Anthony Sirizzotti, RA, AIA, DBIA, LEED, the vice president of architecture with The Bannett Group, Ltd., is a member of the design-build team working on a new 22,200 s.f. retail center in Ramsey, NJ. About 90 percent complete now, the center will be home to five tenants. Anthony shares more about this project along with a snapshot of his design-build experience as an architect.
On what led him towards his current career:
“I graduated from New York Institute of Technology with a Bachelors of Architecture Degree in 1979. At that time I was interested in urban renewal work and I went to work with a minority firm working in Harlem and the south Bronx. Our clients where community development groups that were trying to offer an alternative to the federal government’s solution of tearing down blocks and blocks of neighborhoods in crisis and leaving behind blocks of rubble. These groups would find several buildings in their neighborhood and we would renovate them into modern housing units using a neighborhood work force we had helped train. I think this was my first experience with the kind of teamwork and interdisciplinary cooperation I have come to expect from my design-build staff at The Bannett Group. Through the years working as a senior architect and later as a principal in a local design practice with a friend of mine, I realized that the design-bid-build approach had some flaws and that there had to be a better approach. In the early ‘90s, I interviewed with a local design-build firm looking for an architect. That interview turned out to be Barry Bannett and for those of you who have not been to one of Barry’s design-build lectures for DBIA, I can tell you he is a very enthusiastic proponent of the design-build approach and in methods of improving the process. After meeting with Scott and Barry, I realized that they had the — in my mind — ideal method to practice construction — an integrated design-build firm. Scott and Barry are totally committed to the type of teamwork and communication required for a successful design-build project.”
On what he loves most at work:
“I would have to say that the thing I enjoy the most is watching my staff work in an environment of mutual respect and cooperation. When the process is working it really is something to witness. I have the privilege of working with some very talented architects, construction managers, and estimators and without them I could not work at the level we have attained together.”
About the firm’s current project:
“Franklin Square Shopping Center is located in Ramsey, NJ. This is a 22,200 s.f. center housing five tenants, who include Walgreens, Chase Manhattan Bank, Fed Ex/Kinkos, Starbucks, and one tenant who is yet to be determined. The design for this project began in May 2006 and it is currently under construction with 90 percent completion.
For me, this project highlights one of the strengths of the design-build approach. Our client, Larry Liebowitz of Landmark Real Estate Company, LLC, first talked with us he had bought the project from a local businessman that could not bring the deal to a close. He had fully developed civil engineering documents, building designs, and township approval. When Larry assumed control of the project he knew that he was unhappy with the work completed by the former players and that he had a very different image of what was required for this site to be successful. Through one of his business associates, Larry was introduced to The Bannett Group where he found a group of professionals who shared his vision. Together we worked with Larry to redesign the project to meet his design goals as well as budgets and schedules. Without the close cooperation between my design staff, estimating and construction we would not have been able to untangle the approval process and the redesign of the project an allow Larry to meet his commitments.”
How fellow architects can learn more about their role in design-build projects:
“I believe that architects interested in a design-build need to first educate themselves in the process to better understand its nature. I have to say that right now is a great time for that type of exploration — both the AIA design-build knowledge committee and DBIA’s have excellent material available. When I started my research in the ‘90s I did not have these kinds of resources available. DBIA especially has a very informative series of lecture courses, including the joint AIA-DBIA course for architects currently being offered.”
Current challenges:
“The main reasons I hear from colleagues I talk to at both the AIA and DBIA conventions and other venues tend to boil down to a sense of mistrust between architects and the construction community. TRUST is really the cornerstone of the design-build process. I believe that once each side gets together and builds upon their common goals and beliefs they will be able overcome this obstacle. I have found that in an open environment of mutual respect designers and construction professionals realize that we all share the same goals of excellent built quality, client satisfaction, and personal fulfillment.”
On the future of the industry:
“While it has been exciting to be part of the growth of our industry [design-build], I believe the most exciting is yet to come. Universities are now turning out design-build friendly graduates in both the design and project management fields. I can already see evidence of the changes to come. In the Philadelphia area, there are several young firms that have taken design-build to heart and they physically build their own projects and as they have grown they have built upon the format to work with others on bigger and more complicated projects. The prospect of having project managers trained in design-build who will demand the type of synergy required for a successful design-build project just brings a smile to my face.”
INFO: The Bannett Group (www.thebannettgroup.com)