by Grace Silipigni / Photo above: Elizabeth River Project’s Resilience Lab
Although Stromberg/Garrigan & Associates (SGA) is relatively new to Coastal Virginia, the multi-disciplinary landscape architecture and urban design firm has been expanding its national footprint for nearly 30 years. Timothy Stomberg and Sean Garrigan opened the doors to their first office in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania in 2007. The duo later expanded to Pittsburgh and finally to Norfolk in 2018. “Norfolk’s location—adjacent to the natural resources of the Atlantic Ocean, the Chesapeake Bay and the tributaries of the coastal resort town of Virginia Beach—makes it a meaningful setting for our work in coastal resilience, waterfront redevelopment and ecological design.” says Mike Fox, SGA principal and landscape architect. “[Our Jenkintown office] remains a central hub for our practice and leadership and offers access to a dynamic urban environment, rich cultural resources and a strong network of civic and institutional partners.”
SGA’s small, but mighty team of roughly 20 staff is composed of landscape architects, planners, GIS specialists, urban designers and a technical services and engineering coordination team. All departments are united by the firm’s guiding principles of Integrity, Rigor, Collaboration, Stewardship and Innovation. “These values are reflected in how we mentor staff, structure project teams and create opportunities for growth,” says Fox. “If a project aligns with our core beliefs and values, then we’ll take it and help our client figure out the scope of the project - what needs to get done, and in what order.”
Staying true to these five pillars has propelled SGA into an enviable position as a national leader in urban and community revitalization. Specifically, SGA established a niche for environmental remediation. The firm is celebrated for its redevelopment of contaminated sites, namely brownfields, and unlocking polluted sites’ potential for community benefit. “Beyond brownfields, our team is highly experienced in areas such as coastal resilience, waterfront redevelopment, public space design and green infrastructure,” says Fox. “We also have a deep experience in parks and recreation development.”
SGA’s commitment to environmental enhancement extends beyond the work site. The firm proudly carries designations as both a certified MicroSWaM firm and River Star Business, a title awarded by the Elizabeth River Project. One of SGA’s most notable local projects is, in fact, the Elizabeth River Project’s Norfolk headquarters and cutting-edge facility, the Ryan Resilience Lab. Other standout projects include the Chrysler Museum of Art Glass Studio, the upcoming VB 531 Memorial, and the St. Paul’s Blue Greenway. Fox explains that these projects have advanced the beauty and versatility of our region’s landscape, “Sometimes when you live in a place all of your life, you forget about what is unique. You take for granted the views and bonuses of living there. Sometimes it takes someone from outside to see that.”
The remainder of SGA’s work spans 21 states with standout projects including the Great Stone Viaduct Park in Ohio, a heritage-based park design celebrating industrial history. SGA also helped design the master plan for Camp Security, a Revolutionary War-era site in Springettsbury, Pennsylvania. Upon each project’s completion, SGA provides its clients with a toolbox for maintaining the site’s integrity. “We put together a lot of O&M plans, or Operations and Maintenance manuals, that help clients understand how to maintain plant materials, paving, and furnishings – among many other things,” says Fox.
Fox further explains that projects can take anywhere from a few months to several years to complete. Staying ahead of advancements in the field and being mindful of what makes each community unique are paramount to SGA’s mission to ensure shared spaces can be enjoyed by generations to come. “We try to build flexibility in our designs and our projects, even to account for things like market trends,” Fox explains. “When you are working locally, you are living, working and playing in your portfolio. It’s a lot of fun, and it is fascinating to see how the spaces you design change over time. My children have attended schools with sites I designed; people have also had wedding photos taken in parks I’ve designed.”
Fox and his team are excited for the growth of their dynamic portfolio and set their sights on another chapter of stewardship and groundbreaking designs.
