When Darrel Williams wakes up in the morning, he doesn’t think about his legacy. But, whether he thinks about it or not, his legacy in the City of Charlotte is impossible to ignore.
Once the mentee of former Charlotte mayor Harvey Gantt, Williams spent the early years of his career soaking up knowledge in the Gantt Huberman architecture firm, building the foundation for what would become a 25-year career of community service and neighborhood revitalization.
“We wanted to focus on helping to revitalize social and physically challenged neighborhoods,” Williams said.
Williams and his then-partners founded Neighboring Concepts in 1995. The firm’s mission was, and continues to be, to transform communities through architecture, working alongside their neighbors to create, enhance and connect people through smart design and responsible planning.
“We engaged with community residents who often felt neglected to help them develop a vision for their community and make sure they were a part of that vision,” Williams said.
Over the years, Williams’ firm has touched every corner of this community, creating some of the most impactful buildings in Charlotte. Neighboring Concepts counts among its many projects: the CATS Blue Line and Gold Line, Harvey B. Gantt Center, Eastway Regional Recreation Center, Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinics, and Romare Bearden Park.
A more-recent development, the cradle-to-career collaborative community Renaissance West, was the first LEED Neighborhood Development project in North Carolina. It stands out as a benchmark for sustainable design, but also for its collective impact on those who now call it home.
Over the years, the team at Neighboring Concepts has grown, and along with it, the scope of work; but the mission has remained unchanged.
“Our work is all about people. It’s not about buildings. It’s about people — the people who inhabit them, the people who interact with them in the spaces we create,” architect Luke Volkmar said. “This idea of creating a community that is interconnected. I think it is, for us, how you start to have an impact.”
And now, the firm built by and for the community, is designing a new chapter. Volkmar, along with Cathy Morrison, Daniel McNamee, and Frank Little will become the newest partners at Neighboring Concepts.
“I always wanted to do architecture that improved lives,” Morrison said. “Each of the projects that we do uplifts somebody.”
Morrison, Volkmar, McNamee, and Little have each invested their careers in designing and building projects that positively shape the Charlotte landscape. Each gained valuable lessons under the mentorship of two historic Charlotte-based, minority-owned firms, Neighboring Concepts and Gantt Huberman Architects.
Volkmar and McNamee joined Neighboring Concepts over 18 years ago and grew into critical leadership roles in helping Williams manage the firm’s day to day operations. Morrison and Little joined Neighboring Concepts more recently. While they took different paths to the firm, they also have history together from Gantt Huberman Architects.
These promotions mark the start of a new chapter for the community-based design practice, as Williams begins to transition toward retirement at the end of 2022. As the team steps into leadership, they seek to honor and build upon the legacy that their mentors originally set into motion, much like Williams did years ago.
“When I considered how to transition out of the firm, I had several options,” Williams said. “And I chose this option because I had the utmost confidence in this team to carry the firm forward and continue the positive impact it has made here.”
Despite all of the “positive impact” he’s made building neighborhoods into something greater, Williams remains grounded in his own foundation. More than once, he’s recalled his upbringing as “a humble, country boy.”
Williams may remain humble, but this community has taken notice of all of the ways he has contributed to the region’s fabric.
In June, Williams was honored with the 2022 Center City Vision Award. Presented by Charlotte Center City Partners, the award celebrated his career-long impact on making Charlotte more vibrant and extraordinary.
So, when given more time to think about that word with such magnitude where this story began, Williams decided he does, in fact, have some thoughts about “legacy.”
“I do care about legacy,” Williams said, a more serious look spreading across his warm and welcoming face. “I care about what’s going to happen to Neighboring Concepts in the future. My legacy will probably be related to my compassion for the underserved and for those who may not be able to speak for themselves.”
