LPDJ Architects, LLC: Worldwide Experience with Local Connections

September 20, 2004

Click here to download the ful PDF version of LPDJ's informational brochure.

"If there were a list of the top ten architects in the world today, Leland A. Gray and Jesse M. Harris would near the top."

"In 2003, Leland Gray and Jesse Harris took an early retirement from their positions in the Architectural and Engineering Division of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Now, through their newly formed firm of LPDJ Architects, LLC, headquartered in Bountiful, Utah, both Leland and Jesse design Monolithic Dome projects for private and public owners, virtually anywhere in the world.

"Since the start of LPDJ, Jesse and Leland have more than 16 projects on their drawing boards. These include an expansion for Faith Chapel Christian Center, a 280-foot-diameter Monolithic Dome church in Birmingham, Alabama, as well as a multiplex theater, churches, charter schools, athletic arenas and a detention facility.

"While designing more than 13,000 churches, across the world, Leland and Jesse met, worked closely with and got to know top-notch experts, consultants and vendors, in the United States and Canada. Now, they maintain a working relationship with these experts and access their expertise when it's needed. " -- David B. South

LPDJ architects PRINCIPLE PARTNERS’ GENERAL EXPERIENCE

We, Leland A. Gray and Jesse M. Harris, can add significant value to the Project Team. We have extensive experience with designing and building assembly facilities. The following is a brief summary of our collective architectural and construction experience:

• Being NCARB certified architects for 27 years, we are both able to obtain reciprocity for professional architects’ licensing in any state in the USA and in any province in Canada.
• Our architectural experience began in Washington State in the 1970's where we worked in two separate architectural firms and later we worked together in our architectural firm. Our early experience included commercial, residential, and institutional project design.
• In our role as architects for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the 1980's and 1990's, we developed standard building designs and site specific building designs as described in the “REFERENCES” in this proposal.
• In February and April 2003, respectively, we retired from employment as corporate architects for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We were employed in their headquarters Architectural and Engineering Division for 25 and 19 years, respectively.
• After our retirements we formed an architectural firm, LPDJ Architects LLC, Bountiful, Utah to pursue the design and construction of projects for private and public owners.
• As a result of our employment with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), we have access to and experience with specialized consultants and vendors in the USA and Canada who have unusual expertise in solving specialized design challenges.

LELAND A. GRAY, LICENSED ARCHITECT IN 13 STATES

In addition to our combined experience, Leland Gray has the following individual experience:

His family owned a movie theater in Sandpoint, Idaho. He ran the theater during his high school and college years so he has theater operation experience and understands the equipment for theaters.
He designed the Wenatchee High School in Wenatchee, Washington in 1970. It was one of the largest award winning high schools for its time. It has a large auditorium with a stage.
He designed and provided construction administration for recreation facilities that were part of housing complexes, motor hotels, and apartment and condominium complexes in Washington state in the 1970's.
As Senior Design Architect for the LDS Church, he provided design, construction administration, and quality assurance inspection services for religious and educational projects in the USA and Canada for 25 years.

As the Senior Design Architect, he worked directly with corporate management to do the following:

Create standard designs.
Direct the staff engineers.
Lead the production of construction documents for temples, meetinghouses, seminary buildings for high schools, institute buildings for college campuses, and welfare building such as food storehouses, canneries, and clothing distribution stores.

Currently, he is doing the following:

Creating designs and budgets for clients
Producing construction documents
Coordinating the work of consultants
Providing construction administration for LPDJ architects LLC’s projects including special events centers, several churches, schools and athletic arenas.

JESSE M. HARRIS, LICENSED ARCHITECT IN 7 STATES

In addition to our combined experience, Jesse Harris has the following individual experience:

His family owned and operated a farm in Eagle, Idaho. He worked on construction and road surveying projects during his high school and college years so he has significant construction experience.
He was on the design team for the King Dome in Seattle, WA. in 1969-1970. It was one of the first multi-use athletic/convention facilities with a concrete thin-shell roof in the USA.
He designed and provided construction administration for university buildings, hospitals, housing complexes, motor hotels, banks, residences, and churches in Washington state during the 1970's and early 1980's.

As a Manager and later Director of the Architectural & Engineering Division’s project teams for the LDS Church, he created and managed the following:

Contracting and training the collaborating architects who did the local project development work for LDS Church projects. He had this assignment for thirteen years.
Leading project teams to do quality assurance inspections. This on-site quality assurance training was and is very unique in the construction industry.
Training contract architects, engineers, and contractors to make sure the LDS Church received optimum value for their construction expenditures.
As Director of the Architectural and Engineering Services Division (A&E) for the LDS Church, he led and directed the staff of 80+ people included architects, engineers, production designers and drafters, cost control specialists, specification writers, interior designers, and other design support staff for six years.

