The overall decline in the public sector took a toll on many of the New York region's design firms last year, some of which were still trying to dig their way out of the recession. The greatest demand for design services in the sector has been and is expected to continue to be fueled by numerous multi-year transportation projects and Superstorm Sandy-related work, executives say. On the private side, signs of life have returned, especially in the residential, commercial and higher education markets, they add. Related Links: 2014 Top Design Firms Ranking 2012 Top Design Firms: Moving Forward With Caution
Regional design firms are decidedly more upbeat than in previous years. They report an upswing in several markets, most notably multifamily, mixed-use, offices, energy and some public-works sectors. Big concerns include the decline in funding for institutional work, finding enough qualified people to do the work and ongoing uncertainty about the long-term health of the economy. Related Links: Regional Designers Push for More Diverse Services Regional Design Firms Hurting From Flat Economy, Stalled Projects However, many regional design firm leaders think the local economies in Salt Lake City, Boise and Denver will continue to improve and remain stronger than in
By its own admission, Kansas City, Mo.-based designer Burns & McDonnell can be a bit of a plodder when branching into new practice areas, a tendency it says sometimes requires patience from management.
With some of the Southwest's larger design firms experiencing flat or slight growth in 2012, several mid-size firms found an opening to expand dramatically. But both groups, in responding to this year's top design firms survey, are hopeful that economic conditions will continue to improve in 2013 and beyond. Related Links: View All of ENR Southwest's Annual Top Lists Design Firm of the Year: Dekker/Perich/Sabatini "The commercial lending market seems more willing to put their liquidity to work, which in turn has spurred construction projects which would not have been considered a couple of years ago," says Jason Bush, principal
The signs of a gradual recovery are beginning to surface for the region's design firms as private sector work—especially for the commercial, multifamily and higher education markets—increases.
Design firms in the Mountain States share the same concerns about industry growth as their colleagues and competitors elsewhere in the U.S.: uncertain support for public infrastructure and shaky financing in the few private-sector markets showing signs of life. There is more optimism now than in the past few years but also ongoing angst—after another year of flat revenue—about the health of the global economy and political vagaries here at home. Related Links: Engineering News Record Architectural Record "Our greatest concern is the international debt crisis, its potential impact on the U.S. economy and recovery from the recession," says Brad
A California seismic-retrofit mandate for hospitals has produced a wave of major projects over the past several years, giving a welcome lift to the state's architectural and engineering firms. But as the program's first major deadline draws near, the wave of hospital work has receded. To cope with the decline in the health care sector, many A/E firms are branching out to new regions or offering a wider range of services to potential clients. Related Links: Top Design Firms 2011 Architectural Record Combined revenue for this year's top 10 design firms rose a modest 2.6% over the total for last
Five straight years of revenue declines for the Southwest's top design firms have taken a toll. Design revenue from projects located in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico for the top 70 survey respondents fell another 19% to $817.7 million in 2011, compared with the previous year. But many firms began laying the groundwork to jump out of the gate once design work picks up—and in some market sectors, it already has. Related Links: ENR Southwest's Top 70 Design Firms Ranking Design Firms Ranked by State & Market Sector The year "2011 was another ... where our revenues were lower than
As the economy began a slow recovery last year, design firms held on for a long ride. Construction budgets and jobs were still being slashed and projects delayed, although not to the same degree as in 2010. While the ride ahead appears to be a lot less bumpy, design professionals say they are hanging on and are preparing for a long gradual recovery until activity returns to pre-recession levels. Related Links: Public Projects Helped Firms Stay Stable In 2010 "The positive thing about 2011 was stability as compared with 2010, but, even so, there was no major growth," says Ira
