Owner’s Representation | Property Condition Assessment | Repair | Reconstruction Services | Sustainability | Structural Engineering | Accessibility | Construction Loan Services
Architecture, Engineering & Construction Consultants
Denver | Seattle | San Francisco | Pasadena | Orange County | Dallas | Houston | Atlanta | New York
Property Condition Assessment
Owner’s Representation
Rest assured. Today and tomorrow.
Minimize project risk. Maximize return.
Repair | Reconstruction Services It’s in the details.
Construction Loan Services Take us to the bank.
Sustainability
The big, green picture.
Accessibility
Structural Engineering
Improve, maintain and preserve.
Find compliance clarity.
Collaborative consulting and realistic solutions for property investments. Marx|Okubo is a national AEC consulting firm that works with real estate owners, investors and lenders —AT EVERY POINT OF THE PROPERTY LIFECYCLE—
to evaluate their building projects,
solve complex challenges and
implement tailored solutions.
We help clients understand their projects’ complexities, so they can make more informed decisions and, ultimately, mitigate their risk.
Broad practical expertise. Local market insights.
THE FIRM BEGAN IN 1982 WITH A SIMPLE MISSION:
Use pragmatic construction expertise to solve problems in a troubled real estate market.
From its beginnings as a small, locally focused organization, our firm has transformed into a national architecture and engineering consultancy with offices coast to coast.
Acting as an impartial affiliate to keep everyone accountable, Marx|Okubo brings together two key components:
BROAD PRACTICAL EXPERTISE
&
LOCAL MARKET AWARENESS.
Openly and collaboratively, we provide greater perspective,
integrate with existing project teams,
synthesize critical information
and deliver what our clients need to make intelligent decisions.
As environments and rules have changed, Marx|Okubo has also adapted and evolved. Building on the collective power of integrity and excellence, we have strategically broadened our team, capabilities and geographical areas to serve
the commercial development, financial services and construction industries.
TODAY OUR FIRM PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING CONSULTING SERVICES TO A DIVERSE AND GROWING CLIENTELE WORLDWIDE.
National reach. Local approach.
Over the past few decades, Marx|Okubo has worked on thousands of diverse architecture, engineering & construction consulting projects
from coast to coast.
During that time, we have
grown our technical talent,
strengthened our network of experts
and opened new offices to serve clients throughout the U.S.
Our entrenched regional teams know that real estate projects are all about location. And for that you can count on local insight from licensed architects and engineers who know local construction practices as well as expert, integral consultants in your area. Marx|Okubo brings together diverse internal resources and collaborative community relationships to deliver exacting standards for each and every complex construction endeavor.
Services
Material insight. Solid solutions.
Services
finance
THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT— project management construction
design development
& other elements
engineering
architecture
—IS AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM.
Therefore we consider it a prerequisite to provide cohesive services that cover critical aspects of your multifaceted project. Marx|Okubo works on behalf of building owners, lenders and equity investors to bring valuable, realistic solutions to the complexities within each variable real estate investment. We consult to limit your exposure now, giving you greater confidence in your decisions for the future.
Our multidisciplinary regional teams include experienced, licensed architects and engineers who leverage core architecture, engineering and construction expertise and collaborate with top-tier industry consultants to deliver a comprehensive, highly qualified service set, including:
Owner’s Representation
Minimize project risk. Maximize return.
Repair | Reconstruction Services It’s in the details.
Construction Loan Services Take us to the bank.
Property Condition Assessment Rest assured. Today and tomorrow.
Sustainability
The big, green picture.
Accessibility
Structural Engineering
Improve, maintain and preserve.
Find compliance clarity.
Services
Owner’s Representation
Minimize project risk. Maximize return. A DEDICATED ADVOCATE FOR YOUR INVESTMENT. As an owner’s representative, Marx|Okubo acts as the owner’s advocate to keep projects on schedule and on budget, while also minimizing project execution risks to meet investment objectives. With a national platform n and scopes owner’s representation services to meet the needs of a and skilled staff, Marx|Okubo scales diverse client and project universe. Whether working as a key advisory member of a project team, focusing on constructability issues and monitoring progress and quality, or taking a more active role as construction project manager, Marx|Okubo tailors its efforts to support and augment the investor or project teams’ strengths and weaknesses. Our teams help align interests and facilitate collaboration, ultimately executing a well-constructed, quality project. Our range of owner’s representation services may include: • Definition and refinement of project scope and budget • Professional team scope/qualifications and selection • Construction document oversight and coordination • Construction document peer reviews • Bid process oversight and evaluation • Contract negotiations • Construction observation and reviews • Schedule and contract management • Pay application/project draw processing • Project closeout/punch list and warranty reviews
Services
Property Condition Assessment Rest assured. Today and tomorrow. A MORE PRECISE PROPERTY PICTURE. Marx|Okubo’s property condition assessment (PCA) services are predicated on giving real estate owners, investors and lenders an accurate picture of what a property‘s capital needs will be in the short and long term. Our staff of licensedn architects and civil, structural and mechanical engineers deliver detailed, impartial reports that can help building owners and investors gain a clear, informed understanding of current and future capital risks and benefits. Marx|Okubo also maintains a strong network of the industry’s top specialty consultants in areas such as vertical transportation, roofing, fire/life safety, building envelope and other disciplines for situations where a more specific detailed review of building systems or components is required. In addition, we offer facilities condition assessments (FCAs) to meet the asset management and capital reserve planning needs of our local, state and federal government clients. As we understand the nuances involved in assessing large and small government real estate portfolios, we have extensive experience tailoring our FCA reports to the specific needs of institutional clients as well as government organizations. While all of our services meet the general requirements of the ASTM E2018-15 baseline protocols for most lender circumstances, our strength lies in delving much deeper than minimum requirements as we clearly understand the risks a property owner or equity investor faces if large capital surprises occur. Think of our consultancy as documented assurance that you are making the most informed property decisions possible. Property condition assessment services for both acquisition and disposition can include: • Site and parking structure reviews • Building envelope reviews • Building systems analyses • Seismic evaluations
• Accessibility reviews • Sustainability reviews • Specialty consultant integration • Lifecycle costs
Services
Repair | Reconstruction Services It’s in the details.
