Mr. Rich has been lauded by numerous Owners, Contractors, subcontractors, consultants, and staff throughout his professional career. Below are a sampling of the comments about Mr. Rich’s professional and volunteer work.
Mr. Rich exhibits a profound passion for preservation across the State of Washington and has volunteered on many preservation oversight boards. His understanding of technical issues surrounding painting historic buildings such as preparation, chalking and peeling failures, was instrumental in winning a settlement with a contractor due to a failed painting project. He is an effective mentor to fellow colleagues and lay people alike and is generous with his knowledge. Mr. Rich’s meticulous attention to detail in the development of the final Condition Assessment report will guide the organization in preservation stewardship for the next two decades. He thoughtfully developed a framework that not only prioritizes the preservation of the wood-framed structure but will serve as an important budget management tool. His understanding of old materials was helpful in framing the discussion of aging versus deteriorating and whether something was a critical issue or not.
Maureen Ewing, Executive Director, University Heights Community Center
Known throughout the preservation community for his keen interest in expanding his preservation knowledge and high quality of work, he is meticulous when putting preservation technology into practice. I have had Brian in three of my APTI-sponsored wood or NDE workshops. He seeks out learning opportunities to increase his expertise of preservation technologies and then applies that knowledge to his work. His approach to preservation architecture is an essential ingredient of his preservation work ethic. Brian seeks involvement from other architects, engineers, conservators, and material scientists to foster interactive involvement to make them function as a team. We need individuals with Brian’s vision to help APTI and the preservation field reach their potential. Brian’s knowledge as a preservation architect and use of preservation technology for conservation of cultural heritage is the very definition of a Recognized Professional.
Ronald W. Anthony, FAPT, President & Wood Scientist, Anthony & Associates
“…is well-suited to use his exceptional skills as a historic preservation architect, project manager, and construction manager working for both Owners and architecture firms.”
Steve Tatge, Executive Director, Major Capital Projects, UW Capital Planning & Development (statge@uw.edu, (206) 221-4231)
“We found Brian to be a man of total integrity, reliable and extremely professional… …very responsive to all questions/concerns… …ability to catch things early… … with minimum disturbances and no delays…. His ability in liaising with the Architect, Subcontractors, and Seattle U, put us at ease; as we knew that we could rely on Brian’s skills to ensure our project was executed smoothly.”
Rick Meserve, Construction Manager, Capstone Development Partners, LLC (rmeserve@capstonemail.com, (205) 790-6840)
“…enormously communicative and skilled at his work… [His] skill of being able to explain a project’s technical details and their real-world impact to a layperson is an incredible one… always took responsibility, never passing it off as someone else’s problem to solve. His character and his genuine interest in people and their issues is what made the members at Fluke Hall connect with him and believe in his efforts.”
Kira Franz, Fluke Hall Manager, University of Washington (kiraf1@uw.edu, (206) 221-8455)
“I am impressed by the facility feature-specific identification of maintenance challenges… excellent documentation of issues… I highly recommend them as first rate professionals in this field.”
Tom Skjervold, Deputy Director, CMFO, Washington Military Department (thomas.skjervold@mil.wa.gov, (253) 512-8466)
“…very creative and helpful in giving the design team tools to help us meet the federal landmarks guidelines, maintain the integrity of the original barn and mansion, and meet the functional needs of the [project]… extremely proficient and detail oriented in his performance… a great team player.”
Steve Hammer, Principal, BPH Architects (steve@bpharch.com, (425) 774-4701)
“…provided detailed, thorough and committed skills to whatever roll he was called upon to perform. He regularly synthesized code analysis, complex systems and materials into an organized set of documents… fair and reasonable advocate for contract requirements… timely and trusted… exceptional skills, knowledge and passion for historic preservation.”
Lorne McConachie, Principal, Bassetti Architects (lmcconachie@bassettiarch.com, (206) 340-9500)
“Beyond his project involvement, Brian brings a deep personal commitment to critical issues surrounding historic preservation. He has extensive and ongoing professional education, training, and certification in preservation related systems and theory. Throughout his career, Brian has been a clarion voice advocating for preservation. As we confront climate change, he recognizes the inherent logic of preserving embodied energy in the built environment. Finally, in this era of social tumult, he offers a nuanced understanding of the essential cultural continuum represented by historic buildings within our communities.“
Lorne McConachie, Principal, Bassetti Architects (lmcconachie@bassettiarch.com, (206) 340-9500)
“…open-minded and creative yet exercises his authority effectively and sometimes in great detail as needed… broad grasp of the industry in general and sees the bigger picture very well… curious and energetic and smart… a truly valuable and collaborative team member… a highly credible and hard-working professional…”
Steve Harrison, Project Manager, UW Capital Planning & Development (srh24@uw.edu, (206) 616-4713)
“… always professional, punctual, thoughtful, and thorough, whether dealing with individual citizens who owned historic properties, contractors or architects, or your fellow commissioners… balanced and analytical approach to finding solutions… communication and coordination skills are excellent… understanding of the processes, procedures, and regulations related to historic properties is exceptional… combine[s] a passion for the field with exceptionally strong research, writing, and analytical skills”
Todd Scott, Preservation Architect, King County Historic Preservation Program (todd.scott@kingcounty.gov, 206-477-4545)
“…top-notch architect, project manager and… well recognized as an expert in historical buildings and preservation… strong underlying capability in project management, detailed analysis and a responsive approach to seemingly endless changes in scope and purpose… deep and broad understanding of period construction techniques and practices… especially effective in applying the proper fixes to unique issues.”
