Finalist: The Casey Associates

When Allen Casey sketched his career plans, he envisioned owning an architectural firm. It seemed only natural.

Casey's father, Harold Casey, groomed him in the field, beginning in 1973 when Allen Casey took his first job upon graduating from the University of Arkansas. At Harold Casey and Associates, Casey discovered architecture was in his blood and knew he was destined to one day become a principal.

"I got to quickly learn all of the issues involved with running your own company by working closely with him," Casey said.

Dad also was the inspiration behind Casey's love of historic renovations, on which his firm, The Casey Associates Inc., has built a reputation.

"I quickly with his guidance got very involved, intrigued and enthused with looking at properties downtown that (had) redevelopment possibilities," Casey said.

Among them were the Holland Building, which housed his dad's office, and the Sterling Hotel across the street on Park Central East. Today, Casey owns both buildings, and his firm has drawn up the renovation plans.

Holland Building renovations are one-third complete, Casey said, and exterior work at the Sterling Hotel should begin within a month. Both buildings' plans call for restaurants in the lower levels.

Casey considers historic redevelopment and design the firm's forte. Master planning services include building analyses, feasibility studies and obtaining historic tax credits and incentive programs "much of which gets beyond the architecture side and into financing," Casey said. "We've gotten a forte where we can work with people to show them what they could do with projects."

The word has apparently gotten around. Another redevelopment project sits some 550 miles from Springfield in Dubuque, Iowa. Casey Associates is designing a data and operations center in an 1886-built warehouse in downtown Dubuque for Dubuque Bank & Trust. The project is valued at $6 million, Casey said, and is scheduled for completion in 10 months. The three-story building covers an entire city block and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The crux of the business lately has been projects for Monett-based Jack Henry & Associates, Casey said. About 65 percent of his work comes from the bank data technology company.

Casey Associates has been involved with Jack Henry projects in 17 states over the last six years, and is designing new offices in Monett, San Diego and Charlotte, N.C.

Working as the firm's only registered architect, Casey has his hands on each project. His staff of five comprises three architects in training.

"We have really enjoyed maintaining a small firm," Casey said. "Our goal has not been to see how big we can grow but instead see how we can work with the existing resources available and produce more and better projects."

Casey started the firm in 1992. Almost 90 percent of its work is commercial, with some minor residential work "for entertainment purposes," Casey said. "They're kind of fun every once in a while."

The offices are at 619 S. Pickwick, "at least until the Sterling gets done," Casey said.