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About Us
Beckelman+Capalino was founded by Laurie Beckelman and James Capalino to provide a wide range of project management and strategic advisory services to cultural, not-for-profit and historic preservation clients. Ms. Beckelman and Mr. Capalino are the Principals and owners, and the professional staff includes Mimi Taft and Mark Thompson. The team, among the most highly regarded and experienced in New York, brings its expertise and capabilities to the services of project management, team building, the development of sustainable institutions, and the successful completion of highly complex and varied projects.
Ms. Beckelman, who served as Chair of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and was Deputy Director for Special Projects at the Guggenheim, possesses unsurpassed knowledge of cultural and preservation policy. She is continually called upon for her expertise in shaping these policies on the national level, as well as arts policies for both private and public groups, and on the procedures of arts commissions and related organizations. Mr. Capalino, who served as Commissioner for New York City's Department of General Services, is one of the most well-known and respected advisors on government and organizational related matters in New York. He has provided strategic planning advice regarding the structuring of public agencies for nearly three decades and serves as an advisor to many corporations on their relationships with cultural organizations, governments, and not-for-profits. Ms. Taft provides a variety of organizational and writing services, with a background in these fields as they relate to arts and cultural development. Mr. Thompson brings several decades of experience in all aspects of real estate, management consulting, and finance, as well as proposal writing and project management.
Their combined experience and knowledge have created a highly qualified firm that provides organizational development and management services, especially regarding projects involving historic sites, landmarks, and arts and cultural policy. The entire team has extensive experience with and understanding of such projects and organizations, their role in the community, the distinctive issues associated with the juxtaposition of public and private ventures, and the appropriate methodologies required to successfully navigate these very different circumstances.
B+C is an expert at refining, managing and completing a wide range of phases for any given project including the planning for and creation of schematic designs, overall operational planning for a cultural group embarking on a building project, defining the parameters of the project, aiding in the selection of an architect, the organization of a capital campaign to fund the project, and the implementation of construction. The construction capabilities of the firm include both the pre-construction process and management of all construction phases, as well as identification and management of any contractors (such as architects or construction managers). The firm also provides services related to program development, curatorial consulting and concept development, institutional planning, business planning, and implementation planning. It has access to and long-standing contacts with the leaders in related fields, such as architecture, engineering and construction, providing clients with the ability to realize the seamless completion of their requirements.