Diversifying by design

John Urban launched Urban Architectural Group in 1997 at the height of the commercial real estate boom, and his prospects couldn't have looked brighter.

Urban specialized in office and retail projects, and those design jobs quickly became 80% of his firm's business.

But the bottom fell out of that market after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. If the firm was to survive, Urban saw he needed to branch out into other types of design -- and quickly.

By that point, Urban Architectural Group had grown to five employees. Urban kept them on but warned them the firm's business could slow. Two staffers left for more secure jobs.

"I cared too much about my people (and) bankrolled (the business) far too long and carried it far too long to just close up," Urban recalls.

Fortunately, as the company's prospects looked bleakest, local builder Gary D. Smith Homes hired Urban Architectural Group to design a few single-family homes that eventually were sold to Mercedes Homes, a Florida-based builder. The initiative soon mushroomed, with Urban designing homes, apartments and condominiums for regional builders such as D.R. Horton Inc. and Craft Homes USA.

Soon the firm added jobs for some mixed-use developments. "Those contacts in residential development got us in contact with more commercial developers," Urban says. "And we grew from three employees to 10 in less than a year."

As the economy improved, the firm regained a healthy share of commercial jobs. But it hasn't turned its back on the residential and mixed-use sectors.

Today, Urban Architectural Group's revenue is evenly split among commercial, residential and mixed-use projects. Urban declines to disclose financial details but says 2005 revenue was double that of 2004.

With that success, the company has outgrown its 1,680-square-foot home in Matthews Professional Center and is negotiating to occupy an additional 800 square feet next door.

Urban's designs generally reflect the area's conservative architectural tastes, but the firm tries to add special features to make its work stand out. Ultimately, the finished product is up to the client, he says. "I say, 'I'm trying to tailor you a suit,' I really try to meet their vision."

That approach proves beneficial to clients, says Tony Berry, principal at Rock Hill development firm Manchester Associates. Last year, Berry's firm hired Urban to help design a condo project on Daniel Island, S.C., near Charleston.

"John helps articulate our vision in a form that paints a picture and gives elected officials some comfort level," Berry says. "He is a key member of the team."