FitzGerald Associates Volunteers with Windy City Habitat for Humanity

Chicago, Ill. (August 3, 2007) - Summer interns and tenured principals traded suit and tie for blue jeans and hard hats recently as FitzGerald Associates Architects found a new and mutually beneficial way to combine volunteer efforts with a chance to build on knowledge and experience in hands-on construction.  Fifteen employees representing every level within the firm took time to volunteer with the Windy City Habitat for Humanity program to lend assistance on two projects on Chicago’s south side. 

The volunteers met with a site coordinator to receive their assignments for the one-day session.  Tasks ranged from installing soffits and siding, laying tile and painting. Organized by architects Eric Fiket, Scott McDonald and Kurtis Morton, this was FitzGerald Associates’ first on-site experience with Habitat for Humanity; the firm previously became involved by volunteering architectural services for past projects.

“We thought it would be a good way for the younger people in the office to get hands on construction experience,” said Morton.  “We realized it would be beneficial to many of us on several levels and give us a chance to contribute to the community in a different way.”

With a few months of coordination and planning, the architects were able to spread the word about the outing throughout the office and were met with a great deal of enthusiasm. 

“Architects are, by nature, concerned with the housing needs of the full spectrum of society,” said managing principal Pat FitzGerald.  “Here at FitzGerald Associates Architects, we are proud of the fact that we are involved in the design of every type of housing from luxurious high rise apartments to efficient, new affordable homes. We not only believe that everyone should have access to good housing, we’re actually involved in helping to create it.”

In addition to the donation of more than one hundred hours of labor, the architects proved to be a great asset based on their previous experience in design and construction.
 
“It was great to see our young architects out there getting into homebuilding in a different way than they’re used to,” said principal Steve Ryniewicz, one of the day’s participants.  “This is definitely something we’ll continue focus on in the future.”

Established in 1919 as Rissman & Hirschfeld, FitzGerald Associates Architects is a fourth generation Chicago architectural firm. The firm offers its clients a continuum of residential and commercial design services, including development feasibility studies; site design and planning; architectural design; space planning; interior design; historical research and restoration; contract documents and specifications; permit acquisitions; and field observations. For more information call 312.563.9100.