Timmons Group is honored to celebrate the 2024 Golden Hammer Awards with several project recognitions, including The Faison Center, James A Buzzard River Education Center, and Taylor Farm Park.
Since 1953, our practices have been rooted in the same ideals: Enhancing the beauty, safety, and functionality of our contemporary world. Whether our clients are looking for expertise in creating their next project or for guidance with an existing endeavor, Timmons Group’s teams are strategically positioned to help our communities achieve every level of sustainable development and design through our trusted partnerships.
This year, we’re proud to spotlight award-winning projects such as:
The Faison Center, a 501(c)(3) educational organization, has supported individuals on the autism spectrum in the Richmond area for 25 years. The nonprofit’s mission is to create an environment where individuals of all ages can access behavioral health resources and develop skills for independence. In 2015–2016, Faison embarked on a transformative expansion, selecting Baskervill to master plan a campus for their growing programs and services.
The site’s original office building was designed by Baskervill many years ago and was retrofitted for Faison in the early 2000s. Since, the expansion has included the construction of four new buildings, which house classrooms, therapeutic and recreational spaces, and administrative offices. Of the site’s more unique additions are three playgrounds designed by Timmons Group and Faison.
In addition to the educational aspects of the master plan, Faison also instituted a residence in 2013, which is a new construction that was developed on the site of a former adjacent hotel.
The most recent milestone in this expansion was the completion of Pioneer Hall, a 12,000-square-foot facility dedicated to the Adult Day Services program and Employment Academy. This state-of-the-art building provides students with vital vocational and daily living skills. Now, all of Faison’s Richmond programs are housed on a single, unified campus, providing comprehensive services to the local autism community.
The James A. Buzzard River Education Center, which opened in summer 2024, honors the legacy of Jim Buzzard, former chair of the James River Association (JRA) board of directors. Located on a 5-acre site just outside downtown Richmond, the center is set to become a premier hub for river-based education, strengthening the connection between students, the community, and the James River.
The 8,900 SF facility includes flexible indoor and outdoor classroom spaces designed for school field trips of 45 to 60 students, as well as education staff offices. It reflects the JRA’s vision of a thriving community enriched by water activities, conservation, and environmental stewardship.
The building’s design interacts with the surrounding natural and built environments and supports environmental sustainability and resiliency. Construction began in May 2023 after the JRA acquired 0.85 acres of the total 5-acre site secured by The Conservation Fund and the Capital Region Land Conservancy.
Strategically located in Richmond’s historically underserved East End, the center provides much-needed river access. Surrounded by woods, tidal waters, conservation landscaping, and historic features, the site offers an ideal setting for environmental education and deepening Richmond’s love of its James River.
Taylor Farm Park, located in Henrico County’s Varina District, is the first large community park built in the County since 1982, made possible by the 2016 bond referendum. Spanning 99 acres, the park has quickly become a regional attraction, drawing in thousands of visitors daily since opening in July of 2024.
The park features both active and passive recreation, including a Nature-Based Play and Exploration Area with an impressive recirculating play stream, mist mounds, splash pad, custom tree houses, wrap-around tree nets, inclusive play areas, swings, and nature trails. The Active Sports Area showcases a destination skatepark, pump track, and bike skills course, which combined are one of the largest public all-wheel parks in the country.
A Memorial Garden and Lawn Area honors the region’s military and public safety service members and veterans and provides a large open space for community events and concerts. The Taylor Farm Interpretive Area, with community gardens and educational programming, will one day commemorate the legacy of the Taylor family’s farm that once thrived on the land, actively farmed for over a century.
With a final construction cost of $26 million, Taylor Farm Park offers recreational wonder and diversity for people of all ages and abilities. Representing a significant investment in Henrico County’s east-end, the park has quickly become a source of immense community pride and has set a high standard for new park development within the region.
Congratulations to our project teams, partners, and community members who have made a significant contribution to the revitalization of our neighborhoods throughout Greater Richmond this year! See this year’s Golden Hammer award winners.
