Academic Institutions
ADA STRATEGIC CONSULTING
ABOUT OUR FIRM
Big Picture. Small Details. All Inspired.
In 1996, three architects, Richard Lehner, John H. Catlin, and Douglas Mohnke founded LCM Architects. The core practice was architecture; however, these three visionary architects saw a need within our industry and made an intentional choice to offer a specialty service – accessibility consulting.
Douglas Anderson brought his extensive experience to the firm in 1998, and cultivated LCM’s industry-leading expertise in strategic accessibility planning for a variety of clients from Fortune 500 companies, Ivy League Institutions, and a variety of multi-site retail stores, restaurants, and renowned international hotel and resort chains.
Our staff of sixty-plus dedicated professionals is made up of licensed architects, designers, certified accessibility specialists, and support staff. Our unique blend of skills in architectural design and accessibility consulting enables us to provide quality design, technical accuracy, and cost-effective strategies to help our clients make informed decisions. Together, we share in the mission to create built environments that support an inclusive society.
FACTS & FIGURES
28 years in business
60+ professionals
ACCESSIBILITY CONSULTING
The nation’s leading resource for strategic ADA and FHA accessibility solutions.
Devotion to eliminating limitations for people with disabilities puts LCM Architects at the forefront of accessibility and inclusive design consulting. Central to our core values is the built environment should adapt to people rather than people having to adapt to the physical environment.
As a licensed architecture firm, LCM understands the design aesthetics and business implications of modifications. Our recommendations outline reasonable, cost effective strategies to assist clients in making informed decisions that meet the regulations while integrating design and accessibility.
Our personal and professional experience with disability and the federal agencies responsible for developing and ensuring accessibility laws offers unique insights into the requirements and their interpretation. Leaders of LCM have served on boards and committees involved in establishing, revising, or adapting the federal ADA Guidelines, ANSI A117.1 Standards, and state and local accessibility codes.
The Department of Justice, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, municipal agencies and offices for people with disabilities, clients, and other architecture firms trust LCM as a leading resource on design and construction related accessibility matters.
Our specialists
are knowledgeable with federal, state, and local accessibility guidelines.
Our staff is at the forefront of developing and revising ADA accessibility guidelines and standards. Appointed by U.S Presidents, LCM Partners Jack Catlin, FAIA (1947 - 2023), and Doug Anderson both served on the U.S. Access Board. They served on committees responsible for the revision of the ADA 1991 Accessibility Guidelines resulting in the 2010 ADA Accessibility Standards, including Guidelines for Outdoor Developed Areas; Guidelines for Public Rights of Way; and Guidelines for Passenger Vessels.
On the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A117.1 Accessibility Committee, Doug currently serves on the Accessibility Committee and is the Chair of the Accessible Bathing Task Force.
MARKETS
Academic Aviation
Civic & Cultural Corporate
Cruise Lines
Financial Institutions
Food & Beverage
Federal & Municipal
Healthcare
Hospitality
Litigation
Multifamily Housing
Parks & Recreation
Performance & Sports Venues
Retail
Transportation
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
ADA Title III Physical Access Plan and Implementation
ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
Facilitating program accessibility to broaden educational access.
LCM Architects has provided strategic accessibility consulting to primary and secondary schools as well as college and university campuses throughout the U.S. Our scope of work ranges from assessing an existing facility to managing the assessment of campuses with hundreds of buildings parking lots, and exterior routes.
LCM has assisted public and private universities to achieve program accessibility compliance and develop plans for the ongoing removal of barriers on campus in order to comply with ADA Title II or Title III accessibility requirements. These plans become a long-term road map for facilities planning and scheduling for future alterations, renovations, and new construction on a single campus or for a multi-campus university system.
FACILITY TYPES
Academic
Athletic / Recreation
Child Care
Dining
Housing
Laboratory
Library
Medical Office
Performance / Assembly
Places of Worship
Stadiums
Parking
FACTS & FIGURES
576 academic campus sites
1500+ facilities audited/surveyed
ADA STRATEGIC CONSULTING
Our accessibility specialists are your strategic partners in delivering equitable solutions for physical access and offering cost-effective recommendations for barrier removal and accessibility improvements.
■ Investigation of the Federal and Local Regulations, Codes, Standards, and Policies
■ Development or Review of the Institution’s Accessibility Design Guidelines
■ ADA Title II Transition Plans – State and Local Institutions
■ ADA Title III Barrier Removal Plans – Private Institutions
■ ADA Compliance Plans
■ Prioritization of Barrier Removal
■ Facility Assessments/Audits
■ Exterior Route Assessments
■ ADA Compliance Peer Reviews – Plan and Construction
■ Employee Accommodation
■ Long Range Facility Barrier Removal Planning
■ Stakeholder Feedback/Input Moderation & Facilitation
■ Program Accessibility Evaluation
ADA COMPLAINTS AND SETTLEMENTS SUPPORT
We offer subject matter expert, testifying expert, neutral third-party, and Independent Licensed Architect services, guiding clients through litigation or consent decree agreements.
ARCHITECTURAL SUPPORT
LCM provides technical guidance through generated presentations and webinars to train facility operations personnel, property managers, and architects.
ADA PRESENTATIONS, TRAINING, AND WEBINARS
LCM provides technical guidance through generated presentations and webinars to train facility operations personnel, property managers, and architects.
OHIO
ADA Title II Transition Plan
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
ADA Title III Accessibility Consulting
UNIVERSAL / INCLUSIVE DESIGN AND CONSULTING
We offer design and/or consult on strategies that integrate the Principles of Universal Design. Our process explores innovative solutions that consider the diversity of physical human abilities. We provide guidance on exceeding the minimum accessibility standards with design solutions that lead to universally usable environments.
SELECT CLIENTS
Higher Education Institutions
City Colleges of Chicago
Emory University
Goucher College
Hanover College
Illinois Institute Technology (Illinois Tech)
Ivy League Universities (4)
Lehigh University
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Missouri State University
Northwestern University
Ohio University
Sarah Lawrence College
University of Chicago
University of Illinois Chicago
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University of Iowa
University of Notre Dame
University of Southern California
Primary and Secondary
Education Institutions
Chicago Public Schools
Hawaii Baptist Academy
Loyola Academy
Langston Hughes Elementary School
Philip J. Rock Center and School
Private Boarding School
The Children’s School
Partner
DOUG ANDERSON
Doug has served as an expert in ADA and FHA cases, and cultivated LCM’s industry-leading expertise Having served on the U.S. Access Board and American National Standards Institute Accessibility Committee, Doug is recognized nationwide for his expertise in accessibility laws, codes, and standards.
QUALIFICATIONS
CASp (Certified Access Specialist Professional), California
Registered Accessibility Specialist, Texas
American National Standards Institute, A117.1 Accessibility Committee, since 2015; Accessible Bathing Task Group, since 2020
Illinois Attorney General / Capital Development Board, Illinois
Accessibility Code Revisions Committee
Senior Associate
ELIZABETH ZAVERDAS
Liz is dedicated to enhancing the livability of built environments for everyone , with a particular emphasis on accessibility and sustainability. With her wealth of experience and knowledge, she has collaborated with higher education institutions across the country, including a prestigious Ivy League university. Recently, she was a featured speaker at the National Association of College and University Attorneys Annual Conference.
QUALIFICATIONS
ADA Coordinator, Training Certification Program, In progress
American Institute of Architects, Associate; AIA Chicago Accessibility Committee
