California License # C10466–licensed since 1979 & currently renewed to May 31, 2023 (43 years active, hands on, experience in the field)
Post Office Box 1286
Ojai, California, 93024
Telephone: (805) 646-3778 or (805) 804-2999
I am a “hands-on” Architect known for seeing jobs all the way through from start to finish without relying on outside consultants like Civil & Structural Engineers (I do my own Structural Calculations using ENERCALC , FORTE , RISA2D, or RETAINPRO software and Grading Plans up to 1000 cubic yards when part of a building project).
Specialties: Architectural Design, Site Planning, and Permit Processing for Low-rise Wood Frame, Masonry, and/or Concrete and Steel Commercial, Institutional or Residential Structures including overseeing of their construction. I have a Bachelor of Architecture Degree (1967) and a Master of Architecture Degree (1969) from the University of California, Berkeley.
The State License Board requires that I use written contracts unless we agree to waive this requirement and use an oral contract–here is the contract I created and have been using based on the Critical Path Method of Construction Administration ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_path_method ):
THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS FOR GETTING STARTED ON A JOB (client should provide items 1 & 8, and I can provide 2 through 7, with an authorization to act as your agent for item 5):
1) A complete boundary, topographic, and as-built (A.L.T.A.) survey of your property by a licensed Land Surveyor;
2) An Aerial Photograph showing property lines and nearby parcel numbers;
3) Photographs of any existing structures from all four directions;
4) An Assessor’s Parcel map from the County in which the property is located;
5) A copy of the owner’s Assessor’s Property Tax Appraisal File, especially of the dimensioned diagram of the existing structures upon which you are being taxed;
6) A complete dimensioned “As-Built” drawing of the floor plan, doors, windows, and roof slopes of all existing structures, or an extra copy of the previous plans for any existing structures;
7) A copy of the Zoning Regulations , setbacks required, and percentage of lot coverage allowed for your property;
8) Some explanation that you understand current construction and architectural costs and have the financial capacity to cover them.
This “research” work can be done by the hour until we are sure the project is feasible, then at that point we can fill in and sign the contract form above together or make an oral agreement, more appropriate for small jobs.
MY APPENTICESHIP PERIOD BEFORE BEING LICENSED:
I served my 1 1/2 year “apprenticeship” period with SMP on the Construction Administraon of the new San Francisco Medical Center built In the middle of the old brick General Hospital September1971 to March 1973, qualifying me to sit for the State License Exam–by the time I left I had written over 200 Change Orders.When work temporarily slowed down my boss Vincent Pelfini layed me off so my former immediate boss, Victor Torres, could return to his old job (“last hired first fired,” as they say); Mr.Pelfini very kindly signed my “Experience Forms” that had to be submitted to the California Architects Board, who counted my time working under my Father’s Civil Engineer License at only 50% but still giving me the total minimum number of years to be eligible to take the Architect’s License Exams.
Recent Pro Bono and Semi-Pro-Bono Work, 1984-2014 (you can click on each photo to see it Full Screen):
OPEN TO VIEWING BY THE PUBLIC:
The Ojai Raptor Center (open to public during “Open Houses” that take place twice a year–one in the early Spring and one in the Fall)
Just completed Eagle Flight Rehabilitation Aviary in which recovering Golden and Bald Eagles can learn to make both right hand and left hand turns in the giant 100 foot x 100 foot “Ell” shaped structure–at the March 10, 2010, Ojai Raptor Center Open House.
View of giant Eagle Aviary looking Northwest.Edison put up some money for this worthwhile project because many Birds of Prey get electrocuted.View of the Ojai Raptor Center from house above looking west.
The Ojai Retreat Outdoor Event Center at 160 Besant Road, Meiners Oaks:
December 2013 scale model of proposed wheelchair accessible Event Center “amphitheater” at the highest point of Besant Road with a commanding view of the Topa Topa Bluffs and the “Pink Moment.”
The Ojai Meadows Preserve NATURE CENTER:
A pure Pro Bono effort that was at first “green-lighted” by an earlier OVLC Board and then stopped by a more recent Board–it was to be a Platinum LEED certified Green Building with space for the preserve managers office, garage and workshop, a gift shop, a community meeting room with commercial grade kitchen, an outdoor ampitheater for 150 people, cages for “Educational Non-releasable Raptors” and a Wildlife Emergency Intake Room for birds and small mammals.
A speech I gave at Ojai Valley Toastmasters in 2008 about “Green Building” featuring the above model as an example of green building.
2nd Helpings Thrift Store Ojai Avenue near Park Road:
New Beam, Posts and Footings calculated for 2nd Helpings Thrift Store Pro Bono for Help of Ojai.
Lutheran Church Preschool building Maricopa Highway next to the Ojai Community Hospital:
Luthern Church Preschool pro bono assisting Jim Perkins who did the drafting and Construction Management
Extra low toilets and sinks for all the Pre-school children
The Ojai Library Community Meeting Room Addition:
The Site for the Ojai Library Community Meeting Room Addition–the project was abandoned because the price tag was too high to swallow and soon after the County of Ventura ended up paying for the remodeling of the existing two restrooms instead to make them compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Front and Back Additions to Help of Ojai Senior Center “Little House” about 1990:
Front and Back Additions to the “Little House” Help of Ojai Senior Center next to the Ojai City Hall–a semi-Pro-Bono effort working closely with their Building Committee–Ed Paulson, Help of Ojai President at the time, Marlene Spencer, Director at the time, and J. Wesley Kent, full-time volunteer in honor of whom the rear Meeting Hall was named.The Second Floor Meeting Hall on the sloping site needed the longest wheelchair ramp I have ever designed for a job and had to be rebuilt twenty years later using composite lumber because of numerous rot problems. The entire project had to be retro-fitted in1989 with Automatic Fire Sprinklers as well, including under the ramp, deck and other exit stairs.Because the Second Story Meeting Hall had a folding partition in the middle to divide it into two rooms, each of those rooms had to have two means of exiting, requiring two additional stairs and four exit doors total–under today’s code all exits must be wheelchair accessible, not just the Main Entry Ramp–the additonal stairs also had rot problems and had to be rebuilt twenty years later with new composite and treated lumber.Looking west at Kent Hall–there is an exit balcony and stair sqeezed in on the right between the original “Little House” and the Meeting Room Addition–the lower floor is used for the Food Share program and general storage.
Ventura County Humane Society Harry Valentine Visitor Center:
I was the architect of record for this contractor-designed and built Humane Society Visitor Center until a disagrement over the structural design approach led to their switching to using another Professional Engineer and another architect–I had also worked with a previous Project Manager on plans to remodel the existing building for a better Spay-Neuter Clinic.
California Licensed Architect # C10466, renewed to 05-31-2015
