Msh Architecture Assoc

When our kids moved out, we realized our 115-year-old Victorian was too much for two people. But we loved the house and we loved the location, so we decided to turn it into a legal 2-family with a separate suite where we could work and see clients (she's a writer; I'm a sound engineer). We'd done other commercial and residential projects before, and knew what we could afford. So we talked to a LOT of architects.

MSH impressed us from the start. When I walked the premises with other architects, they'd nod and say 'hmmm'... and then launch into their stock presentations. Marc understood what we were trying to do, and immediately started making his own suggestions - ones we hadn't thought of - to use the space even better. Then he talked about what he'd done previously that actually applied to us. So after checking and due diligence, we gave him the job.

Before he started, Marc showed up with an assistant and portable drawing board and took exact measurements of every detail: nooks, inside closets, even where a wall changed thickness by an inch. He then made computerized drawings that could have built a perfect clone of our existing house. I'd never seen a architect do this for a residential renovation... but because he did, the dreaded phrase 'Verify in Field' never showed up on our plans. So the contractors were never left scratching their heads or coming to us with expensive, unexpected problems.

After he gave us his first designs, he spent a long time listening to what we didn't love, and finding ways to do what we wanted... while also applying his own sensibilities, solid building practice, and a healthy respect for local codes. As a sound engineer, my workspace had specific needs. He took my suggestions for soundproofing and acoustics, and incorporated them into a clean functional design.

He then repeated the process with our contractors and their plumber and electrician, seeing what could make life easier (and cheaper) for them, and building solutions into the final plans.

While our house is Victorian, it had been badly treated over the decades and we couldn't afford restoring its 19th century glory. So we left the exterior alone, and asked Marc to make the interior functional, modern, and nice... which is exactly what he did. The project went beautifully, we've been happy with our living and working spaces, and the apartment rented immediately (for more than we originally expected). I'll probably never do another project of this size again. But if I do, I'll hire MSH. Pros: what it says in my headline... Cons: We didn't find any. more

MSH Architecture Associates did an outstanding job in designing our major residential addition. Marc Hershman listened and translated our ideas into an inspiring yet practical design, which was everything we asked for (and more). His painstaking attention to every detail, from the design to the selection of construction materials to the actual construction process itself was very impressive. Although our home is 25 years old, our addition fits so well with the rest of the house (both interior and exterior), so that it looks like it was part of the house the whole time. Every time someone comes into the addition we get rave reviews on the design. Also, a local real estate broker went out of her way to compliment us on the exterior design as well. Marc added tremendous value by catching a major mistake by the general contractor (which we might have only caught when it was too late), and monitored the GC to ensure that the materials he used and the workmanship were up to expectations. What’s even more impressive is that we did not have to ask Marc to play this role, but he did it out of a sense of responsibility to the project, as if it were his own home. Marc demonstrated a lot of commitment to us and to the project during the entire design and construction process, and I would welcome the opportunity to work with him again. I would strongly recommend Marc for any project without reservation. Pros: Takes ownership and has incredible pride in his work more

MSH Architecture helped me design the house of my dreams in Washington, Connecticut. It is not always easy to have a client who has a fixed picture in her head, but Marc found wonderful solutions to the dreams, while staying within budget. The house was featured in a California magazine that praised its light and high ceiling living room central to its design. Located on a spacious site, the view and interior spaces interacted seamlessly with the natural landscape. I was thrilled with the results. Pros: Thrilled with the results and easy to work with more

MSH architects were wonderful in helping us design a complete gut and renovation of our home. Marc Hershman talked with us about our desires for the renovation, and conceived of several potential plans for us to review and think about. In the end, he came up with a nice plan that incorporated many of the excellent ideas from several of them.\r \r Marc made an effort to blend in the renovation into the neighborhood, while still accomodating our interior design wishes. Marc is well connected in the world of builders, and found us great contractors to work with (a whole other review!). Marc was also terrific during the permitting process at City Hall, making a difficult process more manageable. more

We were very pleased with the work that MSH did for us on a large-scale residential renovation / addition. At the onset of the project, MSH listened to our (very scattered) thoughts on the project. Despite our inability to fully envision what we were looking for, MSH was able to come up with drawings that did an excellent job of translating our thoughts into reality. Marc's attention to the minute details of the job was outstanding, and he was extremely accommodating when we requested last-minute changes (necessitating changes to the plans and full reprinting of the certified drawings).\r MSH also looked in on our job during the construction phase and caught a couple of mistakes that were made by subcontractors - early enough that they could be easily corrected. Thanks to Marc's efforts, we completed an addition / renovation that we are very happy with. We would use MSH again without hesitation - on any size job.\r more