Architects, Builders, and Remodelers
Architects
Choura Architecture
1 Barker Ave.
White Plains
(914) 686-7774
www.choura.com
You’ll find projects by Bana Choura-Loughran, AIA, in New York City, upstate New York, Italy, and the Middle East (in addition to her striking Westchester abodes). Her firm specializes in residential architecture, with services such as consulting, planning, site development and infrastructure, interior finishes, detailing, and material selection.
Edwin O. Elliott, AIA Architect
207 Edgewood Ave.
Pleasantville
(914) 747-5039
www.elliott-architects.com
When Edwin O. Elliott Jr., AIA, established his firm in January 1985, his major client was a design-build firm that needed an on-site architect for projects at Katonah’s Four Winds Hospital. All phases of the project, from preliminary design through construction administration, took place outside his window, giving him unique insight into the building process, experience that serves well this Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce 2005 Business Person of the Year. Elliott Architects’ services include feasibility studies, property analysis, building design, restoration, alterations, home additions, and new home construction.
Fivecat Studio: Architecture
48 Wheeler Ave.
Pleasantville
(914) 747-1177
www.fivecat.com
In 1999, at the tender age of 29, Mark LePage, AIA, co-founded the practice that would grow into the award-winning Fivecat Studio, the architecture firm he owns with his wife and partner, architect Annmarie McCarthy, AIA, NCARB. A year earlier, LePage was elected Associate Director of the Westchester/Mid-Hudson Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. So we weren’t surprised when LePage was named to The Business Council of Westchester’s “Forty Under Forty, Rising Stars,” class of 2005. Fivecat Studio provides complete architectural services for additions, renovations, and new homes.
Grandberg & Associates Architects
117 East Main St.
Mount Kisco
(914) 242-0033
Grandberg & Associates recently won accolades (from the AIA and from Faith and Form) for its design of the Stanwich Congregational Church in Greenwich, Connecticut, but the firm is still devoutly committed to residential projects. (Although the exquisite attention to detail that characterizes the talents of Ira Grandberg, AIA, and the firm’s additional eight architects can transform any home into a place of worship.) Grandberg’s specialty: complex home projects that appear to have been rooted in their current spot forever.
The Helmes Group
184 Katonah Ave.
Katonah
(914) 232-4633
www.thehelmesgroup.com
In 1952, Bruce P. Helmes, AIA, established his architectural practice; in 1985, his four sons—Peter Helmes, AIA, Steven Helmes, RA, Philip Helmes, PE, and Kevin Helmes—joined the firm, which was changed to The Helmes Group. Today, this family business offers more than 185 years of combined experience in complete architectural design, with services including (with its consultants) architectural, interior, and landscape design; site planning; general consulting; and structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering.
Kenneth R. Nadler Architects
103 S. Bedford Rd.
Mount Kisco
(914) 241-3620
www.nadlerarchitects.com
According to This Old House House, which named his firm to its Best Architects and Designers list in 2005, “Kenneth Nadler [AIA] cares as much about every interior detail of a renovation as he does about what you can see from the road.” You won’t be hard-pressed to find Nadler choosing light fixtures or furniture for his projects, something on which many architects pass. Looking for an example? This Old House House points to the time the architect combed the Metropolitan Museum of Art seeking inspiration for a chandelier for a Federal-style home’s entryway.
Michael Piccirillo Architect
3290 Lookout St.
Mohegan Lake
(914) 528-7416
www.mpiccirilloarchitect.com
Michael Piccirillo heads a full-service firm that handles all phases of architectural projects, from design to construction documentation, bidding and negotiations to construction administration. Projects have included a 300-foot poolhouse in Somers, a 1,700-square-foot addition to a Waccabuc home, and a 4,400-square-foot, Tudor-style residence in Chappaqua, complete with traditional exterior stucco, half timbers, and stone and slate roof. He is currently at work on a 7,400-square-foot shingle-style home in Cold Spring, New York.
