OAC | Who We Are

A look at OAC over the years:

1990s

The 1990s brought extensive growth at OAC, particularly in project and construction management services and property casualty, construction defect, and building envelope services. OAC's in-house, multi-discipline expertise facilitated the company's entrance into property casualty consulting. Specifically, in 1995, OAC provided expert witness services on Seattle's largest construction defect case to date. This project marked OAC's expansion into the construction defect and building envelope consulting market; OAC principal Randy Hart grew this business steadily through the 1990s.

The mid-1990s brought wins on major contracts for project and construction management, which included extensive work in Hawaii and for Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, WA. In 1996, Chris Edwards and Dan Chandler joined the firm to assist in managing this work and grow the PM/CM business. Chris Edwards was hired to support OAC's Hawaii office. Dan Chandler came from local Seattle contractor Lease Crutcher Lewis, via Howard S. Wright, and was hired to support the Seattle office. Both Chris Edwards and Dan Chandler became principals in 1998.

OAC's architecture and engineering business continued steady through the 1990s, specializing in multifamily, retail, commercial office, industrial, and tenant improvement design work. Value analysis remained a staple service for OAC and resulted in extensive work with the Corps of Engineers and many transportation and education clients.

Services provided:Architecture; Structural Engineering; Project and Construction Management Services; Value Analysis; Constructability Review; Property Casualty, Construction Defect, and Building Envelope Services

Approximate staff: 20-45

Clients included: Corps of Engineers; Sound Transit; King County; School Districts; Ministry of Transportation and Highways, B.C.; Port Authority of NY & NJ; Evergreen Hospital Medical Center; Microsoft Corporation; Vulcan NW; Seattle University; Desert Canyon Golf Resort; Essex Property Trust; Zimmer, Gunsul, Frasca; HNTB; Preston Gates & Ellis; Allstate Insurance; Magnolia Hi-Fi; Federated Department Stores

Interesting note: OAC expanded its office space at 701 Dexter avenue North, from 5,000 to 10,000 square feet during the 1990s. OAC's involvement on transportation projects during the 1990s exceeded $10 billion in overall project values.