About us

With over 30 years of experience in Architecture and Visualization, Vance Lazar leads Pioneer Architecture, driving innovation and success in the Industrial Sector. His exemplary leadership spans projects in multiple states, contributing to over 20 Warehouse and Tenant Improvement Projects totaling 12 million square feet. While our focus is on Industrial Architecture, we welcome discussions about diverse opportunities. Contact us to explore tailored and visionary architectural solutions that exceed expectations.

Our Story

My name is Vance Lazar and I established Pioneer Architecture PLLC in 2023. The name Pioneer comes from my grandfather’s overwhelming success in his own entrepreneur adventure creating Pioneer Motorhomes and later as a real estate developer. Although he died way to young, at age 11 he inspired me to go for my own goals of becoming an Architect. With the mission statement – to exceed your client’s expectation – I wanted to continue that entrepreneurial spirit in honor of him and my first mentors, Charles Calvo in graduate school and Thomas Brown who instilled in me to always try and exceed the client’s expectations, communicate and collaborate with all team members! Make it an everlasting experience and have FUN in what you do.

Vance attended Louisiana State University and received a Professional Degree in Architecture and a Minor in Construction Management in 1995. Vance later pursued his education at Mississippi State University, where he earned a Master of Architecture degree with a specialization in Computer Visualization in 1998. Notably, he was among the first five individuals to receive this distinction from a School of Architecture in the United States.

Our Mission

Our team is dedicated to fostering collaborative solutions. Every participant in the project, from owners to administrative staff, all play a crucial role in the success of the project.

A TRUE COLLABORATIVE APPROACH is what drives and creates a successful project.

A wise man once posed the question, “Would you rather stand out or be outstanding?” This thought-provoking query challenges us to reflect on the choice between merely attracting attention and truly excelling in a remarkable way. It encourages individuals to aspire to greatness and make a lasting impact, suggesting that being outstanding transcends mere visibility and involves achieving excellence and distinction in all endeavors.

Receiving positive feedback from our clients and colleagues is the ultimate compliment. Let their testimonials speak for themselves!

Testimonials

“I completed a 1.236M square foot distribution center in Central Indiana with Vance and his team; working together from concept to completion gave great insight to their process.
Vance is able to grasp the Owner’s scope to the degree he can lead the design process while also providing valuable feedback regarding which systems work best for the desired outcome, as well as system to stay away from. This experience and guidance is invaluable to the construction process and I look forward to working with them again!”

Ian Prewitt, GI Construction – Project Manager – Indianapolis, IN

"I had the pleasure of working with Vance on a large distribution project that was full of client specific nuances. Vance was an engaged and energetic partner all the way through occupancy of the space, always with the client’s best interests in mind. His commitment to collaboration, coordination, and client satisfaction was foundational to a very successful project.."

Ben Brown, CBRE – Senior Project Manager – OH

"Vance Lazar possesses extensive knowledge and contributes valuable expertise and leadership throughout the project's Design phase. Collaborating with Vance has established him as a preferred partner for upcoming design-build opportunities."

Bryan O’Connor, Lemoine Construction – Project Manager – New Orleans, LA

“Vance is knowledgeable, responsive, and friendly; a pleasure to work with on any project."

Dan Lampke, HGI-Fire – VP, Project Manager, Fire Protection Engineer – Dayton, OH

“I have had the opportunity to work with Vance over the past three years. While Vance was knowledgeable, extremely responsive, and easy to communicate with, what I have always appreciated the most about Vance is his willingness to collaborate with the team. Vance puts forth the extra effort to ensure that all parties are on the same page, working collectively to provide a great end result. I look forward to working with Vance in the future.”

Lizzie Miller, Schaefer – Structural Project Engineer – Cincinnati, OH

“I have had the opportunity to work with Vance Lazar on a 500,000 SqFt warehouse facility in Louisville, Kentucky and I could not have asked for a better individual to work with. Mike was involved with handling day to day conversations with my team, our trade partners and ownership, in which he always had an answer and/or was able to follow back up with us on any item and/or solutions that would address the issue within a reasonable timeframe (quicker than most that I have worked with in the past). Outside of handling design items such as submittals, RFIs and being involved within conversations about potential cost inquiries between ownership and us (including our trade partners); Vance was extremely knowledgeable with understanding the problem at hand and producing the best solution to move forward with and that benefited all parties. I look forward working with Vance again, and hopefully sooner than later.”

Steven Kowalski, Project Manager, Pepper Construction of OH

I have been working in the construction industry for over 22 years. During this time, I have worked with a lot of great architects on various types of projects. I had the pleasure to work with Vance on a speculative warehouse in Louisville Kentucky over an 18-month project. During this time Vance demonstrated exceptional communication skills, knowledge of the client’s expectations, a prompt approach to helping solve problems that came about during the construction process as well as an importance of having a great working relationship with myself and the project team.

Jim Paige Superintendent II, Pepper Construction of OH

“I had a great experience working with Vance on four industrial projects over a 3 year timeframe. His responsiveness was second to none and his keen design sense always helped get us to quick resolution of any issues that may have come up. Lastly, working together was a fun experience which made it special for me.”

Ken Van Buren, GI Construction – Senior Project Manager – Indianapolis, IN

affiliations

Member of American Institute of Architects, A.I.A. and National Council of Architectural Registration Boards – NCARB Certification

state licensure

Our team is licensed in Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.