Mitchell Koch Architects
145 Palisade St., Suite 324
Dobbs Ferry
(914) 674-0042
www.mkastudio.com
Mitchell Koch Architects brings together the building and architecture experience of principal Mitchell Koch, who was a contractor and master carpenter for 20 years prior to receiving his architectural degree from Pratt in 1991. Because of his hands-on building experience, the firm specializes in designs that reflect an understanding of materials and how they go together. Koch has some pretty impressive projects under his belt, including the restoration of a landmarked mansion on Central Park West, the design and construction of a beach house on Prince Edward Island, and various local additions and renovations.
The Office of Carol J.W. Kurth,
AIA, Architect PC
The Arcade Building
Bedford
(914) 234-2595
www.carolkurtharchitects.com
A member of both the AIA and ASID, Carol J. Weissman Kurth combines expertise in both architecture and interior design for projects boasting a strong attention to interior detail that harmonizes with the home’s overall design. Kurth’s work, which has won awards from the AIA and the National Society of American Registered Architects, has been published in Home, This Old House, Home Office Design, and Custom Home magazines, among others.
Osmolskis Architecture
162 Corlies Ave.
Pelham
(914) 738-5658
www.osmolskis.com
After working as an associate in several prominent New York City architectural offices, Paul Osmolskis, RA, started his own firm, which specializes in residential design and remodeling, in 1990. In addition to hands-on construction experience, Osmolskis also brings a strong technical background to his projects.
Peter Gisolfi Associates
566 Warburton Ave.
Hastings-on-Hudson
(914) 478-3677
www.petergisolfiassociates.com
Peter Gisolfi, AIA, ASLA, heads up this partnership of architects, interior architects, and landscape architects that has supplied design and planning since 1976. The design philosophy of the 45-person firm is to integrate buildings into their environments for balanced indoor and outdoor spaces. Peter Gisolfi Associates has received recognition for its restorations of older buildings that maintain their architectural features and character, such as the Castle at Tarrytown, our dream dinner destination.
R. Barry Goewey Architects PC
239 Lexington Ave.
Mount Kisco
(914) 666-3858
www.goeweyarchitects.com
R. Barry Goewey, AIA, specializes in new home design for residential construction, keeping a close eye on design solutions that fit a client’s budget—so much better than having someone pressure you to spend more than you want (and who hasn’t done that during a renovation?). The firm’s staff of eight includes a project manager, assistant project manager, several AutoCAD draftsmen, and blueprinting and administrative personnel.
R.S. Granoff Architects, PC
30 West Putnam Ave.
Greenwich, Connecticut
(203) 625-9460
reign of the tudors
While this Chappaqua Tudor echoes many elements of traditional Tudor architecture, architect Ken Andersen of R. S. Granoff Architects in Greenwich, Connecticut, was able to incorporate many distinctive design features to meet the needs of its owners, such as a stone and brick exterior and a porte-cochère.
If Richard Granoff’s name sounds familiar to you, perhaps you saw him on Good Morning America, where one of his projects was showcased. Or read his name in the New York Times, Fine Homebuilding, or Veranda. Or seen his work in our pages. Granoff, AIA, has become a top player on the Westchester/Fairfield county architecture scene, working on projects like new homes ranging from 3,000 to 30,000 square feet and larger, whole-house renovations, selective additions, historic restorations, landscape design, residential development, and sustainable green design. Based in Greenwich and Southampton, the firm’s professional staff of 25 includes architects, landscape architects, and interior designers who embrace Granoff’s philosophy that good architecture is balanced between respect for the past and excitement about the future.
Radoslav Opacic Architects
24 North Astor
Irvington
(914) 591-4306
www.opacicarchitects.com
Radoslav Opacic, AIA, brings to his work a design aesthetic influenced by the Italian Renaissance architecture of his native Croatia. This style and attention to detail have resulted in several AIA award-winning projects, including homes in Scarborough-on-Hudson, Irvington, Larchmont, and New York City.
Ralph R. Mackin, Jr. Architects,
PLLC, AIA
112 Titicus Rd.
North Salem
(914) 277-3152
www.mackinarchitects.com
Mackin’s clients are frequently asked if they’ve renovated a historic home—the
ultimate compliment for this architect, who works diligently to incorporate historic references into new and renovated homes. Mackin, AIA, not only designs exteriors, but has his hand in interior details as well, including cabinets and trim details (such as mantles, wainscoting, and stairs), lighting, hardware, doors, and flooring. The firm even works with clients to choose stone and tile and design its layout prior to construction (during which phase, Mackin remains in contact with the contractor and owner).
