Gary Skotnicki and Craig Melde, both natives of Dallas, met at the School of Architecture at the University Of Texas at Austin. During four years together in the Urban Design Division of Dallas' Department of Urban Planning, both were heavily involved with inner-city revitalization and preservation planning, and assisted in the development of the city's Historic Preservation Program. This experience in urban planning, design and historic preservation inspired the creation of ARCHITEXAS, a firm focused on the preservation of significant structures and enhancement of the built environment.