One Of Largest U.S. Architecture Firms Cuts Staff Amid 'Changing Industry Landscape'
Page, a full-service design, architecture and engineering firm that has acquired three other firms in the past two years, has pared back its workforce in what it calls “a strategic realignment.”
The Washington, D.C.-based firm formerly known as Page Southerland Page confirmed a reduction in workforce in an email to Bisnow Tuesday, though it declined to say how many employees were laid off.
In a prepared statement, Page said the “strategic adjustments” are meant to help it adapt to “a rapidly changing industry landscape.”
“This decision, made with careful consideration, is aimed at strengthening our firm’s future and enhancing our ability to deliver outstanding and innovative design solutions to our clients,” Page Media Coordinator Charles Barrett said in a statement. “These changes are necessary to help Page make decisions with a less complex organizational structure, allowing us to respond more swiftly and effectively to our clients’ needs.”
Page, named the nation's 10th largest architectural firm by Architectural Record last summer, has 21 offices throughout the U.S. and internationally. Its markets include Atlanta; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Los Angeles; Dallas; Houston; Tampa, Florida; Mexico City and Dubai, according to its website.
The firm has worked on projects in aviation, healthcare, hospitality, multifamily, office, retail, mixed-use and other commercial real estate sectors. Page’s notable projects include a terminal modernization at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
Over the past several years, Page has been in acquisition mode. It bought Albany, New York-based EYP Group Holdings’ assets out of bankruptcy for about $70.4M in July 2022. The sale combined EYP’s 500-some employees with Page’s then-workforce of about 800.
In the last quarter of 2023, Page acquired both DB Structures, an Austin-based structural engineering group, and Davis Brody Bond, a New York-based architecture firm. At the time of the latter acquisition, The Architects Newspaper reported that Page had more than 1,400 employees.
Two ex-employees told Bisnow they were laid off on May 1 via phone call.
“I think Page is a wonderful firm, and it truly shocked me,” one said of their layoff. “I did not expect it. I was at a complete loss.”
Another ex-employee provided a copy of an email from CEO Thomas McCarthy addressing the layoffs, in which the scaling back of project work was referenced.
Asked whether a slowing of projects contributed to the move, Barrett responded that “these decisions are due to macro forecasts and simplifying operations.”
“Part of the larger strategic realignment follows a period of significant growth,” Barrett added. “This restructuring allows us to leverage capabilities between our newly combined resources and enhance our offerings to meet better the evolving needs of our clients and the industry.”
One of the ex-employees who spoke to Bisnow said they received an outpouring of support from Page employees shocked about the layoffs.
“It’s quite sad that I have to readjust and figure out what the new chapter is without Page,” the former employee said.
The CRE industry has seen some notable layoffs in the past couple of years, including CBRE's $300M staff reduction in 2022 and JLL's unspecified number of layoffs in November 2022. JLL made another round of cuts in March 2023. Avison Young, Cushman & Wakefield and Marcus & Millichap quietly axed employees in late 2022.
