The Architect’s Blog

Attention all apartment complex owners and apartment managers in Long Beach: have you heard of the new apartment balcony inspection law that the California legislature passed a few years ago? Senate Bill 721 (SB 721) was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown back in 2018, but most landlords and apartment managers are just now starting to take . . . Read more...

Recently, Grisafe Architecture Owner and Lead Architect Mark Grisafe was contacted by SFGATE  to provide some comments on an iconic piece of Long Beach architecture: a single-family home in the Rose Park neighborhood known as the “Skinny House.” The Skinny House has an interesting history, as well as a unique combination of architectural . . . Read more...

At this point, just about everyone in the country has heard of the fast-food burger chain In-N-Out. Since its founding in 1948, the chain has gained popularity for its menu of delicious, high-quality burgers, fries, and milkshakes at affordable prices. The simplicity of the restaurant’s iconic menu is likely another part of its appeal to many . . . Read more...

Every industry has their own lingo, and the architecture industry is no exception. We throw around words, phrases, terms, and acronyms that might not mean much to the average bystander. One such word is “variance.” For most people, this word simply means “a difference or deviation for the standard or typical,” but in architecture, this . . . Read more...

Pretty much everyone knows that if you are building a new home or commercial building in Long Beach from the ground up, you need a Long Beach architect to design it. There may have been a time—long ago—when you could draw up plans yourself and present them to the city for approval, but those days are long gone. The requirements to get plans . . . Read more...