James Posey Associates is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2011. To help commemorate our centennial, Chairman Emeritus Carl Hossfeld compiled a history of the firm’s first 100 years.
Carl served as President from 1981 through 2004. He retired in 2005 after 42 years of service but continues working with us on a consulting basis.
Here are Carl’s initial thoughts as he started work on the firm’s history:
It is rare for any company to survive, much less thrive for 100 years. This is especially true for a design firm started in the early 1900s, considering the past century brought us two world wars, the Great Depression, numerous recessions, and major evolutions in building technology.
We are often asked “What is the key to your success?” There is no single answer, but there are three guiding principles established by our founder, James Posey, that we follow to this day. They are to place the interest of our clients foremost, mentor staff and invest in their well-being, and most important, produce top quality work.
A Three Part History
You will find the firm’s history divided into three major periods. Please use these links to read along:
Founding and Early Years
Mid-Century
A New Century
James Senate Office Building in Annapolis, MD is a good example of JPA’s long history. We designed the MEP systems for the original 1938 building in the archival photo and replaced them 45 years later as part of an extensive modernization shown in the color photo.
A Century of Excellence
JPA is celebrating the centennial of the firm founded by Baltimore engineer James Posey
in 1911.Continue Reading
Featured Project
Coppin State University
Baltimore, MD
Providing a major addition to this urban campus, the new 253,000-SF complex includes a state-of-the art sports facility, facilities management/public safety building and a satellite central utilities plant (SCUP).
Featured Project
U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
Washington, DC
JPA designed the MEP infrastructure for a 580,000-SF underground facility for the five-million visitors to the U.S. Capitol each year.
Featured Project
Peninsula Regional Medical Center
Salisbury, MD
Phased implementation of the Master Plan to significantly expand facilities at this premier regional tertiary care medical center on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
Featured Project
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD
Renovation of the first floor in Building 49 transformed existing office and laboratory space into a BSL-2 research area.
Featured Project
Great Seneca Creek Elementary School
Germantown, MD
This was Montgomery County’s pilot LEED project and is the first LEED certified school in Maryland, achieving Gold status.
Featured Project
Roland Park Country School
Baltimore, MD
A new 60,000-SF athletic center for this college preparatory girls’ school features an eight-station indoor rowing tank facility, the first of its kind in a Maryland school.
Featured Project
Fairfax County Public Safety Operations Center
Fair Lakes, VA
Fairfax County and the Commonwealth of Virginia consolidated regional public safety and transportation functions to a new government office park near Dulles International Airport.
Featured Project
Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens
Mount Vernon, VA
Two new facilities totaling 71,200-SF added 23 galleries and five theaters to the historic family home of our nation’s first president.
Featured Project
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Opened in 1915, this 146,000-SF academic building is the oldest and largest on the Homewood Campus.