Jim consulted with me several times on my gut renovation project and provided expert advice. He…read morebrings expertise from two decades of experience to the table, and also his work is of impeccable quality. I saw a passive house he was gut renovating in Park Slope, and it was absolutely stunning! Jim knows how to preserve historic details while bringing the design into the modern era in a tasteful, classic way. He exudes calmness and wisdom and is a pleasure to be around. Full disclosure in that I ultimately had to choose a less experienced architect because Jim's fee, although completely reasonable given his level of skill and expertise, was a bit out of our price range.

Jim was great to work with. We did a semi-gut renovation in 3 bedroom/2 bathroom apt. The quality…read moreof his work and suggestions were exactly what we wanted based on my husband and my feedback. Jim is very detailed and each week during renovation, we had him manage the project with the contractor to ensure the final output was done properly. Most Manhattan apartments are not symmetrical, so the early stage on doing things a certain way goes a long way on the final look. He understands plumbing, and electrical well to communicate to our contractors. He referred us to a HVAC engineer. When it came to interior design, we had Sarah who provided feedback and suppliers information. She was also very helpful. Jim knows the DOB process well and helped us resolved many issues even during covid and DOB rule changed in 2020 and 2021. We also had him manage the project with the contractors. The contractors don't have the same design eyes and were a bit sloppy and forgetful so it was imperative to have Jim help us. Urban charges by the hour and provided an accurate estimate of the cost. Make sure what projects he's working on so he can allocate time properly. In the beginning with the design drawing schematic, it took a while cause he was on a couple of brownstone projects but overall still have a very positive experience with Jim. He was responsive.

Jen is wonderful to work with. She has amazing attention to detail and great ideas. She works to…read morethe highest standard and we couldn't be happier with the end result.

From the owner: Full Service Architectural Firmread more

We've been working with Amy for quite some time on our (nearly) gut renovation of our apartment,…read moreand couldn't be happier. This was a fairly large project - redoing 3 bathrooms, the floors and moving a wall. The highest praise I can give is that we continue to recommend her to all of our friends doing renovations, and she'll be the one we go to for our next project. Nearing the end of our current project, we've seen her in many different parts of the process and have been impressed by each one. At a high level, Amy delivers high quality work and communicates quickly and effectively. At the start was design and development - where we are painting our vision for our project and Amy is turning it into actual designs and hardwood/tile samples. We started with inspiration photos, and then from there went to actual material selection. When choosing materials Amy was great at presenting 3 options, while always being willing to go back to find more when we didn't quite like them (which I think only happened a couple of times). For this phase, I think the best thing we did was find clear inspiration photos that she turned into actual things. Main recommendation is to pay attention to the stuff that you might not normally - where will the fire alarms go? How high are the fans? Where are the outlets, and where are the switches? One great thing Amy did here was show a lot of cost awareness and advised us on where to splurge and where to save. One thing that did surprise us here was the cost of millwork - it was generally much more than we anticipated (expect about $1000 per linear foot), so definitely factor that into your budget. When it came time to choosing a contractor, she streamlined that whole process as well, providing a few recommendations and arranging interviews. With the contractor we selected, she handled our contract negotiation expertly. For this phase of the project, my big recommendation is to make sure that everyone is clear on the timeline, and that part of the contract includes shared responsibility of any fees your building might charge for going over a deadline. Likewise, include requirements around ordering materials before the kick-off of the project, if you have the space to store them. This will greatly help streamline things. During construction, she primarily worked with the contractors directly to prepare orders and answer their questions about the schematics. The answers were always in the schematics, which showed an enormous attention to detail that I'm frankly envious of. Our project got a little bit off of track due to ordering delays (hence - order before you start), and she was the one that got it back on track by getting us and the contractors in a room to make sure that all of the orders were there. Finally, for adaptability there was the design side - one piece of millwork came in significantly more expensive than we expected ($15k for doors!) and very quickly she came up with a significantly more affordable option that I think is going to look just as good. You should hire her!

Amy is someone who is super super passionate about she does. We didn't end up hiring her because…read moreour project involves a great amount of dealing with local municipality. However, I enjoyed meeting with her. She was on time, listened to what I had in mind and proposed ideas that I didn't think of but would be a much better use of space. I wouldn't hesitate to hire her were it not for the need for permits etc. Four stars because I didn't work with her and can't comment on the acual work product.

Do not hire these people. DOB was called on my project. I was fined $15k for a violation caused by…read moreMCG. The firm managed to finish my project after a year had passed. I am still dealing with the DOB nightmare. Modern Citi refuses to help with correcting the violation caused by their carelessness. I have had to rehire another company to fix these problems. Costing thousands of dollars. This firm is completely lacking in accountability .

