“He has been instrumental in creating the largest architectural firm in Northern New England, routinely competing with Boston and New York architects. And his firm has played a central role in the design of many of the buildings and landmarks that are mainstays in the lives of New Hampshire residents. Yet Barry Brensinger has built a life and connection to Manchester and the state of New Hampshire that some would say is much larger and more meaningful than any building he has designed as principal of Lavallee Brensinger Architects.
Barry Brensinger arrived in Manchester thirty-seven years ago with a young family and uncertain path. Graduating with a Master’s degree from Harvard at a time when the unemployment rate for architects in Boston was 55%, Barry and his wife Caryl moved to San Antonio for a job but decided to return to New England after three years to be closer to family. Upon arriving in New Hampshire, Barry was given opportunity to work on meaningful and impactful projects, attributing those initial opportunities to Don Lavallee, his business partner for more than a decade.
In 1981, Barry became a partner and together he and Don Lavallee committed themselves to building a strong architectural firm with an inclusive approach to design, ensuring that a building best serves how people live, work, and interact. Many of the buildings central to our community are the result of Lavallee Brensinger’s vision of creating or redesigning buildings that integrate meaning, value, and functionality.
Barry helped to transform approximately one-third of the Manchester Millyard, redesigning mill buildings that were once so central to Manchester’s economy and culture, and promoting an economic, educational, and cultural renaissance of activity along the Merrimack River. PSNH’s Energy Park, UNH Manchester, SEE Science Center and 155 Dow Street are a few examples of Lavallee Brensinger’s impact on our community. Other noteworthy city landmarks include Manchester’s City Hall Plaza, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, and the Verizon Wireless Arena.
Although Barry was busy in those years growing Lavallee Brensinger, his commitment to community was equally strong. When Mayor Raymond Wieczorek convened a group of Manchester business representatives and residents to devise a plan of action to address the crime and destruction rampant in Manchester’s Center City in the early 1990s, which led to the creation of this organization, Barry Brensinger was at the table.
And Barry has remained involved and committed to NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire for more than twenty-four years, providing a quiet, generous presence in many ways and whenever needed. Just as he was present as this organization became rooted in Manchester, he was a voice of support as we expanded our footprint to the Nashua region. He was a member of the Twentieth Anniversary Capital Campaign cabinet, helping this organization realize a permanent home in Manchester.
Dr. Sylvio Dupuis, former Mayor of Manchester, says that Barry Brensinger is a “shining Jewel in the Crown of our Queen City.” He has been an important part of the presence and success of organizations like NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire, and he and his team played a key role in the development of other organizations, including Catholic Medical Center and our historic Palace Theatre. “He is my hero and I am proud to call him a friend.”
– NeighboorWorks, Southern New Hampshire