Five firms have been short-listed to be the architect/prime consultant on the downtown St. Catharines arts complex.

The Joint Executive Committee (JEC) overseeing the development of the Academic and Cultural Arts Complex has short-listed the following companies as the result of a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) process:

• Saucier + Perrotte Architectes/Stantec (Montreal)
• Moriyama & Teshima Architects (Toronto)/Pfeiffer Partners Architects PC (Los Angeles)
• Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (Toronto)
• Diller Scofidio + Renfro/RDH Architects Inc. (New York)
• Diamond & Schmitt Architects Incorporated (Toronto)

The complex is a co-operative enterprise between Brock and the City of St. Catharines. Brock will make the site the new home of its Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. The city will build a civic performing arts centre adjacent to the school.

Expressions of interest were received from 34 firms, which were then reviewed by the JEC’s selection committee. The short-listed firms will now each receive a Request for Proposal (RFP), expected to be issued in early November. The JEC hopes to recommend an architect recommended by December. That recommendation will go to city council and the Brock Board of Trustees in early 2011.