What Oertel Architects does

Oertel Architects is a privately held municipal architecture firm headquartered at 1795 St. Clair Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota, founded in 1996 by Jeff Oertel. The firm employs 14 people as of 2026 and specializes exclusively in architectural design services for public-sector clients, spanning public works and maintenance facilities, fire stations, parks and recreation centers, historic restorations, water treatment plants, pump houses and lift stations, city halls, and community centers across Minnesota and the upper Midwest.

Its service offering covers the full architectural lifecycle — master planning, programming, schematic design, construction documents, and construction administration — delivered under professional services engagements. Fees are project-based and determined through municipal RFP processes and competitive bidding tied to scope, complexity, and public budget frameworks; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is direct enterprise-style engagement with municipalities, supported by a portfolio website and a track record of industry awards (including APWA Project of the Year in 2020 and 2025, AIA 2021, WoodWorks 2011, and Minnesota Recreation & Park Association awards). The firm has also collaborated with peer firms such as BKV Group on combined civic campus developments.

The firm operates without outside investment, parent entities, or disclosed subsidiaries. Leadership transitioned from founder Jeff Oertel (now retired) to President Andrew Cooper, supported by Vice Presidents Deb Brandwick and Thomas Stromsodt and Associate Principals Brenda Dever and Eric Werner. Customer base is concentrated in Minnesota municipalities, counties, and state agencies such as MnDOT and the Minnesota Army National Guard. No revenue, funding, or AI/technology platform disclosures are available; the practice is a traditional professional services architecture studio.

Name

Oertel Architects

Legal name

Oertel Architects

Website

https://oertelarchitects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Oertel Architects is a privately held, 14-person municipal architecture firm in St. Paul, Minnesota, founded in 1996. It provides architectural design services — including public works facilities, fire stations, parks, and community centers — to cities, counties, and state agencies across Minnesota and the upper Midwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Architecture Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Interior Design Services (54141)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC), Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Municipal architecture services
• Public works design
• Fire station design
• Parks recreation design
• Historic restoration architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Professional architectural and design services for municipal clients including master planning, programming, schematic design, construction documents, and construction administration for public infrastructure projects.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Oertel Architects provides comprehensive architectural design services for public infrastructure projects serving municipalities across Minnesota and the upper Midwest. Their portfolio spans public works and maintenance facilities, fire stations, parks and recreation centers, historic restorations, water treatment plants, pump houses and lift stations, city halls, and community centers, delivered through full-scope services including master planning, programming, schematic design, construction documents, and construction administration.

Product overview

Oertel Architects is a municipal architecture firm that provides comprehensive architectural design services for public infrastructure projects. The company's portfolio spans multiple service categories including public works and maintenance facilities (such as the MnDOT Clearwater Truck Station, Rosemount Public Works, and Fridley Public Works), fire stations and public safety facilities (including fire stations for Vadnais Heights, Shakopee, Maple Grove, and Saint Anthony Village), parks and recreation centers (such as Moore Lake Park, Big Marine Park Reserve, The Ledge Amphitheater, and The Palace Theatre historic restoration), and multi-family housing developments (including Lindsay Lofts, Security Lofts, and Bridgewater Lofts). While the firm offers diverse project types, these are architectural service offerings rather than discrete software products or technology platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Works Facility Design Architectural design services for public works and maintenance facilities for municipal clients, including facilities for cities, counties, and state DOT operations such as the MnDOT Clearwater Truck Station, Rosemount Public Works, Fridley Public Works, Blaine Public Works, Orono Public Works Campus, and Becker County Highway Department facility.
• Fire Station and Public Safety Design Architectural design services for fire stations and public safety facilities, including shared facilities combining fire stations with public works and community spaces, such as the Vadnais Heights North Service Center.
• Parks and Recreation Facility Design Architectural design services for parks, recreation centers, amphitheaters, and event centers, including Moore Lake Park, Big Marine Park Reserve, The Ledge Amphitheater, and The Commons Event Center.
• Historic Restoration Architecture Architectural services for historic preservation and restoration projects, including the Palace Theatre renovation in Saint Paul, recognized with an AIA 2021 Award and Preservation Alliance of Minnesota 2017 Award.
• Water Treatment and Utility Infrastructure Design Architectural design services for water treatment plants, pump houses, lift stations, and ground source reservoirs, including the Robbinsdale Water Treatment Plant and Eden Prairie Ground Source Reservoir.
• Multi-Family Housing Design Architectural design services for multi-family housing developments including Lindsay Lofts, Security Lofts, and Bridgewater Lofts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple APWA Project of the Year awards and industry recognitions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BKV GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOertel Architects partnered with BKV Group to design the new Rosemount Public Works facility as part of a combined 160,000 SF development. BKV Group designed the police department portion while Oertel Architects served as the architect for the public works component, demonstrating collaborative project delivery for municipal infrastructure.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/146955815490397

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Oertel Architects