Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (0)
Studio PCA opens at Vint Hill
A new architecture firm has just settled into Vint Hill, and so far it seems that it and the neighborhood are a perfect fit.Like a lot of people nowadays, Patrick Casey and his former employer recently had an amicable parting of the ways. However, it wasn’t the usual story of decreased corporate profits and laid-off employees.
Recruited out of New York’s prestigious Pratt Institute while still a student, Casey has been a successful architect for more than 20 years. He’s worked in the Washington D.C. area since 1992, and been involved in a number of important projects.
Similar to many other companies struggling to survive in today’s economy, his former employer in Gaithersburg has been focusing its efforts on bidding for big public projects funded by federal stimulus money.
However, for Casey and his associate Kirit Thakkor, their real love and area of expertise is in mixed-use and multi-family residential projects. They want to continue focusing on this work, not simply because they want to stay in their comfort zone, but more because of a commitment to what Casey sees as responsible development.
“The very heart of green building is the idea that density is good, in areas where the necessary infrastructure already exists,” said Casey, who has advanced certification in this area. “You want to keep things focused and together, and bundle services.”
Developers are attracted to these green projects not just because they’re socially responsible, he adds, but also because they make good economic sense.
“Zoning officials and other regulatory agencies are very supportive of it,” Casey said, “and give them a lot of incentives. So even though it costs more, they get a lot of value out of it. And the community gets a lot out of it, too.”
All in all, this created a significant difference in vision. “They said mixed-use is dead,” said Casey. “But I said, no, it’s just a sleeping giant, and it will wake up again some day. That’s why I decided to keep my focus on what I know best.
“I had to either find another job, or create one,” Casey continued “At the same time that my firm was pulling back, my clients were saying ‘we want to move forward, so let’s move forward with you.’ So I had to leap, and quickly set up a new place.”
So far, the gamble on that sleeping giant seems to be paying off. Casey figured he’d have a month to set up the new office, and then dig into building the business, but it didn’t work out that way.
They moved in on Oct. 1, and within the first two weeks had a series of meetings that turned into a commitment for a 121-unit development in Alexandria.
Two other clients quickly followed, asking for proposals on five additional projects.
“It’s just been one of those things where when people hear that you’ve gone out and done something, they start to call you,” Casey said.
The last of the proposals just went out the door a few days ago. Finally having time to unpack boxes isn’t Casey’s only reason for breathing a sigh of relief.
“There’s enough work out there that I feel comfortable that even if we don’t get them all, one or two will help pave the way,” he said.
Casey first became familiar with Vint Hill when his former employer became involved in some master-planning efforts there a couple of years ago. Looking for a new place to set up his practice, it struck him as a perfect strategic location.
In part, it’s a matter of lifestyle. He also looked at offices in Bethesda and Georgetown, but didn’t want to deal with the congestion and heavy traffic.
“I love the area,” Casey said. “It’s peaceful and quiet, so I can get a lot done, and I can keep my bicycle at the office.”
Despite the relatively isolated setting, the architect says it’s still a very convenient place to work. Several former clients have come to the new firm, and Vint Hill provides easy highway access to these customers.
Also, as a new start-up, he and Thakkor were reluctant to lock into an expensive lease in a pricey urban location. Even more than just saving money, this is a reflection of their business philosophy.
“My business plan was to create something new and different, a more streamlined version of how to do architecture, and to bring that savings and value to my clients," Casey said. "That’s how I’m getting the clients, when some other architects aren’t. The way you do that is to do things smarter, faster, and cheaper.”
More economical office space in the country dovetails well with this ethic. “I’m living and breathing what I say,” Casey added. “If I had a beautiful corner office downtown on K Street, that’s not doing that.”
Casey adds one more reason to his list of all the ways Vint Hill is a perfect location for his firm. Simply put, ever since he first saw the former military installation, he’s been excited about it’s promise as a business and residential location.
“It’s an interesting area,” he says, “and opens up a lot of opportunity.”
“That happens a lot,” says Vint Hill Economic Development Authority Director Richard Reiss. “We have people come in for one reason, and see Vint Hill’s potential, and next thing you know they’re here. We have 60 businesses here because people like what they see.”
Now that he’s moved southward, Casey hopes over time to pick up more clients in this area, including Fauquier. But he’s most excited about Vint Hill.
He’s already started discussions with the Economic Development Authority about different projects, and one has moved into the formal proposal stage.
“I’m hoping this will be an evolving relationship,” Reiss said. “He’s given us some interesting ideas.”
Studio PCA is located at 7196 Cosner Court in Vint Hill. The phone number is (540) 351-1604.
You must be logged in to post a comment.