With the city’s General Plan update and the conversion of Cliff Drive from a state highway to a city street underway, new possibilities for the future of the Mesa were opening up.  Architect and Mesa resident Dennis Thompson thought it was a good time to focus attention on the Mesa, and he asked several other Mesa architects to join him to create an assessment of the Mesa and a vision for its future.

In December of 2007, the “Mesa Architects” began meeting.   They started with a brainstorming session and then devoted a Saturday morning to walking Cliff Drive to evaluate its current condition and to discuss ideas for future improvements.  The group has continued meeting, intending to keep refining the ideas presented here, sharing them with interested groups and encouraging their neighbors to join them in this planning effort.

The Mesa Architects have a combined total of 80 years of residence on the Mesa and over 200 years in Santa Barbara.  Dennis Thompson and Jeff King work together at Thompson Naylor Architects, where they design socially and environmentally responsible residential and institutional projects.  Jim Bell’s interest and success lie primarily in incorporating energy efficient, green and natural building alternatives, such as straw and earthen materials into local projects.   John Kelley specializes in environmentally friendly home design, teaches green building classes, and works to promote sustainability in the Santa Barbara area.   David Van Hoy practices architecture in a collaborative manner, applying 30 years of design and planning experience toward facilitating forward-thinking solutions to the human condition.  Derrik Eichelberger practices landscape architecture with Arcadia Studio. Tom Morrison works mainly as a consultant, doing the technical management portion of major projects in the fields of commercial, institutional, and residential architecture.  Tom Ochsner is an Architect and father to three Mesa Kids.  Laurel Perez is a City and Regional Planner and a Mesa Mom.  Stuart Magee specializes in Information Technology and Statistics. Chris Cottrell has an independent architecture practice, and lives on the Mesa with his wife and three kids.  Kevin Dumain and Tim Gorter are both practicing architects.