Working with Modern Citi Group was an amazing experience, the team was patient and detailed. The…read morefree consultation was helpful and not pushy. The project manager was amazing, and he was thorough and responsive with good attention to details and quality. The designer was such a pleasant person to work with, and she was a great listener and so patient with me. She had given me great design suggestions, and had considered my budget. Modern Citi Group strived for excellence and was so diligent and skillful with the fixes after the renovation as promised under their warranty. The company was quick and timely. All other people whom I have encountered from Modern Citi were all approachable and interacted with me with a friendly smile! My husband and I are very happy with the outcome of this renovation, and I will highly recommend Modern Citi group to any of my NYC friends who are looking for a professional company for renovations!

Amazing service! Nick was willing to help advise with a situation I was dealing with. He went out…read moreof his way to answer any questions I had for almost 20 minutes. And, he didn't charge me a dollar. At the end, he even referred me someone who could help me better with my situation. Really appreciate the help, Nick. You're a godsend. Highly recommend.

I am not accustomed to writing reviews unless the services rendered were exceptional. That was the…read morecase with SimpleTwig Architecture...... I was looking for an architect to change my two family investment property to a three family investment property. Having no experience in this matter, Nic was fantastic. He took the time, via e mail or telephonically, to walk me through the process step by step. As stated in previous reviews, he is not looking to "take your money" unless he can assist you. As it turns out, I was unable to use his services because the property could not be converted to a three family dwelling. In the future if I need an architect, I need not look further. Kallie

I even don't know how to begin. I bought an apartment in the apartment building designed by…read moreMarchetto Dean Architects P.C. and now I'm trying to get the construction drawings and it appears that nobody has them. I called Marchetto Dean Architects P.C. but I was told that they don't have the drawings since it was over 10 years ago so they archived the project. This I understand because I work for the engineering company and we archive old project too but I also know that if we need we can retrieve them. However, the person that I talked to was rude and she cut me off saying that this is her final answer that they don't have it and she hanged up! Yes! Just hanged up which is like saying "f" word! It looks like they talked to potential future clients only that they can charge a huge amount of money but not to others regarding the old work that they did... Also, I would like to add that the design of at least my apartment is really bad. The heights of ceilings are different in bathrooms, closets and rooms, they even differ between two bathrooms. The floor is not even as well. In the kitchen it is a little higher then in the living room there is small area in the front of balcony door with tiles that are almost 1 inch lower than the rest of the hardwood floor. The doors are too short and many more. I was planning to renovate this apartment but it gets really difficult without the project drawings. I don't recommend this architects at all. First of all, because it doesn't look like they do good designs and they treat clients really badly.

I am a real estate broker and have referred Victoria to many of my clients whether it be small or…read morelarge scale work. They have all come back to me very happy with her service and work. She is extremely talented and I will continue to refer her!

Victoria drafted plans for a complete apartment renovation. She worked with the board and managing…read moreagent to get all of the alterations approved.

Scott is an amazing architect. I worked with him on an extensive renovation project - a complete…read moregut of a kitchen and five bathrooms - and the results were amazing. He comes up with designs and materials i could never have imagined and has spoiled me for ever working with any other architect. I have seem many of his renovations, both homes and apartments, and several homes he has designed from the ground up - all are beautiful, each different and special in its own way. In addition, he is a delightful person who is probably the most well-rounded, best educated individual I know. We traveled to Portugal together to select marble for my renovation, and it was a pleasure - he is talented, knowledgeable, cultured and a gentleman to boot. i would not hesitate to use him on my next project.

Terri McRay is one of the top interior designers in the NYC area. She is knowledgable about all…read moreaspects of construction and interior deign. Terri has a special talent for listening to clients, then creating pleasing, comfortable and efficient designs to satisfy their needs. My wife I moved into a two bedroom apartment in NYC several years ago. The premisis was in such poor condition that we needed to gut the interior and start anew. Terri was in charge of the project. She hired and supervised the contractors, selected the materials for "built-ins," designed a new kitchen floor plan with an "island" stove, counter top eating area and storage underneath. She selected bathroom and bedroom wallpapers, relaxing paint tones for the living and dining rooms and designed ample work and stortage space for smaller areas converted to home offices. Importantly, under Terri McRay's supervision, the project came in at just a bit over estimates (no mean feat in NYC!) and on time. My wife and I have been and continue to be very comfortable in the home Terri designed for us. We have no hesitation in recommending Terri McRay to any readers at this site who are comtemplating doing interior design work in their apartments or houses. Terri has many years of experience with both. Having Terri McRay work with you is a pleasant experience and the results are top quality.

From the owner: Interior Design and Architectural Renovations, for Condos, Coops and New Construction with…read moreBuilders, Kitchens, Bathrooms. All aspects of materials, furnishings, space planning, lighting design, project and budget management, custom cabinetry, media/entertainment rooms, communication with clients, contractors and subs. All aspects of design and decorating. Terri McRay designs original hand woven rugs in high quality wool, silk and hemp which are manufactured in Nepal.