GETTING TO—AND SOLVING—THE ROOT CAUSE. Whether it’s the age of the building, poor maintenance or faulty construction, the reasons for failure are not always obvious. And, typically, neither is the solution. Marx|Okubo helps clients understand the complex n issues and domino effects involved in repair and reconstruction by investigating the underlying causes of failure and researching materials and corrective construction methods. Our integrated teams also produce documents and specifications for bid and consult on preventive fixes, such as accessibility upgrades, structural retrofits, waterproofing projects and other capital efforts. Specific repair and reconstruction services include: • Detailed condition assessments • Investigative and destructive testing • Discussions with property maintenance and engineering staff • Research for viable and cost-effective solutions • Preparation of corrective drawings and specifications • Preparation of contracts and bid documents
Services
Sustainability
The big, green picture. SUSTAINABLE PROPERTIES: INCREASED BUILDING VALUE. Green design is becoming a standard solution for reducing the long-term operating costs of a property and adding greater efficiencies and value to the built environment for the next generation. Providing sustainability n consulting on both new construction and existing property projects, Marx|Okubo’s sustainability teams help owners, investors and lenders determine the sustainability potential of a property and life-cycle cost benefits; navigate government regulations and environmental certifications; and comply with sustainability benchmarking and reporting initiatives. Sustainability services can include: • Green property condition assessments • LEED existing building (EBOM) gap analysis • Building commissioning and retro-commissioning services • Energy and water audits/benchmarking • Pre-construction sustainability reviews • Indoor air quality audits • Building resiliency and natural hazard risk analysis • Healthy building certifications • Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmarking (GRESB) consulting
Services
Structural Engineering
Improve, maintain and preserve. IMPROVING, MAINTAINING AND PRESERVING YOUR VALUABLE ASSETS. Marx|Okubo’s Structural Engineering Group (SEG) knows your real estate portfolio is a substantial investment, and growing its short- and long-term value means staying on top of the property’s physical condition in n order to properly improve, maintain and preserve it. Our specialized in-house group is staffed with licensed structural and civil engineers who have expertise in all aspects of analysis and design and can evaluate a building’s condition, diagnose causes of degradation or failure, conduct seismic assessments and develop strategies to renovate, repair or retrofit, as well as perform new construction services and resiliency studies. Working with Marx|Okubo, real estate owners, lenders and private equity groups get access to and insight from architects and engineers who are on staff. As our firm is multidisciplinary and takes 360-degree approach, our experienced/credentialed Structural Engineering Group is already informed and trained to consider the bigger-picture—the industry and all disciplines involved, local economies and competition—in order to reduce your risk, maximize your investment and ensure nothing is missed. In the process, we are keenly aware and respectful of our industry’s demand for accountability—to adhere to budgets and schedules with attention to detail. Our structural engineering services include: Construction Services • Structural repair/retrofit design and consultation • Structural preliminary project review • Constructability studies • Peer review Assessment Services • Structural condition assessment • Seismic/wind evaluation and risk assessment • Earthquake resiliency studies
Forensic Investigation • Construction defects • Structural damage • Foundation settlement
Services
Accessibility
Find compliance clarity. ACCURATE UNDERSTANDING FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND DESIGN TEAMS. Marx|Okubo serves as an impartial reviewer of a project’s accessibility compliance. While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Federal Fair Housing Act (FFHA) are more than 25 years old, accessibility n compliance remains a challenging prospect for many property owners. Even in new construction, overlapping requirements can bewilder owners, designers, architects and engineers. Non-compliance items involve serious questions of cost and risk analysis. Property owners are best served by an accurate understanding of which accessibility codes, standards and regulations truly apply to their buildings and which portions of a property must be upgraded to meet current requirements. Marx|Okubo can provide owners clarity about conformity with federal laws and, ultimately, a plan of action through an opinion of cost, timeline scenarios, and even drawings, project bidding and management. Our range of accessibility services include: • Americans with Disabilities Act compliance reviews (Title III) • ADA Title II accessibility transition plans • Federal Fair Housing Act compliance reviews • Certified Access Specialist (CASp) - California-specific inspections • Accessibility plan review and plan check for design teams • Accessibility project management and owner’s representation • Accessibility construction monitoring • Accessibility code/standards consulting • Construction documents for accessibility repairs • Litigation support and expert witness services
Services
Construction Loan Services Take us to the bank.
