About Us

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About Us

James Harry Grier, AIA, RA
Principal Architect - Philadelphia Office

Church, Daycare & Senior and Multifamily Housing
Current practice is focused on creating places of worship, facilities for childcare,
senior citizen and moderate income housing

Education Dobbins Voc/Tech School – Architectural Studies – Graduated 1960
T-Square Atelier Architectural School, Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects 1960-68
University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Accounts & Finance – Graduated 1978
PSMJ Seminars, Certificates in Project Management, Project Scheduling and Cost Controls, 1984
Continuing education courses for CES Credits, Professional Liability, Construction Litigation, Project Documentation,
Construction Materials and Processes ongoing.
HUD Training for Architectural and Engineering Review as well as Cost Estimating, 2000

Licenses Admitted to practice architecture in January 1974 by written examination by NCARB in Pennsylvania, by
reciprocity in New Jersey in 1975
Certificate for National Registration in 1975, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
Real Estate Broker, PA 1984

Professional Associations:

Corporate Membership in the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, 1975
Corporate Membership in the Pennsylvania Society of Architects of Harrisburg, PA, 1975
Membership in the National AIA in 1975.
University of Pennsylvania Real Estate Society 1976
Black Architects and Engineers Alliance, 1976
Minority Architects and Engineers Alliance 1987
Philadelphia Chapter National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) 1993
American Management Association, 1980
Housing Council of the Philadelphia Chapter of the AIA, 1985
International Council of Shopping Center (ICSC), 1976

Community Service:

Mantua Gardens East, HUD Section 236/8 Low to Moderate Income Housing, 52 units 1980 to present President and
Chairman Board of Directors.

I have been a Trustee at my Church, Canaan Baptist Church, Reverend Gus Roman Pastor

Other services to my community include focusing on activities which supporting anti-drug movement and sponsoring
projects which award disadvantaged children opportunities to experience being a part of other careers than those
traditional for blacks

Professional Experience:

I have been Commissioned Architect and/or Architect of Record for projects totaling over 73 million dollars of
construction value since 1975.

I have been commissioned to design and/or document and inspect Usmall to medium sized projects. My experience
has been on a variety of project types i.e. church buildings and related facilities, senior citizen apartment buildings,
low and moderate income multifamily housing, commercial development; neighborhood shopping centers, small
office buildings, transportation facilities, community planning studies.

My current focus is on creating facilities (housing and recreational) for senior citizens, day care centers, housing for
low and moderate income housing, church projects and neighborhood type shopping centers. Most recently, I was
commissioned as the Architect for a PNC Remote Teller Branch Bank.

My unique background of architecture and real estate enables me to participate in the project creation process from
the pre design phases, site search for land to suite selection criteria, feasibility studies, financial packaging, real
estate development consulting. For example, I managed the market research and wrote the project financial
prospectus for the Hope Plaza Shopping Center, a 45,000 square foot neighborhood type shopping center built at
22nd and Lehigh Avenue in Philadelphia, PA. My combination of being a licensed real estate broker and registered
architect enables me to consult as a professional analyst for real estate projects prior to construction. I am listed for
participation as an approved construction inspector for HUD.

Samples of my most recent commissioned projects include the following:

PINN GARDENS APARTMENTS: A 40 unit apartment building for senior citizens funded by the US Federal
Government, Department of Housing and Community Development under its Section 202/8 Program. The project is
located at Belmont Avenue and Westminster Avenue in West Philadelphia, PA. It is sponsored by Pinn Memorial
Baptist Church. It is the former location of that church prior to the church building burning to the ground. The project
is a five story, 100% sprinklered, masonry wall bearing and concrete plank structure. It includes 40 air conditioned one
bedroom apartments, two elevators, a central laundry room, a community room, mail room, managers office, entry
lobby and vestibule. Secure off street parking is provided for as well as a fenced outdoor sitting area. Also are
provided a mechanical room, electrical equipment room, and trash rooms on each floor and a trash compactor room
on the ground floor. Hand rails in all corridors, grab bars and hand showers are included in all units. There are two
accessible units and one unit equipped for the Audio/Visual impaired. All units are served by a centrally monitored
emergency call system and recorded video surveillance. Design features include triple windows in the Living Rooms
of all units, huge garden bay windows overlooking the gardens and sitting area. PROJECT COST 3.2 MILLION
DOLLARS

PHILIPPIAN GARDENS APARTMENTS: A 50 unit apartment building for senior citizens funded by the US Federal
Government, Department of Housing and Community Development under its Section 202/8 Program. The project is
located at 6th and Lindly Streets, in Logan Philadelphia, PA. The project is a six story, 100% sprinklered, masonry
wall bearing and concrete plank structure. It includes 40 air conditioned one bedroom apartments, two elevators, a
central laundry room, a community room, mail room, managers office, entry lobby and vestibule. Secure, covered
and open off street parking is provided for as well as a fenced outdoor sitting area. Also are provided a mechanical
room, electrical equipment room, and trash rooms on each floor and a trash compactor room on the ground floor.
Hand rails in all corridors, grab bars and hand showers are included in all units. There are two accessible units and
one unit equipped for the Audio/Visual impaired. All units are served by a centrally monitored emergency call system
and recorded video surveillance. Design features include triple windows in the Living Rooms of all units, huge garden
bay windows overlooking the gardens and sitting area. The garden area included a farming patch for residents to grow
their own vegetables and herbs. PROJECT COST 3.4 MILLION DOLLARS

