What Elevar Design Group does

Elevar Design Group is a privately held, full-service architecture and engineering firm headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, operating additional offices in Lexington, Kentucky and Cleveland, Ohio. The firm traces its roots to 1967 through legacy practices SFA Architects, PDT Architects (1949), and Roth Partnership (1933), which were consolidated under the Elevar brand in 2018. With 80+ professionals, Elevar delivers integrated architecture, mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering, interior design, planning, sustainability consulting, building enclosure, and community engagement services, supported by in-house Building Information Modeling (BIM), 3D modeling, and LEED-accredited expertise. The firm is the largest minority-owned business in Southwest Ohio.

Elevar serves public and private sector clients across education, healthcare, corporate/commercial, government, sports, and hospitality verticals, with marquee projects including FC Cincinnati's TQL Stadium (in partnership with Populous), MedPace's 400,000 SF headquarters, Kroger renovations (relationship since 1994), UC Health facilities, multiple K-12 district campuses via OFCC funding, and large healthcare facilities such as Five Rivers Health Centers and Premier Health medical office buildings. Specialized capabilities include lab design (800+ labs designed and renovated) and alternative funding advisory that has helped school districts secure state and utility program capital.

The business model is project-based professional services delivered through direct enterprise engagement and public-sector RFP/bid processes. Revenue is generated on a project-by-project quote basis with no publicly disclosed pricing. The firm uses a relationship-driven GTM supported by a project portfolio website, thought leadership content via "The Leading EDGe" blog, social media presence, client referrals, and industry awards (AIA Design Award 2000; Cincinnati Preservation Association 2004). Ownership is concentrated among long-tenured leadership including CEO E. Thomas Fernandez and President Kim Patton, with no PE, VC, or parent company ownership disclosed.

Name

Elevar Design Group

Legal name

Elevar Design Group

Website

https://elevar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Elevar Design Group is a Cincinnati-based full-service architecture and engineering firm with 80+ professionals, delivering integrated design, MEP engineering, interior design, BIM, and sustainability services across education, healthcare, corporate, government, and sports clients in the Midwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural and Engineering Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Engineering Services (541330), Interior Design Services (54141)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Architecture design services
• Engineering consulting
• Interior design services
• Sustainable building design
• Master planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Project-based professional services revenue from architectural design, engineering, interior design, and planning services for commercial, institutional, and residential projects

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Elevar Design Group is a multi-disciplinary architecture and engineering firm that delivers integrated building design services including architecture, mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP) engineering, fire suppression engineering, interior design, master planning, sustainability consulting, building enclosure consulting, BIM and 3D modeling, community engagement facilitation, and alternative funding advisory to public and private sector clients.

Product overview

Elevar Design Group is an architecture and design firm offering a comprehensive suite of services spanning architecture, engineering, planning, interior design, building enclosure, sustainability consulting, community engagement, and alternative funding assistance. The firm provides specialized technology services including Building Information Modeling (BIM) and 3D modeling. The company serves diverse markets including education, healthcare, sports/athletic facilities, residential, retail, corporate workplace, hospitality, research/labs, and gathering spaces (churches, theaters, community buildings).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Integrated architectural design services for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse projects across healthcare, education, corporate, government, sports, and hospitality markets. Services are delivered to public and private sector clients requiring licensed, full-scope architectural project delivery.
• Engineering Services (MEP and Fire Suppression) Mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP), and fire protection engineering services supporting building design, system coordination, and code compliance for commercial, healthcare, education, and institutional facilities.
• Interior Design Services Interior design services including space planning, finishes, fixtures, and furnishings selection, delivered in coordination with architectural and engineering teams for healthcare, workplace, education, and hospitality projects.
• Planning and Master Planning Services Facility, campus, and master planning services that establish long-range development frameworks, programming, and phasing strategies for institutional, healthcare, and educational clients.
• Sustainability and LEED Consulting Integrated sustainable design and LEED certification consulting, supporting clients pursuing energy efficiency, healthy material strategies, and verified green building outcomes such as LEED Gold certification.
• Building Enclosure Consulting Building enclosure and envelope consulting services addressing weatherproofing, thermal performance, and long-term durability for new and existing buildings.
• Community Engagement Services Structured community engagement and stakeholder facilitation services that guide public-sector clients through listening sessions, visioning workshops, and stakeholder input processes for facility planning and design projects.
• Alternative Funding Advisory Advisory services helping public-sector clients (particularly K-12 school districts) identify, access, and navigate alternative state and local funding pathways such as OFCC.
• BIM and 3D Modeling Services Building Information Modeling (BIM) and 3D modeling services supporting design coordination, visualization, documentation, and clash detection across the firm's architecture and engineering project delivery.

