CPH’s story began in the 1960s as a branch office of a national engineering firm. In 1981, three forward-thinking engineers—Conklin, Porter, and Holmes—purchased the office and established CPH with a clear mission: to provide quality, responsive services grounded in integrity and collaboration. From those early roots, CPH has grown into a nationally recognized, full-service architecture and engineering firm with more than 400 employees and 20 offices across the country. Our expansion has been driven by a steadfast commitment to technical excellence, personalized service, and strong client partnerships that stand the test of time.
Today, we provide a comprehensive suite of services—including planning, architecture, surveying, civil and utility engineering, water resources, transportation, MEP and structural engineering, ecological services, permitting, landscape architecture, construction administration, and funding and grant assistance. This in-house depth allows us to serve diverse markets such as aviation, commercial and retail, education, municipal infrastructure, residential development, and more.
Ranked consistently among Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms, CPH continues to grow with purpose—developing innovative, sustainable solutions that shape the built environment and enhance quality of life. At the heart of everything we do is our guiding principle: “Building Stronger Communities Together.”
| 1980-1989 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
1981 CPH Founded with Focus on Public Projects CPH’s history dates back to the 1960s, performing services as a branch office of a then national firm Clark Dietz and Associates (CDA). When CDA decided to close its doors in certain markets, the founders of CPH (Cal Conklin, Paul Porter, and Bill Holmes) purchased their local assets and incorporated as CPH in 1981. |
1986 Diversified Into Private Development As development started to accelerate in the mid 1980s, CPH diversified to include engineering services for development projects that include site design, feasibility studies, permitting, and construction management for large commercial and mixed-use improvements. | |||
| 1990-1999 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
1991 CPH Adds Construction Management to Be Able to Handle Projects from Cradle to Grave In 1991, CPH added an internal Construction Management group. This group quickly became an integral part of delivery from planning through completion. |
1994 CPH Diversifies Services to Include Landscape Architecture In 1994, CPH added Landscape Architecture and Planning, including on-staff horticulturalists and arborists. This diversification provides the ability to work with communities in place-making, urban design, parks and recreation, and complete streets. | |||
| 2000-2003 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 Expanding to the Caribbean In 2000, we opened our Puerto Rico office, marking our first expansion beyond the continental U.S. |
2001 Laying the Groundwork: Planning Services In 2001, CPH expanded our expertise with the addition of Planning Services—advancing our ability to guide projects from concept to completion. |
2002 Precision from the Start: Survey Services With the launch of Survey Services in 2002, CPH strengthens our commitment to accuracy and efficiency in every phase of development. | ||
| 2004-2009 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
2004 Designing the Future: Architecture Services By 2004, CPH introduced Architecture Services, marking a major milestone in our evolution into a fully integrated, multi-disciplinary design firm. |
2006 Reaching the Northeast Our presence grew in 2006 with the opening of our New England office, strengthening our East Coast footprint. |
2008 Serving the Mid-Atlantic In 2008, we continued our growth with a new office in Maryland, expanding our reach in the Mid-Atlantic region. | ||
| 2010-2019 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 Expanding Our Capabilities: MEP Engineering Services In 2012, CPH added Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) Engineering Services, enhancing our ability to deliver integrated design solutions and support our clients more comprehensively. |
2014 Strengthening Our Foundation: Structural Engineering Services By 2014, CPH had expanded further with the addition of Structural Engineering Services—forming a complete building engineering department to meet growing demand and support our rise as one of the nation’s top design firms. | |||
| 2020-Present | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 Strategic Partnership with Trilon CPH announced a strategic partnership with Trilon Group, a family of infrastructure consulting businesses backed by Alpine. The partnership allows CPH to expand its offerings and better serve its clients across the Americas and Caribbean by providing additional capital and resources. |
2023 380+ Staff and Eleven18 Joins the CPH Family CPH acquired ELEVEN18, a 40-member architecture and interior design firm, in 2023. This addition of talent in retail, hospitality, senior living, self-storage, and entertainment/themed development strengthens CPH’s architectural expertise and allows our firm to expand into new markets. Clients benefit from our broader resources, larger workforce, and increased collaboration across project types. |
2025 CPH Acquires Mittauer & Associates, Inc. In early 2025, CPH acquired Mittauer & Associates, Inc., a Florida-based engineering firm specializing in water, wastewater, civil, structural engineering, and grant funding. This strategic acquisition strengthens CPH’s capabilities in municipal and utility infrastructure while enhancing its ability to assist clients in securing state and federal project funding. | ||
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