Gary J. Nelson

February 22, 2021
by: Tiara Hughes, NOMA

Gary J. Nelson is a second-generation West Indian-American, originally from Hempstead, NY. A graduate of Hampton University, he is passionate about Community-Based projects and Sports Architecture. He was the founder and first president of NOMAarizona, committed to mentoring future generations and increasing the representation of Blacks, Indigenous, Latinx, other people of color and women as architects and other design related professionals. Licensed in 20 states, he was the first African American Director of Architecture/Assistant Vice President for an ENR Top 100 firm, leading the firm’s architecture practice expansion to the Southwest. Gary has worked on various MLB, NFL and NBA facilities as a project architect or project manager. In 2018 he became the first African American architect at the City of Phoenix. In 2020 Gary was elected as NOMA’s West Region Vice President. He is the proud husband of an Air Force veteran, and dad of a son and daughter. 

Tiara Hughes:  When did your interest in architecture as a career begin?

Gary Nelson: During my childhood, my aunt and sister were disabled and access to buildings, restrooms and upper floors was difficult, because the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was not the law at the time. I wanted to do something that would make a difference. In 6th grade our teacher gave us an assignment to research a career and divided the students into teams. I attended a Catholic School and was an altar server at the time. All four members of the group were also altar servers. We decided to research the career of priesthood and to interview one of our parish’s priests. When I asked about when the interview would occur, I was informed that I could not participate in the meeting because “You are not a White Altar Server.” Since I was no longer part of a team, I took on the assignment by myself and went to the library to research professions. I came across and read the book “So you want to be an Architect?” That was the book that led me to my career. The dream of my youth, to make a difference in my community, was launched.

TH: When did you first learn about NOMA? Please tell us about your first encounter, or how you have been involved over the years. 

GN: I first learned about NOMA in 2006, while attending the AIA conference in Los Angeles. I am one of 14 Black architects in Arizona; as a result, my goal was to meet other design professionals of color and gain the respect as a practicing professional that I typically did not experience in my then 21 years of experience in the industry. At that conference I met Sanford Garner, a former president of NOMA. He told me about our organization and invited me to a NOMA gathering. It was an experience I will never forget – women and men of color discussing architecture, as well as African American cultural topics. For the first time in my career, I felt welcomed by others in my profession. Unfortunately, at that time, my only option was an “At Large” membership. 

Due to the recession I briefly left Arizona, but returned to Phoenix in 2016. On MLK Day in 2017, I attended a get together of design professionals (called ‘The Gathering’) to recognize African American’s achievements in design in a welcoming, inclusive environment. At ‘The Gathering’ I discovered I was no longer a “Lonely Only” in Phoenix. I met other Blacks, Latinx, Asian, Native American and other nationalities and cultures interested in helping to increase minority and women representation in our professions. With 16 multi-cultural colleagues, NOMAarizona was formed. Chartered in 2018, the chapter has grown to over 60 members, believing that ‘Our Strength is Our Diversity’ and committed to representing the unrepresented. 

TH: How has NOMA impacted your outlook and contributions to the profession? 

GN: Being a member of NOMA has provided me with a platform to serve my community, as well as serve as a mentor to the next generation of design and construction professionals. Through NOMA, my experience that spans over 30+ years is respected and my voice is heard. As the first president of NOMAarizona, I was blessed with chapter members dedicated to making a difference in our community and the built environment. Our chapter lives by our motto – “It’s not what you do, it’s who you are!” With a multi-cultural and multidisciplinary chapter in place, my professional commitment to serve my community was realized through our chapter volunteering for organizations like “Rebuilding Together”, mentoring students through a college liaison program and providing them “Home Cooking Away from Home” during the holidays. I am able to reach out to youth by speaking at career days; youth should not have to wait until college or beyond to meet professionals that reflect their culture, gender or race. My professional experience is also heightened by our chapter providing NOMA professional development seminars that recognize and address the challenges that BIPOC design professionals have had in their careers. Attending a NOMA conference is typically the highlight of my professional year. They have been welcoming, educational, and most importantly, inclusive. I always describe my 4-5 days attending a NOMA conference as a family reunion without the drama! 

TH: Can you share some of your most meaningful architectural experiences? 

GN: One of my early projects when I had my own practice was designing a perimeter fence for my son and daughter’s school – St. Louis the King Elementary School in Glendale, Arizona. Two weeks after the fence’s completion, during recess, there was an accident and someone’s car struck the fence. That evening my children told me about the accident and stated “Dad, can you imagine what would have happened if you did not design that fence? It protected our play area!” That statement made me realize that I was beginning to fulfill my desire to make a difference in my community.

Another meaningful project fulfilled a personal goal, to have a project as a major part of a city’s skyline. In 1995 I was the only Black Architect on the design team for Phoenix’s new MLB franchise’s stadium, Chase Field (formerly Bank One Ballpark). Not only is baseball the sports passion from my youth and my family, but the project is a major component of Phoenix’s downtown skyline.

In 2013, I was asked to join a firm as a project manager for Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium. I leveraged the opportunity for minority and women owned A/E businesses to be part of the design team. With the assistance of NOMAtlanta, the City of Atlanta reached its goal of 25% minority and women owned business participation in design. The project eventually became a family affair. In 2019 our family assembled in “The House That Dad Built” to witness my son, an athletic trainer for the New England Patriots, win Super Bowl LIII!

TH: Do you recommend people become a contributing member of NOMA, and if so, why?

GN: NOMA is one the few professional organizations that acknowledges, respects, and celebrates who you are, as well as what you do for the built environment. I highly recommend to anyone that is passionate about making a difference in their respective communities beyond design and construction, to become an active member in their local NOMA chapter.

TH: What advice do you have for our NOMAS membership, as they begin their young careers?

GN: Stay determined to reach your goals; do not be discouraged; do not limit yourself; and don’t be afraid to get out of your “comfort zone.”  That may mean moving to a city where you may not know anyone, or taking a position in a firm for a short term as a “lonely only,” in order to gain experience. Reach out to people that you feel could be mentors, to help you reach your goals. It’s not fair, but the reality is that you should be prepared to work twice as hard as some of your counterparts, that have benefited from the privilege of not being judged by their race, gender or sexual identity. ALWAYS proudly maintain your culture, and stand up for what you believe is right.