The best construction projects happen when talented teams work together in a spirit of partnership and transparency. This dynamic is especially powerful when design teams, property developers, contractors, and trade partners not only expertly manage their own contribution, but take a larger view to support the success of the other team members and the success of the overall project. 

It is a pleasure to work in that environment and we want to be sure to express our admiration and appreciation for the partners who approach their work with us in that spirit of collaboration.

At MPC, we are thankful for our amazing team members, our talented trade partners, and our loyal developer partners. Last and not least, we are thankful for the amazing architects we have had the privilege of collaborating with over the years. They, like all our partners, share our core values that ensure top quality work and ethical business dealings.

Architect Partners are Vital Members of the Project Team 

Architects are critical to the success of a construction project. The best ones are collaborators, not simply providing a set of documents/plans. There is a big difference between those two approaches. It can make all the difference between a project mired in delays and a project that comes in on time and within budget.

In this season of gratitude, we would like to express our thanks to the teams at three of the outstanding architectural firms that have collaborated with us on successful projects over the past several years: KEPHART, KTGY Architecture + Planning, and Wilder Belshaw Architects, Inc.

In addition to embodying our core values, each of these companies shares our United Project approach. This system of collaboration institutionalized a process of communication and discussions very early in the planning process, when there is still the opportunity to raise, consider, and agree upon options that will maximize efficiencies and optimize project success.

KEPHART

KEPHART takes exceptional pride in building innovative, award-winning communities. One of the things we enjoy most about working with this award-winning firm is their community-driven philosophy and their willingness to implement new ideas and project efficiency. 

For example, Alexan Uptown, a 12-story, 372-unit, multi-family project in Denver’s Uptown neighborhood was the first Prescient® project we and KEPHART had been involved in. Prescient is a design-build, lightweight metal framing system that is ideal for mid-to high-rise buildings. It is a relatively new system, though, and that is why it was more important than ever that we coordinated closely with KEPHART in the planning stages and throughout the project.

We are not the only ones that recognize Kephart as a forward-thinking architectural firm in community design. In fact, they have been recognized over 40 times in the last five years by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC), and Marketing and Merchandising Excellence (MAME), among others.

KTGY Architecture + Planning

We have been partnering with KTGY throughout the past five years on some outstanding projects in the Denver area. KTGY is a premier international architect and design firm with more than 30 years of experience. They have designed projects in 44 states.

We consider KTGY to be a “builder’s architect.” That means they understand our processes. It seems as if their team members are always ready to put on their “builder’s hat” as they anticipate and address challenges early. As a result, we break ground with accurate and complete sets of drawings. 

Our partnership with KTGY on Denver’s The Aster Conservatory Green project is a good example of this professionalism. This is a 256-unit, 17-building, three-story walk-up development in Denver’s Central Park neighborhood (formerly known as Stapleton). After collaborating with us in the design phase, once we broke ground, KTGY’s team attended almost all of our OAC meetings and joined us for site walks each week to identify and mitigate potential concerns.  

Thanks in large part to their early collaboration and ongoing attention to detail, we were able to complete the project two months ahead of schedule and $350,000 under budget. 

Wilder Belshaw Architects, Inc.

The team at Wilder Belshaw Architects is extremely talented and creative, and they exemplified those skills in the course of the Arnold II project we built in east Austin. This development is a five-story, 119-unit apartment complex with two levels of underground parking. 

When it was determined that the fire room was not large enough to support all the necessary gear and provide proper clearance, the Wilder Belshaw team worked with the MEP engineer to provide an alternative location for the booster pump that met code requirements and provided proper clearances.

Not only did the Wilder Belshaw team efficiently utilize the fire room, they were extremely responsive in issuing revised drawings within RFI responses, so we and our trade partners always had up-to-date documents. This kind of collaboration between design documents and field conditions was crucial to driving the success of the project. 

The Common Element

What do these three architectural firms have in common? Though they are successful and loaded with incredible talent, they come to the table with an open mind. They are willing to consider other viewpoints and acknowledge good ideas that improve the project. As design partners they are invested in the success of the project and stay actively involved from beginning to end.

We are thankful to work with firms with that combination of skill, integrity, and humility. After all, delivering quality construction projects hinges on successful partner collaboration.

MPC’s United Project approach for Construction Management is a strategic initiative to minimize risk and maximize opportunities. Our informed design process will coordinate your plans and ensure a successful build.