DIRECTING AND MONITORING DISBURSEMENTS TO POWER YOUR PROJECT. Every construction project requires careful controls to stay within budget and on schedule. With experience gained on thousands of construction projects throughout North America, the professionals at Marx|Okubo n are versed in tracking and documenting loan disbursements and project-team payments to keep building construction as efficient and financially sound as possible. Specific loan construction services include: • Pre-construction feasibility reports • Construction progress observations • Monthly draw disbursement monitoring • Change order reviews • Scheduling/permitting/testing and inspection status • Workout services
Projects
National reach. Local approach.
Projects: Park Place
CLIENT
Principal Global Investors
LOCATION
Irvine, California
SERVICES
Property Condition Assessment
At approximately 2.2 million square feet of building area, Park Place is one of the largest modern office campuses in Orange County—one of the few true work-live-play communities in Southern California. Working under a compressed time frame, Marx|Okubo delivered independent reports for each campus building and merged project costs into one accessible document while also coordinating the work of multiple outside specialty consultants.
Projects: Queen Mary
CLIENT
Queen Mary
LOCATION
Long Beach, California
SERVICES
Disabled Accessibility Review; Creation of Repair Documents; Construction Administration
Working with challenges, including the historic nature of the Queen Mary, now operating as a hotel, as well as the ship’s “slope” and tide fluctuation, the Marx|Okubo team provided permit repair documents to address immediate accessibility deficiencies, which added way finding and accessibility signage. We also developed creative, non-traditional verification and drawing documentation for the ship’s unique conditions, meeting the intent of the code while taking into consideration existing physical and historical constraints of the ship.
Projects: Desmond Tower
CLIENT
Brookfield Properties
LOCATION
Los Angeles, California
SERVICES
Property Condition Assessment
Built in the late 1920s, the historic Desmond Tower, located along the Miracle Mile, consists of an 11-story tower and a two-story base building. The property is most noted for its Art Deco landmark tower, which was designed by famous architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood. Although the historic structure was constructed in a time when building systems were simple, this actually makes future renovations more complicated. For example, this office building is built of cast-in-place concrete and concrete masonry units (CMU) in-filled with concrete and rebar. Exterior-wall finishes mix everything from painted plaster to bas-relief in the facade, while interior finishes range from gypsum board walls to polished concrete, terrazzo and vinyl flooring. Marx|Okubo assessed this unique property for redevelopment, which was a challenge due to the historic nature of the building and the unique configuration of the small floor plate within the tower.
Projects: Hollywood 959
CLIENT
Bentall Kennedy
LOCATION
Los Angeles, California
SERVICES
Pre-closing Documents and Lender’s Review Services; Seismic Risk Assessment (SRA); Construction Loan Monitoring
Marx|Okubo teamed up with a leading design-build-own entity to reinvent this high-profile property. Hollywood 959 is designed with a colorful curtain-wall facade and barrel vault roof inspired by the site’s storied past. The project had a challenging schedule and location positioned between Hollywood production facilities and a residential neighborhood. Marx|Okubo’s services included a detailed pre-construction review of the budget, schedule and other construction documents coupled with periodic project observation for the construction lender.
Projects: Westgate Parking Structure
CLIENT
UBS Realty Investors, LLC
LOCATION
Corona, California
SERVICES
Owner’s Representation
This multi-stakeholder project required a complicated parking structure design due to various easements and other constrictions. Marx|Okubo completed the project in four phases: pre-design (initial documents review, city agency research, parking feasibility study, engagement of geotech and surveyor; design (select architect and coordinate drawings for plancheck submission); bidding (select bidding contractors, distribute bid documents, select bidder, negotiate construction contract); and construction administration (site visits, RFI review, change order review, tenant coordination during construction, project punchlist and close-out). Marx|Okubo completed the project smoothly, minimizing disruption to the tenants in the occupied office building and without significant conflicts with the adjacent freeway construction crews.
Projects: Newport Plaza
CLIENT
Equity Office
LOCATION
Newport Beach, California
SERVICES
Energy Audits; Retro Commissioning
This Equity Office-owned modern commercial building was not functioning efficiently enough. After performing an energy audit, Marx|Okubo determined that various systems and building components needed re-calibration or upgrading to allow the building’s performance to match the quality of its architectural design. Under tight time constraints, due to a pending sale of the property, our California team led a retrocommissioning effort to minimize Newport Plaza’s energy footprint and to help keep operating costs in line.
