Marchetto Higgins Stieve Architects’ portfolio includes Park + Garden, a luxury apartment building in Hoboken developed by Bijou Properties —
By Joshua Burd
Marchetto Higgins Stieve Architects has earned a prestigious honor from a top industry association, thanks in part to its major expansion amid the state’s ongoing apartment boom.
The Hoboken-based architectural, planning and design practice announced that it was named Firm of the Year by the American Institute of Architects’ New Jersey chapter. The honor, which was announced as part of AIA-NJ’s 2019 Service Awards, follows a year in which MHS expanded by nearly 25 percent, with a clientele that includes many of the region’s top multifamily and mixed-use developers.
In a news release, the firm cited the growing demand for walkable, city-centric living and substantial redevelopment efforts throughout New Jersey’s urban centers. Its recent assignments include 7 Seventy House, Bijou Properties’ 424-unit project in Hoboken, along with K. Hovnanian Homes’ waterfront condominium building in West New York known as Nine on the Hudson.
“We’re incredibly honored and appreciative to receive such a prestigious award,” said Dean Marchetto, MHS’ founding principal, who has led the firm for its nearly 40 years in operation.
“This is a tribute to our entire team of architects, planners and staff in recognition of their exemplary efforts to serve our development clients in award-winning fashion,” he added. “Their unwavering dedication and commitment to both design and community building has allowed us to expand our scope of services and enter many new and exciting markets throughout the state. Their creativity and tireless work ethic have us well positioned for continued growth in the years to come.”
With offices in Hoboken and Jersey City’s Journal Square, MHS Architects performs architecture, land planning and urban design for mixed-use projects ranging from four to 40 stories throughout New Jersey, the news release said. The firm said it places heavy emphasis on building a sense of belonging and community, creating public awareness surrounding each development through a process of community participation and involvement.
What’s more, MHS has been on the front lines of Hoboken’s revitalization in recent decades — having designed and completed more than 100 buildings in the city — but has also expanded outward to other parts of Hudson County and to New Jersey’s western suburbs.
For instance, MHS worked on behalf Roseland Residential Trust to design the Metropolitan Lofts rental building in Morristown, among others.
AIA-NJ’s Firm of the Year honor is the eighth award for MHS Architects in 2019 and the 50th award for the firm in total, the news release said.
Marchetto, once on the front lines of Hoboken’s rebirth, is now growing beyond Hudson County
