June 30, 2004

Design Detailings: Parametrix moves office to Bellevue

The Kirkland office of Parametrix has relocated to downtown Bellevue. Effective Monday, the new office will be in a 35,000-square-foot space on the 17th and 18th floors of the One Bellevue Center building at 411 108th Ave. N.E.

The new space accommodates nearly 150 employees. Parametrix has been in Kirkland for the past 12 years. The new space will help support growth and allow the firm to expand services to clients throughout the West, according to Parametrix. The phone number is (425) 458-6200, the fax is (425) 458-6363. The Web address is http://www.parametrix.com.

Freiheit & Ho designs Albertsons addition

Freiheit & Ho Architects has designed the remodeled Albertsons in Lakewood at 8611 Steilacoom Blvd. The 45,000-square-foot store will be expanded by approximately 5,000 square feet, which will use an adjacent vacant space and help revitalize the retail center.

The new features will include a new front façade, an entry vestibule and a new entry giving the renovated store an updated Northwest look and a greater visual presence. The interior will get a pharmacy and bakery.

Scheduled completion is September. The general contractor is Tri-way Construction; CSHQA is electrical engineer; McClure Engineering is mechanical engineer; and Protection Consultants, Inc. is fire protection engineer.

AIA index shows business is strong

U.S. architecture firms reported strong business conditions in May, according to the American Institute of Architects' monthly Architectural Billings Index. The ABI was 108 -- any index reading above 100 indicates growth in activity -- for the month, with 22 percent of firms reporting significantly stronger project activity and 14 percent reporting declines.

While this increase comes on top of already solid gains through the first four months of the year, the ABI dropped four points from April to May. The pace of billings growth has slowed in relation to previous months, but continues to increase at a healthy rate. Through the first five months of the year, the ABI has averaged more than 112, pointing to significant gains in construction activity throughout the remainder of 2004.

In addition to gains in billings, architecture firms reported steady increases in inquiries for new projects. Firms in all regions reported improvement in billings, with residential-focused firms reporting the most positive business conditions.

"While it is extremely encouraging that architectural billings and inquiries have increased every month so far this year, the rising prices and availability of construction materials has created some problems for the construction industry," said AIA chief economist Kermit Baker. "Architecture firms of all sizes and in all regions are also reporting problems with building commodities, with a higher share of firms in the West making this claim, possibly because of the strong demand in China and other Asian countries for these resources."

First Hill mansions are open for tours

The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and Historic Seattle offer monthly public tours of two historic Seattle homes -- the Stimson-Green Mansion (1901) and the H. H. Dearborn House (1907).

From 1 to 2:30 p.m. July 13 and Aug. 10, and from 5:30 to 7 p.m. July 26 and Aug. 23, the public will be able to tour the homes at the corner of Minor Avenue and Seneca Street on First Hill. The tours focus on the architectural character and interior design features of both homes, as well as the life and times of First Hill at the turn of the 20th century.

First Hill was the location of private clubs, important religious institutions and swank hotels. It was also the city's premier residential enclave from the 1890s through the first decades of the 1900s -- home to mayors, judges, industrialists, timber barons and art collectors.

Of the 40 or more large homes and gardens that once graced the neighborhood, only four remain. Two are closed to the public, but the residences built for C. D. Stimson and H. H. Dearborn -- which now house the respective offices of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and Historic Seattle -- give Seattle residents a glimpse of the past.

Callison principal joins IIDA

Vanecko

The Chicago-based International Interior Design Association has invited Callison principal Andrea Vanecko to be a member. IIDA is a professional networking and educational associate of more than 10,000 members in nine regions and more than 30 chapters around the world.

Vanecko is the principal in charge of corporate office and interior design at Callison and has worked nationally with a client base that includes law firms such as Cooley Godward, Latham & Watkins, LLP and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP, as well as corporations that include Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and Goldman Sachs. She is recognized in the industry for helping companies understand how the work environment needs to change to accommodate new office configurations.