The firm of WHITLEY AND WHITLEY, INC., Architects and Planners, is a minority business enterprise. Founded in 1962, the firm focuses its efforts on urban institutional design and development issues. Whitley and Whitley was organized by R. JOYCE WHITLEY and her twin brothers, William and James, graduates of Kent State Univ. in architecture. The partnership's first offices were at Lee Rd. and Chagrin Blvd., but in 1969 they were relocated to their present (1995) site in the Tower East Bldg. in SHAKER HTS. Joyce Whitley died in 1993, but her two brothers continued to run the firm, joined by 3 of their sons, all architecture graduates of Howard Univ.
While most of its work is in the Greater Cleveland area, the firm has also provided services on projects in 10 other states. Interested in both rehabilitation as well as new projects, Whitley and Whitley provides both complete design services as well as working on large projects in association with other architectural firms. Among other projects in Cleveland, Whitley and Whitley was involved with work on TOWER CITY CENTER, the CLEVELAND STATE UNIV. Convocation Center, RTA's Harvard Garage, Lincoln Junior High School, the Lee-Harvard Branch of CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY, the Central Area Multi-Service Center, and the Cleveland Clinic Guesthouse development. The firm has also designed more than 5,000 housing units, notably the Antioch high-rise apartments and the Randles Estates, and has worked on several CMHA rehabilitation projects.
In 1971 Whitley and Whitley was honored for design excellence for the John F. Kennedy Recreation Center on Harvard Ave. The firm employed 15 in 1995.