The firm was founded by James Lothrop Sr., who was previously an architect with Perkins&Will in Chicago. He worked in the White Plains office of Perkins&Will, designing schools for more than a decade starting in the 1950s. He briefly worked for the company back in Chicago before parting from the national firm to launch his own outfit on Mamaroneck Avenue in 1967.

“Our long-term success is attributed to the diversity of the work we do and the geographic area that we cover.”
— Arthur J. Seckler, III, Principal

The firm started with Lothrop and four other staffers, including the founder’s 18-year-old namesake, who worked part-time over the summer before heading off to the University of Illinois to study architecture.

While the firm got its start building schools throughout metropolitan New York, Lothrop Associates began to expand to other sectors by the 1970s.

The first major project outside its schools business was the 500-bed teaching hospital for Westchester Medical Center, known at the time as Grasslands Hospital. That project set the foundation for the company to expand into the healthcare field. Lothrop Associates would later complete projects on the same site for the American Health Foundation and Westchester Medical Center’s Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.

In 2013, Lothrop Associates absorbed the pool design business of Joel Trace with whom it had a long working history. It is now known as Aquatectonic Architects, the aquatics division of Lothrop Associates. This division holds an estimated 80 percent of the New York City multifamily residential pool market according to area pool contractors and municipal health departments.

In 2017, Lothrop Associates celebrated its golden anniversary, 50 years as a leader in architecture and design. Former Westchester County Executive, Robert Astorino, acknowledged the firm’s contributions to the county’s growth with a proclamation citing Lothrop’s half-century of excellence and leadership in its field.

Over more than five decades, Lothrop Associates has designed major projects, including the White Plains Hospital’s Flanzer Pavilion, Westchester County Airport terminal, many libraries, and many other municipal and private facilities. Its expertise has also enabled the firm to design projects for corporate giants such as IBM and PepsiCo.

The breadth of experience and projects continues as the firm expands its teams and partners with private and public clients across nine sectors. The diversity amongst the staff and projects is what supports the firm’s reputation and continued growth.

Winning more than thirty design awards throughout its history, the firm is proud to be a leader in architectural and interior design. It continues to be committed to delivering quality services, integrating collaboration and communication, and focusing on sustainability. As the firm embarks on the next 50+ years, the principals are confident Lothrop Associates will continue to be a significant contributor to the economic growth of the region.