“We believe that, similar to trends in other sectors of the construction market, design-build will play an increasingly important role in the landscape industry in the next several years, which is why we decided to move forward with the acquisitions of these two respected landscape architecture firms,” said Richard Sperber, president, ValleyCrest Companies.

Advantages of the design-build process include faster time to market, heightened accountability, reduced administrative burden, and a clearer and earlier understanding of overall project costs.

Founded by Jim Hogan in 1974, HRP LanDesign is a premier landscape architecture and planning firm serving the Western United States. Hogan, who will continue to lead the firm along with his current management team, will oversee a staff of approximately 50 HRP employees from its Santa Ana, Calif.-based headquarters, and will report to Richard Sperber.

Site Works, a boutique landscape architecture firm run by landscape architect Lois Shindelbower, was established 25 years ago in Alabama by her mother. Shindelbower will continue to run the operation from Alabama reporting to William Leathers, vice president of ValleyCrest Landscape Development, Florida.