Client Archive: Ed King

Ed and Dan Fay first met when TKF was preparing for construction of the renovations of St. Patrick’s Church in Chittenango in 1997. Dan was a newly licensed architect, and probably just a little bit cocky. Ed is a practical person, who is fiercely devoted to protecting and assisting the many Parishes of the Diocese of Syracuse. As Dan recalls it their first meeting was a tiny bit tense, as Ed made it very clear that the Parish and Diocese would have the final say throughout the decision making process for this project.

That initial tension disappeared almost immediately once Ed and Dan saw that they both only wanted what was best for the project. The project in Chittenango proceeded quite well, however, one item that was a bit of an issue was the design of the Baptismal Font, a container that holds the water needed for baptisms. Jack Teisch detailed a font that he felt was best suited for the parish. However, when Dan spoke with some of the parishioners he discovered they had concerns that this font would not match their needs. Ed indicated that Dan needed to check with the Pastor, and get permission to review this with the concerned parishioners and “get it fixed” because we had a construction schedule to keep. A revised design was developed, and given to the Contractors in time. However, when they began to lay out the font Ed was concerned it might not be big enough for an adult to kneel in it and be baptized. By that time Dan knew Ed well enough to know an explanation of the ergonomic requirements etc. would not suffice, so he simply knelt down in the chalk outline the contractors had made, to which Ed responded “if it will fit you, it will fit anyone.”

As time went on, Ed and Dan continued to develop their working relationship, and Ed has generously involved Dan in many, many projects, something we are very grateful for. As mentioned above, Ed always has the good of the project in mind and Dan shares this same belief. However, sometimes their perspectives can lead to amusing interactions. Dan spent a lot of time as an undergraduate and graduate student studying classic architectural concepts and terms. At a meeting with the Pastor of one of the projects and Ed, Dan began talking about changes to the “fenestration” of the building. Fenestration is an architectural term, derived from the Latin (and more than a little pretentious) term, that refers to doors and windows. In the middle of the conversation, Ed turned to Dan and said “what is that word you keep using”, Dan responded that it means doors and windows, to which the ever practical Ed responded, “Why can’t you just say doors and windows” (and he was right).

In recent years, all of the other members of the office have had a chance to work with Ed. These relationships have grown such that when Ed calls the office, it is no longer a sure thing that he is looking to talk to Dan. Ed has called to make use of Brian or Keith’s detailing ability, and often to ask Courtney about an issue with the finishes on a project. At his most insecure, Dan might worry that Ed enjoys their company more than his, but in reality Dan is delighted that Ed is so comfortable and has such confidence in our whole team. Thanks Ed for your kindness, your professionalism, and your friendship.