• Overview
• Services
• People
• Awards

• Firm History
• Firm Philosophy

Firm History

In 1963, R. Thomas Jaeger joined an existing firm of residential and commercial architects. He soon changed their direction with his award-winning design of a church building that led to similar projects and a gradual specialization. Religious architecture became the firm’s primary focus that continues to this day. Principals Robert Nickola, Celine Coath, Douglas Lasch, and David Kuhlman collectively offer a broad range of experience in religious, educational, health care, and both senior and low income housing. Tom Jaeger now maintains an emeritus principal role in the firm, consulting with his expertise on special projects.

JNA has developed an expertise in developing Master Plans and Construction Feasibility Studies for buildings of all scales, including new construction, renovations, additions, historic restorations, accessibility and adaptive re-use projects of all sizes. Our work has received numerous awards for excellence in architecture and planning from a wide variety of professional organizations (see “Awards”).

Each of the principals believes that personal faith experiences and the architectural challenges of working with religious organizations have led to our commitment to exclusively serve faith based clients. Our passion keeps us energized with the concerns and needs of these unique projects and provides an outlet for our creative skills that serve our clients in their most important work.

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church (1963)
Glen Ellyn, Illinois

"We are blessed to be a firm devoted to the practice of religious architecture. No other building type provides the same challenges, deep personal rewards, and opportunities to serve our fellow man."