Currently, he is doing or will be doing the following:

Producing contracts, schedules, specifications, and coordinating communication with LPDJ’s consultants.
Providing construction administration for LPDJ architects projects including a multi-plex theater, several churches, several charter schools, athletic arenas, and a detention facility.

DAVID J. MAY, LICENSED ARCHITECT IN 2 STATES

In addition to the Partners combined experience David J. May has the following individual experience:

He has been involved with the public in business since he was 12 years old selling produce from the family truck farm. He understands the concept of service, and meeting customers expectations.
While getting his Degree at Montana State University, David engaged in several occupations including 2 ½ years under the tutelage of a master plumber and assisted in several subdivision developments, one a subdivision for Big Sky, Montana. He operated David May Construction for 1 ½ years which involved building houses, remodeling homes and finish carpentry.
He worked for Daniel Cook & Associates from 1979-1982 as an Architect and Electrical/ Mechanical designer and with CTA Architects & Engineers as an Electrical designer.

From 1982 - 1990 he was involved in the following business in chronologic order:

A partner at Gillis Architects, specializing in commercial projects schools and motels.
An Architect, Estimator, Director of Operations and Vice-President of both Lee C. Nelson Construction and Great Falls Roofing doing commercial work throughout West Central Montana.
Owner of Oakridge Construction, a general contracting firm specializing in design/build projects.

From 1990-2005 he was employed by the LDS Church and had the following assignments:

Project Manager for 2 years in the Southeastern USA where he managed the construction and maintenance of 76 churchs and properties in Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
Project Architect for 2 years with the Southwest USA area with up to 105 construction projects at a time.
Regional Manager for 1 ½ years with the Southwest USA area managing 6 Project Managers including work in all of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, and parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas, and Arizona.
Manager of Design, Production and Construction Services for the Architect and Engineering Division for 4 years.
- Managed and coordinated up to 70 personnel in creating standard Meetinghouse and Temple designs and drawings.
- Project Architect for the design team developing the small temples for Monticello, Utah and Anchorage, Alaska .
- Developed streamlined processes to standardizing and expediting the development of standard designs.
Director of Temple Facilities for 5 ½ years including the construction of 25 temples and maintenance for 120 LDS Temples located around the world.

For LPDJ architects, he is or will be producing construction documents, coordinating consultant’s work and providing construction administration for several churches, schools, and athletic arenas.

PROJECTS WITH LPDJ architects LLC - SELECTED from 2003 to 2005

FAITH CHAPEL CHRISTIAN CENTER Birmingham, Alabama

A new activity center for disco, Christian night club, basketball, bowling, wall climbing, games, and food service in 6 domes
Approximately 130,000 sq. ft.; Budget $16.5M; Construction began in July 2005

CHURCH ON THE MOVE Roswell, New Mexico

A sanctuary with 1,000 seats & classrooms; A steel building addition;
22,000 sq. ft.; Budget $1.9M; Construction completed in December 2004

LEGACY CHURCH Albuquerque, NM

A sanctuary 2,650 seats in dome addition
29,000 sq. ft. sanctuary; 14,000 sq. ft. remodel, Budget $4.1M; Construction completed in January 2005

GREATER ALTON COMMUNITY CHURCH East Alton, Illinois

A sanctuary addition 750 seat in 126' dia. dome
11,500 sq. ft.; Approximately $1.0M, Construction expected to be complete in September 2005

PONTIAC/WILLIAM HOLIDAY SCHOOL Fairview Heights. Illinois

Gymnasium addition in 110' dia. in a dome
12,000 sq. ft.; Budget $1.1M; Construction of dome in progress

THE CHILDREN’S READING CENTER Palatka, Florida

A Charter school for reading education & teacher training; Five concrete thin-shell domes
28,000 sq. ft.; Budget $2.1M; Expect to start construction in October 2005

UPPER ROOM ASSEMBLY OF GOD Miami, Florida

Classrooms & activity facility in three concrete thin-shell domes
15,000 sq. ft.; Budget $1.6M for the First Phase; Completing very complex Dade County review process

REFERENCES for LPDJ architects LLC CURRENT WORKLOAD

Debra Blaylock, Executive Minister, Faith Chapel’s Family Activity Center in Birmingham, AL at Office 205-285-9673
Darrell L. Sy, Superintendent of the Pontiac/William Holiday School District #105 at Office 618-233-0918

PROJECTS WITH THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS