Employing an Architect Achieves Successful Development Projects

Kevin Berman of Hoefer Wysocki Architecture lends his insight on the role and contribution of an architect to the dollars and sense of successful development projects. 

When exploring a go, no-go decision on a potential development project, employing an architect for a project evaluation is essential. The complexities of a project will vary, and the extent of services needed to evaluate the project will vary as well. A project scope will be defined by the owner’s financial objectives which will in turn be integral with the projects budget. A speculative project balances cost with project scale. Market forces dictate what the project can handle, whether on a basis of lease or sale of the asset.  Some important design studies that an architect will provide include...


Pre-Design
Programming and overall evaluation of the owners project goals and objectives including project size, scope and budget.

Site Evaluations & Planning Either aiding in site selection or evaluating the capacity and/or viability of a previously selected site. An evaluation of utilities, soil analysis and  a site survey will be essential as well.

Identifying Significant Limitations for a Selected Project Location
Your architect will provide a Review of Governmental Regulations as well as a Review of Local Regulations- (Allowable building type, Allowable Density, Allowable Building Height Limitations, etc.)

Basic Schematic Design Services
An architect will prepare a preliminary evaluation of the program and owner objectives, explore different design alternatives, meet with local officials, meet with the appropriate consultants, and estimate project expenses against the client’s objectives. While it is cost prohibitive to complete the schematic design phase of a project to decide whether to move forward or not on the project, in order to completely understand the costs and limitations of a project, an understanding of the cost of the project and the site limitations is necessary.

Having an architect's eye on your project can help you foresee potential challenges with your development. An architect can also help you navigate through your project so that the development is the most successful it can be.

Contributing Author: 

Kevin Berman, AIA, NCARB
Design Lead
Hoefer Wysocki Architecture