A Message from CEO David Umansky

Civic Builders has enjoyed a very productive year. In addition to growing our staff and moving into a new office, we completed one facility, launched two more (for a total of four currently in development) and expanded our services into the Newark, New Jersey community. We have also prioritized advocating for student-based facilities funding and are grateful for the partnerships we are building with local stakeholders around this important issue. Our growth and successes are due in great part to our many supporters and partners and, of course, our fabulous team and Board of Directors. I thank you all for your hard work, commitment and contributions, and wish you a happy holiday season.

Civic Expands into Newark with New Development

Civic Builders is expanding its services into the Newark, New Jersey charter market with the launch of a new project with the Uncommon Schools Inc. (USI) network. Civic will be adding a third, 50,000 square foot building to USI’s North Star Downtown campus at 10 Washington Place. The facility, which will connect to the site’s two, existing buildings via elevated walkways, will serve approximately 485 high school students. The design process is underway and construction is slated to launch in 2009.

Charter Schools Should Receive Facility Aid

It is Civic Builders’ belief that public schools should receive public facilities or public funding for facilities – this includes charter schools! Civic Builders, in collaboration with the NYC Charter School Center, the New York Charter Schools Association and Democrats for Education Reform, is using its experience and voice to advocate, at the state and local levels, for public facilities funding for charters. While we understand that the current economic climate is a challenge, we are in the process of educating legislators about the issue and hope to gain traction in the coming years. We look forward to working with charter leaders in pursuing this agenda. To learn more about the issue and/or Civic's work, email us >

New Heights Development Serving Largest Charter Population

In November, Civic Builders launched construction on the expansion of New Heights Academy Charter School in Washington Heights. The project, which will ultimately grow the school to 60,000 square feet, will enable New Heights to serve 750 students beginning in the 2009-2010 school year - more students than any other charter school in New York City!

“New Heights has made a tremendous impact on the students of their community, and we are proud to help them expand into this new space so they can serve an even greater number of students,” David Umansky, Civic Builders CEO and co-founder, said. Learn more >

Staff Spotlight: Ashley Dills Serves as Matchmaker

As Civic’s first Director of Business Development and Finance, Ashley Dills has helped define the organization’s client engagement process. Now part of a team of four, Ashley and her colleagues work closely with Civic’s charter partners to define a school’s needs, outline project scope, seek out potential sites, structure budgets and, ultimately, secure financing for each initiative.

“We’re like match-makers,” said Ashley. “Our job is to put together clients, sites and money for a successful charter development launch.”

Ashley, who has a background in community development finance, has been with Civic for over a year and a half now. In that time she has launched projects with both Democracy Preparatory and New Heights Academy, securing over $10 million in loans for the developments. Currently, she is working with PAVE Academy and Harlem Children’s Zone on site searches.

According to Ashley, charter schools should start thinking about their permanent facilities needs from day one. “People don’t realize how long the predevelopment phase takes,” explained Ashley. “It can take 9-12 months to get a project to the point where it can be turned over to the design and construction phases – which, in turn, can take another 9 months to 3 years to complete.”

Although the process can be long, and sometimes daunting, it’s all worth it. “I love knowing that the services I provide enable our high-performing charter partners to continue to focus on their academic missions,” Ashley said.