Projects: Sempra Energy
CLIENT
CGA Capital Corporation
LOCATION
San Diego, California
SERVICES
Project Design Review; Seismic Risk Assessment (SRA); Construction Loan Monitoring
After reviewing the construction budget, schedule and drawings for potential issues and general coordination, Marx|Okubo took on SRA and loan monitoring for this urban office tower. Engineering challenges include navigating groundwater issues, such as dewatering for the subterranean parking garage; constructing around three historic buildings, including Fire Station No. 4; and implementing sustainable design strategies for LEED Gold certification.
Projects: St. Michael’s Abbey
CLIENT
St. Michael’s Abbey
LOCATION
Silverado, California
SERVICES
Project Design Review; Owner’s Representation
This unique project site, located in a sparsely populated area with limited utilities, required the building to be designed with a 500-year lifespan. Taking on the challenge, Marx|Okubo started with a review of design development and construction documents, and moved into owner’s representation by facilitating monthly OAC design coordination meetings; tracking the master budget and schedule; coordinating commissioning work with the design team; and proposing strategies for exceeding seismic code requirements and natural disaster preparation, as well as reducing operating expenses.
Projects: Saguaro Affordable Housing
CLIENT
Families Forward
LOCATION
Lake Forest, California
SERVICES
Sustainability Repair Design; Project Management
Families Forward, a non-profit organization serving homeless families in Orange County, needed to rehabilitate a recently purchased affordable housing development to provide a safe, healthy environment for families. Marx|Okubo provided pro-bono services to assess the building and develop a rehabilitation scheme, which included a budget-friendly sustainability program. Focusing on water conservation and thermal performance, we added modern water-conserving plumbing fixtures, drought-tolerant landscaping and an efficient drip-irrigation system, which will position the property to exceed federal water conservation requirements. Additionally, Marx|Okubo improved building envelope thermal performance by replacing all glazing with efficient dual-pane windows and sliding doors as well as significantly upgrading wall and roof insulation.
Projects: Los Angeles Retail Center
CLIENT
Withheld
LOCATION
Los Angeles County, California
SERVICES
Disabled Accessibility Review
This large multi-tenant retail center houses approximately 620,000 square feet of retail space on an approximately 70-acre site. The Marx|Okubo team performed site inspections over multiple days to provide a comprehensive list of non-compliance issues, projected time frames for addressing these issues as well as an estimate of costs. Marx|Okubo also served to provide a third-party review of a previous CASp inspection report for a portion of the property, identifying and clarifying issues that did not need to be addressed based on the applicable standards.
Projects: California Retail Center
CLIENT
Withheld
LOCATION
Los Angeles County, California
SERVICES
Project Design Review; Disabled Accessibility Review
As a part of the redevelopment of a former aerospace industrial plant and film studio property into a 665,000-square-foot retail center, the project developer retained Marx|Okubo to perform an accessibility review of the site plans and several on-site reviews during the course of construction to verify that site features and path of travel were compliant with applicable standards. The Marx|Okubo team was able to additionally serve as an on-call advisor, assisting the architect and the developer with recommendations for the inclusion of accessible electric vehicle charging stations.
Leadership
Broad practical expertise. Local market insights.
Leadership
NAME
Leo James Marx, AIA, NCARB
LOCATION
Denver, Colorado
POSITION
Executive Chairman
Jim Marx is Founder and Executive Chairman of Marx|Okubo. He established the company in 1982 and has successfully led Marx|Okubo to its current national status. With over 40 years of architectural, development and construction-related experience in all property types, Jim is responsible for coordinating and overseeing large, multi-layered projects in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. His expertise in the project and construction management process, including contract preparation and review, project scheduling, job costing, feasibility studies, on-site construction observation, construction litigation and coordination of related project consultants, has resulted in continued success and millions of dollars worth of savings for Marx|Okubo’s clients over the years. Jim holds a bachelor of architecture degree and has completed advanced studies in the urban and regional planning department from University of Colorado. He is a licensed architect in Colorado, Georgia, California, Massachusetts and Tennessee, and is certified with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. Jim is also a member of the American Institute of Architects, Construction Specification Institute and Urban Land Institute. jim_marx@marxokubo.com
Leadership
NAME
Parrish S. Boren
LOCATION
Denver, Colorado
POSITION
President/CEO
Parrish Boren, President/CEO, has been with Marx|Okubo for more than 20 years. Directing all financial and operational concerns, he has been a key part of growing the firm to a national platform. He has over 25 years of experience in management and commercial real estate, including contract negotiations, asset management, redevelopment/development and brokerage, involving over 10 million square feet of commercial space and 30,000 multifamily units. Previously Parrish served as an executive with a national multifamily firm and for an institutional real estate investor. He is proficient in the economic analysis of all commercial and multifamily property types and real estate ventures, including sensitivity, redevelopment analysis, loan modifications, operating strategies and distressed work-out situations. Parrish holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental design from Texas A&M University and an MBA with an emphasis in real estate finance from Southern Methodist University. He is a licensed real estate broker in Texas and Colorado as well as a member of the Urban Land Institute and National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. parrish_boren@marxokubo.com
Leadership
NAME
Gary C. Cohn, AIA
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Executive Vice President
