Architect
Posted on: 2010-12-01
THE CONNECTION:
C.J. Richards, R.A.
3128 S. 42nd Street
Milwaukee, WI 53215
414/520-9784 (cell)
414-385-9872 (home)
THE EDUCATION
College:
University of Minnesota
College of Liberal Arts
Bachelor of Architecture, 1985
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Pre-Architecture Program, 1982
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Field of Study: Fashion Design
University of Wisconsin Extension-
Marinette
Field of Study: Physical Therapy
High School:
Marinette Senior High
Marinette, WI 1978
THE Registration
State of Wisconsin, 1989
THE PROFILE and INTRODUCTION:
I am a registered architect presently serving as project manager and/or senior project architect. With more than 20 years of experience under my belt, there isn’t a building type I haven’t put on paper. I have found my niche\\\' in the field of architecture to be in the realm of production. I am motivated by challenges and deadlines and the desire to put out the most perfect set of construction documents a contractor can build from with no questions asked. My needs aren\\\'t for the lime light but to put fiction into reality. To take a designers vision and enhance it with detail. I enjoy the frustrations of the codes and the guidelines municipalities and governing bodies set forth on our projects. I don\\\'t give up on a design until every possible avenue has been traveled to make it possible.
My focus is on having good client interaction, running a project efficiently to both the firm and the client, providing the contractor with documents done in their language and making sure that the project is built the way it was intended.
By nature, I am a high-energy and very active. There isn’t a challenge that I at least won’t think about doing. I work hard and play at the same level. I am a single parent and have been for about 14 years of three children. I\\\'ve ran the Boston Marathon twice and drive a orange Jeep Wrangler on 4\\\" lifts that we take out in the mud and on the rocks with a bunch of other red neck four wheelers. I am level headed and play well with others. My head and ego are at eye level, my vision is high and there is no such thing as a job to far beneath me. My sense of humor ‘rocks’ and I just can’t get enough experience of anything in my life. I refuse to set goals, I just live them.
THE
WORK HISTORY
My architectural work experience began when I was a student at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis in the early 1980\\\'s where I worked for a small firm by the name of Thomas Hodney & Associates. As an intern, I assisted in the manual drafting of various projects and studies as well as had a voice in some of the design choices.
After college, I lived in Chicago and worked as an Architect for Northwestern University, where I was one of the two person crew who tackled the construction documents for many of the campus based projects. Around 1985 I began working for a small firm in Evanston, Illinois. Creizis Architects specialized in Healthcare and Residential Construction and was where I had my first taste of managing projects. Creizis Architects was a husband/wife based team where Demetri brought in experience and expertise in the Healthcare Industry while Susan\\\'s knowledge and strength was in the Residential construction and design. Creizis Architects had partnered up with an Illinois based Medical Group. I along with Demetri headed up this sector in which we designed and I solely developed the construction documents and provided construction administration for a majority of their Medical Office Buildings throughout Chicago and its outer laying suburbs. This was back in the time were I would have to physically walk the documents through Code Review at the City of Chicago. That itself is a whole other topic!
I also took charge of their Elderly Care division and again assisted in design but was strictly hands on all construction documents and administration. This I admit was the most rewarding time of my career being able to work with the Elderly.
My move to Milwaukee in 1990 led to my joining Universal Medical Buildings. UMB was a \\\'turn-key\\\' operation providing for the Healthcare Industry throughout the United States. UMB had Planners who traveled to the different States meeting with the various \\\'docs\\\' regarding space planning. I however, was part of the \\\'in-house architects\\\' team. It was up to me and the remaining in house team to decipher the plans and notes of the jet set \\\'planners\\\' and convert the ideas to code abiding construction documents complete with coordination with the \\\'in-house engineers\\\'.
My past enfolds other firms such as Kahler-Slater where again, my Healthcare experience benefited as a Project Architect as well as contributing to my Commercial construction experience in Retail and Office Buildings, expanding my knowledge on the detailing that goes along with Construction Documents and the coordination of either in-house Engineers, or contracted Consultants. One client of mine was the Plankington Company where the designer and I would meet regularly with this group. Dan would doodle; I\\\'d listen and suggest ideas and go back to the office with these doodles and whip up the necessary construction documents, send them through the necessary City Planning channels, issue them for bid and oversee the construction.
