History of FJ Baehr

In college, as an architectural student, I started working with a residential contracting company, Slingsby Specialty Contracting, Fargo, North Dakota.  I was in charge of client relations from initial contacts through project closing.  This included Design, Specifications, Contracts, Costing, and Coordination with the Construction crews.  The work we did was primarily room additions, spatial reorganizations, office space planning, Kitchens and Family Rooms.  We did the interior design for a number of restaurants and bars in Fargo and Moorhead Minnesota.

Upon graduation I moved my family back to Pittsburgh, and looked to join an Architectural firm.  I started working with a very talented architect, Tony Stillson.  In the firm of Stillson and Associates, Architect, Pittsburgh, Pa., I was a staff designer, one of six or seven.  That office was a vertical office, in that the staff was responsible for particular projects along with Tony from start to finish.  My duties included initial through final client contact, preliminary design, design development, contract documents, and (drawings as well as specifications) budgets, bid documents, construction supervision, and closings.  On occasion we ran jobs as a design build firm and did some construction management.  The work we did was primarily for individual developers, Multi Family Housing, H.U.D., Farmers Home Administration projects, various Commercial projects and a number of Single Family Residential projects.

After becoming a registered architect, I became a partner we changed the firm to Stillson, Baehr and Associates, Architects.  In addition to the work I had previously been responsible for; I also led projects, coordinated staff efforts and assisted in office administration.  Our work was essentially the same; however, we had a primary client, Thomson Homes Inc.

Stillson, Baehr and Associates dissolved in 1985 and I became employed by our primary client, Thomson Properties Inc.  I was responsible for the construction side of the business.  We built a number of projects with sales in the 12 to 15 Million per year range.  I enjoyed working with Al Thomson, working together on site development through final sales.  He started his retirement in 1994, and as the work at Thomson Properties began to wind down and we looked to the future I opened my own Architectural office, F. J. Baehr - Architect, Pittsburgh, Pa.   I am the sole proprietor.