Architect/Design Team

Jim and his team have the breadth of experience and design skill required for all facets of this project. They have successfully completed similar projects involving new construction, renovation and expansion of existing facilities, adaptive reuse and historic restoration. They have garnered more than 50 awards for design excellence. The firm is known nationally-known for its lead design work on several related projects, to include the recently-completed National Warplane Museum complex at the Elmira/Corning Regional Airport, NY. Other similar projects include the Rochester Museum and Science Center, the Memorial Art Gallery, the Clayton Shipyard Museum and the American Horticultural Museum.

Kenneth J. Filarski
Filarski Architecture Planning Research
Cranston, RI

Recipient of numerous design and planning awards for his innovative work, Mr. Filarski is one of the few individuals to have been elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects and membership in the American Institute of Certified Planners. Involved in a multi disciplinary practice for more than 22 years, he is an expert in coastal design and planning. He has developed innovative learning environments and exhibits for children and adults. Recent projects include a seniors' museum and a regional interactive center for the arts, education, commerce and tourism. Ken also produced designs for the development of the Quonset Air Museum, and participated in the presentation for the Point Judith Lighthouse Museum.

Wilbur Yoder
Yoder & Tidwell
Providence, RI

Yoder & Tidwell will deal primarily with the marine engineering aspects of the project. Mr. Yoder holds degrees in both architecture and engineering, and is now is a professor of architecture at Rhode Island School of Design. He is a registered professional engineer in four states, and has pursued his Ph. D. studies at URI in Ocean Engineering. Yoder & Tidwell clients include a number of waterfront projects, to include Misquamicut State Beach, Beach Pavilion in Narragansett, Easton Beach Pavilion restoration in Newport, and the Ryan Park Dam and bridges in North Kingstown. Other public/institutional structures include Mt. St. Charles Academy, Madden Field House at the Wheeler School, URI's Multi-Cultural Center, Cranston East High School, South Kingstown Town Hall, and the Roger Williams Park Educational Center. They are familiar with the Quonset environment, having worked on several projects for Toray Plastics.

Feasibility Team

Thomas J. Martin and Robert Brais
The Office of Thomas J. Martin
Cambridge, MA

The Office of Thomas J. Martin, Economic Research and Management Consultants, was established in 1991 to provide services to clients in the areas of project and plan concept development, evaluation and implementation. The principals of the firm have worked on many hundreds of projects in the fields of economic impacts, hotels and resorts, conference and convention centers, economic development, visitor attractions, recreation and tourism, zoos and aquariums, science centers, museums, visitor/interpretive centers, downtown revitalization, retail, waterfront development, historic rehabilitation and adaptive use. Most pertinently, OTJM conducted a study for the Jacksonville Convention & Visitors Bureau to evaluate the economic impact of attendance potential for the USS Saratoga. OTJM also projected the economic impacts and fiscal revenues of developing a Megaplex in Boston, which included a convention center, domed football stadium and major league baseball park along with a hotel, commercial development and parking garage. Other OTJM assignments have included the Mystic, CT Marinelife Aquarium; the Audubon Nature Center in Bristol, RI; Mississippi River Museum Master Plan; Dubuque, IA; Freedom Trail Master Plan and New England Aquarium, Boston; and an evaluation of economic and impact issues related to the proposed expansion and real estate development at Hanscom Field.

RADM James Scott, USN (Ret)
Scott Consulting
Corpus Christi, TX

Admiral Scott, a Naval Academy graduate, has developed a national reputation for his work in evaluating the feasibility of capital ship museum projects, especially aircraft carriers--a subject with which he is intimately familiar. He is also a graduate of the Naval War College in Newport. Admiral Scott served aboard eight different carriers during his naval career, including USS Saratoga; he also commanded her sister ship, USS Forrestal. Most recently the San Diego County Taxpayers Association commended his work on the USS Midway project. Last year Jim designed and produced the successful proposal to the Navy to save the USS Hornet and turn her into a museum as part of the Alameda Naval Air Station base re-use process. He was technical consultant on the USS Saratoga project in Jacksonville, and was a prime mover in locating USS Lexington in Corpus Christi. He currently serves on the board of directors of the USS Lexington Museum. He is an expert on ship museum maintenance requirements, especially relating to the wear and tear salt water and other elements inflict on these old warships over time.

Karen Peterson
Davidson-Peterson Associates
Kennebunk, ME

Davidson-Peterson Associates, Inc. (DPA) is a full service marketing research and consulting firm specializing in the travel and tourism industry. Since 1974, DPA has conducted more than 1,000 studies -- most of them for public or private sector clients in the tourism industry. They have completed projects in 47 states and worked directly with the tourism or transportation departments of 32 states. (One of their clients has been the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation's Division of Tourism.) DPA has worked with all facets of the tourism industry: airlines, cruise lines, hotel chains, resort properties, and travel associations on the private sector side as well as countries, states, provinces, counties, cities and regional groups on the public side. DPA did the original work on the USS Saratoga Museum project for the city of Jacksonville, and has also done work for the Confederate Naval Museum, the Maine Maritime Museum, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Tour Association and the International Association of Conventions and Visitors Bureaus.

Last Updated:
9/29/01