Kontext Architects planning move to downtown Sun Prairie – hngnews.com

Kelly Thompson has plans for downtown Sun Prairie. The owner of Kontext Architects LLC is leasing the empty space at 240 E. Main St. and renovating the upper level, which sat vacant for years.

We just gutted everything and cleared it all out, and weve got some big ideas for the entire building, Thompson said, adding that his team will relocate its offices to an updated 1,500-square-foot second-story space next March.

An additional 1,000 square feet of space on the second level remains available for lease.

Meanwhile, a new front facade is in the works that will restore the corner location, adjacent to Cannery Wine & Spirits, to its original early-1900s storefront appearance.

Inventure Realty Group will occupy the Main Street level, and Thompson envisions the basement, which still retains woodwork and fabric from a bygone era, as the perfect home for a commercial wine cellar and tasting room.

Thompson, a Sun Prairie resident who began Kontext Architects in 2008 at 425 W. Main St., relocated his firm to downtown Madison on East Dayton Street after Kontext merged with Architecture Network in 2014.

But he wanted to return to downtown Sun Prairie, where he sees a vibrant scene evolving thanks in large part to new housing developments in the area.

You have people walking all over the place, he said. And it gets more exciting at night and during the weekend. This downtown is considerably more accessible than downtown Madison, and for Kontext being in downtown Sun Prairie is all about presence and name recognition.

For now, though, Thompson and his staff are temporarily operating out of 1110 N. Bristol St., a small space formerly occupied by The Ammo Box and sharing a building with Georges Chicken & Fish and Good Spirits liquor store.

We were sort of homeless, said Thompson, whose downtown Madison lease expired in June.

He was able to sign a short-term lease while renovations take place at the East Main Street building.

Proximity to the Highway 151 corridor, which provides easy access to the Fox Valley where several Kontext clients are located as well as to and from other regions, also attracted Thompson. Its very common for us to go where our clients are, and this is a very practical move for us, he said, explaining that Sun Prairies location makes traveling to visit clients much more convenient for his team.

Kontext offers pre-design and schematic design services, creates design development and construction documents, and provides construction administration services. The firm built much of its business on designing public buildings for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, as well as multiple school districts and various municipal entities in Wisconsin and Illinois. The firm also has been involved in several design studies for Sun Prairie-based projects.

Will the move to Sun Prairie help Kontext garner more local work? It remains to be seen how much of an advantage that will be, Thompson said, but hes excited about returning to where he started his business although he doesnt regret the Architecture Network merger and the subsequent relocation to the heart of Madison.

Architecture Network was owned and operated by Arlen Kay a renowned architect whose last name rhymes with eye and who helped restore buildings that now house Quiveys Grove restaurant and the Great Dane Downtown.

He also offered Thompson, who attended the University of Southern Illinois-Carbondale, his first crack at working in Wisconsins architectural design market back in 1997.

Following the 2014 merger, Architecture Network was folded into the Kontext Architects name, as Thompson eventually took charge of all operations.

The partnership has helped Thompson expand Kontexts capabilities to include more design work in the private sector, especially with multifamily residential projects.

Kay, despite being of retirement age, remains a part-time Kontext employee and brings in new work for the firm.

Today, three years on from the merger and only months away from beginning a new chapter in the firms history, Thompson claims Kontexts greatest strength is its ability to connect with clients.

We want to build sustained, trusting relationships, he says. We want to know about their kids or if theyre in a bowling league. We sincerely are interested in them as people. That definitely fosters trust, and we are very intentional about it.

KONTEXT ARCHITECTS LLC

1110 N. Bristol St.

Phone: 608-825-0094

Web:

http://www.kontextarchitects.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kontextarchitects

Hours: Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

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Kontext Architects planning move to downtown Sun Prairie - hngnews.com