©2017 Saratoga Photographer.com
By Jennifer Farnsworth
It’s probably not just the 42 years of being a successful architect that defines Jeff Anthony’s career.
The business he is building with his daughter encompasses his love of nature, his daughter Kirsten Catellier’s inherited talents and a respect for combining architecture with the natural landscape that defines the North Country. It is an art that Anthony and Catellier take seriously, and their growing Saratoga Springs-based firm Studio A Landscape and Planning is proof of it.
Studio A is a multi-disciplinary landscape architecture and environmental planning firm, been providing design services to both public and private clients. Studio A works to create low-impact design solutions, using the site’s natural resources and the clients’ goals and objectives, the owners say.
Over the past the six months the business has been growing at a rapid pace. Catellier credits much of the success to the relationship she and her father have, both professionally and personally.
“It is amazing working with my dad. It has been a goal of mine for many years. He is not only a wealth of information, but he really understands how to explain information and teach me the ropes. He’s very patient and understanding. I think we make a really good team. He is seasoned and I’m still learning, so we both bring to the table a variety of traits and information. Every day is fun too, it doesn’t feel like we are at work,” said Catellier.
Catellier graduated from Bolton Central School and then moved on to receive her Bachelors of Landscape Architecture degree from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, where her father also received a degree in landscape architecture.
After taking post graduate classes at Suffolk University, Catellier began working for the state Office of Parks and Recreation as a Landscape Designer. While in college, Catellier’s senior project was the preparation of a draft “dark sky” zoning ordinance for the town of Bolton.
Anthony worked for a brief time at Saratoga Associates before founding the LA Group in 1984, where he was president for over 40 years.
Catellier said she has always had aspirations of owning her own company.
Although her father was considering retirement, the two were still working on projects for friends. Catellier said as work increased, they finally decided to open a practice full time, a decision that seems to have brought things full circle for this father-daughter duo.
“My whole life, we’ve always had a great relationship and enjoy spending time together, so I’m just that much more appreciative that now it’s an all-day, everyday thing, whether it’s at work where we share an actual room or on weekends at the lake,” said Catellier.
They have three full-time employees and hope to be able to add to that as the business continues to grow.
The firm services clients from municipalities, to state agencies, to developers, to individuals. Catellier said they currently have over 40 active projects in various stages of development. Some of their upcoming projects include several resorts and resort hotels in Vermont, Connecticut, and the Adirondacks.
Catellier said she and her father feel Saratoga is the perfect spot for the firm, encompassing their love for the area with a centralized practical location.
“Saratoga Springs is a vibrant community with many opportunities for a landscape architectural practice. We are close to the Adirondack Park, Catskill Park and Vermont where many resorts and recreational facilities are located,” said Catellier.
Studio A is located at 480 Broadway, Suite LL-14, in Saratoga Springs. Its website is studioadpc.com.