Gary Cohn, Executive Vice President, has been with Marx|Okubo for over two decades and has successfully broadened the company’s client base in the Southwest, including work in California, Arizona and Nevada. Working on commercial, retail, industrial, multifamily residential and hospitality projects, he has successfully managed the construction of everything from mid-rise office buildings to multi-unit condominium properties. With this range of experience, Gary can quickly evaluate property issues and help solve the challenges of the firm’s private and institutional clients. His broad professional background includes four decades of work in architecture, stints at civil engineering and environmental consulting firms, and high-rise office and hotel construction projects for a large general contractor. Gary holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from California State Polytechnic University - Pomona and completed additional coursework in development finance and construction law at the University of California. He is a licensed architect in California and is registered with the state as a disaster service worker. gary_cohn@marxokubo.com
Leadership
NAME
Chris Geier, PE
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Vice President
Chris Geier, Vice President and Regional Manager for Southern California, is responsible for a broad range of services, including design and constructability reviews, property condition assessments, owner’s representation, detailed cost analysis, periodic construction observation services and seismic risk assessments. Chris draws upon engineering experience, as well as extensive diligence evaluation work on commercial, retail and multi-family residential properties, to identify potential building deficiencies to commercial real estate clients, in turn allowing them to make informed decisions about real estate transactions. His projects with Marx|Okubo have included property condition assessments on a 2.1-million-square-foot shopping center in Torrance, California; a 74-story, 1.4-million-square-foot office building with a six-story off-site parking structure in Los Angeles; and a mixeduse facility in San Francisco, which consisted of a 320-unit high-rise apartment complex, five-story and six-story office buildings and two-level subterranean parking garage. Chris holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of California - Los Angeles and is a licensed civil engineer in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington State. chris_geier@marxokubo.com
Leadership
NAME
Peter S. Chang, AIA, PMP, LEED AP
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Vice President
Peter Chang, Vice President and Regional Manager in the Orange County office, is responsible for a broad range of services, including project management, property condition assessment, lender reviews on new development projects, owner’s representation and periodic construction observation. He has nearly 20 years of experience in design, construction and project management of institutional, retail, commercial office, multifamily residential and tenant improvement projects. Peter’s focus is adaptive re-use projects in urban environments with complex entitlements issues, and he draws on a diverse background of project types in order to propose creative solutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University. He is also a licensed architect in California, a LEED Accredited Processional, a Certified Project Management Professional and a member of the U.S. Green Building Association. peter_chang@marxokubo.com
Leadership
NAME
Mark J. Hulme, AIA, CASp, LEED AP BD+C
LOCATION
Pasadena, California
POSITION
Assistant Vice President
Mark Hulme, Assistant Vice President in the Pasadena office, performs architectural consulting, sustainability reviews, property condition assessments, owner’s representation-related services and disabled accessibility reviews across California. Since 1995, he has been involved in diverse construction and architectural projects, including retail, office and interiors, as well as community college and K-12 educational facilities. As a Certified Access Specialist (CASp), Mark has conducted CASp and other disabled accessibility reviews of office, shopping center, hotel and multifamily properties. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, he served as a project architect for a Los Angeles-based architectural firm, where he worked on construction document preparation, project management, specifications writing, governmental plan processing and construction administration. A licensed architect in California, Mark holds bachelor’s degrees in architecture and communications and a master’s degree in building sciences, with a focus on environmental controls systems, both from the University of Southern California. He also completed an executive education program on accessibility and universal design at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Mark is a Certified Access Specialist in California, LEED Accredited Professional with the BD+C specialty and a member of the American Institute of Architects and Certified Access Specialist Institute. mark_hulme@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Jon R. Haviland, PE
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Senior Associate
Jon Haviland, Senior Associate in the Orange County office, brings to the firm more than 30 years of experience in facility engineering and management, including industrial, institutional and commercial facilities. A valuable resource and mentor for the firm’s mechanical division, he has led Marx|Okubo’s mechanical efforts on hundreds of projects, including property condition assessments and pre-construction project reviews for commercial and multifamily properties throughout the U.S. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, Jon was president of an engineering firm that provided consulting services for mechanical systems, control systems, and energy-efficiency studies for commercial and industrial facilities. He has also held director positions for several large national firms. Jon earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the California Institute of Technology and an MBA from California State University Long Beach. He is a licensed engineer in Pennsylvania and California. Jon is a Charter Life Member and Past President of the Association of Energy Engineers and has presented seminars on mechanical systems and energy efficiency. jon_haviland@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Babak Nassirpour, AIA
LOCATION
Pasadena, California
POSITION
Senior Associate
Babak Nassirpour, Senior Associate in the Pasadena office, is responsible for performing architectural consulting, construction management and owner’s representation services. He brings to Marx|Okubo a unique blend of experience in commercial lending and due diligence work with an architectural design/build practice. Babak has performed property condition assessments and monitored construction projects ranging from multifamily complexes and largescale high-rises to casino resorts, hospitality complexes, industrial parks and campuses. He has also worked on several prominent and nationally recognized developments in Las Vegas and California. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, Babak worked as a general contractor and architect, designing and building residential and commercial projects, as well as gaining experience in the construction, project management and architectural fields. He also brings expertise in property condition assessments, construction management and real estate consultation for the commercial mortgage banking industry, private investors and developers. A licensed general contractor, architect and real estate broker in California, Babak holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from California State Polytechnic University - Ponoma. He is also a member of the American Institute of Architects, RCI, Incorporated and California Association of Realtors. babak_nassirpour@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Patrick M. Kane, AIA, NCARB, LEED, GA
