The Power of 10

At HFA we believe in ‘The Power of 10’.

At HFA we believe in ‘The Power of 10’.

The Power of 10 is our 10-person permitting team led by none other than Amy Barton, the Permitting Program Administrator. Amy began her permitting career in 2005 and has helped lead the firm to a staggering number of 9,000+ permitted projects across the United States.

For those who don’t know what permitting is, here are a few FAQs that Amy and her team answer most often:

Q: What does the permitting team do?

A: They act as a liaison between the multi-disciplinary teams at HFA, the client, and the jurisdictions over the project location. Before construction begins, the HFA team gets the legal documents approved and sent to the appropriate jurisdiction, makes the required project changes, gets final approval and sends them on to the General Contractor (GC). This saves our clients from having to worry about the red tape of the project. Clients provide a start date and the permitting team does the rest.

*A jurisdiction is the authority of a city/county/state where your project is located.

Q: What are the benefits of having a permitting team?

A: Utilizing HFA’s permitting team saves you time and money because they can pool together their 79 combined years of experience to jump the figurative hurdles for you. They can also help adjust your project budget from the beginning based on the jurisdictional requirements since they know about requirements from all 50 states. (Including that sneaky Appendix B in North Carolina.)

Q: Do most A/E firms have in-house permitting teams?

A: No!  HFA began fully developing its after 2005 and now has a full team, making HFA a true multi-discipline firm. Amy’s team acts as representatives for our architects and engineers because they communicate with the jurisdiction, allowing the professionals to focus on design and the permitting team to keep producing results.

Q: How are these ‘results’ produced?

A: Results are produced though HFA’s vast knowledge and longstanding relationships with jurisdictions. Amy says her team is aware of most design requirements and codes, meaning they can generally ward off any corrective feedback from the get go. Since HFA handles such a large number of projects, our relationships with jurisdictions across the nation stay fresh and current.  Combine that with fixed fees from the start and it’s clear they are a package deal.

Q: How did Amy go from being a customer service representative to running the permitting program?

A: Amy says, “Travis Pruitt [her Gravette High School classmate and HFA Associate] bugged me until I turned in an application! But really, it was just HFA… they gave me a chance.”

So there you have it.  Now you know the benefits of having a permitting team, where Amy went to high school, and, most importantly, the greatest power is The Power of 10.

The permitting team is made up by: Amy Barton, Cathy Yockey, Jody Ebert, Marlana Russel, Leticia Martinez, Michelle Sprain, Victoria Reiter, Sarah Lawson, Patty Lee, and Sara Karstetter.

Written by
Kaleigh Evans

Latest Industrial Insights

Brittany Pylant Named VP of Technology + Digital Innovation at HFA

In this newly created role, Pylant, the AEC technologist, will collaborate with clients and internal teams to reimagine design and construction workflows.

HFA Welcomes Ana Larranaga as New Client Partnerships Lead

The industrial sector is moving fast—and so is HFA. Meet Ana Larranaga, our newest Client Partnerships Lead, bringing deep connections, architectural experience, and a passion for helping clients grow.

Ramping up Asset Value in a Tighter Industrial Market

Now that the post-pandemic industrial boom is winding down, making buildings stand out in the marketplace can take some extra effort. Here are tips from HFA Vice President of Industrial + Logistics Marc Jennings (NCARB) and Senior Architect / Client Lead Andrew Akerhielm (AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C)

The Future of Industrial Design: A Conversation with Marc Jennings

Marc Jennings, NCARB, HFA’s Vice President of Industrial + Logistics recently sat down to discuss how the logistics sector continues to evolve with the changing demands in the marketplace and how AEC firms can better meet those current and future needs.

Designing for Future Flexibility: A+E Best Practices for Industrial Development: Webinar

HFA hosted a webinar discussing how to maximize the potential of logistics projects with flexible design practices.

Thinking Like an Architect Pays Dividends in Industrial Real Estate

In today's rapidly evolving industrial sector, prioritizing flexibility in real estate is more important than ever. Read on to learn how investing in industrial sites that can accommodate a more comprehensive array of users and uses can pay off big time!
newsletter

Never miss an update.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.