By Lisa Carolin
(Chelsea Update is running a series on businesses in Chelsea beginning with businesses that belong to the Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce, and this time it’s Kingscott.)
Kingscott is a full-service architectural firm that offers architecture, engineering, interior design, and construction administration services primarily for commercial projects.
The business is based in Kalamazoo, and has branch offices in Chelsea, Grand Rapids, and Petoskey.
“We have been working on projects in the Chelsea area for many years, and in 2015 relocated to a second-floor suite in the Welfare Building in uptown Chelsea,” said Sarah Haselschwardt, senior design architect and associate. “We love the historic character, openness and natural light. These are all characteristics that enhance our ability to be creative.”
Kingscott’s Chelsea office has five employees including Dana McClellan, an interior designer. She and Haselschwardt work together along with team members from other offices. There are a total of 80 staff members.
Kingscott has worked on several local projects including additions and renovations to schools in the Chelsea School District, projects for the St. Louis Center, and for schools in Dexter and Saline.
As far as being in Chelsea goes, Haselschwardt says, “It is a close-knit town that is also very welcoming to newcomers.”
She and her family live in a 150-year-old house in Chelsea that she calls a labor of love.
“Living and working in the City of Chelsea with access to restaurants, theater, and unique shopping is truly a blessing,” Haselschwardt said.
Kingscott is a member of the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, which employees says allows them the opportunity to be active members of the community and to work with other businesses on initiatives that benefit the community.
The company has an 85-year history in Michigan, and Haselschwardt says, “We have a depth of knowledge in designing spaces that serve the people who use them, and we love working together with those people to develop their ideas and visions.”
