos: Jeff Goldberg/Esto
A sunken garden with Irish moss and bluestone pavers accent a courtyard and bridge that links the main library with the research library.
Previous work while at Hillier
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Howard University Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library Washington, D.C.
Architect: Hillier
80,000 sf
Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library
Landscape Architecture
Photos: Peter Mauss/Esto
The plan creates a new campus green/quadrangle in a predominately paved urban environment.
Previous work while at Hillier
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Ocean County College Library Toms River, NJ
Architect: Hillier
22,000 sf addition 32,000 sf renovation
Landscape Architecture
The building forms a gateway to the southern campus core and serves as a new pedestrian portal and information center.
Services relative to the landscape included landscape and hardscape design & documentation around the immediate building.
This was work done previously while a Hillier employee.
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Mt. Holyoke College South Hadley, MA
Architect: Hillier
600 acres Campus Expansion Strategy
Land Planning
This study identified development constraints for 600 acres of the land holdings of the college. It explored a land use strategy for the core campus area and the out lying parcels. It identified parcels for required campus expansion, future acquisition, sale or investment, and faculty housing sites.
Mount Holyoke College is a liberal arts women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Originally founded by Mary Lyon as Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in 1837, it is the "first of the Seven Sisters" and is the oldest continuing institution of higher education for women in the United States. Mount became a model for a multitude of other women’s colleges throughout STEARNS the country. ASSOCIATES, LLC Previous work while with Hillier Student Apartments Villanova University Villanova, Pennsylvania
Architect: Hillier
460,000 sf Apartments 1,232 Beds
Landscape Architecture
The student apartments were organized into two large quadrangles on the West Campus.
The landscape treatment of the quadrangles was a simple lawn with trees and seating areas.
Completed in 1990.
Previous work while with Hillier
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Rutgers University Center for Law & Justice New Street Renovations Newark, NJ
Architect: Hillier
30,000 sf Pedestrian Mall Center for Law & Justice
Associate Landscape Architect: Louise Schiller
Landscape Architecture
Photo: Sergey Olhovsky
The concept of the plaza for the Center for Law & justice is to develop lawn panels where the street used to be to provide needed green area in an urban environment. There will be new walkways on either side of the lawn panels that will provide pedestrian and emergency vehicle circulation. Brick paving, lawn panels with trees, steel benches and ornamental light fixtures match those on adjacent blocks.
Previous work while with Hillier
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Duke University Medical Center Snyderman Genome Science Research Building Durham, North Carolina
Architect: Hillier
120,000 sf Medical Research Facility
Landscape Architecture
A simple lawn panel and pedestrian bridge accents the entry to a major campus research facility.
The Duke Center for Human Genetics works with people throughout the world in its quest to understand the genetic basis of human diseases. Patients and families come to the Center to learn about their diseases and participate in genetic studies that will add to the body of knowledge about a range of disorders, from Parkinson's disease to autism, from cardiovascular disease to macular degeneration.
This 120,000-square-foot, $41- million building is the first major structure to house genomic research at Duke. STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC Palmer Square North Borough of Princeton, NJ
STEARNS ASSOCIATES, LLC