Nancy Dougherty
By Joshua Burd
AIA New Jersey has bestowed its 2023 Architect of the Year award on Nancy Dougherty, a managing principal of Millburn-based Studio 1200.
The longtime architect, who is being recognized for her “exceptional efforts in the field of architecture, exceptional service to her community and her mentorship of young professionals,” will receive the honor on Jan. 13 at the organization’s installation and awards dinner, according to a news release. Studio 1200 noted this week that Dougherty has more than 30 years of experience and is known for her design of diverse workspaces, with a focus on downtown buildings that revitalize their communities.
She is also widely respected for her role in shepherding projects through the land use approvals process, Studio 1200 said. Recent work includes the redevelopment of a prominent site in Flemington, a commercial campus in Bedminster and mixed-use and multifamily housing projects in Bernardsville, Jersey City, Millburn, Morristown and Summit.
“Nancy is known as a passionate researcher on the history of each site and laser-focused on the critical details, resulting in unwavering confidence and trust among our clients,” said Sandee Markwith, her business partner and fellow managing principal of Studio 1200.
Dougherty has provided architectural services for many civic organizations including JESPY House, The Door, Jersey City Veteran’s Housing, the YMCA and Greenwood Gardens, the news release said. She has also mentored thousands of students of all ages throughout the years, nurtured relationships with the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Hillier College of Architecture and established a thriving internship and mentoring program at Studio 1200.
Additionally, Dougherty is co-chair of the residential committee for the South Orange / Maplewood Coalition on Race, which recently launched its Wealth Gap Equalizer Loan Program for black and nonwhite Hispanic first-time homeowners, her firm said. She is also on the executive committee and strategic planning team for Greenwood Gardens, a 28-acre public garden located in Short Hills, and was an inaugural member of Impact 100 Garden State and recently became a sponsor for SparkNJ, a nonprofit that provides financial support for black-led charitable, community and civic organizations in northern New Jersey.
A graduate of Barnard College, with a master’s in architecture from Columbia University, Dougherty is licensed in multiple states and has been previously recognized by NJBIZ as one of the Top 50 Women in Business and as an ROI-NJ real estate influencer.
