Our People are Our Legacy

Lionakis was founded in 1909 by George Sellon, California’s first State Architect, and has since called the beautiful city of Sacramento headquarters for over 107 years. Our roots in the Sacramento community are deep, starting with the design of the city’s first high rise building at 926 J Street.

Yet, our long standing commitment to creating a better place for society has allowed us to grow our presence throughout California and Hawaii, opening offices over the years in San Francisco, Newport Beach and Honolulu. By building on more than a century of diverse project experience, Lionakis has grown to become a multi-disciplinary firm specializing in architectural, structural engineering, planning, interior design, sustainability, access compliance and graphic design services. Many Lionakis members serve on boards that influence both public policy and our communities, and have designed buildings that dot the landscape of both these states.

In truth though, our footprint is not the best part of our legacy. We believe our most endearing legacy is the vast wealth of expertise and experience we have cultivated over the last 107 years through the great people designing exceptional built environments. Our ownership believes Lionakis is simply a vessel that allows each generation to leave their mark and, through design, improve the communities where we live and work. Each generation strives to leave the firm better than the one they inherited. The people that have worked here over the years and the lives they have impacted through great design will be an enduring foundation that the firm will continue to build off of for years to come.

Don McAllister, president, says “It is truly an honor to be part of a firm with such a rich heritage. Our strong culture focused on our clients, communities, team members and the generation rising up behind us has been and will continue to be at the heart of our success.”

We continue to honor and build off our heritage, and look towards the next 100 years by “Designing a Better Future” through honoring our past.

*This post is part 1 of a 12 part series highlighting the different ways in which Lionakis is living out our mission “Designing a Better Future”.