Bridging the Splendor of the Past to the 21st Century
Over the past 35+ years, Stephen M. Schill has established himself as a preeminent architect in Northeast Ohio with an impressive resume that includes a vast array of spectacular homes and buildings. Steve’s lifelong passion for architecture began as a child when his grandparents would take him for Sunday drives along Lake Road in Cleveland to see the stately old mansions. Ever since then, he instinctively knew he wanted to design great works of architecture that would withstand the test of time.
In 1980, Steve began his college career in architecture at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Science degree. Prior to graduation, Stephen studied classical architecture at Villa Schifanoia in Florence, Italy where he was strongly influenced by his professors to pursue his dreams of becoming the best architect he could possibly be.
In 1988, Stephen passed his State Board Exams and became a Registered Architect in the State of Ohio. Within just a few years, Steve’s firm Schill Architecture, LLC was established and in 1991 Stephen began designing luxury, multi-million dollar lakefront and estate homes throughout the greater Cleveland area.
Branching Out
By 2001, Steve’s active involvement during the construction phase of the homes he designs created an opportunity to partner with Mike Chambers to establish Charles, Morgan and Company, LLC, a home design-and-build firm. Charles Morgan handcrafts a select number of extraordinary homes each year and assures homeowners’ satisfaction down to the very last detail and through every phase of the design and construction process.
In 2007, Steve and his wife Nancy formed Stone Arch Management, LTD., a property management company. Through Stone Arch Management, Steve has overseen the completion and management of Crocker Corporate Center, a $12 million dollar Class “A” Office Building in Westlake, Ohio, across from Crocker Park. Other Westlake, Ohio properties developed and managed under Stone Arch Management include:
- Clemens West, a 25,000 sq. ft. office campus
- Center Pointe West, a 6,000 sq. ft. office building
- Crossings West, a 9,000 sq.ft. office complex, a collection of office condominiums at Crossings Village and residential condominiums at Cedarwood.
- Stone Arch Management also offers management of high end residential properties for some of our private clients.
Family
Steve lives in Westlake with his wife of 36 years, Nancy, and both are graduates of Westlake High School. Nancy began working at Schill Architecture in 2003. Her day to day responsibilities encompass a multitude of tasks, including office coordination and financial management. Steve and Nancy have two children, Stephanie and Robert. Stephanie graduated from Westlake High School in 2008 and went on to
obtain her Bachelor of Art in Architecture from Miami University in 2012 and her Masters of Architecture from Kent State University in 2014. Stephanie is a licensed architect at Schill Architecture and lives with her husband, Howie, son, Quinn and daughter, Ellie, in Rocky River. Robert, who also attended Westlake High School, graduated from Miami University in May 2016 with a dual-degree in Finance and Accounting. He began his career working at private investment firms in Manhattan and Chicago and completed his Master of Business at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management in 2023. Robert is the Vice President of Healthcare at The Vistria Group and currently lives in Chicago with his fiance, Ally.
Awards, Citations, Publications, Community Work
- Best of Houzz Award 2022
- Best of Houzz Award 2021
- Best of Houzz Award 2020
- Best of Houzz Award 2019
- Best of Houzz Award 2018
- Best of Houzz Award 2017
- Best of Houzz Award 2016
- Best of Houzz Award 2015
- Schill Architecture named a BOND Custom Top 100 Residential Architect in North America, coming in at #30 out of 100 firms recognized
- 2015, 2016 2017, 2021 and 2022 participant in BOND Custom, an exclusive forum held each year for principals of the top custom residential design firms in North America
- Best of Ohio Homes 2017 First Place Winner in the 3,500-5,000 SF category
- 2000-2009 Sponsor of the Student Model Home Design Contest at the Cleveland Home and Garden Show
- 2010-2012 Sponsor of the Student Model Home Design Contest at the Cleveland, Ohio “Great Big Home & Garden Expo”
- 2005 Merit Award – Division 11, Commercial National Commercial Builders Council for Marketing Directions corporate office headquarters for a post & beam building
- 2006 Steve and Nancy Schill named Mr. & Mrs. Westlake by Westlake Town Criers
- Work featured in Fabulous Floors (International Edition, Fall 2006)
- Work featured in House Trends (Greater Cleveland, 2007)
- Work featured in Sophisticated Home (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Spring 2007)
- Schill Architecture featured in Luxury Home Quarterly September/ October 2010
- Schill Architecture featured in Luxury Home Quarterly Fall 2011
- Schill Architecture featured in the Cleveland Magazine March 2017 issue
- Schill Architecture featured in Cleveland Magazine March 2015 issue
- Judge in the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Pittsburgh Magazine Best of Design Contest
- Supporter of the 2008 St. Jude Dream Home, Cleveland, Ohio (All design time donated)
- Supporter of the 2008 Pat Catan Foundation “Finding Hope” Home (All design time donated)
- Supporter of the 2009 St. Jude Dream Home, Cleveland, Ohio (All design time donated)
- Commission Member of Westlake Board of Building Appeals
- Member of Westlake City School District Vision 20/20 Committee