Around the mid 1990\\\'s, I joined the firm Kevin Connolly Architects were Healthcare as well as Commercial Construction was this firm\\\'s specialty. There are two main learning events that came from this firm for me. One, Kevin was neck deep in the computer revolution, being AutoCAD back at that point. So of course, as his employees, we were sent to fantastic seminars regarding the use of AutoCAD and desktop. Second, we lost our interior person so naturally; I stepped up and ran that corner of the firm. I studied finishes and met with representatives and learned as much about furniture and wall coverings as I could. It was very challenging and a little out of my circle of security, but that was what made it thrilling for me.
My next job shift took me to Workshop Architects, also in Milwaukee. Many projects were State or Commercial based. I carried accounts such as Qdoba Mexican Grill and designed and built four restaurants in the Milwaukee area and one in Madison, Wisconsin. I also was part of a larger team in State run projects. I had to learn the State\\\'s means and methods of detailing their buildings. It was a whole new level of detailing that I enjoyed.
In 2004, Continuum Architects and Planners was looking to expand into the Healthcare sector of the market and I was hired to take the lead position. Amongst several clinic and office building build-outs, we landed a MRI addition to the Stoughton Hospital in Wisconsin. Being the lead for this project, it was a challenge to coordinate the Hospital (Board and Staff), the Hospital\\\'s Consultants, the General and their subs, our Consultants and all the Equipment Reps.
Along with Healthcare, multi-family construction including WHEDA and HUD funded, LEED driven projects were also a base for my growing experience in this firm.
We also landed our first Revit generated project where I was lead detailer. The project was a 20 story residence for the retirement community that set forth detailing challenges due to the different occupancy types, code requirements, design and client requirements but also doing everything in a brand new format, Revit. Of course there were errors made along the way, but once again a challenge welcomed and conquered as the building is under construction and I am told, going very smoothly.
Because of my Revit experience and my ability to detail, in 2010 Workshop Architects had me come back on board and help out with the multitude of Revit generated University projects. And of course, I was more than happy to do so....
THE
PROJECT EXPERIENCE
Townhomes at Mill Reserve
106 Unit Condominium Development
Along the Downtown Riverfront
Waukesha, WI
12th and Highland Housing
Supportive Housing
Milwaukee, WI
Snap Fitness
Interior Build-Out
Kenosha, WI
Milwaukee, WI
Saint John’s on the Lake
20-story high-rise for Active Adults
Milwaukee, WI
Stoughton Hospital
MRI Addition
Stoughton, WI
Stoughton Hospital
Food and Nutrition Services and
Physical Therapy Department
Feasibility Study and Design
Stoughton, WI
Kramer Lifestyle Center
Kramer Loft Apartments
Milwaukee, WI
Kramer Lifestyle Center
Foundry Redevelopment
Restaurant, Coffee Shop, Offices
Milwaukee, WI
Kramer Lifestyle Center
Castings Point Offices
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Area Technical College
West Allis Campus
Liberal Arts & Sciences Division
Health Labs Renovation
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Downtown Campus
Computer Labs Renovation
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Downtown Campus
Chiller Plant Replacement
Milwaukee, WI
The Admiral
909 W. Foster Avenue
Tenant Build outs
Chicago, IL
Merge Healthcare
Corporate Offices
Build-out at Summit Place
West Allis, WI
Montana Commons
Multi-Building Apartment Campus
Milwaukee, WI
UW-Oshkosh
Blackhawk Dining Hall Renovation
Oshkosh, WI*
UW-River Falls
New Student Union
River Falls, WI
UW-Milwaukee
Theatre and Fine Arts Building
ADA Compliance Upgrade
Milwaukee, WI
UW Whitewater
C-Store and Pub
Renovation
Whitewater, WI
Oak Creek United Methodist Church
Renovation and Addition
Oak Creek, WI
Korean Church of Milwaukee
New Building
Oak Creek, WI*
Kopp Student Union
Normandale Community College
Addition & Renovation
Bloomington, MN
Helland Center
Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC)
Addition & Renovation
Minneapolis, MN
Giuseppe’s Restaurant
New Restaurant/Retail Building
Wauwatosa, WI
Qdoba Restaurants
Tenant Build-Out, Delafield, WI
New Building, Fitchburg, WI
Qdoba Restaurant
Greenfield Center
New Building
Greenfield, WI
Qdoba Restaurant
Prospect Avenue
New Building
Milwaukee, WI
THE
PROGRAM EXPERIENCE
AutoCAD 2010 (and earlier)
Revit 2011 (and earlier)
Office 2009 Programs