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Senior Associate
Patrick Kane, Senior Associate in the Orange County office, works on condition assessments for existing properties and reviews on new development projects, including apartments, office buildings, retail centers and large-scale warehouses, as well as specialty projects such as marinas and casinos. He has over 30 years of experience in design, construction and project management of new and remodeled restaurants for fast-food chains; specialty play systems; grocery store chains; public facility buildings such as schools, hospitals and law enforcement centers; and light industrial buildings. Involved with all aspects of the building and construction industry throughout the Midwest and Southwest, Patrick previously held diverse roles in design, marketing, contract administration, owner’s representation, on-site design/build construction administration and project engineering. A licensed architect in Wisconsin, he holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Iowa State University. Patrick is a LEED Green Associate, certified with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, a member of the American Institute of Architects and an Iowa real estate broker. patrick_kane@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Samantha Gragg, AIA, LEED AP
LOCATION
Pasadena, California
POSITION
Senior Associate
Samantha Gragg, Senior Associate in the Pasadena office, performs architectural consulting, property condition assessments, owner’s representation services and disabled accessibility reviews across California. She also performs on-site observations on diverse construction projects to evaluate funding recommendations, and provides pre-construction project review for quality control and budget analysis. Additional experience includes property condition assessments for retail, office, hospitality and housing projects, as well as construction and architectural projects, including retail, commercial, mixed-use residential, and community college and K-12 educational facilities. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, Samantha served as a project architect for a Los Angeles-based architectural firm, where she provided project management of design and construction document preparation, specifications writing, governmental plan processing, and conducted construction administration services. She holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Woodbury University. Samantha is a licensed architect in California, a LEED Accredited Professional and a member of the American Institute of Architects. samantha_gragg@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Stephen Chenot, PE, SE
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Senior Associate
Stephen Chenot, Senior Associate in the Orange County office of Marx|Okubo, analyzes structural and seismic issues required for property condition assessments, seismic risk assessments and owner’s representation services. He brings to Marx|Okubo 35 years of experience in structural analysis, design, construction and field observation for a variety of project types, including schools, hospitals and multifamily residences, as well as commercial, institutional and industrial facilities. Having performed interdisciplinary coordination and code reviews for various institutions and state agencies over the last 20 years, Stephen also has a comprehensive understanding of design standards and codes. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, he acted as a senior vice president, shareholder, chief structural engineer and structural code specialist for an engineering consulting firm. Stephen has also worked as a structural specialist for the Orange County Fire Authority, FEMA/OES, Urban Search & Rescue team and California Task Force Five. In addition, he was deployed for work on Hurricane Iniki in Hawaii, Typhoon Brian in Guam, Oklahoma City Bombing, Northridge Earthquake in California and Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. A registered professional civil/structural engineer in California, Nevada, Arizona and New York, he holds a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering from California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. Stephen is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Testing and Materials, American Institute of Steel Construction, American Concrete Institute, Structural Engineers Association of Southern California (code committee member) and International Code Council. stephen_chenot@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Dan Healey, PE, CEM, PMP
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Senior Associate
Dan Healey, Senior Associate in the Orange County office, brings the firm years of experience in facility engineering and information technology management, with specialties in tenant improvements, plant relocations and building construction. His experience also extends to manufacturing reengineering, business process design, information-technology infrastructure design and software deployment. In these industries, Dan held roles in engineering, project management and operations management for several national companies. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, he was a senior engineer and project manager for an engineering and consulting firm that provided services including facilities condition assessments, energy efficiency evaluations, and facility lifecycle analysis for a wide variety of industrial and government clients. A registered professional engineer in California, Dan holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from California State Polytechnic University - Pomona and an MBA from National University - San Diego. He is also a Project Management Professional with the Project Management Institute (PMI), Certified Energy Manager (CEM) through the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), a fellow with the Orange County Chapter of PMI and a teacher of project management courses. dan_healey@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Richard P. Milstead, AIA, NCARB
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Senior Associate
