THE ELEVENTH DECADE (1991 - 2000)

Compared to the relative stability in the management of the firm throughout the previous ten decades, the eleventh decade marked one of numerous changes as the firm evolved from a partnership to a corporation. The recession that started in 1990 ultimately can be traced back to the demise of the partnership by the mid-decade. The recession had a three-fold affect on the business of church architecture. The initial affect was the downsizing of commercial architecture firms with the result of increased competition from numerous smaller firms that sprang up as a result, often with the ability to carry out work more economically due to size and overhead. The next affect was the withdrawing of government financing, not only for social housing but also for other projects such as educational and health care facilities. Now, not only did the firm see increased competition from smaller firms but also from larger ones, as churches and not for profit groups continued as the significant project providers. Even this base for projects was tenuous as increased unemployment impacted on their abilities to fund projects.
St Andrew's Presbyterian,    Newmarket (1992)    Bracebridge United Church    (1994)    Burton Avenue United,    Barrie (1995)    First Unitarian    Congregation Toronto    (1993)    Martin Grove United Church    (1996)    Tottenham United Church    (1996)    St Jude's Anglican Church    Scarborough (1997)	Few new significant projects were undertaken, but most of the fees for the first few years of the decade came from social housing projects now under construction, and as these were completed the partnership began to lay off staff in a painful attempt to ride out the storm. Some of the more notable projects through the early years of the decade were additions and alterations to St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Newmarket, Bracebridge United Church, and Burton Avenue United Church in Barrie. Perhaps the most significant project at that time was the addition and alterations to the facilities for the First Unitarian Congregation in Toronto, a long-time client from the days of Beck & Ross Architects. Don Stuart, metal smith and Sarah Hall, glass artist were both instrumental in providing finishing details to the project. By mid 1995, the firm had been reduced to the partnership plus four employees. Fred Beck in discussion with Upper Canada College, another long-time client, set to leave the partnership to provide his skills to the school as the new Director of Facilities. Doug Brown began to plan his retirement. Murray Ross would continue the firm as a sole proprietor, however with a foreseeable workload that would see both William Menzel and Ingrid Ruthig depart to work for other firms and Rochelle Grafstein and David Paine remain as part-time consultants. The partnership officially dissolved at the end of December 1995. Murray Ross continued the practice as Brown Beck & Ross Architect, the name reflecting his being the sole architect. He carried into his practice a number of projects well under construction including Martin Grove United Church (originally West Humber~ see The Eighth Decade) in Etobicoke, Tottenham United Church and St. Thomas à Becket Anglican Church in Mississauga. Significantly, William Menzel had been the project architect for all three. The practice continued the work started for St. Paul Anglican Church in Uxbridge and picked up some new projects including a facilities use study for the Church of the Redeemer and a fabric study for Walmer Road Baptist Church, both in mid-town Toronto and an addition to St. Jude Anglican Church in Scarborough. The country was slowly evolving out of the recession and matters for the small firm were looking up. Then tragedy struck. One evening in early June 1996, Murray Ross was walking on the local track when he suffered a massive heart attack and died. Amidst the shock, Doug Brown agreed to direct the practice in the interim. Simultaneously on another front, William Menzel was laid off from the firm to which he had moved, as its workload had not increased sufficiently. Within the turmoil of the week, William Menzel discussed his continuing the practice with the former partners and agreed to carry on by the end of the following week. Brown Beck & Ross Architects had its second transformation of the decade.
William Menzel began his directorship of Brown Beck & Ross Architect with David Paine and Rochelle Grafstein continuing as part-time consultants and wrapping up the three projects under construction for which he had been the architect and the two studies undertaken by Murray Ross. The firm continued the design process for St. Jude and St. Paul and carried the projects through construction. A number of former clients approached
St. James-Bond United    (2000)	the firm, partially as a result promotion by William Menzel indicating the firm's continuance. Over the next few years the firm undertook projects for former clients such as Trinity- St. Paul's, St. James Bond, Timothy Eaton Memorial and Bloor Street United Churches.
Renewed contact with church related organizations such as The Scott Mission and Woodgreen Red Door Family Shelters resulted in additional projects. A series of advertisements in the Anglican publication, Ministry Matters, lead to e-mail correspondence with the warden of All Saints Church in Huntsville and alterations to their church hall building to provide barrier free access. Former partners brought projects for both Upper Canada College and Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. The name Brown Beck & Ross Architect remained an asset in the firm being approached to carry out detailed facility use studies for Trinity United Church in Cobourg and St. Peter (Erindale) Anglican Church in Mississauga. By the middle of 1998, William Menzel knew that the time had come to honour his agreement from 1996 that he would continue the firm with the partner's names for only a couple of years.
It was in recognizing the impact of the partnership as a model for an architecture firm and the mentoring of the men behind it that William Menzel selected the name based on the short form BB&R, and ventured forth with BB&R Architect Inc. beginning in 1999. This marked the third transformation and fourth manifestation of the firm within the decade. As the director of BB&R Architect Inc., William Menzel continues to explore his passion for working with churches as they explore the impact of their relationship with God and the resulting ministries and the impact that has on their facilities. One such project was the consolidation and analysis of a variety of reports on Holy Trinity Church in Ajax, a congregation that had suffered at the hands of design professionals and contractors over the years to the point that they had to abandon their building. The report presented a number of options before the congregation to remain on its site and the impact of doing so. Another such project resulted in extensive interior alterations and renovations to the The Church of St. Timothy in
DeVry Scarborough Campus    (Phase 1, 1994)    UCC (Massey Quadrangle,    2001)	North Toronto. The desire to make facilities barrier free accessible continues to be a factor in church work, as well a wide variety of projects from the very small to more significant, each responding to the needs of a congregation. Another common factor in our work with churches has been re-planning chancel areas to suit newer and more varied worship styles. Projects have included Runnymede United Church, Spring Garden Baptist Church and St. Luke's United Church. While the focus of the firm has been its work with churches, it continues to serve institutional clients such as the Toronto Catholic District School Board, DeVry Institute of Technology and Upper Canada College. At the end of 2000, Rochelle Grafstein retired from her work as firm administrator, a position she had held since the 1980's.

 

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