DKA

Specialty: Primary care facilities, public-use facilities

President: Donald King

Year founded: 1985

2003 revenues: $ 2.7 million

Projected 2004 revenues: $2.8 million

Largest current projects: U.S. Department of Labor dormitory on Yakama reservation; conversion of Seattle’s Colman School into African American Heritage Museum; Asian Counselling and Referral Service building in Seattle

DKA will celebrate its 20th anniversary in January, and President Donald King says the firm is thriving on concerns that weren’t so big in the industry back in 1985.

Both sustainability and workforce diversity are moving into the mainstream as key concerns for private and public clients, and DKA has taken both to heart.

DKA also expects growing concerns over building security and terrorism to change the type of work it does in the year ahead.

The firm just completed its largest project to date, a $25 million renovation for city of Seattle known as Park 90/5. The 180,000-square-foot police support facility, which hosts crime labs, a SWAT team base, training facilities and evidence storage, opened in July and won a gold certification from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

King says the conversion of a former Starbuck’s plant is only the second city of Seattle project to earn gold. “Gold LEED certification is very difficult to get on a renovation project, so we’re pretty proud of that,” he says.

DKA has three LEED-certified professionals on its 20-person staff.

King says green building design is a hot topic “for just about every client we have.” In the past, an environmentally minded employee or two may have pushed for greener designs. “Now, it’s the actual owners and clients who are saying we want to take a look at this,” says King.

A minority-owned firm, DKA is looking to get more Section 8A work next year through that federal program for disadvantaged businesses. Projects with federal funding still have affirmative action requirements, while state and local projects in Washington state no longer have mandatory goals for women and minority involvement.

King says private firms are pursuing diversity more than public agencies. DKA is currently taking potential projects with several Fortune 500 firms in the Seattle area.

“Businesses see value in diversity, not just as a socially responsible thing to do but as a good business measure,” he says.

“A diverse work environment is a more creative work environment,” says King. Overall, King says DKA’s growth fell slightly short of its target this year.

“Everyone’s cautious,” King says of both public and private clients. A reduced tax base is slowing public projects, while concerns about a sluggish economy and the potential impacts of this month’s elections on the stock market and consumer confidence appear to be leading some private projects to move slowly.



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