Building Better: The Power of Strong Partnerships
At Young Construction, our commitment to quality is anchored in our partnerships with trusted professionals. Seamless collaboration among contractors, trades, architects, and realtors enhances the client experience at every stage. In this post, we turn the spotlight on some of our partners whose expertise and dedication help bring each project to life, and pull back the curtain wall (contractor humor) to get to know what inspires their work.
Architect Spotlight: Dave Mendro, NMA Architects
A lover of the French master architect Le Corbusier, Dave brings a unique sense of balance to his designs. He has an appreciation for the way things are built and a keen eye for materials and form. It’s always a treat working with his team because they understand the complexity ofmodern builds and the importance of clear communication. NMA Architects don’t just design for how it looks. They design for how it gets built, and that makes all the difference.
Favorite building in Santa Barbara? A favorite of mine is a classic 1969 midcentury home in Montecito by Cliff May. With its low horizontal lines, broad roof overhangs, soaring eaves, and glass that dissolves the boundary between indoors and out, it is the quintessential Ranch-style home that really captures the essence of California indoor-outdoor living.
All-time favorite Young project? Our Centinela home. We envisioned a wholly unconventional, curvilinear, sculptural design — beautiful, but extremely challenging to build. Through a highly collaborative process, the Young team translated that vision into reality. It’s a project that left me convinced there’s virtually nothing they can’t build.
How did you end up in Santa Barbara? During college, I landed a summer internship here. After one summer, I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. I came back the day I graduated in 1986, and Santa Barbara has been home ever since.
Anything else you'd like to say about designing in Santa Barbara? As an architect, I can't imagine a more inspiring place to work. The ocean, the mountains, the quality of light, the landscape, the temperate Mediterranean climate — all of it is conducive to great design and to a way of living that blurs the line between inside and out. It's a genuine joy to design here.
Architect Spotlight: Mark Kirkhart, AIA, NCARB, DesignARC Los Angeles
Another architect who skillfully balances form and function while keeping construction in mind is Mark. Working alongside him and his team feels more like family than business. They’ve been with Young Construction from the start, and that history shows in how seamlessly we work together. Their plans reflect real-world building conditions, saving time in the field. More than that, Mark values teamwork and building things right.
What's your favorite building in SB? The Santa Barbara Bowl. It’s more than one building. It’s a collection of buildings, spaces, and structures that represent decades of our efforts as architects. And it’s something that all of us at DesignARC are very proud of – definitely a “Legacy” project that will be enjoyed by live music lovers for decades to come!
All-time favorite Young Project: The Casa de Casey – a Santa Barbara Spanish revival home and guest house that they built for my family and me in Montecito in the early 2000’s. DesignARC has a very long history of projects with Young. Bob, Dave, and I literally grew up together, and we’ve been completing projects – easily dozens of projects – for nearly 50 years!
How'd you end up in SB? Upon graduation from Cal Poly SLO, I wanted to settle in a beach town. I consider SB to be the “Northern-most - Southern California beach town,” so I took a job here in 1975. Shortly afterward, started my own company. We’ll be celebrating our 50-year anniversary later this summer!
Anything else you want to say about designing in SB? It obviously can be challenging with all the design review boards (City and County), but after all these years, we have a pretty good handle on what the committees want. And in my opinion, if you’re trying to do a really nice building – and you have a good handle on scale, proportion, and detailing – you shouldn’t have too big an issue with the review boards. They just want to push designers to do their best work.
Partner Spotlight: Real Estate Insight: Josiah Hamilton
A not-so-obvious partner is a real estate professional. Real estate agents play a larger role in residential building projects than people typically realize. For years, we’ve been working with Josiah. His team understands market trends and homeowner priorities, and they have an amazing grasp of the area’s architectural history. It’s in their DNA – Josiah’s great-aunt is Pearl Chase, the visionary civic leader and preservationist who shaped Santa Barbara into a culturally and architecturally rich city.
What's your favorite building in SB? The Mud House by Roland Coate, Jr. I had the opportunity to tour it over a decade ago. It was briefly on the market, but then the owner, Steve Martin, decided not to sell. What’s interesting about this house is that it is unapologetically brutalist. The bold concrete design blends into the landscape while making a striking architectural statement. It prioritizes form over softness and defies convention. Built with the same crews who worked on the 405 freeway, it’s a ballsy piece of ’70s architecture that still looks great today.
Favorite feature you like to see in homes you rep: I’m drawn to homes with thoughtful sight lines, where every view feels intentional, and you’re given meaningful moments to see through the space. I especially appreciate the use of glass to connect indoors and out, creating a strong sense of cohesion that gives everyone a good seat at the table. I love when a home is positioned to capture views and lead you on a clear, intuitive journey from the front door. At the same time, I’m drawn to a sense of surprise, where the home doesn’t fully reveal itself from the street. The best projects balance all of this while still delivering great design on a thoughtful budget.
How'd you end up in SB? I was raised here, more or less. My family has been in Santa Barbara since the early 1900’s. And while I have lived all over, I made SB home in part because of instrumental figures like my great-aunt, Pearl Chase, who played a colossal role in what we all love and appreciate about Santa Barbara today. What I love most about Santa Barbara is how personal it feels – the architecture, the landscapes, the weather, the people, and all the little hidden gems that make it truly special.
Anything else to add about living in SB? Folks need to get off the main drag. This town has so much more to offer. What’s happening in Carp, the foothills, the hiking trails — there’s so much to explore in this area. On the East and West sides, there are great little spots worth discovering. It’s about branching out, exploring, and not just staying in your usual quadrant.
Teamwork makes the dream work.
It takes a great team to build a great project. At the end of the day, the success of any build comes down to how well the project team works together. When architects, builders, subcontractors, and real estate professionals are aligned, decisions are more thoughtful, and challenges are resolved more efficiently. That collaboration ensures the vision is carried through every phase, from concept to construction to sale. A strong team doesn’t just deliver a finished product; they create a seamless process and a better outcome for everyone involved. We’re fortunate to collaborate with talented architects, clients, and realtors who share a passion for preserving Santa Barbara’s unique charm.