Food & Beverage
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
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Fostering long-term partnerships, to ensure access for all.
Our ADA accessibility specialists guide clients on ADA Title III accessibility requirements for food and beverage (F&B) establishments. We assist retail companies with single sites and multiple sites, anywhere from 10 to 10,000+ properties.
LCM Architects has been providing accessibility consulting services to clients in the food and beverage (F&B) industry throughout the united states. Our team has surveyed over 10,500 F&B retail sites in the last 10 years.
Our goal is to foster long term relationships with our clients. For over 20 years, we have maintained our partnership with two of the top five america's multinational quick-serve restaurant chains providing ongoing consulting including training, design manual, prototype plan review, construction punch lists, existing facility surveys, new facility surveys and legal support.
FACTS & FIGURES
18 restaurant chains
10k quick-serve establisments
600+ restaurants and bars 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.
â– Investigation of the Federal and Local Regulations, Codes, Standards, and Policies
■Development or Review of Retailers’ Accessibility Design Guidelines
■ADA Title III Barrier Removal Plans – Private Institutions
â– ADA Compliance Plans
â– Facility Assessments/Audits
â– Exterior Route Assessments/Audit
â– Public-Right-of-Way Compliance Assessment/Audit
â– Vertical and Horizontal Access Assessment/Audit
■ADA Compliance Peer Reviews – Plan and Construction
â– Due Diligence
â– Employee Accommodation
â– Long Range Facility Barrier Removal Planning
â– Prioritization of Barrier Removal
â– Real Estate Portfolio Analysis
â– Prototype Review
â– Path of Travel Analysis
â– Cost Estimating
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.
UNIVERSAL / INCLUSIVE DESIGN AND CONSULTING
Our architecture and accessibility services naturally lend themselves to an inclusive design specialty. Following the Principles of Universal Design, we offer guidance on refining the minimum accessibility standards with design solutions that lead to universally usable environments, opening opportunities for many individuals to participate more fully in society.
FOOTPRINT
DOUG ANDERSON Partner
Doug is nationally recognized for his knowledge and interpretation of accessibility laws, standards, and codes. Doug served two terms on the U.S. Access Board. On the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A117.1 Accessibility Committee he contributes to the development of standards for future model building codes. Doug oversees the stategic accessibility consulting services for over 12 american restaurant chains.
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
GUADALUPE
ROMO
Lupe has dedicated her career to mastering the complexities of accessibility compliance. With over two decades of experience, she has earned the trust of numerous food & beverage chains nationwide, including Fortune 500 companies.Lupe has worked on projects with one of the largest american quick-serve restaurant chains, as well as standalone restaurant bars, and lodging industry restaurants.
QUALIFICATIONS
University of Illinois at Chicago, Bachelors of Arts in Architectural Studies
Harold Washington College, Chicago, Associates in Arts, With Honors