TIOGA GARDENS APARTMENTS         A 33 unit multi building apartment project for low and moderate income
families. The project was funded primarilly by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. The project is located at
18th and Tioga Street, Philadelphia, PA. The project consist of rehabilitation of six existing three story residential
buildings and two new construction buildings. The structure was wood frame with face brick facades on street
frontages. The comosition was a mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments in three story structures. The site
design provided for tenants to oversee a common, secure landscaped recreational court. Spacial accommodations
are included in the site design for future parking in from of many units. I made a significant efffort to preserve existing
trees, maintain setbacks and open space. The project is an oasis as a stemulator development in North Philadelphia.
The sponsor was a partnering of local Pastors in the area. PROJECT COST: 3.0 MILLION DOLLARS

HOPE PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER:         A 45,000 square foot neighborhood shopping center located at 22nd and
Lehigh Avenue in North Philadelphia, PA. The project was a 30,000 square foot supermarket and 15,000 square feet
of small stores, The project included off street parking for about 200 cars and future site for a fast food restaurant. The
site design was developed to be the first phase of DELIVERANCE VILLAGE, a 11 acre development to encompass a
8,000 seat church, senior citizen housing, Christian school, daycare center, medical center. The church building
would include a 1,000 seat-dining hall. The site design provides for the arrangement of the small shops to function as
a “Gateway” to the DELIVERANCE VILLAGE supplemental phases. The site plan for the shopping center phase
provided for an elevated security observation booth on an east /west axis with a similar booth in the later phases of
DELIVERANCE VILLAGE.

DELIVERANCE EVANGELISTIC CHURCH         A 8,000 seat Santuary with related offices, classrooms, trutee rooms.
Deacons rooms, all night prayer room, guest pastor suite, chior loft for 160 singers, orchester pit for musicians, central
baptismal, vacuum tube system for secure donation and collections transfer to the money counting room. Seating was
divided in to twelve pie shaped sections which were alternately given names of the 12 apostles, 12 tribes of Isreal,
etc. The main first floor was designed to be sloped to afford excellent line of vision for the congregatio. The structure
was to be a 300’ diameter triagular section aluminum frame dome with solid and glazed panels. The glazed panels
were located so as to allow filtered sunlight to pass over the pulpit area from 11:00am o 2:00pm most of the year. The
main superstructure for the balcony was to be constructed independent from the dome. Tucked under the balcony
structure were Sunday school classrooms and meeting rooms. Special one way mirrored rooms for nursing mothers of
very young children. Primary lighting and computer controlled audio devices were designed to be suspended as
massive clusters from the dome structure. To the outside of the dome structure were designed phased modules for a
Chapel, a Christian School, Day Care Center, Medical Center, 60 unit Senior Citizen and truck tunnel for underground
receiving docks. There was to be limited off street parking onsite with supplemental offstreet parking within 500 feet for
500 cars. Shuttle service was to be available for Sunday Service and major events. The main Santuary was to be
augmented by a 1,000 seat lower auditorium which was subdividable for smaller gatherings. PROJECT COST: 25
MILLION DOLLARS

Other Experience

Early Experience: During the early 70's (1970-1977) I worked with Leon H. Sullivan, Zion Non-Profit Charitable Trust
and it's national technical team to develop community owned shopping centers in 26 cities. I managed community
participation in a planning study in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1973 involving a community sized shopping center and 400
housing units for the Department of Urban Development of the City of Cincinnati, Ohio; I managed a study of the Old
Nabisco Bakery Building Elderly Housing conversion, a $7.2 million construction cost feasibility study for OHCD of
Philadelphia. With the support of the Ford Foundation, the Sullivan organization and association with the
International Council of Shopping Centers, I leased, financed, designed and developed on land acquired by the
Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, the 2.1 million dollar Progress Haddington Plaza Shopping
Center at 57th & Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA Similarly I was project manager for the 3.0 million dollar Progress
Human Services Center at 1415 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA I participated in the obtaining of a 1.5 million-
dollar grant from the Economic Development Administration.

