Recent Clients And Projects

Recent Clients And Projects

Arkansas Art Center (Little Rock, AR). Acted as the Architect Selection Advisor for renovation and expansion of the oldest art center in Arkansas. Provided advice on concept design, contracting practices, project management strategies, and selection of the project management firm. Prior services also included providing strategic planning consulting services, site evaluation, and program development . The Center is known for its focus on collecting works on paper, its popular temporary exhibitions, its Museum School and its Children’s Theater.

Asian Art Museum (San Francisco, CA). Provided project planning consulting services for the renovation and expansion of one of the most important Asian art museums in America.

Birmingham Museum of Art (Birmingham, AL). Led a visioning process and the creation of institutional goals and objectives. Other services include advising on expansion of existing museum as well as governance, capacity building, and organizational development.  Prepared Case Statement for expansion for use with city officials, business leaders and potential donors. Most recently, oversaw the architect selection process and, working with the architect and museum staff, assisted in the development of a master plan for the existing building and site.

City of San Francisco (San Francisco, CA). The Office of Economic and Workforce Development. Services included arts district planning for Central Market area, including research on catalytic projects and arts district development, stakeholder interviews, synthesis of data into best practices and recommendations for action items.

City of San Francisco (San Francisco, CA). The San Francisco Arts Commission. Acted as executive advisor planning for the future of the Bayview Opera House, a National Historic Landmark. Services included working with city agencies and community stakeholders in developing a plan for expanding the arts and cultural center’s capacity through a renovation project and through the development of a programmable public plaza.

de Young Museum (San Francisco, CA). Project Director for new 293,000 s.f. facility on 35 acre site in Golden Gate Park with $202 million total project budget. Managed all strategic and project planning for new museum, including site suitability & feasibility studies, economic impact & visitor analyses, and cost assessments.  Designed and managed the international architectural selection process.  Directed design and construction involving over 60 contracts, including consultant and contractor selection, contract preparation, negotiation and management; and project accounting.

EPACenter Arts, for the John & Marcia Goldman Foundation (San Francisco and East Palo Alto, CA). Provided project strategy and management of the project to create a youth arts and music center in East Palo Alto. Services included project planning and advising on all project development strategies while providing opportunities for youth education and development. Project involved extensive collaboration with local community stakeholders and city officials. Partnered with mack5 on providing comprehensive project management services, with mack5 taking leadership at the bidding and permitting phase into construction.

International Museum of Women (San Francisco, CA). Prepared case statement “Site Development Proposal 2007” for developers, donors, and city officials demonstrating capacity to undertake the project. Advised regarding project planning, site development and architect selection.

Joslyn Art Museum (Omaha, Nebraska). Currently providing advice on concept planning, design team management and general project planning for the renovation and expansion of the most important art museum in Nebraska. Services included acting as the Selection Advisor for selection of the Design Architect, Local Architect and key subconsultants.

Legion of Honor (San Francisco, CA). Project Director of seismic renovation, restoration and expansion of 120,000 s.f. historic landmark museum facility ($35 million project) with funding from a variety of public and private sources, including City bond funds, FEMA, NEA, foundations and private individuals.  Project received the State Historic Preservation Award.

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art (Memphis, Tenn.). Providing project planning support for a new building on a new site in downtown Memphis on the Mississippi River bluff. Advising has included programming, budget development, scheduling, and project strategy. Oversaw the international architect selection process for a Design Architect as well as the selection of the local Architect of Record.

Midtown Campus, City of Santa Fe (Santa Fe, NM). Was an invited member of a small team of professionals tasked with developing a planning strategy for a 60 acre parcel in central Santa Fe with a focus on re-use of existing building, new construction opportunities, and permanent programs/tenancies. Evaluations and recommendations to the Mayor and Board focused on housing, financing, project management as well as arts and culture temporary activations and tenants. Team included Jair Lynch, Daniel Hernandez, Marc Norman and Jamie Blosser, who organized the convening at the Santa Fe Art Institute.

Mint Project (San Francisco, CA). The restoration and conversion of an 1874 National Historic Landmark into a museum dedicated to the history of the San Francisco Bay Area and its global influence. Acted as Project Director, advised on clarifying the vision, space planning and project planning as well as managed working with historic preservation agencies and broadening community outreach.

Museum of Craft and Design (San Francisco, CA). Services include strategic planning process with Board, staff and stakeholders to create actionable goals and objectives.

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (Chicago, IL). Services included advising on master planning and development of new public engagement zones. Project also involves providing guidance in planning a new restaurant, public entry and theater lobby area, including advising and participating in the selection of the architectural teams.

Oakland Museum of California (Oakland, CA). Services include advising on overall project planning strategies for a target renovation project. Project also involves providing guidance on budget management, scheduling, contracts and team building along with program alignment.

Park Place (Birmingham, AL). Member of multi-disciplinary team that helped to plan the next phase of a Hope VI multi-income housing project and to make recommendations to community and Mayor re housing, retail, parks, pedestrian improvements and cultural opportunities.

SFJAZZ (San Francisco, CA). The development of a new major performing arts venue dedicated to the art of jazz.  Services include managing entitlements, city relationships, and advising on community outreach and representing organization in district-wide initiatives.

City of Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada). Prepared site analysis of the North False Creek district for incorporation of an art museum as an anchor for a cultural and mixed used neighborhood in partnership with Henriquez Partners of Vancouver.

Vancouver Art Gallery (British Columbia, Canada). Management consulting services include advising on planning strategies, governance and capacity building. Acted as the Architect Selection Advisor in an international selection process for both the Design Architect and Local Architect. Provided contract development, negotiation, and management strategies and assisted in the Concept Design phase for the new 300,000 s.f. museum building.

Chicago Architectural Foundation (Chicago, Illinois) Providing project planning advising services, including site selection, program development, exhibition designer selection, and exhibit concept design.

Friends of the Market (Birmingham, AL).  A team leader for a master planning charette First South to expand the farmers’ market and developing arts district known as Pepper Place.

Global Heritage Fund & Indus Trust (Palo Alto, CA and Pune, India). The creation of a start-up cultural center, including a museum and conservation center.  Services include advising on short and long-term governance structures, mission statement development, site evaluation and coordination of capital campaign with project planning.

950 Arts & Education Center(San Francisco, CA). Arts consultant advising on the development of a performing arts center at 950 Market Street, San Francisco. The client was the Tenderloin Economic Development Project who commissioned a feasibility study and program development for the center. Later, Community Initiatives and the San Francisco Foundation engaged Deborah as an advisor and member of the development team to incorporate the center within the mixed-use development undertaken by Group I. Worked with arts organizations to develop the space program, stabilize the arts community and attract active and diverse programming to the Center.

SOM (San Francisco, CA). The development of a new major arts venue in Shenzen, the Shekou Arts Center. Services included providing early concept advising and preparation of an initial space program.