Explore 35 years of Partners in Design Architects!

menu
Firm Legacy

Firm Legacy

Celebrating 35 years

When we started the firm 35 years ago, we had a vision: to practice architecture with passion, deliver great design and service, improve the communities we touched, and foster a culture of collaboration where staff at all levels could learn and grow. We aimed to work across a diverse range of projects, build lasting relationships with clients and colleagues, and work closely with project partners to achieve mutual successes.

That vision has been our reality, and after 35 years, we continue to push ourselves to innovate, grow, and elevate everything we do — guided by the same passion, collaboration, and vision that started it all.

1991-2001
The Early Days (and Late Nights)

Villani & Becker, our first completed project
Our first office location. Kenosha, WI
Tom O'Connell Jr., Mark Molinaro Jr. and Werner Brisske

1991  Tom O’Connell Jr. and Werner Brisske found Partners in Design Architects. Our first office is located at 1111 55th Street in Kenosha, WI.
1992  Mark Molinaro Jr. is hired as the firm’s first employee.

1997  The Frank Elementary School addition and renovation is completed for the Kenosha Unified School District. The project went on to earn recognition from The American School Board Journal (1998 Learning by Design) and as a 1999 AASA/AIA/CEFPI Citation winner.
1998  PIDA designs and moves into our current Kenosha location in the HarborView building at 600 52nd Street.

Frank School
HarborView at 600 52nd Street
John Setter, Mark Molinaro Jr., Werner Brisske, Tom O'Connell Jr.
The early years in our current Kenosha office location.

1999  PIDA expands into Northern Illinois and opens our second location, designed and led by Werner Brisske.
2000  Construction is completed on Pleasant Prairie’s LakeView RecPlex.
2000  Mark Molinaro Jr. named Partner.
2001  KABA Mentor Program Award

PIDA's first Illinois office location
The LakeView RecPlex

2002-2011
Coming Into Our Own

GTC Center for Bioscience Information Technology

2002  Gateway Technical College’s Center for Bioscience Information Technology is recognized for Educational Design Excellence in American School and University Magazine
2002  Needing more office space, the Illinois team relocates to 770 Lake Cook Road, another PIDA project.
2003  VW & Audi Parts Distribution Center wins the NAIOP Chicago Award for Excellence.
2004  Northwestern Business College South Campus common areas and interior renovations are each recognized for Educational Interior Design Excellence in American School and University Magazine.
2005  Our first project outside of the midwest is completed in Norcross, Georgia.

The Illinois office at 770 Lake Cook Road

2005  The Pleasant Prairie RecPlex and IcePlex expansions win Build Wisconsin Awards.
2006  PIDA reaches a client milestone with our 500th partnership.
2006  The Sturtevant Amtrak Station is recognized as a Top Project of 2006 by The Daily Reporter and Wisconsin Builder.
2008  Riley Construction’s new headquarters becomes the first LEED certified building in Kenosha County.

Sturtevant Amtrak Station
Riley Construction Headquarters
GTC Horizon Center for Transportation Technology
KUSD Brass Community School

2008  Gateway Technical College’s Horizon Center for Transportation Technology is recognized for Educational Interior Design Excellence in American School and University Magazine.
2008  Having outgrown their space a second time, the Illinois team relocates to our current, larger office in Riverwoods.

2008  The PIDA 9 square logo debuts.
2009  Brass Community School is selected for American School and University Magazine’s – Outstanding Design Award – Elementary School.
2010  Riley Construction’s headquarters wins an Excellence in Masonry Finalist Award from the Wisconsin Concrete Masonry Association.
2010  Pleasant Prairie’s LakeView RecPlex Aqua Arena is selected as a Top Project of 2010 by The Daily Reporter.

RecPlex Aqua Arena

2012-2021
Established & Growing

Prairie Medical

2012  Prairie Medical becomes Illinois’ first dual certified sustainable building, receiving LEED Silver certification and Three Green Globe certification.
2013  Gateway Technical College’s SC Johnson iMet Center is honored with a Build Wisconsin Award.
2014  PIDA received PSMJ Resources’ Circle of Excellence award as one of the top firms nationwide in terms of business performance.
2016  PIDA celebrates our 25th anniversary with clients at a Jerry Seinfeld show at the Genessee Theater in Waukegan, IL.

2016  The Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA) selects PIDA for an Ovation Award as its Small Business of the Year.
2016  PIDA is selected by the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce as the 2016 Small Business – Best Place to Work in Kenosha County.
2021  Our first 1,000,000 square foot industrial building is completed.

Gateway Technical College's SC Johnson iMet Center
2016 Small Business of the Year
James Wall, Jeff Bridleman, Jeremy Hall, Eric Migrin
Celebrating PIDA's 25th Anniversary
I LOST A BET, go Bears!

2022-2026
35 Years In — Still Evolving

2022  PIDA works with our 1,000th client!
2023  Began work on a project in Kanehoe, HI, our first project outside on the continental U.S.
2024  Founding Partner Tom O’Connell Jr. retires.
2024  Longtime PIDA employee Jeff Bridleman named Partner.

Werner Brisske, Tom O'Connell Jr., Mark Molinaro Jr., and Jeff Bridleman
The Lockup Self Storage, Kanehoe, HI
Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce mini golf tournament. Winners of the prestigious Best Dressed award.
The Logistics Campus
2800 West Diehl Road

2024  The Logistics Campus is selected as the winner of an IREJ award in the Redevelopment/Reuse/Historic – Industrial category.
2024  2800 West Diehl Road in Aurora, IL also wins an IREJ award in the Industrial/Manufacturing/Science – West category.
2024  Smurfit WestRock is selected as the winner of Industrial Deal of the Year by the Commercial Association of Realtors.

2026

35 Years in Business
Over 4,600 projects delivered
Trusted by 1,074 clients and counting
Licensed in 18 states
High rate of returning clients
28 well rounded team members

The PIDA team 2025

Staff event