Category: Projects

Gulph Elementary School Receives Outstanding Design Recognition from American School & University’s 2019 Educational Interiors Showcase August Issue

SCHRADERGROUP (SG)’s Gulph Elementary School project has been recognized as an Outstanding Design by the American School & University (AS&U)’s 2019 Educational Interiors Showcase, August Issue.

The nation’s school and university administrators, as well as education architects, turn to American School & University for how-to features, insight, industry exclusive reports and research on the planning, design, construction, retrofit, operations, maintenance, security and management of education facilities. AS&U’s mission is to continue serving as the voice of the industry – not just reporting events, but also helping to shape the rapidly growing and evolving education facilities and business market. AS&U delivers important insight to today’s decision makers” (AS&U’s official site).

The recognition highlights Gulph’s new technology center showcasing photos of the learning resource center, STE(A)M maker space, art and music instruction areas, and a “learning stair” intended for large group activities proximate to the classrooms. The classroom wings are structured as groupings of grade-appropriate classrooms with learning support, faculty spaces, and team work areas. Each set of grade clusters is oriented around the two-story media center and STE(A)M Center, connecting through the learning stair, which doubles as a mini presentation space for the building.

SG is pleased to receive recognition again from AS&U.

View the Digital Issue featuring Gulph Elementary here.

Learn more about Gulph Elementary here.

SCHRADERGROUP Attends Groundbreaking Ceremony for Neidig Elementary School

SCHRADERGROUP (SG) attended the Groundbreaking Ceremony to mark the beginning of the construction process for Quakertown Community School District’s (QCSD) Neidig Elementary School project on May 29, 2019.

Students, teachers, District Officials, School Directors and members of the community gathered to celebrate the addition and renovation project that will transform the existing 1950’s era building into a state of the art learning environment.

The building will undergo a major addition and renovation designed to house 600 students. The primary wing of the existing facility will remain and will receive a complete renovation while the fifth-grade wing will be demolished and replaced by a new two-story classroom wing. A new gymnasium will be added and the balance of the facility will be gutted and completely renovated. The facility will be completed for fall 2020 occupancy.

The SG team is pleased to partner with QCSD on this highly anticipated educational facility.

Read more about Neidig Elementary School here.

To see other K-12 projects in process, click here.

SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes Our Newest Architectural Designer!

SCHRADERGROUP (SG) welcomes our new Architectural Designer, Tyler Corbley.

Tyler began his time with SG as a summer intern in 2017 and is now one of SG’s Architectural Designers. Following his summer internship, Tyler continued his studies at Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and received his Bachelor’s degree of Architecture. He then pursued his Master’s degree of Architecture, graduating that spring.

During his time at PSU, Tyler was a teaching assistant educating architectural engineering students on concepts such as site analysis, digital drawing, modeling, program analysis, code analysis, precedent analysis, and design.

Tyler is passionate about creating new learning environments for schools, including his former school district, Council Rock School District, whom SG has programmed, planned and designed multiple facilities for.

Interested in joining the SG team? Check out available opportunities here.

SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes Our New Senior Designer!

SCHRADERGROUP (SG) extends a warm welcome to our new Senior Designer, William (Bill) S. Cox, CDT.

Bill joins the SG team with extensive knowledge in various sectors of design as he has years of experience as a Senior Building Designer with other architecture firms. He is well-versed in the design, coordination, and production of multi-discipline contract documents for educational, municipal, public safety, recreational/sports facilities and more.

Bill holds a CSI Construction Documents Technology (CDT) certification, providing SG with credible construction document management knowledge and excels in total CADD design environments utilizing AutoCAD and Revit software.

Bill’s background and expertise in new construction and renovations for K-12, Public Safety and Judicial/Municipal facilities make him a valuable asset to SG’s projects.

Interested in joining the SG team?

Check out what opportunities are available at SG for you here.

Visit SCHRADERGROUP at the Annual NENA Conference in Orlando, Florida this Year!

SCHRADERGROUP (SG) will be exhibiting at the 2019 NENA Conference from June 14-19 in Orlando, Florida!

NENA is the National Emergency Number Association that focuses on serving its members and the public safety community by providing a means to “Learn, Grow, Connect & Discover…!”

The SG Public Safety team looks forward to another year of networking with many of the NENA members and public safety professionals. Stop by our booth (#307) to discuss how we can assist you in supporting your public safety communication facility programming, planning and architectural needs!

You can register for the conference here.

Or visit our Public Safety experience here.

SCHRADERGROUP Celebrates Fifteen Years!