Quantifiable outcome

• LEED Gold certification achieved on multiple projects including Rivers Edge Montessori and East Clinton Local Schools
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PopulouscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Elevar worked with nationally renowned Populous to provide architectural design, engineering, and interior design services for FC Cincinnati TQL Stadium project. This was a major MLS stadium development holding up to 26,000 spectators.
• Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Cincinnati State Technical and Community College project - Elevar, in partnership with Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates, designed and constructed the new high-tech academic center including information technology facility, auditoriums, culinary arts college, student life center, and parking structure.
• HplexminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHplex served as owner's representative for Five Rivers Health Centers MOB project, working with Elevar's holistic A/E design services.
• LOTHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with LOTH to provide comprehensive furniture and furniture design services for the new Altafiber Headquarters space.
• PendulumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPendulum served as design-lead on Hagerstown Multi-Use Sports and Events Facility project with Elevar Design Group providing architectural support and engineering services.
• OFCC (Ohio Facilities Construction Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with OFCC and school districts on multiple public school projects including Batavia Local Schools, East Clinton Local Schools, and Rivers Edge Montessori school - projects that leverage state funding through OFCC programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• LWC Incorporated: Ohio-based architecture, engineering, and planning firm serving municipal, education, and commercial clients. Comparable regional multi-disciplinary A&E firm.
• DesignGroup: Columbus, Ohio-based architecture and engineering firm focused on healthcare, higher education, and public-sector clients. Comparable mid-sized Midwest A&E peer with similar vertical mix.
• BHDP Architecture: Cincinnati-headquartered architecture and design firm of comparable size and scope, serving higher education, healthcare, workplace, and science & technology clients across the Midwest. Highly comparable in geography, services, and client base.
• KZF Design: Cincinnati-based integrated architecture, engineering, and planning firm serving public, institutional, and corporate clients. Comparable multi-disciplinary A&E model in the same Ohio/Kentucky geography.
• emersion DESIGN: Cincinnati architecture and interior design firm serving workplaces, healthcare, and education. Comparable mid-sized regional firm offering overlapping architecture and interior design services.
• Champlin Architecture: Cincinnati-area architecture firm with a portfolio in education, healthcare, and community projects. Comparable regional A&E firm targeting similar institutional and public-sector clients.
• MSA Design: Cincinnati-based architecture, engineering, and planning firm serving K-12, higher education, healthcare, and public-sector clients in Ohio and the Midwest. Closely comparable regional A&E peer with similar market verticals.

Broad incumbents

• Woolpert: Dayton, OH-headquartered architecture, engineering, geospatial, and consulting firm with national reach. Comparable A&E services at meaningfully larger scale, with overlapping public-sector and infrastructure work.
• Moody Nolan: Largest African-American-owned architecture firm in the U.S., headquartered in Columbus, OH, with national offices and broad education, sports, healthcare, and civic portfolios. Comparable minority-owned A&E peer operating at greater scale.

Regional players

• Hord Coplan Macht: Mid-Atlantic architecture and engineering firm serving education, healthcare, and civic clients. Comparable integrated A&E model serving similar institutional verticals in a different U.S. region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ElevarDesignGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elevardesigngroup
• Instagraminstagram.com/elevar_design_group
• Xx.com/Elevar_Design

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Elevar Design Group