Why Retail Architects Choose Pulley

We reference conversations with three retail architects in this story:

• Matt Dorcy, VP at Fuzion Architecture - Read his full interview here
• Virginia Maggiore, Principal of Store Planning at RDC. - Read her full interview here
• Amy Sjursen, VP at JLL Design - Read her full interview here

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Most architects enjoy designing buildings, not chasing down building department approvals. But in the world of retail, that responsibility often lands squarely on architects’ desks.

In retail, hitting target dates is critical to business goals, and a delayed approval can ripple into construction schedules, lease terms, and store openings. When that happens, the architect is the one that clients turn to for answers.

Amy Sjursen, VP at JLL Design, explained, “If you give a client bad information once…they’re going to start questioning the information you’re giving them and not trust you as a partner. That reputation is worth its weight in gold.”

Although permitting definitely often feels like just paperwork and chores, it’s not just administrative work. Fast, predictable approvals can be a defining part of a firm’s credibility and a key to strong client relationships.

The permitting pains architects can’t ignore

Permitting piles on challenges that pull architects away from their core work:

Time-consuming research

Even though architects conduct extremely thorough research, clients don’t always know the hidden details of a site until after the lease is signed.

Even the most thorough research can leave gaps. Virginia recalled one costly miss, “I once had a client sign a 10-year lease on a space that used to be a synagogue, and the last tenant was a pop-up retailer. When my client came in to build the store, the city would not change the use. That was catastrophic.”

Manual workflows

Most firms still rely on Excel sheets, checklists, and email threads to track permitting tasks. Add in having to send drawings sent to different expeditors, chasing down document links that expire, and endless email chains, and updates get scattered fast. As Virginia put it, “It could get all over the place…very messy, very disorganized.”

Tricky timelines

Architects can work overtime on drawings, but they can’t control city review cycles. Matt Dorcy, co-founder of Fuzion, described it plainly: “We could get the drawings done in time, but once you hand that off, you’re a little bit at the mercy of the AHJ for how long they’re going to take.”

Unpredictable comment rounds

A project can be thrown into another review cycle at the last minute. Amy recalled how her team used to scramble just to figure out what version was submitted or which comments still needed addressing.

And when these things happen, the fallout isn’t just schedule slips. It’s architects fielding frustrated client calls and carrying the blame.

How better permitting support solves these issues

The good news: these problems aren’t inevitable. They can be solved with the right permitting support. Virginia, Matt, and Amy’s teams use Pulley as their permitting partner, and it’s changed the way they work and ensure they deliver the most accurate information to clients.

Better research

Instead of one-page checklists, architects need deep due diligence that surfaces hidden requirements upfront. Pulley delivers that quickly and with a 96% accuracy rate, done with a combination of AI agents, expert-backed review, and robust data collected from $12 billion worth of construction projects.

“The due diligence we get from Pulley at the beginning of the project is some of the best we’ve ever gotten,” Virginia notes. “It’s really in depth.”

Centralized submittals

With the platform Pulley provides, every file, revision, and submittal lives in one place. And once it’s ready, Pulley sends it to the city for you: no chasing down links or wondering if the right version was uploaded.

Amy remembers a moment when a teammate was out on vacation.

She recalls, “Being able to just jump in there and find the document we needed, verify the version immediately without having to chase down emails…saved the day for us.”

Dynamic forecasting

Pulley’s forecasting tool builds permitting timelines that are always up to date. If city review cycles shift, the forecast adjusts automatically, and architects aren’t stuck passing along stale dates or guesses.

For Amy, that reliability is key when she’s in front of clients.

“When we’re projecting projects, we use Pulley’s forecast to speak to it on client calls,” she shares. “I feel confident I’m giving them the most accurate information.”

Predictability and speed

Pulley helps project teams secure 2x faster approvals, and almost half of all projects are approved with no comments at all. By catching common issues before submittal and tracking every task, our team ensures architects spend less time managing comment responses and ensuring design and permitting requirements are aligned from the start.

Matt loves the work Pulley enables his team to do:

“We like to try to take on big challenges. We’re not yes-people, but we want to find a path to yes. Pulley takes pressure off us and helps us get there.”

Having a partner like Pulley doesn’t just erase the complexity of permitting, but it makes the process more manageable, predictable, and less risky for architects.

A hidden advantage: Pulley’s permit service

Software alone can’t solve permitting. What architects consistently point to is Pulley’s people.

Pulley Pros are licensed architects and engineers available in all metros of the country, and they all have direct experience with AHJs across the country.

They mark up drawings before submittal, surface likely comments, and act as a sounding board for design teams.

Amy highlighted how different that feels compared to traditional expeditors:

"Most expediters I’ve worked with just process paperwork. I’ve never had one mark up drawings before submittal. Pulley does that, and it actually changes the quality of our submittals."

For design teams, Pulley's service means two things:

1. Nationwide coverage: Instead of cobbling together local expeditors with mixed results, Pulley handles projects across all jurisdictions with consistency.
2. A true extension of the team: Architects don’t feel like they’re handing off to a disconnected vendor. They’re working side by side with people who understand their priorities and can even join client calls with confidence.

As Amy puts it: “I really feel like Pulley is an extension of our team…a team I can bring straight into a client call and trust.”

Virginia echoed that sentiment:

“Pulley isn’t just providing a service, they’re a partner. They sit at the table with us and with our clients.”

And Matt emphasized the cultural fit: “We want partners who can keep up with fast retail schedules and still find a path to yes. Pulley’s team has been that partner.”

Permitting support is a value add, not a weakness

Because permitting is so integral to project success, some architects are concerned about giving up control and hesitate to utilize permitting services. The reality is the opposite.

They have more time to do the things only they can do on projects: solving design challenges, innovating design systems.

Amy shares the real impact for her:

“I’d say maybe I’m spending 50% of the total time I used to spend on expeditors and checking on status of the project.”

Architects win with Pulley, and you can too

Permitting is more than just paperwork. It’s a critical part of the design and building process that impacts timelines, costs, and the client’s faith in their AORs.

Architects who partner with Pulley win back more time for design, reduce permitting risks, and build stronger client relationships. They know they can trust the process, and so can their clients.

Pulley can help you make permitting an advantage. Interested in learning more? Let’s chat.

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