At The Top - January 2006

Nevada’s Worth Group

Design-Build Firm Deals with Industry Changes

by Doresa Banning

In 1990, when Doug Worth started Worth Group Architects in Reno, architects drew two-dimensional plans on Mylar with pencil. Today, they create computerized three-dimensional designs complete with people, animation, sound tracks and more. This is one of many industry changes the firm deals with while trying to increase its bottom line.

"This is an exciting profession that’s very rewarding, but it’s also very demanding," said Jim Mickey, senior architect.

The company focused solely on architecture until 1998, when it was restructured. Four divisions – MasterBuilders, Architects, Interiors and Developers – were created, each its own corporation, and "Architects" was dropped from the company name. The four-part model affords clients one-stop shopping. "We’re responsible from start to finish for a project," Mickey said.

MasterBuilders is a design-build segment, responsible for planning and constructing projects in the gaming, hospitality and entertainment industries. This division boosted Worth Group’s revenue from $2 million to $40 million in five years’ time.

The Architects division provides commercial design services throughout the country. Projects have included hotels and casinos, public works facilities, health and wellness centers, commercial buildings and sports and recreation structures.

The Interiors division is involved with interior design and planning, "Everything from creative concepts to construction documents to ensuring the space turns out as envisioned," Mickey said. This division allows Worth Group to create spaces that are planned and themed inside and out.

The most recent division, Developers, is about three years old. It provides design-build funding assistance, financial recommendations and project research.

Worth Group has offices in Reno, Las Vegas and Denver, with approximately 40 employees. It does business throughout the United States and in Canada; one-third is in Nevada. In Northern Nevada, the company designed the South Valleys Library, the Carson Valley Inn and numerous facilities at the University of Nevada, Reno. Southern Nevada projects have included the Luxor expansion and The Forum Shops at Caesars. Undertakings that "put us on the map," Mickey said, were Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and New Mexico’s Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino.

Clients today demand much more, and their expectations pressure Worth Group. Customers want their projects completed in shorter and shorter time periods. "Schedules keep getting compressed," Mickey said. Clients also want Worth Group to understand how their businesses function in order to create designs customized for them; companies sometimes look to Worth Group to tell them what to do with extra property.

"About 85 percent of our workload comes from repeat clients," Mickey said.

Like many firms today, Worth Group spends considerable time, energy and money on protecting itself from lawsuits. "It has become a part of our quality control that we look at a project in terms of liability and potential liability," said Pat Gardner, regional vice-president of Nevada offices. In one instance, the company faced liability charges because an individual jumped off a building it designed.

Competition is tough because the industry is saturated with professionals. Years ago, the company bid on projects against only a handful of other firms. Today, however, it’s typical for more than 20 companies to submit proposals for a job.

The market saturation has created a high demand for qualified employees and difficulty finding them. "Further complicating the situation is the fact that architectural education isn’t keeping pace with the industry," Mickey said. Consequently, applicants right out of school can’t readily jump into computer design; Worth Group has to provide further training and education.

Amid the hardships, however, Worth Group’s executives remain optimistic. Future plans include pursuing more international work, creating a MasterBuilders division in Denver and eventually opening an East Coast office.

"We’re just enjoying what we do," Mickey said. "We have fun."

Doresa Banning
Doresa Banning is a freelance writer based in Northern Nevada.