Commercial Services
Architectural Design
Beard + Riser can help with your new building. Our work includes a broad range of types and isn’t simply defined by a particular style. We strive to produce interesting, thoughtful and pragmatic buildings that improve the user’s experience. We’re problem solvers who have a thorough understanding of construction techniques and are focused on enhancing the our region’s unique sense of place. We’ll visit your site, discuss your space program needs, and use our expertise to deliver your project.
Renovation & Modernization
A good amount of our work involves renovating buildings, including repairs and maintenance, modernization, code compliance upgrades, roof replacements, envelope failure mitigation, and other issues. We strive to deliver these projects in a timely and professional manner, designing work that will maintain your facilities while maximizing your available funding. Whether you’re a school district, private business, government agency, church, or developer, Beard + Riser can help make your building safer, more energy efficient, code-compliant, and better in every way.
Feasibility Studies
Beard + Riser has expertise in preparing feasibility studies and other reports that can help you determine whether or not a project is worth pursuing. Both John and Dale have a background in existing facilities, historic rehabilitation, numerous grant-funded projects, as well providing other assessments and condition reports. We will thoroughly document the conditions surrounding your project, work through several options for upgrades or renovation with you, and deliver a final report, with our opinion of construction costs, so that you can make an informed decision prior to moving forward with a large, and possibly unnecessary, construction project.
Sustainable Design
We incorporate environmental design best practices into most of our work. Firm co-founder Dale Riser was one of the first LEED Accredited Professionals in Mississippi and has experience incorporating sustainable design strategies on buildings at the higher education, federal and state level. Beard + Riser recognizes that buildings have extensive direct and indirect impacts on our world’s environment. During construction, occupancy, renovation, and demolition, buildings use energy, water and raw materials, generate waste and release potentially harmful atmospheric substances. Our team members recognize the importance we play in impacting the amount of environmental damage done through design. We have been committed to being good environmental stewards since the beginning of our firm. A U.S. Green Building firm, Beard + Riser practices a design philosophy that is grounded in taking advantage of site and climate conditions to the benefit of the design. Our design is rooted in using passive strategies, such as locating the building away from forests and waterways, orienting to take advantage of passive solar, optimizing shade and roof overhangs on south and-west facades, collecting rainwater for landscape irrigation, and designing "light on the land” structures to minimize our impact on the natural environment are all important strategies we use every day in our work. We also specify environmentally friendly and sustainable materials and products on projects. Our team understands that there is a balance between the need for environmental sustainability best practices and the financial responsibility that our client’s must maintain, so we work hard to identify the most rewarding items that can be incorporated for the least capital input.
Historic Preservation
Beard + Riser has is a trusted historic preservation firm, experienced with a variety of rehabilitation and restoration projects and studies, including a Civil Rights Site Grant administered under the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH), a National Park Service Civil Rights Sites Grant, projects funded by Mississippi Heritage Trust and Louisiana Heritage Trust, a number of feasibility studies, façade studies, existing conditions surveys, and repair documents. In addition, we completed renovation projects at the Yazoo County Courthouse and Greenwood Police Department, both Mississippi Landmarks whose alterations required review and approval by MDAH. We have also completed a number of historic tax credit projects for private clients. We know the standards required on this unique building type and are a recommended service provider for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Grant Assistance
Beard + Riser understands the parameters specific to publicly-funded work. We have extensive experience with grant-funded projects and we understand their requirements, schedules, and the documentation needed. Our experience on grant assisted work includes new construction, maintenance and repair needs, systems modernization, materials upgrades, accessibility retrofitting, and coordinating work with occupancy deadlines. We have completed this work across Mississippi and Louisiana, with numerous municipal, county and private non-profit foundations, gaining experience in assessing and resolving issues by identifying reliable and effective solutions.
Almost 80% of our project history involves work funded through local and state government. We have experience on the following grant type documentation and design projects: CDBG, MDA DIP, Economic Development Grants, USDA Rural Development, HRSA, U.S. Department of Education Promise Grants, MDAH Civil Rights Sites Grant, National Park Service Civil Rights Sites, MDAH Historic Tax Credits / Standards, MDAH Mississippi Landmarks, U.S. Department of Education Head Start Grants. In addition, our principal Dale Riser has a technical writing education and background, and is an experienced grant write. This in-house expertise allows our firm to offer grant preparation assistance at a nominal fee should you require it.