It all started when…

I TURNED IN MY TOOL BELT AFTER BUILDING BOATS AND BUILDINGS FOR AN ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION. I WAS 10 YEARS INTO THE BUILDING TRADE SO I CHOOSE TO ATTEND NEW ENGLAND INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY FOR AN 18 MONTH ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE AND DRAFTING. AS IT WAS CALLED BACK IN 1982. THERE, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE INTERVIEWED BY MORRIS NATHANSON DESIGN. MORRIS SLID A PIECE OF PAPER IN FRONT OF ME WITH AN SALARY AMOUNT, WHICH AT THE TIME I DIDN’T CARE WHAT WAS WRITTEN ON IT I JUST NODED AND ASKED WHEN I COULD START. IT WAS A CO-OP JOB TO BEGIN BUT I SOON GRADUATED 1ST IN MY CLASS AND BEGAN THE MOST WONDERFUL DESIGN ADVENTURE YOU COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED. WORK WAS FILLED WITH PROJECTS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE GLOBE. MORRIS IMPLOYED AN METHOD OF BUISNESS WHERE ALL DID EVERY ASPECT OF THE BUSINESS, FROM CONTRACTS TO SCHEMATIC DESIGN, DRAFTING, PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND FINALLY PROJECT CLOSE OUT. IT WAS GREAT!

SOME OF MY WORK EXPERIENCE THERE WAS WORKING WITH CLIENTS SUCH AS DISNEY, ROYAL CARRIBEAN, CARMINE’S OF NYC AND ATLANTIC CITY, PJ CLARKE’S, DOCKS, HEARTLAND BREWERY TO NAME A FEW IN NYC.

IN FLORIDA WE WERE INTRODUCED TO COLUMBIA RESTAURANT GROUP BY DISNEY WHEN WE DESIGNED ALL THE RESTAURANTS IN CELEBRATION, FL IN 1996. THIS RELATIONSHIP HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. WE / I STILL DESIGN FOR RICHARD GONZMART AND FAMILY. I SAY FAMILY BECAUSE THEY ARE THE OLDEST FAMILY OWNED RESTAURANT GROUP IN THESE UNITED STATES. MOST RECENTLY WHILE WORKING WITH BISBANO + ASSOCIATES I DESIGNED THE CASA SANTO STEFANO ITALIAN RESTAURANT FOR THEM IN YBOR CITY ACROSS FROM THEIR FLAGSHIP RESTAURANT COLUMBIA CAFE.

IN RHODE ISLAND SOME OF MY WORK EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN WITH CAPITAL GRILLE, HEMINGWAYS, JOHNNY ROCKETS, ANDREAS, UNDER THE WILLOW BAKERY IN CUMBERLAND AND 22 BOWENS IN NEWPORT.

I LEFT MND IN 2016, IN 2017 I INITIATED THE HOSPITALITY DESIGN SERVICE FOR INTERIOR ARCHITECTS (IA) FROM THEIR BOSTON OFFICE. LATER THAT YEAR I STARTED J HOSPITALITY DESIGN LLC. MY FIRST PROJECT WAS FOR SwissBakers AT NORTH STATION AND AT THE NEW HARVARD STUDENT CENTER IN CAMBRIDGE, MA.

IN MARCH OF 2018 SEARCHING FOR A PLACE TO WORK WITH SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST AND ENERGENIC I WAS INTRODUCED TO BRUCE BISBANO BY MY GOOD FREIND JAKE GIBBONS OF EDS. BRUCE IS THE MOST TALENTED AND THE MOST INTELLEGENT ARCHITECT I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH. SOME OF MY CURRENT WORK AS THE DIRECTOR OF HOSPITALITY DESIGN FOR BISBANO + ASSOCIATES IN PROVIDENCE IS MISSION BOATHOUSE AND BEACH HOUSE - BEVERLY AND REVERE MA, GIGI’S OF BOSTON AND THE LATEST FROM THE BOYS FROM THE SOUTH END OF BOSTON DESNUDA WITH A BASEMENT LISTENING BAR. (ARCHITECTURE ONLY FOR DESNUDA)

I LIVE IN NARRAGANSETT, RI WITH MY LIFE PARTNER LINDA MROZOWSKI WHERE WE EXCAPE TO THE BEACH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, WHERE WE ALSO ENJOY HAVING THE COMPANY OF OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AS WELL AS OUR GRANDPUPPIES!

IN CLOSING REMEBER:

“MAKE NO SMALL PLANS, THEY HAVE NO MAJIC TO WARM ONES BLOOD”

BURNHAM + ROOT ARCHTECT’S - CHICAGO, IL - CIRCA 1892