New Haven, CT Hoffmann Architects + Engineers, a design firm specializing in the rehabilitation of building exteriors, has promoted Erin Kesegi, AIA and Benjamin Robinson, AIA, who have been selected to manage the technical resources of the firm’s Connecticut office.
Together, Kesegi and Robinson will provide experienced direction for Hoffmann’s office. Liaising with New York office director Juan Kuriyama, AIA, and Virginia office director Daniel Bishop, AIA, they bring the technical proficiency, mentorship, and vision to propel the firm into its next stage of growth.
Outgoing director of the Connecticut office, Lawrence Keenan, AIA, PE, steps into his new role as director, technical services, overseeing the quality of technical work produced firm-wide. With collegial relationships that span decades, the incoming leadership team is well positioned to build on the firm’s reputation for building enclosure expertise, developing collaborative solutions that apply advanced building science to tough rehabilitation challenges.
Kesegi, AIA, has been promoted to vice president and director, architecture and will serve as co-director of Hoffmann’s Connecticut office. Previously Senior Architect, Kesegi has been with the firm since 2001, joining the staff after interning with Hoffmann during her architecture studies at Roger Williams University. In 2016, she was invited to become a shareholder in recognition of her technical ability, leadership, and commitment to the company. Kesegi has led project teams for building enclosure rehabilitation at properties across New England and New York, including Constitution Plaza in Hartford, Columbia University and Barnard College in Manhattan, Yale-New Haven Health Hospitals in Bridgeport and Greenwich, Hopkins School in New Haven, and Verizon in New York.
Committed to the mentorship of junior staff, Kesegi was instrumental in developing and promulgating consistent, exemplary standards for graphics, specifications, reports, and other deliverables. When Hoffmann relocated both its New York and Connecticut offices, it was Kesegi who designed the new spaces and administered construction, keeping staff needs top-of-mind through frequent outreach. During the pandemic, she took responsibility for setting health and welfare policies company-wide and oversaw the firm’s comprehensive exposure management strategy. Her diligence ensures that the firm adopts best practices for worksite safety, as she maintains up-to-date site safety equipment and oversees staff training. A leader not just in the office, but also in the industry, she is President of the Housatonic Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), as well as a member of Preservation Connecticut and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Connecticut chapter.
Robinson, AIA, earns a promotion to vice president and director, architecture and has been appointed co-director of Hoffmann’s Connecticut office. Previously senior architect, Robinson joined Hoffmann in 2006 after earning a bachelor’s degree from Connecticut College, and he has been a shareholder of the firm since 2016. Early in his career, he had the opportunity to learn the nuances of historic preservation through his involvement with the restoration of the Dome of the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC. From the start of his time with Hoffmann until the project’s completion in 2017, Robinson visited the Capitol often to review mockups, evaluate cast iron repairs, visit fabricators’ workshops, observe installation, and see that restoration proceeded according to specifications. As his experience grew, Robinson took on other historic projects and developed close relationships with clients in both the government and private sectors. In addition to the U.S. Capitol, his noteworthy projects include stained glass restoration at the historic Aquarion Water Company Headquarters, building enclosure restoration and roof replacements at Choate Rosemary Hall and Wellesley College, steeple and facade restoration at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, campus-wide building enclosure assessments at Connecticut College and Mount Holyoke College, and marble facade rehabilitation at the New Haven Courthouse. His project experience afforded him expertise in the rehabilitation of secure facilities, from municipal buildings and prisons to museums and data centers, and he guides clients in maintaining safety and security while implementing vital performance upgrades.
Outside the office, Robinson lends his building enclosure expertise to the Mark Twain House and Museum, where he is chair of the building and grounds committee and a member of the Board of Trustees. He is also a member of the Association for Preservation Technology (APT) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Connecticut chapter. An engaging speaker, he has delivered presentations on historic preservation, including the landmark restoration of the U.S. Capitol Dome, for industry audiences, as well as other design professionals.
