UDM lecture sponsor Harley Ellis Devereaux celebrates 100 years
Harley Ellis Devereaux, a venerable Michigan-based architectural firm, is a strong sponsor of the University of Detroit Mercy's School of Architecture's 2008-2009 Lecture Series. The firm sponsored the lecture by James Timberlake '74, a nationally renowned architect. (See Timberlake profile.) Over the years, the firm has developed close ties with UDM.
According to Chief Marketing Officer Gary Skog, "We have been aware of the lecture series for some time now and our staff attends many of the lectures. We thought our sponsoring this lecture would be one way for us to support the UDM School of Architecture."
Harley Ellis Devereaux, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, made its initial mark with projects such as Stroh's Brewery and the Michigan State Fairgrounds. Over the past century, the firm has changed names several times, and survived the great depression and two world wars, but its focus is still "big plans and inspired growth," according to Skog. In the past decade, their revenue has increased steadily by offering increasingly specialized services.
Today, the firm, which has several offices in California and one in Chicago in addition to its Detroit hub, is known for its niche markets. Skog says, "We have four studios that specialize in market sectors: healthcare; science and technology; corporate and commercial, and education. In addition, each studio has a number of sub-specialty niches."
Healthcare, for example, specializes in cancer and surgical training centers, while science and technology deals with forensic centers as well as industrial technical centers. The corporate and commercial studio handles workplace projects and high-end retail. Finally, the education studio creates both K-12 work and complex university projects.
Diversification is another key to the firm's future."In general, we have always been growth-minded and see great opportunities emerging domestically and globally over the coming decades," Skog says. The firm shows no signs of slowing down, either. "For us this will mean more office locations, more market specialization, more unique services and more diversity of people and projects. They are all guided by continuing development of new technologies and a deepening commitment to the environment."
Notable recent projects across the country include: Lawrence Technical University Student Services Building in Southfield; University of Cincinnati Medical Science Building, and Program Management for Millennium Park, Chicago and Los Angeles County Forensic Complex. Currently, HED is hard at work on a wide variety of projects.
A highly abbreviated list includes the Chemistry Building at Wayne State University, and the Corporate and Commercial Port of Los Angeles Cruise Terminal. In Northern Michigan, Harley Ellis Devereaux has a team involved in Master Planning for Munson Hospital in Traverse City. Renovation work for Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago is also under way. There are many, many more projects.
UDM graduates are always welcome at Harley Ellis Devereaux. According to Skog, the firm is very pleased with the caliber of UDM's students. "We have hired many UDM grads over the decades and continue to do so," he says. "In fact, one of our most recent hires is a UDM grad. What we like about UDM students is their strong academic foundation combined with the practicalities of contemporary practice and their unique understanding of complex urban design issues. We also applaud the School's recent initiative in health care design."
The School of Architecture hosted the Harley Ellis Devereaux Corporation Centennial Lecture, Nov. 12 in collaboration with Lawrence Technological University (LTU).
