The stable of animal caricatures that have adorned the walls of Friday Architects/Planners will soon be joined by another iconographic mammal - the Erie Otter.

In January 2010, Friday will begin work as part of Friday/Sink Combs Dethlefs Joint Venture Architects to design the expansion and renovations to Tullio Arena and create a major, public outdoor plaza in downtown Erie, PA.

The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League call the 5,600-seat building home. The arena is the centerpiece of a sports and entertainment district managed by the Erie County Convention Center Authority (ECCCA) that includes the Warner Theater, Bayfront Convention Center and Jerry Uht Ballpark. Tullio Arena shares a compact downtown block with the Ballpark, which is home to the Minor League Erie Seawolves of the Double A Eastern League.

Friday's work on this project begins as the firm is transitioning into a new phase in its history while celebrating the 40th anniversary of its founding. Though the Tullio Arena project will take Friday in an expansive new direction, the firm remains guided by the vision and values established by the founding partners that have formed the core of the firm's success and longevity. Through open collaboration and effective dialogue, Friday's designs are expressive of client, context and community.

Our joint venture partner, Sink Combs Dethlefs Architects, is an established expert in mid-sized arena projects, serving both collegiate clients and professional sports teams. Headquartered in Denver, the firm has completed over thirty arenas around the globe.

The program currently includes the expansion of arena seating capacity and the addition of club boxes and suites. The upgraded interior will be served by a new entrance concourse and new supporting amenities for the various teams that share the arena. A unifying feature of the multi-sport district will be a newly created public plaza linking the arena, the ballpark and the Warner Theater.