55: Cracking the Code:- How to Successfully Navigate Complex Projects with Maren Reepmeyer, SGA

Maren Reepmeyer is an architect with over 25 years of experience. She is currently the Vice President at SGA, a leading architecture firm based in Boston. Maren specializes in complex, large-scale projects and has a passion for adaptive reuse. As vice president, Maren oversees strategic development for SGA as the firm continues to expand its customer base and geographical footprint. Over the course of her career as an architect and industry leader, she has developed a reputation for versatility, business acumen, and an ability to forge strong relationships with clients and colleagues.

With 20+ years in the industry, Maren has worked on a wide range of building types, but she has a special fondness for adaptive-reuse projects. This is one reason she enjoys working in cities rich in history and culture like New York and Boston: Their many historic buildings lend themselves to both revitalization and transformation. There is also a strong narrative that speaks to sustainability inherent in this typology.  Maren believes that responsible design helps to address climate change as well, and she has incorporated resiliency at multiple scales.

Summary:
Maren Reepmeyer, an architect and Vice President at SGA, discusses her career journey and the complex projects she has worked on. She shares insights into the challenges and considerations of office-to-residential conversions in downtown Boston. Maren emphasizes the importance of curiosity, continuous learning, and problem-solving in her career. She also highlights the need for public policy changes to incentivize developers and make these conversions financially feasible. Marin recommends the book “Ask For It” as a valuable resource on negotiation and confidence-building.

Key Takeaways:

• Maren has a passion for solving big, complex problems and enjoys working on large-scale projects.
• SGA is known for its thought leadership and staying relevant in the architecture community.
• The life sciences sector has been a major focus for SGA, and they have become a market leader in that space.
• SGA has two offices in Boston and Manhattan, with plans to expand into other markets.
• Maren's role at SGA involves strategic thinking, diversification, and building a strong base for the firm.
• She is focused on researching new markets and finding opportunities to bring SGA's expertise to emerging areas.
• Maren has a background in adaptive reuse and enjoys working on projects that have a positive impact on urban environments and communities.

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