Prior to 1970 (from 1960) My professional experience with other Architects include the provision of construction
documents for a 100,000 square foot Sears and Roebuck department store in Pottstown, PA, a 100,000 square foot
Sears and Roebuck department store in Pittsburgh, PA, two 15,000 square foot Penn Fruit Supermarkets, I was
involved in phase one of King of Prussia Shopping Center in 1963, two E.J.Korvette Department Stores in Glen Burnie
and Perring Maryland; The Chestnut Hill Apartments in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Zion Gardens Apartments HUD
Section (221(d)(3)) in 1965; developed construction document for the White Manor Country Club; provided design
and construction documents for a Eric Movie Theater in Allentown, PA; provided construction documents for the
conversion of a former electric service substation building into a Office Building for S&T Builders at 1601 Church
Road, Glenside, PA; Executive House Apartments, Lansdale, PA; Fayette Street Apartments, Conshohocken, PA;
Walpaluney Drive Apartments, State College, PA; Egypt Road Apartments, Glenside, PA; Small Stores, Blackhorse
Pike Shopping Center, Audubon, NJ; Easton Road Apartments, Easton Road, Glanced, PA; ETC.

Computer Systems

Computer Capabilities: I is proficient in Computer-Aided-Design and Drafting utilizing Autodesk, Inc.'s AutoCAD
release 2006 w/ Architectural Desktop and Viz for polished color renderings, AutoCAD Architectural Software; utilizes
industry standard "MasterSpec" specifications for all non-public commissions via Word97 and Publishe r98 word
processing software for presentation text; Primavera project scheduling and cost management software; an other
computer software. I utilizes Microsoft Excel (electronic spreadsheet software) for cost estimating, construction invoice
tracking, building code report development, professional services invoicing, etc.

My goal is to provide his clients with the highest quality of design management service. On-time, under budget are
objectives consistently strived for and achieved. The high degree of utilization of automation allows me to explore
many more alternatives in design to achieve excellence in design while documenting at record speed. Because I am
able to analyze alternatives at greater depths, the users of the buildings I designs, enjoy a high level of utility and
productivity while also enjoying the aesthetics created.

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

Given my studies at and graduation from the Wharton School of Accounts and Finance, business principles and
especially economics play a heavy role in my developing design alternatives to every Owners Program or plan. I have
met the challenge many times. While very capable of addressing each challenge with superb solutions that are both
aesthetic and pleasing, I strive to, and achieve, maximum utility of Capital. My primary focus, is often, to produce for
my clients, the most cost effective solution over the life of a Project and not just initially. There is a great difference
between "what CAN be done" and "What SHOULD be done". Even though one may have the power of the checkbook,
wisdom (long range implications), technical considerations and practicality must always be seriously weighed. I
believe that every element of design must be justified not only from an "up front" cash cost, but value related to
productivity of the users and the users staff, spiritual excitement, apparent and real safety and security, monumental
representations, compatibility with environments, etc. As we arrive in the 21st Century, greater and greater attention
must be given to the legal aspect of each and every design action by the Architect and the Owner. Compliance with
all Codes, Ordinances, Industry Standards, Standards of Practice of Architects, Insurance Coverage's and the
Insurance cost minimization, the Clients image and standing, etc. is an absolute mandate.

SCHEDULE CONTROL

I consider schedule control as important as cost control. In fact one cannot be considered generally separate from the
other. Schedule control becomes more and more important the larger the capital investment. The are many
consequences to project delays. When an Owner plans to occupy a new building three years from the date it decides
to go forward with the project, many none construction task may be put in motion; additional staff sought and trained
to begin work in that third year; furniture and office equipment based on known technology ordered and schedules for
delivery; customers serviced in the project area; timed to take advantage of market opportunities; integration with
other corporate projects - new product lines, promotion and advertising, expiration of ownership or leasehold interest
at current location(s); new manufacturing technology, compliance with legal mandates, court orders, resource
depletion, etc. I have practiced architecture in times of low and high inflation and therefor low and high interest (cost
of borrowed money). While it is obvious that in periods of high cost of money, the length of time for design and
construction can be more expensive, we have found that inflation may suddenly impact on a project without warning
- accordingly, we continually perform as if high interest and inflation are always a danger.

I consider time to be precious and a scarce resource when you need it most. A day lost can easily turn into a week, a
week to a month and so on unless all time parameters are vigorously monitored and managed. To keep track of time
and resource allocation, we track and monitor all projects via Primavera Project Management computer software.
This gives me the capability of determining critical paths or project assignments, determine where additional
resource allocation can reduce overall time consumption, identify slack times for reevaluation of cost to reduce cost,
communicate interrelationships with all team members.

COST CONTROL

Cost or Budget control can often become the single most sensitive consideration to decide whether a project moves
from the “paper” stage to “construction”. Tight management of elements of project cost is required to deliver the
project to the Owner(s) within the Budget. Tight controls mean that the cost must be monitored regularly, at least
monthly during the design process. As part of our Basic Services, we will, as the Architects, provide a professional cost
estimate including the actual testing of the Market to assess the probability that Construction Contractors will build the
project for what is estimated. Given that an Architect’s cost estimate is an estimate of what a Contractor would charge
to do the Work, some form of bidding will always be performed.

I maintain current data basis of cost information from projects that I have designed as well as electronic linkages to
other market data bases and publications. We are particularly resourceful with projecting cost for projects that we
have repeat commissions for.