Richard Kotz
40 Bedford Rd.
Armonk, NY
(914) 273-1806
Prior to establishing his full-service architectural practice in 1992, Richard Kotz, AIA, was the designer for Trump Palace, the tallest condominium high-rise on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. (We can’t imagine a more demanding client than The Donald.) He has also has worked with such architectural trailblazers as Philip Johnson and John Burgee Architects on corporate office towers throughout the U.S. Today, homes with traditional styles, such as Georgian Colonials and shingle-style manor homes, are a specialty.
Stephen Tilly, Architect
22 Elm St.
Dobbs Ferry
(914) 693-8898
www.stillyarchitect.com
Tilly’s focus on renewable energy in the 1970s has broadened into a concern for the environmental and public-health consequences of development and architectural design decisions, an area receiving plenty of attention in 2008. The firm provides a full scope of services, including feasibility and zoning studies, architectural design, interior design and furnishings, site planning, and landscape and garden design (its in-house landscape-design capability means that the firm can work holistically, a main objective). Tilly, AIA, offers up-to-the-minute information about energy, environmental, and health issues that affect proposed construction projects during the early design stages. The firm’s other principal concentrations are preservation and rehabilitation.
Sullivan Architecture PC
31 Mamaroneck Ave.
White Plains
(914) 761-6006
www.sullivanarch.com
Sullivan Architecture provides site planning and architectural design services focused directly on the needs of the end user: the people who will ultimately be working, living, playing, or passing through the spaces the firm designs. Architectural services include space analysis, design, and bidding and construction administration. Site-planning services include land-use and zoning analysis, master planning, site design, rezoning procedures, and municipal approvals.
VKS Architects
PO Box 696
Katonah
(914) 232-9828
www.vksa.com
VKS Architects handles a wide range of projects, including kitchen and bathroom remodels and new home construction, offering a full range of architectural and project-management services, such as design, master planning, feasibility analysis, interior design, and project management.
Builders & Remodelers
4V Construction Corp.
979 Main St.
New Rochelle
(914) 235-8300
www.4vconstruction.com
Construction, apparently, wasn’t enough for 4V Construction Corp., a design/build firm in New Rochelle, which launched a handyman division last year with three dedicated full-time employees. The payoff on these smaller jobs has been surprisingly lucrative: 4V recently transformed what was originally a $700 door-repair job into a $250,000 addition. Named in 2007 to Qualified Remodeler Magazine’s Top 500 Remodelers List and a recipient of Remodeling Magazine’s prestigious Big50 Award in 2006, 4V offers the total package, from designing, liaising with consultants, and obtaining all necessary permits to carrying out all building works.
American Home Improvement
6 O’Connor Ct.
Montrose
(914) 522-7719
www.kitchenanew.com
Specializing in kitchen and bath renovations, Frank Massello and Nick Peluso have established themselves among the premiere contractors in the area. They’ve won the Westchester Building Association and National Kitchen & Bath Association’s National Contractor of the Year awards six times and have received further honors for their stately kitchens and baths. Massello has passed the Certified Design Criterion set by the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), and both owners remain actively involved in the kitchen and bath industry (making them well-informed sources when deciding on refrigerator placement so that the plumber won’t have put its installation on ice). American Home Improvement’s work has been published in the New York Daily News, Gannett Newspapers, and Fine Homebuilding, among others.
Boniello Land & Realty Ltd.
10 Country Hollow Dr.
Amawalk
(914) 245-9000
www.boniellolandandrealty.com
Gus Boniello Sr. created Boniello Land & Reality, passing along to his four sons the lessons gleaned from countless construction projects in
Cortlandt Contracting Corp.
