Meet Kevin R. Newman of Newman Garrison and Partners

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin R. Newman.

Kevin Newman began his architecture career in 1980, at Kaufman Meeks a Houston based firm.  After five years of being at the Houston office, Newman moved to California to help open the firm’s West Coast Office in the spring of 1985.

After 20 years at the firm, Newman along with John Garrison decided to buy -out founder Don Meeks of Meeks + Partners, and rename the firm Newman Garrison + Partners. According to Newman, the firm, previously under, Mark Kaufman and Don Meeks always had a reputation for designing high density multi-family projects and there was no need to change how the firm approached design. However, there was a need to change the operations side of the business.

In 2008, during the midst of the recession, Newman Garrison + Partners decided to reposition themselves as a boutique design firm that focused on high density developments in urban communities, specifically targeting the greater Los Angeles area.  As part of the overall repositioning, the firm focused on reaching out to young talent to not only build for future growth but to infuse the firm with individuals who weren’t necessarily biased in doing things a certain way. The approach was to encourage the younger staff to be engaged in the entire design process and to have a voice. The firm did this to reinforce their culture as a collaborative design studio and as a result the younger staff took on more responsibility and embraced more complex and diverse projects to work on where they had constant input and ownership.

As the industry came out of the recession, Newman Garrison + Partners decided to diversify their overall approach by creating a seamless design philosophy and adding an interiors studio, Max Michelle Interiors. This allowed the firm to integrate two design disciplines to better serve their clientele. By integrating interiors as part of the studio the firm was able to provide a comprehensive and cohesive design approach to their clientele while maintaining a strong connection between interiors and architecture. Although, Max Michelle Interiors  is an integral part of the firm, it also stands as a separate entity, allowing owner and design principal, Lori Michelle, the opportunity to work with outside clients that are not engaged with Newman Garrison + Partners.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Similar to many design and architecture firms, the great recession was a huge obstacle for Newman Garrison + Partners. The firm was in its third year of the buy–out with Don Meeks, when the recession began in the fall of 2008. Over the course of the next two years, the firm downsized from 60 to 5 employees in order to stay financially solvent.

During this time, the firm began the process of re-inventing itself and went on a marketing blitz, with the goal positioning the firm right where they wanted to be coming out of the recession. The firm also began to develop a unique, cost effective, sustainable design concept called “New Block”, which could be financed while providing developers a solution to building higher density projects without the added cost of concrete structures. The “New Block” concept finally paid off, when Jamboree Housing Corporation, an affordable housing developer partnered with the City of Buena Park to select Newman Garrison + Partners in 2010 to design and ultimately build the “New Block” concept, now referred to as Park Landing. Park Landing was completed in the fall of 2013 and has won numerous industry design awards for creative excellence and sustainability.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Newman Garrison + Partners – what should we know?
Newman Garrison + Partners (NG+P), has been committed to excellence in architecture, planning and interior design through innovation and ingenuity.  Based in the greater Los Angeles Area and celebrating 32 years as renowned architects and designers, NG+P integrates creativity and vision with practical knowledge in development and construction to create dynamic spaces that are highly functional and aesthetically provocative. This formula has enabled our clients to improve their ROI while positioning themselves in a competitive marketplace.

As part of NG+P’s creative portfolio, the firm  continues to provide creative design solutions that impact communities and urban centers in a positive way while addressing cultural diversity within their projects. The firm’s owners are intimately involved in all of the firms projects, from concept design to overseeing the construction phases, thus instilling a hands-on approach, collaborating with clients and in-house staff.  NG+P’s energized team of highly trained design professionals specialize in creating impactful market driven, yet timeless architectural design for mid/high-rise multi-family towers; mixed-use urban communities; urban infill and transit-oriented developments; hospitality;  retail/restaurants;  luxury resort experiences; workforce and student housing.

NG+P provides solutions that are sensitive to existing surroundings yet impart a unique brand of modernity to an area. From conception to completion, NG+P maintains close client relationships and strives to deliver an elegant expression of a client’s original concept. As part of their domestic and international reach, the firm has completed projects in Hawaii, Spain, India, Russia, and the Caribbean.

Any future plans? What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for any big changes?
After 7 long years, the firm was recently awarded a patent, from the United States Patent Office, for their New Block™ high density, affordable concept. As mentioned prior, the project called Park Landing has been built with tremendous success, while providing housing for affordable families in need. The firm couldn’t be prouder of the fact that so many families were able to benefit from this concept, as it was one of the first projects to get built right after the recession. This patent is intended to license the concept across the country to encourage other developers who are looking to develop affordable, sustainable higher density projects in markets where they can be competitive. The goal is for the developer to have flexibility within their own market to hire their own design team. Now that “New Block” has been a proven design concept the firm encourages other developers to consider the benefits it provides.

As part of the firm’s long term goals, they are continuing to extend their reach to the east coast, namely the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area and the Denver markets. They see an opportunity to promote the firm’s design capabilities in markets which are diverse, challenging yet inspiring. The firm envisions a continual national expansion by working with developers who have multiple assets across the nation particularly in Colorado and along the East Coast. The firm continues to work towards growing and diversifying their portfolio to include more innovative projects that include hospitality and creative office.

Lastly, the firm excited to be a part of the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles, by designing new up and coming developments that embrace the cultural diversity and maintain a strong sense of community. Currently the firm is engaged in a high profile development in Chinatown adjacent to the Los Angeles Historic State Park along with several notable projects in Burbank, Warner Center and Playa Vista.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://nggpartners.com/
• Phone: 949.756.0818
• Email: info@nggpartners.com

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