Richard Milstead, Senior Associate in the Orange County office, performs property condition assessments, sustainability reviews and owner’s representation-related services. He is currently working on retail projects, office buildings, warehouse buildings and multi-residential facilities. Rich has over 35 years of experience in architecture, working on design, construction documentation and construction administration for large and small firms. His project experience has ranged from small residential developments to resort hotels, as well as retail and restaurants, office parks, tenant improvements and sports facilities including an 8,000-seat tennis stadium and several golf club houses. Rich holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from California State Polytechnic University - San Luis Obispo. He is a licensed architect in California and North Dakota, and is certified with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. rich_milstead@maxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Rick Martin, CASp, LEED AP BD+C, CBCP
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Associate
Rick Martin, Associate in the Orange County office, performs disabled accessibility consulting, LEED consulting, property condition assessments and owner’s representation-related services. Rick is currently working as the Certified Accessibility Specialist (CASp) for districtwide access compliance services—including facilities project management from concept to completion—for a local community college district. He has worked on disabled accessibility, property condition assessments and construction monitoring for higher education facilities, commercial office buildings, retail projects, multi-residential facilities and warehouse buildings. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, Rick acquired 10 years of experience as a construction contact administrator and was the director of sustainability for an architectural firm, providing construction contract administration and LEED consulting services. He achieved LEED Gold for clients on multiple projects, and has led notable LEED projects such as Long Beach Airport interiors, The Lot – Formosa South office building and The EcoHouse in Long Beach. Rick holds a bachelor’s degree in construction management from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University. He is a: LEED Accredited Professional with the BD+C specialty, member of the United States Green Building Council, Certified Building Commissioning Professional, Certified Access Specialist in California and member of the Association of Energy Engineers. rick_martin@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Linda Fu, RA, LEED AP
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Associate
Linda Fu, Associate in the Orange County office, assists in providing clients with pre-construction peer reviews, review of construction draws, construction observations services, property condition assessments, owner’s representation services, preparation of construction documents and project management services. Her experience in both Northern and Southern California includes design, construction and project management in retail, office, multifamily residential, restaurant and hospitality projects. Linda’s recent work has ranged from owner’s representation work for a high-rise office to residential adaptive reuse conversion and renovation projects for nonprofit organizations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of California - Berkeley and a master’s degree in architecture from the University of California - Los Angeles. Linda is also a licensed architect in California and LEED Accredited Professional. linda_fu@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Christoper J. Link, AIA, RRO, LEED AP BD+C
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Associate
Christopher Link, Associate in the Orange County office, works on a broad range of services, including design and constructability reviews, sustainability reviews, review of construction draws, construction observation services, property condition assessments, owner’s representation services, preparation of construction documents, disabled accessibility reviews and BOMA measurement services. His recent projects include design review and construction observation of multiple mid- and high-rise apartment developments in the San Diego and San Francisco Bay areas; design review and construction observation of a 316-room hotel in downtown San Diego; and owner’s representation work for a 575,000-square-foot, tilt-up concrete warehouse in Newark, California, and for the 1,114-unit Fillmore Center in San Francisco. Christopher’s property condition assessments have included hotel, retail, office, warehouse, data center and high tech property types. Prior to his position at Marx|Okubo, he worked for a number of conventional design and design/build architecture firms. Specializing in BOMA measurement and multi-tenant analysis reviews, Christopher has also completed surveys for clients such as Apple, Cushman and Wakefield, and McMorgan and Company. He holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of California - Berkeley and is a licensed architect in California. Christopher is also a LEED Accredited Professional, a Registered Roof Observer (RCI) and a member of the American Institute of Architects. chris_link@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Simon Yavari, PhD, PE, SE
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Associate
Simon Yavari, Associate in the Orange County office, performs structural and seismic evaluations involved with property condition assessments, seismic risk assessments, pre-construction structural drawings reviews and owner’s representation services. His structural engineering experience includes analysis, design and construction observation for residential, commercial and industrial projects. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, Simon was an associate and project manager at Englekirk Structural Engineers, where he managed and performed analysis and design of several new mid- and high-rise multifamily and office buildings, as well as multiple structural repair projects in Southern California. As part of his doctoral research, Simon conducted experimental and analytical studies on seismic performance of existing non-ductile concrete moment frames with participants from U.S., Canada and Taiwan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from BIHE University, a master’s degree in civil engineering from Carleton University in Canada, and a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of British Columbia. Simon is a registered civil engineer in California and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute and American Concrete Institute. simon_yavari@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Michael Spassoff, PE, CBCP
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Associate
