Built on decades of architectural
and engineering experience.
Onyx Creative was established with a vision to transform spaces through innovative architecture and design solutions. With a fifty-year history, our firm has grown from a small team of passionate designers to a nationally recognized leader in the industry.
FIRM HISTORY
70s
The early years
In 1974, Jerry Herschman started Herschman Architects in Cleveland, Ohio. For the first twenty years, the practice consisted almost exclusively of commercial and retail-based interior architecture. Driven by market factors in the mid-1990s, the company began transitioning into shell and ground-up buildings.
As the size and scale of our projects increased, so did the size of the practice and the professional disciplines within it, resulting in the addition of engineering (electrical, mechanical, plumbing) services in 2005. That same year, we designed and built the current Cleveland headquarters in Warrensville Heights and moved into a 20,000-square-foot space. In 2005, a new office opened in Tucson, Arizona.
00s
Expanding in size and expertise
In 2014, we grew a dedicated design department in an effort to expand creative capabilities. The design group focused on further diversifying our project portfolio while developing an ethos of aspirational design.
This renewed commitment to an elevated design sensibility brought new and unique project opportunities, including commercial office, high-end retail environments, commercial urban spaces, and retail prototype design as well as institutional developments, multi-family residential, and assisted living facilities.
10s
An eye toward design
15s
Looking toward the future
The practice rebranded completely as Onyx Creative in 2018, marrying our longtime reputation of quality services and relationships with a renewed focus on aspirational design.
Onyx Creative’s team of architects, engineers, interior designers, and graphic designers is uniquely positioned to meet the challenges of a changing retail, commercial, and residential landscape with creativity, passion, and principle.
20s
Acquisitions and celebrations
The firm continues to grow through new offices, mergers, and acquisitions; Los Angeles in 2012, Atlanta in 2019, Ventura, California in 2020, Baltimore, Maryland, and Portland, Maine in 2022. In 2024 the firm celebrated 50 years in business with plans for steady growth across all regions.
FIRM CULTURE
We are honest, human, and humble.
Our culture values trust and community. We encourage independent decision making by employees to benefit the company and pave the way towards our future. Our working environment is relaxed, light-hearted yet productive, always encouraging collaboration. We offer flexible schedules with a casual dress code. There is an overall quality of friendship, equality, humor, and comradery throughout our offices.
We are open-minded and dedicated.
We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to building a company that embraces and celebrates a diverse workforce. We currently have a higher-than-industry average percentage of women employees, along with employees who have originated from countries outside of the United States. This foundation of diversity generates a wider range of skills, creativity, and engagement in our workplace.
We value and invest in our people.
We are dedicated to our employees’ professional growth and offer annual education and training to help further their professional skills. Our leadership training is offered annually for employees to work together and propose new ideas to contribute to the firm’s culture and growth while learning how to grow their confidence and leadership skills. Lunch-and-learns are provided monthly to help our architects and engineers achieve their annual required education hours and credits.
We take care of our team.
We continue to update our offices creating a healthier, engaging, and forward-thinking workplace environment. We provide a robust total compensation package and competitive range of benefits across healthcare, insurance, and retirement savings offerings.
