Bea DePaz
Associate
Gensler
As a senior designer at Gensler, DePaz (AIA) specializes in retail, mixed-use and entertainment projects. She brings a wide range of expertise to this practice area within the firm and has worked with clients such as House of Blues, Westfield, and Hard Rock. Her range of skills extends to multiple areas of retail design, including master planning, signage and wayfinding, and tenant design guidelines.
Previous to her experience at Gensler, DePaz worked on numerous projects in Florida, including Universal Orlando, the Kennedy Space Center, and a variety of mixed-use retail developments, including Seminole Paradise in Hollywood, Florida. DePaz is a graduate of the Tulane University School of Architecture.
Navid Maqami
Principal, Architecture
GreenbergFarrow
As principal of architecture and founding director of the New York office, Maqami (AIA, LEED, AP, NCARB) oversees all aspects of GreenbergFarrow's architectural services for a wide range of commercial clients. An award-winning architect, he brings an understanding of how design best serves client objectives. With 20 years of analyzing and working with the social, economic and regulatory parameters that influence a project's success, Maqami appreciates what makes projects work. Communication of brand, design quality, contextual responsiveness and environmental compliance are all elements that his design teams deliver. As director of the New York office, Maqami has demonstrated how design excellence can amplify project value. He established an office that has to its credit the introduction of Home Depot's first two urban stores, the creation of a new multi-tenant, large-scale retail complex in uptown Manhattan and the complete renovation and expansion of a department store as a multi-tenant retail complex. Under his direction, the firm has also completed several high-rise residential housing complexes.
Walter J. Ploskon
Director of Projects
StreetSense
As director of projects, Ploskon (AIA, NCARB) is responsible for the oversight of all consulting projects at StreetSense. Ploskon brings years of experience in design from top firms to this mixed-use-oriented environment. With the partners, he determines project goals as well as directs the implementation of the design intent. Working closely with clients, staff and consultants, Ploskon coordinates the design intent through planning, design and engineering. He has played an instrumental role on several multimillion-square-foot projects such as Village at Valley Forge, the University of Maryland East Campus expansion and multiple other campus projects prior to joining StreetSense.
Denis Gervais
President
GHA Design Studios
Cofounder of GHA in 1985, Gervais is the president of the GHA design studios, formerly known as Gervais Harding Associates. Gervais has over 35 years of experience in retail design. His commitment to producing successful retail environments through thoughtful design and comprehensive market understanding has been consistently recognized by the design industry for creative innovation. GHA's retail projects have rewarded property owners and developers with outstanding results. Professional educational achievements include teaching design at Dawson College, Montreal, where he also served as chairman of the Interior Design department. With a major in Interior Architecture, Gervais is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. Noteworthy projects include Yorkdale Shopping Centre expansion in Toronto, Halifax Seaport waterfront development, Downtown Markham urban town centre and the Quartier Viger mixed-use development in Old Montreal. And, the retail programming of Clemensborg in Aarhus, Denmark, the redevelopment of Flatiron Crossing in Colorado and the refurbishment of the Promenade in Temecula, California are ongoing.
Margaret M. McCauley
Director
Downtown Works
McCauley has garnered recognition among national, regional and local retailers for her retail consulting talents. She is an expert on the repositioning, leasing and merchandising of retail centers and districts. Adept in all phases of consulting for large urban markets, smaller business-improvement districts and private developers, she works in close collaboration with developers, civic groups, urban planners and design professionals to achieve successful retail revitalization.
After three years as a partner at Economic Research Associaties, McCauley reestablished Downtown Works as a private company in 2008. The firm is dedicated to advancing the successful leasing and positioning of urban retail districts and shopping centers.
McCauley recently completed a retail merchandising and leasing strategy for the city of St. Louis which yielded 90 new restaurants and retailers. She serves on the advisory group to the AIA Retail and Entertainment Knowledge Community and is a member of ICSC and the Urban Land Institute, where she participated as one of a select group of experts brought together to develop the “Ten Principles for Rebuilding Neighborhood Retail.”
Bryce A. Turner
President and CEO
Brown Craig Turner
Turner (AIA, NCARB) is the president and CEO of Brown Craig Turner and the energetic force behind its emergence from a small design consulting firm to a nationally recognized architecture firm.
Turner joined the firm in 1994, and became president and CEO in 2002. He is a registered architect in 20 U.S. states, has directed the design of projects in five countries within Europe, North America and Asia. His achievements include Charles Plaza and Center Plaza, Baltimore, Md.; Eastgate Complex, Harare, Zimbabwe; Downtown Center Plaza, Md.; Paramus Place N.J., and Belvedere Square, Baltimore, Md. Turner is a frequent speaker at ICSC and Urban Land Institute (ULI) events. Turner has been recognized by ULI as being instrumental in increasing the awareness of “Quality Growth Principles” and the need for greater density in urban areas and inner suburbs. Turner is the current chair of ULI Baltimore, and is a member of the Maryland Historical Society, ICSC and the Greater Baltimore Committee.