STR Partners

05/11/2026

We are heartbroken to announce the passing of STR team member, Alan J. Armbrust. As STR's Executive Manager for more than 16 years, Alan was invaluable to our firm, serving as both a gifted architect and a marketing connoisseur. A reliable and steady presence in the office, Alan brought a charm, wit, and humor to our team that will be hard to replace.

Alan was an artist. Though never one to brag about his talent, he could hand draw with startling accuracy. And man, he loved his paper, his desk serving as a testament to that love. Typos were Alan's trademark, and if you ever received an email from him, you could hear his voice when you read it.

It seems fitting that one of Alan's last projects was a replacement for the very middle school he attended as a young student in Mount Prospect. He would have loved to see the doors open on the new space, and for that, we feel sorrow.

Rest in peace, our friend. We feel your loss deeply. To honor Alan's legacy as a mentor, we have made a donation to the Architects Foundation Student Loan Relief Grant program.

Visitation is Sunday, May 17, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 West Central Road (at Northwest Highway) in Mount Prospect. More information about his funeral services are found here: https://lnkd.in/ga4nhEkS

View Alan J. Armbrust's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

05/01/2026

From drawings to reality! Our team visited the Early Childhood Center addition at Old Orchard Junior High School in Skokie SD 68 today, and it was something to see. Wood ceilings, a brick accent wall, and a softly curved corridor make up this 18,000-sf addition, which will bring 7 classrooms with adjoining sensory rooms, a student commons, STEM and maker spaces, a gross motor room, and more to the district’s pre-kindergarten program.

Architect: STR Partners LLC
Construction Manager: Nicholas & Associates, Inc.
Civil Engineer: Eriksson Engineering Associates
Structural Engineer: ML Structural PLCC
MEP/FP Engineer: 20/10 Engineering Group

04/23/2026

Earth Day looks a little greener around here. Yesterday, STR's Climate Action Committee hosted our annual repotting party, giving our office plants some well-deserved new homes and welcoming a few new green friends into the mix.

It’s a small tradition, but it’s one we look forward to every year, a reminder that our commitment to sustainability isn’t just something we design into our projects.
Happy Earth Day from our team to yours.

04/10/2026

Next generation science standards are changing what happens in the classroom. So long are the days of rote learning and lecture-style teaching. Today, classrooms need flexible lab configurations to encourage investigation, discovery, and real-world application.

Photo 1: A new STEM classroom at Fenton High School District 100
Photo 2: A new horticulture science classroom at Rich Township High School District 227

03/13/2026

Work is actively underway at Central Elementary School in Des Plaines, one of nine Des Plaines Community Consolidated School District 62 schools being renovated to prepare for full-day kindergarten. Central is receiving a new building addition as part of a $44.2 million district-wide effort to meet the state’s 2027-28 full-day kindergarten requirement. Seeing a project move from design to reality is always a milestone worth marking.

Architect: STR Partners LLC
Construction Manager: Pepper Construction Group
Civil Engineering & Landscape Architecture: Eriksson Engineering Associates
Structural Engineering: The Structural Group, Ltd.
MEP/FP Engineering: 20/10 Engineering Group
Roofing & Building Envelope: STR-SEG
Food Service: Edge Associates Inc.

03/03/2026

What a night (or two)! STR was thrilled to celebrate alongside some incredible organizations doing big things for education this weekend.

On Friday night, we had the privilege of attending the annual UNCF and SCSDD scholarship gala, an evening celebrating diversity, academic achievement, and the belief that a mind is a terrible thing to waste. UNCF’s work to open doors for students across the country aligns perfectly with our mission of designing schools where every learner can thrive.

The next night, we had the honor of attending the School District 95 Educational Foundation’s Studio 95 Gala, an evening benefiting the students and teachers of Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95. Right now, our team is hard at work on the Lake Zurich High School D-Wing Renovation, a redesign of approximately 15,000 square feet on the second floor of Lake Zurich High School that will create dynamic, modern learning spaces for students.

It was a wonderful weekend, to say the least! And STR is proud to support both of these organizations and the students they champion.

02/18/2026

Steel is officially going up at the new Lincoln Middle School in Mount Prospect School District 57. This week, students signed one of the beams before it was lifted into place, leaving their mark forever on the structure itself.

The new Lincoln is organized around academic teams with shared commons and breakout spaces, plus dedicated areas for science, arts, and innovation. As the science wing frame starts to rise, the scale of the building is finally becoming visible.

Architect: STR Partners LLC
Construction Manager: Nicholas & Associates, Inc.
Civil Engineer: Eriksson Engineering Associates
Roofing & Building Envelope: STR-SEG LLC
Structural Engineer: C.E. Anderson & Associates P.C.
MEP/FP Engineer: 20/10 Engineering Group LLC
Food Service: Edge Associates Inc.

02/10/2026

Things are taking shape in Skokie School District 68! Wood ceilings, a brick accent wall, and a softly curved corridor create a welcoming and warm environment for the young students attending this new Early Childhood Center.

The addition, which is at Old Orchard Junior High School, adds 18,000 sf of spaces for the district's pre-kindergarten program and includes 7 classrooms with adjoining sensory rooms, a student commons area, STEM and maker spaces, a dedicated gross motor room, and administrative spaces. Every space is designed to support the whole child, from focused learning to active play.

Architect: STR Partners LLC
Construction Manager: Nicholas & Associates, Inc.
Civil Engineer: Eriksson Engineering Associates
Structural Engineer: ML Structural PLLC
MEP/FP Engineer: 20/10 Engineering Group

02/02/2026

We loved having students from Rich Township High School District 227 spend part of Groundhog SHADOW Day with us in the office.

It was a chance to share what an architecture firm looks like day to day: how teams work together, how ideas move from sketch to model to documents, and how design decisions get tested along the way. The students jumped right in, sketching and working through a model with us.

We’ve partnered with District 227 for years on additions, renovations, and campus improvements, so it’s especially meaningful to host students from the same community in the spaces where that work happens.

Thanks for spending the day with us! We’re glad you were here.

01/30/2026

Sometimes the best interactions happen when you take a seat on the stairs. With thoughtful design, learning stairs can turn "just passing through" into moments for brainstorming, storytelling, group work, presentations, or simply socializing with peers.

How do, or would, your students use a space like this?