…… Just an informal note updating a few activities of the New Year.

First to share a highlight of the day to day business |  The ArcWest Partners  are taking time to meet with and mentor a local high school student who is completing a senior project to explore the profession of architectural practice.  The student has a definitive interest to become an architect and notably made this effort to contact a local company to help them understand more about the business of architectural design and engineering.   I think this will turn out to be a good lesson for all involved.

Back to task | The partners at ArcWest have been very busy during the month of January, and the first weeks of February, with active architectural projects, new endeavors and prospective opportunities  including:

• Completing and coordinating a set of documents submitted to the Denver Building Department  (DBD) for a proposed Bakery in the Highlands neighborhood.   With the contractor on board, the owner is anxiously waiting for the building permit pending review comments from the DBD.
• Providing a proposal to a prospective client for multiple fast track projects out of state … Hopefully much more to share on this soon.
• Meeting with a residential owner to discuss their desire  for different improvements to their Denver Bungalow, including vaulting the ceiling of their living room, building on a rear deck above grade that aligns with the main floor and basement remodel to allow for two new bedrooms that comply with the local building codes. We are very excited about this opportunity!
• Providing a complete Architectural and Engineering proposal for a prospective Irish Pub and Restaurant to be located in a nearby suburb of Denver.  The owner is completing their due diligence for the leased space and completing applications for their financial resources.   We are eager and very interested to be involved with this project as well – This will be fun!
• Kicking off a community redevelopment project for a main street building facade improvement in East Denver.
• Meeting with a husband and wife who are interested in taking a “warehouse” approach for the construction of a new home in a surrounding Denver suburb.  The prospective client approached us with the concept of using a premanufactured metal building for the exterior then utilizing an architect to complete a custom plan layout and interior finishes design.  We anticipate we would also assist with the coordination of foundation requirements for the building shell, along with proposing elevations and building forms that will work with the metal building system … This could be a lot of fun and an interesting challenge!
• Offering strategic business planning and operational consulting to a national corporate client.

We are very encouraged with the level of activity we’ve been experiencing at the start of the New Year.  Our goal will be to write further detailed and illustrative articles (including pictures and drawings) in the coming weeks about the subjects introduced and outlined above.

ArcWest wishes everyone is having a great start to the New Year!

ArcWest Advertisement in the Denver BBB Premier Issue

ArcWest Architects is pleased to announce that Rick Ruffino will be joining the ArcWest team on August 3rd, 2009 as a Partner.

Mr. Ruffino is a veteran newspaper and publishing executive who brings his corporate experience in planning, project and business management to ArcWest’s existing strengths in architecture and engineering.  His experience in developing and implementing sustainable outsourcing solutions and guiding complex software and equipment projects is unmatched.

Mr Ruffino was the Director of Manufacturing, for the US outsourcing group at Transcontinental, Inc. and continues to assist that team with the successful start up of the new Fremont, CA facility printing the San Francisco Chronicle.

If you would like to speak with Rick to learn more about how the ArcWest team can assist your organization thrive in this challenging market, please contact him directly at:

Office           303.455.7741

Mobile          303.881.3445

rruffino@arcwestarchitects.com

For more information, contact ArcWest Architects

Plunging advertising revenue and increased operating cost are changing the way newspaper organizations operate.  To substantially reduce cost, product size is being reduced, production is being consolidated and facilities are being closed.

Historically, reductions in front office staff news reporters, advertising reps. and graphic artist were off limits.  It was assumed that these positions generate income; reduction of front-office staff would negatively affect quality and the bottom line.  The economic realities of today are testing this assumption.

Straus Newspaper Offices

ArcWest Architects partners are experts in the planning, layout and design of newspaper operations. This article will set aside the reasons for our current economic environment and its effect on this industry for others to examine.  What this document provides is a brief outline of real opportunities that arise from front-office vacated square footage & staff reductions.

Functional opportunities:

• Resolve existing layout and ADA accessibility deficiencies
• Eliminate redundancies and improve the flow of information
• Break down departmental barriers
• Integrate print and web news gathering and advertising
• Facilitate employee cross training & multitasking

Income generating opportunities:

• Lease vacated square footage to third parties
• Eliminate expenses by returning off-site leased space

ArcWest is a cost effective and flexible organization able to respond to the demands and needs of our clients.  We look forward to becoming part of your team in search of new and beneficial ways to reduce front-office operating cost while improving products & services.

Please contact ArcWest Architects to learn more about our services.

September 2007 – “ArcWest is unique because they’re a group of world-class listeners who understand budgetary constraints and deliver projects on time. What more can you ask for in an architectural firm?” – Jeanne Straus, President