Biographies of Principals - Cavanaugh
Frank Cavanaugh
Principal/Senior Designer
Frank received the degree of Bachelors of Architecture from the
Illinois Institute of Technology in 1986 with a minor in Business Administration. He began his
career working with his IIT Professor and single most influential design mentor, Ronald Krueck.
He worked at the office of Krueck and Olsen Architects on exclusive residential and
commercial projects including a Lincoln Park concrete and glass residence. Frank’s abstract
rendering of the house appears in Krueck and Sexton’s book
Work In Progress. After several years at Krueck and Olsen Frank went to the office of
Lohan Associates where he became an Associate and designed several corporate and institutional
projects. Most notable was the classically designed DePaul University Library in Lincoln Park
and the original master plan for St. Xavier University.
In 1995 Frank joined Aria Group and was made a Partner in
2000. While acting as project designer on a variety of projects Frank also offers guidance on
global design issues within the firm. On the corporate side, Frank heads up the Marketing
efforts. Frank’s first design project with Aria Group was the Brookfield Zoo “South American
Market Place”. Other larger retail and mixed-use projects include City Park Retail Center, The
Esplanade of Algonquin, and recently, proposals for a mixed-use retail, medical office and hotel
development in Oak Park. Hospitality and Entertainment designs include the original Blue Chip
Resort Hotel and Casino in Michigan City, Indiana; Emerald Casino, Durty Nellie’s
Restaurant and Band Room and the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center entry
addition. Frank is currently developing master plans and building designs for Rosemont’s
Entertainment District featuring many exciting restaurant and entertainment venues.
Frank has also assisted with initiating various restaurant
concepts including Wildfire, California Pizza Kitchen and new building designs for Kona Grill and
McCormick and Schmick’s in Oak Brook, Illinois. He has been fortunate to work periodically
with the highly regarded Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises on new restaurant concepts. Frank
recently developed a Restaurant, Banquet Center and Guitar Museum for legendary rock guitarist Rick
Nielsen of the band “Cheap Trick”.
In addition to producing architectural renderings for his
designs, Frank also works at photography, drawing, Plein Air Painting and Studio Painting. He
has completed several painted mural commissions for his architectural clients as well as other
publicly displayed work and is a member of the Oak Park Art League.