Minnesota and Wisconsin (October 2, 2019) – Cermak Rhoades Architects (CRA) of Saint Paul, MN and LHB announced LHB’s asset purchase of CRA as of October 1, 2019. CRA closed its Saint Paul location and relocated their staff into LHB’s Minneapolis office. LHB’s Kim Bretheim, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C continues to lead LHB’s Housing Studio with CRA founders Terri Cermak and Todd Rhoades providing client relationship development and design direction to meet the region’s urgent need for more affordable housing.
CEO Rick Carter said, “Kim, Terri, and Todd understand the housing market better than any others in the field. This asset purchase provides our clients with a wealth of knowledge to help them acquire funding, to guide them through approval processes, and to create designs to meet current and future housing trends.”
Housing Studio Leader, Kim Bretheim stated, “LHB and CRA are dedicated to transforming lives through housing design. Designing safe, quality housing creates stability in a community and gives residents the springboard they need to improve their lives through employment, healthcare, education, and engagement.”
The firms came together to provide greater strength, stability, and resources to private and public housing clients. CRA’s architects add their talents to LHB’s capabilities in architecture, engineering, surveying, planning, preservation, and research. CRA and LHB’s Housing Studio are leaders in designing non-profit affordable housing and share similar values in creating housing that supports the community. The merger doubles LHB’s capabilities to design housing for preservation and adaptive re-use, mixed use, supportive, and affordable project types.
“Our staff and clients are excited about the strength this asset purchase creates, because the need for affordable housing in our region is so great.” said Terri Cermak. “LHB’s integrative team shares our commitment to creating regenerative communities. Coming together, we have the capabilities to fulfill our clients’ needs to create more affordable and supportive housing.”
CRA was founded in 1993 to provide high-quality design and professional service to clients in housing development. The designers remain dedicated to creating better places to live for everyone. CRA added experience from projects including 7,500 dwelling units, ranging from site evaluation studies to $100 million mixed-use construction projects for non-profit organizations, individuals, private developers, churches, and local governments to LHB’s portfolio.
LHB’s Housing Studio works with clients to design high quality housing for residents with a variety of needs. The studio is recognized for working with diverse communities and institutions to create projects that both reflect and strengthen their neighborhoods and campuses. LHB has successfully partnered with non-profit and for-profit housing developers as well as colleges and universities to renovate or newly construct over 9,600 dwelling units in the region. For more information: https://www.lhbcorp.com/who-we-serve/housing/
For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Rick Carter at 612.385.5182, Rick.Carter@LHBcorp.com or visit www.LHBcorp.com, LinkedIn, and Twitter @LHB_AEfirm.
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