Hicks and Abbott Architectural Firm
| Industry | Architecture and Design |
|---|---|
| Founders | |
| Headquarters |
Derelli Towers, 18th Floor, 76 Costello Ave, New Prairie, WI |
Hicks and Abbott Architectural Firm is New Prairie's core architecture firm, having helped design the Derelli Towers among many other important structures throughout the city.
History
The firm was formed by senior partners Arthur Hicks (a traditional, old-school structural engineer) and Montgomery Abbott (a flashy, forward-thinking modernist architect) after the Great Fire of 1976. Seeing an opportunity for both of their firms to grow and become New Prairie's go-to, they approached J.P. Derelli about helping design his new building.
J.P. Derelli hired them as secondary contractors to help draft the auxiliary layouts, service corridors, and internal specs for the construction of the Derelli Towers. Winning that massive civic contract secured their reputation and allowed them to buy out the entire 18th floor of Tower A.
Arthur Hicks retired in 1991, having served in the business for over 50 years. After his retirement, Montgomery Abbott slowly transitioned to a semi-retired lifestyle, spending more days at the golf course than actually in the building. He eventually retired in 2006 after suffering a stroke on the golf course.
Layout
The office is designed around the company's drafting floor, which is centrally located off the entrance elevators. On one side is the reception area, open for guests arriving. Surrounding the drafting floor are glass-lined rooms and offices, housing a corner office for Montgomery Abbott, and the former Arthur Hicks office now turned into two separate offices for meetings. A large deep storage room for past projects and blueprints sits opposite of the elevator bank, and a small breakroom (1/3 of the size of Abbott's office) sits nestled in the corner.
Appearances
Films
- None
Stories
- Deposit (2009) (first reference)