Michael Spassoff, Associate in the Orange County office, works primarily on property condition assessments, owner’s representation, detailed cost analysis, periodic construction observation services and LEED commissioning. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, he executed hundreds of facility condition assessments for commercial buildings, hospitals and hotels throughout the western U.S. Michael also performed LEED Fundamental Commissioning on mechanical and plumbing systems for the new 1.5-million-square-foot Tom Bradley International Terminal West Expansion at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Since joining Marx|Okubo, he has assessed hundreds of buildings, including high-rise and low-rise office buildings, hotels, multifamily properties and retail centers. He began his engineering career designing HVAC systems for several consulting engineering firms before focusing on property condition assessments, LEED commissioning and project management. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from California State University - Long Beach. michael_spassoff@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Henry T. Leung, RA
LOCATION
Pasadena, California
POSITION
Associate
Henry Leung, Associate in the Pasadena office, assists in providing clients with pre-construction peer reviews, review of construction draws, construction observation services, property condition assessments, owner’s representation services and project management services. His previous experience includes design, construction and project management in transportation, institutional, hospitality, retail and custom residential projects. Additionally, Henry has led several successful CAD and BIM projects for diverse clients and implemented effective coordination between design and engineering disciplines. He holds a bachelor’s degree in technology of architectural science from the University of Ryerson - Toronto and a master’s degree in architecture from the University of California - Los Angeles. Henry is a licensed architect in California and a member of the Asian American Architects/ Engineers Association. henry_leung@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Jaime Vejar Jr., LEED AP
LOCATION
Orange County, California
POSITION
Associate
Jaime Vejar, Associate in Marx|Okubo’s Orange County office, assists in providing clients with pre-construction peer reviews, review of construction draws, construction observation services, property condition assessments, owner’s representation services and project management services. His nationwide experience includes design, construction and project management in industrial, commercial and custom single and multifamily residential projects. Jaime’s recent work has ranged from managing construction of new office and maintenance facilities to utility and natural gas fueling infrastructure. Jaime holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from California State Polytechnic University – Pomona. Jaime is also a LEED accredited professional. jaime_vejar@marxokubo.com
Team Members
NAME
Jim Detweiler, MBA, PM
LOCATION
Pasadena, California
POSITION
Associate
Jim Detweiler, Associate in the Pasadena office of Marx|Okubo, performs architectural consulting, property condition assessments and owner’s representation services. With almost 30 years of project management experience, his construction background includes large ground-up, multi-tenant retail shopping centers (over 70 acres), large and small retail tenant improvement projects and office renovations. His experience also encompasses extensive due diligence evaluation work on commercial, retail and mixed-use projects to identify potential building deficiencies so that a comprehensive project plan can be prepared for ownership to make informed decisions on new and existing assets. Prior to joining Marx|Okubo, Jim served as a project manager for a Los Angeles-based architectural/engineering firm, where he was an account manager with over 60 active projects for a major retailer. In this role he was responsible for all aspects of project management including creating and maintaining project schedules, lease reviews and recommendations, performing a building survey Building Investigation Report (BIR) and Site Investigation Report (SIR), creating project budget and scope reports, coordination of clients/vendors, managing the bidding process, performing weekly construction visits, coordinating project punch walks with the market manager and preparing project closeout documentation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems from California State University - Los Angeles and a master’s degree in business administration, with a project management concentration, from the University of Phoenix. jim_detweiler@marxokubo.com
Clients
Intelligent and insightful. Private and public.
Clients Marx|Okubo meets the needs of a wide range of private and public clients with architecturaland engineering-based project management, due diligence, and owner’s and lender’s representation services. Our clients include intelligent, insightful firms all over the world.
Below is a small list of representative clients.
Affiliations
Affiliations The staff at Marx|Okubo are active members of many professional and civic organizations. This keeps us current with changes in the building industry and allows us access to a wealth of information. Below is a partial list of organizations we belong to.
AAMA American Architectural Manufacturers Association ACI American Concrete Institute AEE Association of Energy Engineers AEI Architectural Engineering Institute AIA American Institute of Architects AISC American Institute of Steel Construction ANSI American National Standards Institute ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers ASTM International (formerly American Society of Testing and Materials) BEC Building Envelope Council BOMA Building Owners and Managers Association CAI Community Associations Institute CCIM Institute Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute CSI Construction Specifications Institute EERI Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (Energy Star Partner) FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency ICC International Code Council NCARB National Council of Architectural Registration Boards NFPA National Fire Protection Association NIBS National Institute of Building Sciences NRCA National Roofing Contractors Association SEAOC Structural Engineers Association of California SEI Structural Engineers Institute SWRI Sealant Waterproofing and Restoration Institute ULI Urban Land Institute USGBC US Green Building Council
Locations
Locations
Seattle, WA
New York, NY San Francisco, CA
Denver, CO
Pasadena, CA Orange County, CA
Atlanta, GA Dallas, TX Houston, TX
455 Sherman Street, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80203
303.861.0300
1904 Third Avenue, Suite 525, Seattle, WA 98101
206.621.9122
444 Spear Street, Suite 205, San Francisco, CA 94105
415.957.9240
225 S. Lake Avenue, Suite 1185, Pasadena, CA 91101
626.792.6842
4 Hutton Centre Drive, Suite 950, Santa Ana, CA 92707
949.660.8908
1431 Greenway Drive, Suite 410, Irving, TX 75038
972.580.0300
1160 Dairy Ashford Road, Suite 150, Houston, TX 77079
713.659.1175
41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 640, Atlanta, GA 30346
770.407.2900
445 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 404, White Plains, NY 10601
914.269.5700
www.marxokubo.com
www.marxokubo.com