Archinect
Scott Foster

Scott Foster

San Francisco, CA, US

 

About 

I am a California registered architect, a LEED® AP and an ICC-certified building inspector. I have worked for world-renowned architects, coordinating teams of top-notch engineers and consultants during the construction phase as the architect’s field representative. In this capacity I have consistently produced elegant solutions to constructability issues while interpreting design intent in a reasonable and cost effective manner, always striving to maintain the construction schedule.

From 1996 to 2004 I worked in Washington, DC with Ellerbe Becket (EB) and WDG Architecture as the architects of record to Pei Cobb Freed & Partners (PCF&P) as the design architect. At EB I was responsible for construction administration of the Reagan Auditorium in the World Trade Center at the Federal Triangle. Working with what was basically a DD set of drawings I was able to successfully partner with the GC, subs and consultants to achieve an on-time completion under an extremely tight schedule. In addition to reviewing the submittals, responding to RFIs, and generating ASIs and field sketches as needed to clarify design intent, I also certified the pay applications, represented the architects at owner’s meetings, and reviewed change orders. I worked with the architectural staff to record more extensive CADD file revisions when necessary. The owner’s meetings provided an opportunity to engage in relationship building and business development, as I was the face of the architect and able to pursue future work with the developer at those encounters. 
 
When my wife and I moved back to San Francisco in 2004 I established a west coast branch office for Inspection & Valuation International, Inc. (IVI). From a home office in San Francisco, I simultaneously monitored up to 14 projects throughout the western region. I provided due diligence and construction loan monitoring services for commercial bank lenders on large developments such as the laboratory buildings for Fibrogen in Mission Bay, City Center in Las Vegas, One Rincon Hill (with you and Pete Noone) and the Infinity condo towers in SOMA, and Arterra and The Hayes condo projects. I also monitored several large affordable and BMR housing units including Valencia Gardens in the Mission and 147 Mason Street by Union Square. My work with IVI allowed me to establish relationships with some of the larger local developers and general contractors, including Tishman Speyer, Shorenstein Realty Services, Stellar Management, and Avalon Bay on the development side, and Webcor, Swinerton, Nibbi, and Lend Lease (formerly Bovis), among others on the GC side. I was responsible for reporting on the monthly payment cycle including the Developers' funding requests and schedule updates, inspecting construction for compliance to contract requirements, verifying percent complete claimed on the GC's pay apps, reviewing subcontracts, change orders, bonds, and lien releases. I worked closely with the Developers’ controllers to assure that their financial reporting complied with lender requirements, with the ultimate goal of assuring timely disbursement of funds. The collapse of the commercial construction lending environment caused my work with IVI to cease in 2010.
At that point, in the depths of the recession, I focused my attention on building out the interior of our personal house in Bernal Heights on the southeast side of the city. We enlarged an original Bernal “cottage” by adding a top story and digging out the lowest level, tripling the square footage. I retained a GC to construct the “weather-tight shell and am just now completing the last of the interior finishes. In the meantime I took a position with a construction inspection firm in Walnut Creek involved with QA/QC and risk mitigation for national homebuilders. I was engaged in inspecting both single- and multi- family residential projects, working with both for- and non-profit builders such as MidPen Housing and Eden Housing on the affordable side, and Urban Housing Group, Fairfield Development and Lyon Realty Advisers on the for-profit side. The majority of these projects were Type V construction, mostly in the east bay and peninsula suburbs. My duties included proposal writing, fee estimating, peer plan reviews for building envelope and moisture intrusion prevention, field inspections and report writing, and business development.  

Employment 

Pacific InterWest Building Consultants, Inc, Walnut Creek, CA, US, Senior Vice President

At the worst of the recession, I took a position with a construction inspection firm in Walnut Creek involved with QA/QC and risk mitigation for national homebuilders. I was engaged in inspecting both single- and multi- family residential projects, working with both for- and non-profit builders such as MidPen Housing and Eden Housing on the affordable side, and Urban Housing Group, Fairfield Development and Lyon Realty Advisers on the for-profit side. The majority of these projects were Type V construction, mostly in the east bay and peninsula suburbs. My duties included proposal writing, fee estimating, peer plan reviews for building envelope and moisture intrusion prevention, field inspections and report writing, and business development.

Apr 2011 - Oct 2012
 

Inspection & Valuation International, Inc., New York, NY, US / San Francisco CA, Senior Project Manager

In 2004 I established a west coast branch office for Inspection & Valuation International, Inc. (IVI). From a home office in San Francisco, I simultaneously monitored up to 14 projects throughout the western region. I provided due diligence and construction loan monitoring services for commercial bank lenders on large developments such as the laboratory buildings for Fibrogen in Mission Bay, City Center in Las Vegas, One Rincon Hill (with you and Pete Noone) and the Infinity condo towers in SOMA, and Arterra and The Hayes condo projects. I also monitored several large affordable and BMR housing units including Valencia Gardens in the Mission and 147 Mason Street by Union Square. My work with IVI allowed me to establish relationships with some of the larger local developers and general contractors, including Tishman Speyer, Shorenstein Realty Services, Stellar Management, and Avalon Bay on the development side, and Webcor, Swinerton, Nibbi, and Lend Lease (formerly Bovis), among others on the GC side. I was responsible for reporting on the monthly payment cycle including the Developers' funding requests and schedule updates, inspecting construction for compliance to contract requirements, verifying percent complete claimed on the GC's pay apps, reviewing subcontracts, change orders, bonds, and lien releases. I worked closely with the Developers’ controllers to assure that their financial reporting complied with lender requirements, with the ultimate goal of assuring timely disbursement of funds.

Mar 2004 - Feb 2010
 

Ellerbe Becket, WDG / Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, Washington, DC, US, Construction Administrator

From 1996 to 2004 I worked in Washington, DC with Ellerbe Becket (EB) and WDG Architecture as the architects of record to Pei Cobb Freed & Partners (PCF&P) as the design architect. At EB I was responsible for construction administration of the Reagan Auditorium in the World Trade Center at the Federal Triangle. Working with what was basically a DD set of drawings I was able to successfully partner with the GC, subs and consultants to achieve an on-time completion under an extremely tight schedule. In addition to reviewing the submittals, responding to RFIs, and generating ASIs and field sketches as needed to clarify design intent, I also certified the pay applications, represented the architects at owner’s meetings, and reviewed change orders. I have attached a written recommendation from my colleague, Craig Dumas at PCF&P regarding my work. Also accompanying this email are a few of my field sketches produced to resolve RFIs and constructability issues. I worked with the architectural staff to record more extensive CADD file revisions when necessary. The owner’s meetings provided an opportunity to engage in relationship building and business development, as I was the face of the architect and able to pursue future work with the developer at those encounters.

Apr 1996 - Mar 2004
 

Education 

Catholic University Foreign Studies Program, Rome and Barcelona, Arch design and urban planning

architectural design and urban planning, towards a master's- not completed.

Jun 1982 - Sep 1982
 

The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, US, Bachelors, Architecture

Architectural design

Sep 1979 - Jun 1982
 

Harvard University, Cambridge MA, Career Discovery Program

Career discovery program, college prep, explore architecture as a possible career

Jun 1975 - Sep 1975
 

Areas of Specialization 

Skills