Projects continue to roll on at Ann Arbor's Hobbs+Black Architects, allowing the downtown-based firm to not only maintain its staffing levels but look to 2010 as a year for staff growth.

That's no easy feat in the architecture game where building has all but ground to a halt. That toxic environment has led more and more firms to either freeze hiring, lay off architects or even declare bankruptcy in the case of Yamanski Associates (of World Trade Center fame).

Hobbs+Black, however, is on a different trajectory.

"We have a couple of significant projects outside of the state," says Ellin Callahan, vice president of marketing and business development at Hobbs+Black Architects. "We are very fortunate."

Among those projects are a few blockbusters, including a $1 billion development in downtown Salt Lake City and a $120 million project in Tucson, Arizona. The firm is also the designer behind the dynamic Dearborn Town Center development in Dearborn's east downtown.

"We are very excited about that project," Callahan says. "We feel it will bring some new life to that older section of Dearborn."

All of this work has allowed Hobbs+Black to maintain its staff of 90 people and a few interns at its three offices, including 65 people in downtown Ann Arbor. The company expects to maintain those levels this year and even begin hiring again later in 2010 as it continues to pursue more work.

"We are seeing opportunities at the federal level, especially in the Veterans Administration," Callahan says.

Source: Ellin Callahan, vice president of marketing and business development at Hobbs+Black Architects
Writer: Jon Zemke