H2M Architects & Engineers
| Company type | Professional corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Planning, Consulting |
| Founded | 1933 |
| Founder | Henry "Gus" Holzmacher |
| Headquarters | Melville , United States |
Area served | Eastern Seaboard, United States |
Key people | Richard Humann (President and CEO) |
Number of employees | 500+ (2023) |
| Website | www |
H2M Architects & Engineers (branded as H2M architects + engineers) is a leading U.S.-based company offering expertise in architecture, design, engineering, construction, planning, and consulting services. With its main office located in Melville, New York on Long Island, the firm maintains 15 branch offices along the Eastern Seaboard and employs more than 500 professionals as of 2023.
Listed on the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry, the company notably contributed to the federal prohibition of lead and solder usage in potable water systems.
Founding and Initial Development: 1933 – 1961
H2M was established in 1933 by Henry “Gus” Holzmacher, P.E., who started a modest civil engineering and land surveying business from his home in Bethpage. The early work centered on public infrastructure and water supply projects throughout Long Island. The firm’s inaugural significant contract involved engineering a water supply plant for the South Farmingdale Water District in 1935. During World War II, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation became a key client, commissioning topographical surveys and runway enhancements at its Bethpage facilities.
In 1947, Holzmacher opened the company’s first formal office in Hicksville and began employing full-time personnel. By 1951, he was appointed Consulting Engineer for the Bethpage Water District and designed facility expansions completed the following year.
Leadership broadened when Henry’s son Robert Holzmacher joined in 1953, along with associates Norman Murrell and Samuel McLendon during the mid-1950s. Throughout this era, H2M secured multiple contracts for public works with various Long Island water districts and local governments.
The firm’s expansion led to the construction of a new headquarters building in Melville starting in 1959, which opened its doors in 1960.
Transition to Partnership: 1961 – 1970
After opening the Melville headquarters, Henry Holzmacher passed away in March 1961. His son Robert assumed control of the company and, together with Samuel McLendon and Norman Murrell, restructured it into a partnership named Holzmacher, McLendon, and Murrell.
During this decade, the firm undertook projects such as the Plainview–Old Bethpage Community Park and Pool (1962) and developed an artificial lake at Byron Lake Park (1967). In 1968, H2M contributed to Suffolk County’s extensive Comprehensive Public Water Supply Study spanning eighteen months.
Incorporation and Expansion: 1970–Present
The company incorporated as a professional corporation in 1970 and adopted the H2M brand name. Following the enactment of the Clean Water Act in 1972, H2M assisted Long Island municipalities in obtaining federal funding for environmental initiatives, prompting the creation of a specialized environmental engineering division.
By 1985, H2M had constructed one of the nation’s earliest Scavenger Waste Treatment Plants and launched its architectural department two years later. The firm relocated its headquarters within Melville in 1988 while expanding operations into New Jersey. In the 1980s, H2M played an instrumental role advocating for legislation prohibiting lead and solder materials in public drinking water systems.
After the original founders retired in 1991, Harold Dombeck took over as president and CEO. The early ’90s saw growth in architectural services catering to clients such as the United States Postal Service along with various fire and school districts. Forensic consulting services were introduced in 1997.
In 2006, H2M developed innovative perchlorate removal technologies and inaugurated an office in Suffern serving the Hudson Valley region. The following decade featured notable projects including RXR Realty’s Ritz Carlton Residences located in North Hills. The company moved into its current Melville headquarters facility in 2013 and expanded further by opening offices in New York City (2015) and Albany (later relocating to Troy). Staff numbers increased from approximately 300 employees in 2016 to around 400 by 2018. Key projects during this time included Ronkonkoma’s Station Yards transit-oriented development and municipal sewer infrastructure assessments.
Growth through acquisitions bolstered H2M’s architectural capabilities: Pacheco Ross (specializing in firehouse design) joined in 2016; Ehasz Giacalone Architects was acquired in 2017; followed by Frederic P. Wiedersum Associates in 2019—enhancing market reach within architecture.
In 2022, H2M expanded into Florida markets. By its 90th anniversary year of 2023, the firm employed over 500 personnel across fifteen offices on the East Coast—including locations throughout New York, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Plans announced for 2024 include enlarging the Windsor office in Connecticut as well as relocating the Westchester County office to White Plains.
As of 2024, Richard Humann holds the position of President and CEO at H2M.
Significant Projects
- Enhancements at Hempstead Lake State Park – located in Lakeview, New York
- Restoration of the Jones Beach West Bathhouse – situated in Wantagh, New York (2018)
- Upgrades to Kings Park High School – based in Kings Park, New York (2015)
- Development of the Malverne High School Performing Arts Center – in Malverne, New York (2019)
- Renovation and redesign of Manhasset Valley Park – found in Manhasset, New York
- Construction at Shrub Oak International School – located in Shrub Oak, New York (2018)
- Firehouse project at Stewart Air National Guard Base – in New Windsor, New York (2010)
- Creation of the Center for Health and Wellness at Suffolk County Community College – situated in Riverhead, New York (2019)
Related Companies
- AECOM
- Bechtel
- Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
- WSP USA
References
External Resources
- Companies based on Long Island
- Companies based in Suffolk County, New York
- Architecture firms based in New York (state)
- Design companies established in 1933
- Engineering consulting firms of the United States
- Construction and civil engineering companies of the United States
- 1933 establishments in New York (state)