Getting to know Kristen Massenburg

Kristen Massenburg, Zoning and Code Manager, is known for her diligence and determination at HLZAE. While working in the Expediting Department, Kristen likes to get involved in as many ways as possible. She is responsible for coordinating with various municipal agencies for approvals and permits. She also performs code research, feasibility studies, and alteration reviews. On a typical day, she might review and comment on drawing sets from project managers, prepare a few new or amended filings in DOB NOW, and complete an alteration review. Occasionally, Kristen will perform a site visit to document existing conditions, which she’ll either include in a study she’s working on or use to create background drawings in AutoCAD.

What makes Kristen’s role unique is that she has the opportunity to work with many of our departments, which include, architectural, MEP, and structural. She also loves learning and because there are so many new areas of architecture and construction to explore, she is always presented with an opportunity to learn something new.

Kristen has always had a fascination with architecture, which stems from a young age. She never quite developed a passion for designing new buildings, but she loved documenting and creating models of existing structures, starting with foam core models in middle school and advancing to woodwork in college where she earned a BS in Architecture. The Chrysler building is her favorite and drawing the crown was one of her favorite things to sketch during her first year of college, years before she planned to live and make a career here in New York City. Whenever crossing Lexington Avenue, she always makes it a point to stop and catch a glimpse!

When Kristen steps away from the office, you’ll find her enjoying great tasting meals. She loves anything that has to do with food, whether following a recipe, developing a new recipe, or food photography, you name it! She’s lived in many different places with many different cultures throughout her life, and food has this amazing way of transporting her and connecting her to those different cultures.

Clients rely on HLZAE’s knowledge of the New York City Department of Buildings to navigate the intricacies of municipal requirements and secure project approval and without Kristen and our expediting team, we wouldn’t be able to make this happen. Working with the applicant of record and the client, our expediting department creates a filing strategy that considers client requirements, scheduling constraints, and budgetary concerns. From interior renovations to large-scale projects with multiple filings, Kristen and our team will expertly and expeditiously manage the filing process from inception to approval to sign-off.