Tom Corboy, Treasurer, University Heights Community Center Board of Trustees (tcorboy@gmail.com, (206) 799-2981)
“… thoroughly knowledgeable in his craft and takes on all projects and tasks methodically and with an eye for detail… a dedicated preservationist who understands all elements of preservation and uses his knowledge… to significant effect.”
Tom Hitzroth, Chair, King County Landmarks Commission (thitzroth1@frontier.com, (425) 823-2981)
Brian and I co-wrote a case study paper together. Brian is an excellent team player, and did exemplary research and work that enabled us to develop a strong methodology and write a thorough, informative paper.
Meghan Gattuso, Strategic resource Management Analytics
Brian was invaluable as someone to count on when designing a house: lots of innovative ideas, expert advice …and one of the nicest guys you’d every want to meet!
Joy Rinaldi-Donohue, Lex Theatre, Los Angeles
In 2011, Interwest Construction Inc of Burlington, WA. was first introduced to Mr. Brian Rich, project architect / manager at Bassetti Architects Seattle, Washington. At this time, Interwest was competitively awarded the Shorewood High School Phase 1B, an early site work project located in Shoreline, Washington. This initial $3.6 Million project was the second phase of construction, including demolition of the existing playfields, renovating a wing of the school structure, and preparing a building pad for the building phase of the Shorewood High School for the Shoreline School District. This project specifications required Interwest to complete this work during summer break, which included a partial demolition of the existing school. Throughout this project, Interwest relied on Mr. Rich’s past experiences, and timeliness responses to the changing site conditions, to meet the goals of completing this project before the start of the new school year. Mr. Rich supported this project as a true professional. He quickly and efficiently accomplished his required correspondence information, provided updated weekly meeting reports, and assisted with communicating with the public utility entities. The documentation provided by Mr. Rich was complete and well written and was readily accepted by the construction team. This Shorewood High School Project 1B was successfully completed by Interwest in September of 2011 and its success can be contributed to Mr. Rich for his timely responses and documentation for this project.
Phil Navert, Estimator, Interwest Construction
Consummate Professional. Extremely committed to providing a product, every time! I feel extremely fortunate to work with someone of his caliber.
Rick Wright, Port of Seattle Facilities Maintenance Manager
Brian has been a valuable member of the Washington State Heritage Barn Advisory Committee. With his experience as an architect, Brian brings valuable insight to the committee as it worked to provide grant funding for the rehabilitation of historic barns across Washington.
Chris Moore, Executive Director, Washington Trust for Historic Preservation
I worked with Brian in my capacity as Facilities Architect for the University of Washington when Brain was with another architectural firm designing the building renewal for one of our 1920’s vintage engineering buildings. The building was designed in the college-Gothic style with richly ornamented masonry walls and steep slate covered roofs was popular in the 1920’s and Brian’s knowledge of building materials, construction methods, failure avoidance and attention to detail was critical to the successful outcome of that project. In addition to his technical skills, Brian has a work attitude and personality that helped to bring people together to solve the inevitable construction problems. I would welcome an opportunity to work together again
Thomas W. Berg, Retired (Former Facilities Architect at the University of Washington)
Brian is an incredibly hard worker, enthusiastic, and dedicated. Brian is highly valued for his thorough approach and focus on quality in construction documents and construction administration. He has generously shared this experience, acting a mentor to interns who are taking on construction phase duties. Brian also shares a deep commitment to historic preservation, with extensive knowledge of preservation policy, standards and technology,
Don Brubeck, Principal, Don Brubeck Consulting
Brian was great to work with – excellent balance between overall picture, detail focus and technical ability. I learned a lot from him and he helped me a lot.
Thorsten Boesch, Principal, Visualized Concepts
Brian is has the ability to both see the big picture and to follow through on details. He works cooperatively with others. He communicates clearly with clients and colleagues. These skills would make him an asset on any project.
Courtney Kaylor, Attorney, McCullough Hill PS
I have know Brian professionally and personally for 20 years. I have been his IDP Advisor, his employer, and a professional sounding board. Brian is broadly experienced in design, production, and construction, and has a real passion for making buildings.
Rob Widmeyer, Retired (former Principal at LMN Architects)