Stephen Skolas went from designing 96-story skyscrapers to figuring out how to fund, permit, and deliver projects like them. That kind of skill range is rare in this industry, and it's exactly what Davis brought him in to leverage.

Now Managing Director and Head of Residential Development at Davis, Stephen's career has been interdisciplinary from the start. He holds a Master of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology and is a licensed architect in multiple states with NCARB accreditation. He began at the Mitchell Architectural Group, working on healthcare and advanced technology projects across New England, before moving to Rafael Viñoly Architects, where he contributed to 432 Park Avenue, a nearly 1,400-foot supertall in Midtown Manhattan, and Marble Arch Park in London.

In 2013, he made the move to Related Companies, where he spent over six years across the full development platform in New York and Boston: ground-up construction, asset management, acquisitions, and design and construction oversight. It's where he learned to hold the whole thing at once.

That fluency is now at work at Davis, where Stephen has climbed from Vice President to his current role as Managing Director and Head of Residential Development, a position he stepped into in January of this year. He leads a vertically integrated team across residential, industrial, and science and technology projects nationally.

Stephen and Rens dig into the multi-layered reality of moving a project from site acquisition through team assembly, financing, permitting, and delivery, and why every stage depends on the one before it going right.

A central theme is Davis's approach to planning: starting with a clear picture of the end goal before the first decision gets made. Stephen makes the case that cohesion across a project's lifecycle doesn't happen by accident. It's the result of building backwards from where you want to land.

They also get into what it means to run a vertically integrated team across multiple business lines, and what it takes to navigate the regulatory complexity of Boston and New York, including challenges like rent control, without losing momentum on a project.

Thank you so much for listening and thank you for joining the Design Development community. Don't forget to subscribe to hear about the latest episodes dropping every Wednesday. If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend.

Our goal is to help people in the industry identify opportunities for growth by sharing the journey of top performers. There is no one path. Success isn't a straight line. There is something to learn from everyone's story. Let's go!

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When Ryan Noone joined EMBARC, it was a start up of a mere four people, and he was an architect with just under three years of experience. Now they're an office of sixty-five, and Ryan a Principal. EMBARC is a renowned architecture and interior design firm based in Boston. Ryan works across some of their most complex projects - commercial offices, restaurants, breweries, cannabis dispensaries, and multi-family residential developments. He works directly with clients, engineers, and contractors, making sure the project's vision holds together from start to finish.

On this week's episode, Ryan and Rens cover a lot of ground; Ryan talks through how the architect's role has shifted, away from being purely design-focused and toward coordinating a matrix of specialized consultants. Communication, he argues, is at the center of everything. Drawings aren't just design, they're how concepts get translated into something a contractor can build and an engineer can coordinate around.

Reflecting on his early career, Ryan expresses the pressure he felt to reach the top of every area of knowledge he thought he needed; to become the immediate subject matter expert. It was, he says, stressful, and he quickly realized this wasn't a sustainable approach. So he stepped back and started thinking about his career differently: less like a race to the top and more like building a pyramid, adding new skills one level at a time.

They also dive into the details of project delivery - specifically how early contractor involvement changes the dynamic of a project and why the design-assist model offers advantages over the traditional design-bid-build approach. Ryan draws on his experience overseeing complex project lifecycles, where responsibilities shift, to make the case for why getting the contractor in the room early matters. "When you have goals that are more commonly aligned, like with early pre-construction partnerships, it's invaluable."

Ryan has spent thirteen years at one firm working across some of the most coordination-heavy projects in Boston. What that time has taught him is that the work only holds together when the team, the client, and the business are all pointed in the same direction. Get any one of those out of sync and the work suffers, and that's true whether you're talking about a single project or a firm trying to grow.

Thank you so much for listening and thank you for joining the Design Development community. Don't forget to subscribe to hear about the latest episodes dropping every Wednesday. If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend.

Our goal is to help people in the industry identify opportunities for growth by sharing the journey of top performers. There is no one path. Success isn't a straight line. There is something to learn from everyone's story. Let's go!

Leave your thoughts in the comments and reach out if you want to be a valuable guest on the show!

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Andrew Bisbee is Principal at Cranshaw Construction leading the preconstruction and estimating. department. As their longest-serving employee, he has built deep expertise in construction technologies, project types, and industry complexity. Appointed to the firm’s Executive Committee, he leads estimating and preconstruction for healthcare, laboratory, multifamily, hospitality, industrial, retail, and office projects ranging from sub-$1M fit-outs to high-rises approaching $200M. Grounded in the Massachusetts market, Andrew emphasizes proactive risk management, leverages strong subcontractor relationships, and engages stakeholders early to provide essential pricing insights for informed decision-making.

Throughout the episode, Andrew elaborates on the importance of understanding cost exposure and the collaborative processes required to fill knowledge gaps and manage project risk effectively. Drawing from his extensive experience, he likens estimating to both an art and a science, emphasizing the continuous refinement and strategic value it brings to project planning. Furthermore, the discussion touches on Cranshaw's strategic growth, market positioning, and its multifaceted approach to construction project execution. Andrew provides insights into recent organizational changes, including the designation of market-sector leads and the appointment of a CEO to enhance strategic operations.

Key Takeaways:

• Proactive Risk Management: Andrew emphasizes the importance of identifying cost drivers early in the pre-construction phase and involving all stakeholders to reduce unpredictability.
• Estimating as an Art and Science: Estimating is portrayed as a blend of art and science, requiring continuous refinement and collaboration to produce accurate predictions.
• Organizational Strategy: Cranshaw Construction's recent shift towards appointing sector-specific leaders and a CEO aims to enhance market engagement and brand presence.
• Value of Experience: Andrew highlights the value of experience, citing long-tenured team members as a crucial asset for navigating project complexities and ensuring project success.
• Industry Challenges and Opportunities: Discussion on the roles of estimating and business development in an underperforming market and how strategic partnerships and operational excellence can improve outcomes.

Notable Quotes:

1. "All these jobs have similarities, but they’re all different. It’s important to dig into what the cost drivers are."
2. "Estimating is never complete—it's like golf; you're never finished, always tinkering."
3. "Our DNA is rooted in understanding that what we provide to a client is grounded in reality and accountability."
4. "Working at Cranshaw has always been about recognition for har

Thank you so much for listening and thank you for joining the Design Development community. Don't forget to subscribe to hear about the latest episodes dropping every Wednesday. If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend.

Our goal is to help people in the industry identify opportunities for growth by sharing the journey of top performers. There is no one path. Success isn't a straight line. There is something to learn from everyone's story. Let's go!

Leave your thoughts in the comments and reach out if you want to be a valuable guest on the show!

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/