Education
Harvard University, Graduate School of Design
Master of Landscape Architecture, 1979
Michigan State University
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, 1976
Professional Registration
Landscape Architect, State of Michigan, 1983
Professional Association
American Society of Landscape Architects, 1982-Present
Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, 1990-Present
Experience
Ms. Heynssens’ professional career of the past 24 years has included positions of management and technical assistance in both the public and private sectors of community planning and landscape architecture. She has directed the planning, design, and implementation of projects throughout the Midwest and Northeast portions of the US. Ms. Heynssens is an active participant in the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association and her expertise is often sought out by her peers.
In 1984, she established the design/build firm of Heynssens+Grassman, Inc. The firm provides professional landscape architectural services which include environmental assessment, site planning, and detail design. Heynssens+Grassman, Inc. also provides the implementation of plans including overall site preparation, the installation of plant materials, paving surfaces and utility systems, as well as the construction of architectural and water features. Maintenance of completed landscape projects is also available.
In the last 10 years, Heynssens+Grassman, Inc., has specialized in residential landscape projects ranging in scope from urban lots to sprawling estates encompassing lakes, woodlands, dunes, and agricultural fields. These sites are all located within the suburbs of Chicago’s North Shore, many of which have architectural or historical significance.
Currently, the primary construction management responsibility of the firm lies with a co-owner, enabling Ms. Heynssens and her staff to focus on the marketing, design and customer service aspects of the business. In addition, the responsibilities of financial management, business development, personnel, contract negotiations, liability issues, and general administration are a part of her daily routine.
As an owner of Heynssens+Grassman, Inc., she has provided landscape architectural design documents, specifications, and complete construction management services to corporate, commercial, and industrial clients. Projects include the corporate headquarters of American Hospital Supply Corporation, warehouse and distribution centers for Baxter Travenol, recycling centers for Ogden Projects, Inc., and numerous banks, offices, restaurants, and housing developments.
For several years, Ms. Heynssens commuted to West Lafayette, Indiana where she held a tenure-track faculty position as an Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture in the Department of Horticulture at Purdue University. There, she taught courses in construction and planting design, was a student advisor, served on University committees, and pursued scholarly work in the history of garden styles and its relevance in contemporary garden design. She is currently a member of the ILCA education committee, teaching planting design during their winter seminar series, and has conducted several weekend courses at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
While working for other land planning, landscape architecture, and urban design firms, Ms. Heynssens has held positions with a wide range of responsibilities. In providing expert testimony on land-use, signage and traffic issues, Ms. Heynssens has assisted municipalities as well as private enterprise in the designation of appropriate zoning for mixed-use commercial, office, and residential developments.
She has completed conservation and development suitability studies on a variety of project types from townships and counties to individual property owners, and has produced guidelines for their development which respect the physical properties of the land. Such projects include large, ecologically sensitive sites located in Cape Elizabeth, Maine; Long Island, New York; Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts; and Kalamazoo County, Michigan.
In the context of community planning and urban design, Ms. Heynssens has focused her work on the development of physical improvement strategies for Central Business Districts that would allow them to compete more successfully with nearby retail centers. This valuable experience has provided an understanding of how communities function and where their strengths lie. Clients have included the Business Association of South Haven, Michigan; Valparaiso Downtown Development Group; the Kankakee Development Corporation; and the City of Lawrence, Kansas.
Ms. Heynssens has also worked in the public sector where she assisted in the evaluation of recreational, natural, and historically significant resources along 75 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline in the Ottawa, Muskegon, and Oceana counties of Michigan. Her position included providing a regional interface between the state Coastal Zone Management Program and special interest groups such as local developers and preservation organizations.
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