Denver-based architecture, interior design, and planning firm Shears Adkins Rockmore (SAR+) is pleased to announce its 20th anniversary of operation in the business of design.

With a team of nearly 70 professionals today, SAR+ has been planning, designing and executing urban infill, mixed-use projects across the country since its founding.  From Longmont to Denver, Boulder to San Diego, Kansas City to New York, the team has been privileged to help great cities grow creatively – respecting their past history and the future environment ahead. The resulting diverse body of work reflects SAR+’s broad focus on thoughtful community development, regardless of scale, budget, scope, or complexity.

Shears Adkins Rockmore has been recognized with a number of awards for outstanding design across various project types. Amidst all of these design awards and individual projects, the area of most significance has been their role in providing much-needed housing for Colorado’s growing population.  With more than 10,000 residential units in their design portfolio to-date, the firm has worked hard and grown quickly to help keep up with the need for more high-quality, easily accessible, affordable, dense, urban housing, in Denver in particular.

In recent years, the company’s design portfolio has also expanded to include a number of significant urban design and planning projects for important urban infill projects in Colorado’s capitol city. From the River Mile development to the Stadium District plan to the recent Ball Arena redevelopment master plan, the SAR+ team’s impact is on track to re-shape the urban experience in Denver toward a more walkable, inclusive downtown area.

“The Shears Adkins Rockmore team has had a tremendous hand in shaping the Denver that we enjoy today. Thanks to these design leaders, we have seen incredible preservation of historic buildings in the LoDo neighborhood; we have continued to provide more affordable housing options in our urban core; and we are excitedly planning for significant new improvements amongst the sports stadiums and riverfront neighborhoods here in Downtown,” said Susan Powers, a client of the firm and President of Urban Ventures, LLC. “Our community is better because of SAR+’s contributions and I certainly hope they continue playing a part in shaping the Mile High City, and many others, for decades to come.”

According to Chris Shears, FAIA, “Growing this firm with my partners has been an incredible experience. When we were first planting our roots as a team, I could never have imagined how many sites across the State would ultimately host our designs. The people that have chosen to share the ride with us are some of the most talented in the design industry, and we are infinitely grateful for the many colleagues both past and present who have helped us achieve this milestone of longevity.”

As the company moves into its third decade in operation, it has chosen to invest further in its home State of Colorado through a focused effort to help in the need for careful planning and design across Colorado’s mountain communities. In addition, it has recently begun to expand its efforts into Salt Lake City, where that community will also benefit from the team’s many important urban design lessons learned in Denver.

“Our clients have continued to come back to us time and again because they know we take our role in community building incredibly seriously, while also being able to have some fun through the process,” said Andy Rockmore, AIA. “We partner with our clients by helping to steer them toward the most sustainable, equitable, and thoughtful solutions for their unique sites. We are lucky to be trusted in this way, by both the real estate development industry and by the neighbors who help usher their communities thoughtfully forward.”

The company will continue to operate out of its LoDo neighborhood base for many years ahead but has also adapted to account for the world’s evolution toward a more remote-friendly work climate. From cloud-based information management to software solutions, and strategic requirements around in-studio collaboration sessions, the firm has found tremendous success under this hybrid work model.

SAR+ recently received three Denver Mayor’s design awards, two AIA Colorado design awards, and was named the 2022 Top Interior Design/Architecture Company by Colorado Biz Magazine.

“We’ve had an outstanding year of success this year and are thrilled to continue evolving in the decade ahead to meet the needs of both our clients and our team members,” said Jesse Adkins, AIA.

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