As we approach our 10 year anniversary being in downtown Harrisonburg I am thinking about my love affair with downtown Harrisonburg. Can you believe we have been here for 10 years already! We started out with me and a wood desk above OASIS Fine Art & Craft, Harrisonburg VA....

Each year we have one or more high school students and occasionally college students join us in the office for a job shadow opportunity. This is an unpaid position where the students gets to hang out in the office, observe what we are doing, and work on a design of a house (I...

We need more women to enter the construction industry. I am not saying this because I want to empower my daughters to know they can do any job they decide they want to take on – which they can. I am not saying this because our industry is facing unemployment rates that most...

It is that time of year again – we are holding a Red Wing Roots Music Festival Ticket Give Away! This year we have the opportunity to hold a drawing for a pair of Red Wing Sunday (single day) passes. All you have to do is comment on which band playing on Sunday you are most...

Come see us at the Depot on June 7, for the First Friday Art Opening. What a great way to kick off your summer fun – come visit the Depot on First Friday! June 7, 2019 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm Gaines Group Architects – The Depot Gallery (second floor) Laurence Heine is...

Come see us at the Depot this Friday for the First Friday Art Opening. Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the...

I understand that marketing a locally owned business is critical for the survival of that business. However, I find it is difficult to find the right places to invest our marketing dollars for the best return on investment. Most of the ways you can market affordably are hard to...

I find a lot of missing insulation, air leaks, and thermal bridges when doing energy audits. There are many things in a home that can be installed wrong that lead to poor thermal performance (uncomfortable rooms). I find air leaking around light switches, doors, window trim, and...

Finding a building site in the city surrounded by trees is rare. This is the second opportunity we have had to design a home for just such a site. How cool is it to be minutes from parks, shopping, and work, but feel like you are in the country. The goals of this home in the...

I have never been very good at small talk. “Hey, how you doing, how is work, family doing ok….” Small talk doesn’t allow you to get to know someone and I yearn for deeper connections. However, it is sometimes scary when you engage in small talk and someone...