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AC + Co Architecture | Community is celebrating its 60th anniversary with a transition to its third generation of leaders, tracking successfully along a five-year strategy the Salem firm initiated last year.

Founded in 1958 by Warren Carkin, who partnered with Robert Sherman to establish Carkin & Sherman Architects, the firm鈥檚 early projects included the Salem Post Office, Oregon Women鈥檚 Correctional Center, and the Chemeketa Community College master plan and several campus buildings.

In 1989, Kim Arbuckle and Alan Costic purchased the firm, which became Carkin Arbuckle Costic Architects. Along with its traditional education and civic work, the firm completed designs for commercial offices, medical clinics, private residences, and places of worship throughout Oregon.

鈥淲hen Kim and I bought the firm, we had a pretty good trajectory. We wanted to do projects that were fun and we鈥檝e been able to do that, so we鈥檝e got landmarks all over the place,鈥� Costic said.

Among those notable projects are the Salem Riverfront Park Carousel and the A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village; The Meridian mixed-use development; the historic adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of the McGilchrist Roth Buildings; Goss Stadium at Oregon State University; the Center for Business & Industry at Chemeketa Community College; and several renovations on Willamette University鈥檚 campus.

鈥淲e found opportunities for cross-pollination from one building type to another. You would never encounter these amazing solution opportunities if you were doing the same buildings all the time,鈥� Costic said, adding that the diversity in projects helped the firm weather several recessions over the years.

The firm has experienced some difficulties, a significant one being the unexpected death of 48-year-old partner Clayton Vorse in 2013. 鈥淭hat was a blow for the firm. I think we鈥檝e managed our way through it, but it was tough,鈥� Costic said.
Costic noted that he鈥檚 learned a few lessons along the way, including that the only constant is change.

鈥淎s an owner, you have to be very fluid in your decision making,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not saying it gets easier, but at least you鈥檙e not beating your head against the wall and saying, 鈥榃hy won鈥檛 this square peg fit in this round hole?鈥� It鈥檚 because the hole changed.鈥�

As AC + Co Architecture | Community marks its sixth decade, staff who were hired as interns are earning their licenses and becoming more engaged in the community through the Architects in Schools program and other volunteer work. Costic said he looks forward to watching the new leaders 鈥� Lisa Mance, Richard Rothweiler and Blake Bural 鈥� continue to serve traditional clients in the K-12, higher education, office and religious sectors while also doing notable work on remodels, adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of historic properties.

鈥淎s the firm passes through its 60th year, whether it be the recent rebranding, continuing to serve clients that we have worked with consistently for years, or developing relationships with new clients and community members, the transition of leadership is going exceedingly well,鈥� Costic said. 鈥淲e continue to work hard every day to elevate our surrounding communities through the strength of our designs and the good hearts of our people. We look forward to many new challenges and successful projects in the years to come.鈥