With some of the Southwest's larger design firms experiencing flat or slight growth in 2012, several mid-size firms found an opening to expand dramatically. But both groups, in responding to this year's top design firms survey, are hopeful that economic conditions will continue to improve in 2013 and beyond.
"The commercial lending market seems more willing to put their liquidity to work, which in turn has spurred construction projects which would not have been considered a couple of years ago," says Jason Bush, principal of Phoenix-based Kraemer Consulting Engineers.