976 McLean Ave.
Yonkers
(914) 523-3118
www.cortlandtcorp.com
Cortlandt Contracting President Paul Hartigan has more than 15 years experience in the construction industry, starting with a college degree in Quantity Surveying (precision estimating) from Limerick College in Ireland. After crossing the pond and working for a number of years at a large general-contracting company in New York City, Hartigan set up shop for himself, establishing the fully licensed and insured Cortlandt Contracting. Whether it’s a whole-house renovation or a brand-new kitchen or bathroom, the company focuses as much on communication as it does on construction, keeping lines open with architects, sub-contractors, and, most important, clients.
Cappelli Enterprises
115 Stevens Ave.
Valhalla
(914) 769-6500
www.cappelli-inc.com
If you live in the county, no doubt you know of Cappelli Enterprises. And if you don’t, no doubt you’ve benefited from one of Louis Cappelli’s projects (you’ve bowled at New Roc City, eaten at City Center, or parked at Westchester Airport or Westchester County Medical Center, haven’t you?). Cappelli Enterprises is a prominent force in real-estate development and general construction, having developed more than 10 million square feet of mixed use, retail, waterfront, single and multi-family residential, office building, industrial laboratory, and parking facilities, with a portfolio value exceeding $1 billion. No doubt you’ll be hearing more of them.
Cornerstone Construction of Larchmont
21 North Ave.
Larchmont
(914) 834-9700
www.cornerstoneoflarchmont.com
In business since 1992, Cornerstone Construction of Larchmont has a brag book of repeat customers who come back—and back again—for their new projects. Why? This design/build firm provides an ample array of services, from architectural design to high-end construction, specializing in bath and kitchen remodels and both small- and large-scale renovations and additions. Cornerstone owns its equipment and employs a large in-house staff of skilled craftsmen—all the better to meet deadlines and stay within budget.
JEM Design, Inc.
834 Scarsdale Ave.
Scarsdale
(914) 723.3655
www.jemdesign.com
Put two architects together and you get an architecture firm, right? Not exactly. James E. Miller, AIA, principal of JEM Design, and his partner, Lanny R. Lerner, RA, not only have impressive architectural experience behind them, but heaps of construction under their belts, too. Both licensed architects and licensed and insured contractors (and professional kitchen designers, to boot), Miller and Lerner trade in the thinking caps they wear during the design process for hard hats during the construction phase, bringing to projects the dual perspective that home renovators are often hard-pressed to find.
M.J.S. Contracting Corp.
172 Clinton Ave.
New Rochelle
(914) 636-5262
www.mjscontractingcorp.com
Renovating may not be a party, but M.J.S. Contracting Corp. has raised the roof—literally. Established primarily as a masonry-contracting firm, M.J.S. has turned its focus to residential remodeling, functioning primarily as a general contractor (but still specializing in masonry and carpentry). With more than 15 whole-house renovations completed in the area—and 30 baths and 10 kitchens remodeled each year—M.J.S. literally has its hands full. New Rochelle residents are probably familiar with projects carried out by Stephen Moliterno and his father, Carmine “Mel” Moliterno, including those at New Rochelle schools, Beckwith Pointe beach club, and the offices of WVOX radio station.
Murphy Brothers Contracting, Inc.
416 Waverly Ave.
Mamaroneck
(914) 777-5777
www.murphybrothers.com
Murphy Brothers Contracting is a high-end, full-service general contractor specializing in new construction, renovations, additions, and historic restorations. Founded in 1979 by brothers Chris and Sean Murphy, the firm has grown far from its beginnings as a Larchmont-based residential remodeler, today employing more than 40 people with a wide variety of experience and expertise. Services include general contracting to construction management and owner representative services. Murphy Brothers’ portfolio highlights distinctive homes and clubs nestled along the shore of Long Island Sound.
MyHome
74 South Moger Ave.
Mount Kisco
(914) 244-9099/(800) 730-0213
www.myhomeus.com
See Kitchens & Bath Category, page 62.
New Dimensions Remodeling
466 Lexington Ave.
Mount Kisco
(914) 241-1773
www.newdimensionsremodeling.com
A full-service design/build company, New Dimensions Remodeling handles all facets of residential renovation, from consultation to design, project management to construction. Each employee and craftsmen is selected based on his or her background in residential remodeling. The company understands what it’s like to live through construction—which has direct benefits for harried homeowners who sometimes begin to wonder if they could have lived with their 1950s kitchen for a few more years.
