Law comes before art: Museum architect needs Florida license
By JANET ZINK
Published December 2, 2006
TAMPA - The architect selected to design the new Tampa Museum of Art might have the job, but still lacks something else: a state license.
State law makes it a first-degree misdemeanor to offer architectural services without a Florida license.
"You just can't do that in Florida," said Les Smith, an investigator for the state's Department of Business and Professional Regulation. "You've got to have a license. Florida's one of the toughest states in the union for licensing. Particularly architectural licensing,"
Smith said if he investigates the activities of the architectural firm of California's Stanley Saitowitz and finds it has violated the law, he will tell it to stop practicing until it gets a license and issue a $500 fine.
State law considers offering services the same as practicing, Smith said, so a license is necessary to even bid a on a project.
The license costs several hundred dollars, Smith said. The museum contract is worth about $12-million.
Pete Karamitsanis, the consultant who coordinated the museum's architect selection process, disputed Smith's assessment.
"This guy is ridiculous. People don't get licensed in a state until they have work," he said.
Furthermore, Karamitsanis said, Saitowitz didn't offer to do anything.
"He did not come to us asking for the work," Karamitsanis said. "We invited him and said would you come and present your qualifications to us. Showing up for an interview is not providing architectural services." Saitowitz didn't even bring a building model, Karamitsanis said. He simply discussed his design philosophy and past work.
Art museum officials heard presentations from three architectural firms on Wednesday, and the museum board on Thursday selected Saitowitz for the project.
Saitowitz said in an interview Thursday that his firm is not registered in Florida, but is registered with a national board and will get a Florida license.
Karamitsanis said museum leaders are now negotiating a contract with Saitowitz that will detail fees, scope and legal requirements for the work, which would include having a proper license.
Museum officials hope to begin design of the new museum in January, but getting the license could take six weeks to 90 days, according to Smith.
"If it takes 90 days, we won't start for 90 days," Karamitsanis said. "We will not have him start architectural services if he hasn't fulfilled all the terms of the contract."
Janet Zink can be reached at jzink@sptimes.com or 813 226-3401.