President: Mark Weisman
Size of firm: 18
Year founded: 1983
Annual revenues: $2 million
Specialties: Commercial, corporate and institutional site planning, multi-family residential

Revenues for the firm are up 20 percent from last year, according to Mark Weisman, president of Weisman Design Group, which added four new employees this year. The firm has 12 million square feet of office buildings in design right now, he said.

"We specialize in high design with a value orientation," said Weisman, "and human use within the natural system." Lately, the firm has gotten involved in more "plazas over structure, tight urban infill sites and sites with environmental challenges."

"Our work load is stable, extremely fast-paced, and growing wide and deep," he said. "Our feet are in three major markets: commercial, institutional and multi-family housing." However, "We’re starting to come into the public arena. It’s a different challenge. Much more community participation."

Clients include Quadrant, Schnitzer, QFC, Costco, Home Depot, Fred Meyer and Polygon. The firm is completing the ATT Wireless corporate headquarters at Redmond Town Center. Public projects include the Mercer Portal project around the entry to the freeway at Mercer, the remodel of the south lawn of the King County Courthouse, and a community center at Redmond Ridge

"Our clients are coming to us because of site planning," said Weisman. Members of his firm like working with the challenging, difficult parts of the property development, to reunite buildings with the land, he said.

In today’s high-pressure market, Weisman has been able to convince clients that "Good site planning lasts forever." Further-more, the firm has been able to spend more time with clients who understand environmental goals and less with clients who do not.

Weisman is interested in nutrient loading issues, integrated pest managment, and gray water-especially when working with schools. And there are plenty of school projects, he said.