Our Story
For 18 years Jim Hall was vice president and studio director for an Orlando boutique design firm followed by 11 years implementing what evolved into the largest planning and design studio in central Florida for an engineering firm. He now brings that deep experience to HDSi as principal of community planning. To provide a full range of services, he has allied with design and GIS firms; Libra Design Group and GeoOrbis (62 years of experience together), to provide a full array of services under his direction. His long relationship with real estate interests and municipalities allow the successful completion of assignments in the complex arena of entitlements as well as exciting urban design for on point, creative solutions; balancing creativity with practicality.
After four years in practice as HDSi, the studio is flourishing with design and entitlement actions, Master planned communities in Orange, Lake, Osceola and Indian River Counties make up the bulk of the work. Our community design approach seeks to create a “win-win-win” for the client, the environment and the future residents in artfully crafted neighborhoods knitted together with streets and blue/green open spaces to create an overall sense of community.
Jim Hall
With over 30 years of planning and design experience in central Florida, Jim Hall founded HDSi in 2018. He has successfully completed projects in more than 50 different municipalities throughout the region. He has directed a wide variety of projects from complicated entitlement strategies to Sector Plans to master planned communities to large resorts to conceptual site plans. Jim’s extensive community planning experience includes permitting and entitlement acquisition, land acquisition due diligence, site design/master planning and development approval strategies. Additionally, he has a strong design background which provides exciting and realistic development solutions. Strong leadership skills allow the successful completion of projects in the complex public approval arena while balancing the many competing interests on complicated projects.
Favorite quote: Don’t play the notes, play the music.
MURP, BLA; Planning Principal
Libra Design Group
Libra Design Group, founded in 2004 by Brian Davis, provides design support to HallDSi. Brian and Jim first started working together in 1988. This long relationship maintains strong ties towards our similar ideas on design and placemaking.
Libra’s vision: world-class placemaking through the art of landscape architecture.
Libra’s mission: to create dynamic places that balance the natural, cultural, economic and architectural elements of a project through artful and creative design
Urban Design and Landscape Architecture
GeoOrbis
GeoOrbis, founded in 2006 by Craig Batstone, provides in-depth GIS analysis and high-quality graphics to clients around the globe. Jim and Craig started working together in 1996 and have maintained a strong connection even after our career paths diverged. GeoOrbis provides these GIS services to HallDSi.
Geographical Information Systems Consulting is the core aspect of our practice which allows GeoOrbis to serve a very diverse client base. With a client base that ranges from Real Estate Developers to Security Firms and Local Governments to the United Nations, GeoOrbis utilizes GIS and related technologies to serve our clients needs.
GIS Analysis and Data Production
