Georgia State University Stadium

Glastonbury-based architect S/L/A/M Collaborative is expanding its nationwide office footprint with the acquisition of the CBRE Heery firm’s practices in five cities.

The newly-acquired firm and its 70 employees will join SLAM under the brand name of Heery Design, a SLAM Studio. CBRE acquired Heery Design in 2017 and will retain ownership of its interior design and engineering businesses. Terms of the deal, which closed on Friday, were not disclosed.

Founded in Atlanta in 1952 by architect George Heery, the firm has designed such facilities as the Georgia State University Stadium, Turner Field and Home Depot’s headquarters in Atlanta. The firm has been an industry pioneer in many areas including energy management, SLAM President Robert Pulito said.

“They’re had an ability for 40 or 50 years to be a step ahead of where the industry was going,” Pulito said. “I grew up hearing about George Heery and all that he had accomplished, and so it’s exciting for us.”

SLAM is acquiring Heery’s health care design practices in Denver, Iowa City and Philadelphia, along with its criminal justice design practice in Orlando and sports practice in Atlanta. 

The acquisition complements SLAM’s existing specialties in the health care and education markets, while strengthening its presence in the sports facility and courthouse business, Pulito said. Since both firms have offices in Atlanta, Heery employees will relocate to the SLAM offices.

Along with its Glastonbury headquarters, SLAM also has existing offices in Boston, New York and Los Angeles that employ 210 people.