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October 21, 2009
Architectural Assistance
In an effort to make the necessary improvements to one of the apartments that me and my wife have for rent in the Greenpoint area, we have spent the last month looking for a firm that can provide design and renovation services. We have a pretty strong idea of what we want it to be like, always in tune with the style of the buildings that surround it.
Now, my real concern is that I have heard a lot of negative things about the majority of the most popular Architects and firms here in Brooklyn; having explored many options already, we have not been able to find that person or group of people that can deliver both quality and reliability in a timely manner. We visited Architects all over the area, I was even contacted by a couple foreign professionals, some of them were pretty experienced, like this guy working in the development of luxury villas in a Costa Rica real estate firm, who promised that he would travel into Brooklyn for the job and everything; there was also these people from a studio in Brooklyn who said that they would put a whole team to work into my small little project. There is plenty of other stories that I could tell here, but in the end it all comes down to one thing, I still need to find out what is the best way to go when hiring someone to help me out with this. I`m thinking maybe a small provider may suit my needs better, I hope I can find the feedback that I am looking for in here.
Comments
What is it you want to do and what is your budget? That will determine what type of professional you need to hire. Either way, I would definitely hire only someone who lives and works in New York City, is licensed in New York City, and comes recommended by others you know. Otherwise, they could just disappear with your money.
Posted by: mopar at October 21, 2009 3:02 PM
The property we are talking about has seen some devaluation since the times of the rezoning and everything, especially in the last couple of years. We are willing to provide a more luxurious approach in design, with the hope that this changes can help the place appreciate a litle. And thanks a lot for the advice, I only deal with people who are fully licensed in the City.
Posted by: GailBaker at October 21, 2009 3:11 PM
I am currently working with a great architect who is talented, responsible and a great communicator. His name is Aaron McDonald and his firm is called ADG/McDonald Architects. His number is 212-465-2200. Highly recommended!
Posted by: wasder at October 21, 2009 3:35 PM
I recommend Giants in the Dirt (www.giantsinthedirt.com), a small office based on the LES but w/ a lot of brownstone Brooklyn experience.
Posted by: jcnycarch at October 21, 2009 3:39 PM
There are many qualified, experienced, credentialed, and hungry architects in Brooklyn. Check out www.edkopel.com
Posted by: edkopel at October 21, 2009 4:40 PM
Go with the Costa Rican guy. He sounds perfect for the job. I'm sure that will work out real well!
Posted by: HDL at October 22, 2009 12:03 PM
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