Salem Architect Launches Firm to Provide Community-First Housing for Willamette Valley Residents and Nonprofits
A full front elevation of the Cartwright Apartments shows the gabled rooflines, balconies and ground-floor entries that give the building its residential character at a mid-rise scale.
Multi-family housing anchors Roth Arc’s practice. The Cartwright Apartments show the mid-rise, community-scaled form Roth designs around, the same approach behind his first project helping a local nonprofit evaluate options for adding homes. Photo credit
Daniel Roth founded Roth Arc in May 2026 after eight years at a Salem architecture firm, where he rose from entry-level drafting to licensed architect and project manager. He holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Oregon and serves as treas
Ground-floor units and upper-story apartments give the Cartwright Apartments a neighborhood scale. Roth sees buildings like this as community components, shaped by how they open to the street around them.
The Cartwright Apartments read as a landmark on a corner lot at dusk. The vertical massing and street-level retail reflect the density-friendly design Roth expects to become more common under Oregon’s new zoning laws.
New multi-family architecture firm partners with a local nonprofit to design community-rooted, affordable housing units under Oregon’s new density laws.
The firm is beginning operations with a residential project for a local nonprofit organization in the Salem area. The organization is evaluating a residential property located in a multifamily zone. Rotharc is working with the organization to evaluate how the site could support approximately three to five additional units and increase its capacity to provide housing. The project remains in the early planning stage, and the final number and configuration of homes have not been determined.
“This project represents the type of work I started Rotharc to pursue,” Roth said. “It is a local property with the potential to provide more housing and serve a clear community need.”
The project reflects Rotharc’s broader focus on locally based housing and community development. The firm works with private property owners, local developers, nonprofit organizations and families seeking architectural guidance for residential and community projects. Rotharc is not limited to nonprofit or income-restricted housing. The firm also works with market-rate housing developers and private property owners seeking to add homes, redevelop underused land or better understand the development potential of an existing property.
“There is a place for nonprofit housing, privately financed housing and locally driven development,” Roth said. “Each model can contribute to the housing supply when the project is planned carefully and responds to the site and the people who will use it.”
Multifamily housing is a primary area of Rotharc’s practice. The firm provides architectural services for apartment buildings, small and midsize multifamily developments, residential infill and middle housing, including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes and cottage clusters. Oregon’s housing and zoning changes have created new opportunities for middle housing and residential infill in many communities. The development potential of an individual property still depends on local zoning, site conditions, access, utilities, building codes and permitting requirements.
Rotharc helps clients evaluate those issues before they commit to a complete architectural design or construction plan. The firm provides site feasibility, zoning analysis, land-use review, preliminary planning and code studies to help property owners understand what may be possible on a parcel. “Many owners begin with a property and a general idea, but they do not yet know what the site can support,” Roth said. “Early planning gives them clearer information before they make larger decisions about design, financing and construction.”
In addition to multifamily and middle housing, Rotharc provides custom residential architecture for new homes, additions and substantial renovations. The firm also serves nonprofit facilities, community spaces, educational environments, faith-based buildings and selected civic projects. Rotharc operates as a principal-led studio. Roth works directly with clients from early planning through design, permitting and construction. This allows the architect who evaluates the site and develops the initial concept to remain involved as the project moves forward.
Roth launched Rotharc after eight years with CBTWO Architects in Salem, where he worked on multifamily housing, senior housing, civic buildings and community projects. He began in architectural drafting and construction documentation before becoming a licensed architect in 2021 and advancing into project management.
His experience includes managing a nearly 300-unit apartment development and coordinating clients, engineers, consultants and public agencies on housing and civic work. “I had an excellent experience at my previous firm and learned from architects, land-use specialists and technical staff with decades of experience,” Roth said. “Over time, I developed a stronger interest in smaller-scale work that is rooted in the community where I live.”
Roth said the decision to establish the firm in Salem was intentional. He grew up in Oregon, completed his graduate architecture education in the state and has spent most of his professional career working in the Salem community. While Salem and the Willamette Valley are the firm’s primary service areas, Rotharc may also accept selected projects elsewhere in Oregon when the client and scope are a strong fit. The firm is accepting inquiries from property owners, developers, nonprofit organizations and community groups seeking architectural services for multifamily housing, middle housing, custom residences and civic projects.
“My goal is to build the firm deliberately and take on projects where I can provide direct value,” Roth said. “This initial project is a strong place to begin because it combines housing, local development and a clear community purpose.”
About Rotharc
Rotharc, LLC is an independent architecture firm based in Salem, Oregon, and led by licensed architect Daniel Roth, AIA. The firm provides architectural services for multifamily housing, middle housing, custom residential projects, community and civic spaces, and nonprofit facilities. Services include site feasibility, zoning and land-use analysis, architectural design, construction documents, permitting support, consultant coordination and construction administration. Rotharc serves Salem and the greater Willamette Valley, with selected projects accepted throughout Oregon. Learn more at rotharc.com.
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