This year marks SCHRADERGROUP (SG)’s fifteenth anniversary. The business was established on April 15, 2004 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Fifteen years ago, Managing Partner David Schrader founded SG with the vision of designing for the future—for tomorrow’s workers, thinkers, and leaders. SG’s initial mission was to give back to the community and to build foundations for future generations. Since its inception, SG has succeeded in creating 21st century academic facilities for students, instructors, and staff. SG has also designed sustainable, survivable, community-oriented facilities for public safety/law enforcement personnel and mission critical personnel. SG is recognized both regionally and nationally for design that offers the highest degree of service to the user, responds to and respects both the built and natural environment, and demonstrates inspired aesthetics.

As SG continues to grow, we honor our beginnings and those who have helped shape us into what we’ve become today. In the images below, we have collected some of our most memorable accomplishments from those last fifteen years.

SG would like to thank our clients, supporters, and community for the opportunities past and present. Further, we’d like to thank these talented colleagues, past and present, who have been so critical to making these great projects a success. We look forward to the next fifteen years of improving the day-to-day experiences of students, faculty, staff, and community through innovative and dynamic design.

Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, State Emergency Operations Center. New facility in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Read more about the project here.
Bristol Township School District, Mill Creek Elementary School. New learning facility in Levittown, Pennsylvania.
Read more about the project here.
Phoenixville Area School District, Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center and Manavon Elementary School. New facility in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
Read more about the project here.
Upper Merion Area School District, Gulph Elementary School. New learning facility in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
Read more about the project here.
Baltimore City Public Schools, Cherry Hill Elementary-Middle School. Renovations in Baltimore, Maryland.
Read more about the project here.
Dare-Tyrrell-Hyde Counties Regional Emergency Communications Center and Emergency Operations Center. New facility in Manteo, North Carolina.
Read more about the project here.
Willistown Township Police, Police Station. New facility in Willistown, Pennsylvania.
Read more about the project here.

Council Rock School District, Holland Middle School. Additions and renovations in Newtown, Pennsylvania.
Read more about the project here.

 

Learn more about our other project experience here or visit our current SG team page here.

Circle of Seasons Charter School Celebrates the School Renovation Project with a Dedication Ceremony

Circle of Seasons (COS) Charter School celebrates their newly renovated school with a Dedication Ceremony. COS is a non-profit charter school in Fogelsville, Pennsylvania, that provides education based on the core principles of public Waldorf Education—educational philosophy with a focus on holistic learning of “intellectual, artistic and practical skills.”

The COS strings ensemble opened the ceremony showcasing the musical talents of the students.

Following the students’ performance, Ellen Millard-Kern, Chief of Staff for Pennsylvania Senate District 16, gave a congratulatory speech on behalf of Pat Browne, Pennsylvania Senator of the 16th District. Ms. Millard-Kern presented a certificate of congratulations and admiration of the school’s new renovation and dedication to learning. Speeches of COS’s vision and inspiration were also given by State House Representative, Gary Day, and by COS’s Board President, Ms. Kalyna Procyk.

COS Principal/Head of School, Alison Saeger-Panik, thanked everyone who has supported their mission which will now be enhanced by the renovations to the school. Tours of the school followed the ceremonies.

The building was originally a branch of Pennsylvania State University before it was sold to COS and renovated to meet their educational needs. The facility is approximately 40,000 SF on 38 acres of land that the School owns. Currently, COS has over 300+ students from grades K-7 and plans to include grade 8 in the future.

SCHRADERGROUP (SG) wants to thank COS Board of School Directors for the opportunity to be a partner in the renovation of their unique learning facility and for Ms. Saeger-Panik for the many hours she invested to the design and construction to ensure the project’s success.

The photos below are the newly renovated spaces–you can tell that they are lived-in and loved by the teachers and students!

To learn more about COS, please visit their website here.

To see other learning environments that SG has renovated, please visit our K-12 projects here.

SCHRADERGROUP Attends Palmyra Area School District’s Dedication Ceremony for Forge Road Elementary and Palmyra Area Middle School

SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is honored to have attended Palmyra Area School District’s Dedication Ceremony for the completion of their newly renovated schools, Forge Road Elementary and Palmyra Area Middle School.

Mrs. Brown, the Superintendent of Schools, opened the ceremony by welcoming and extending her appreciation to all individuals involved in the school projects. Assistant Principal, Mrs. Kara Schoessler, discussed the evident changes that have been made to Palmyra Area Middle School while the School Board addressed the energy efficiency of the new buildings. Mrs. Darcy Brenner-Smith, the Director of Business Affairs shared that, “the Guaranteed Energy Savings project will save energy costs for years to come.”

SG is proud that these new learning facilities are examples of how the hybrid GESA project can truly transform a building all while remaining within budget.

SG is grateful to have shared this opportunity with Palmyra Area School District, it’s community and with Reynolds Energy Solutions. We look forward to continuing to work with all parties on projects in the near future.

Find out more about the Palmyra’s new Energy Efficient Middle School here.

SCHRADERGROUP’s partnership with Martin County, NC to develop a new 9-1-1 Communication Center Makes Local News

SCHRADERGROUP (SG)’s partnership with Martin County, North Carolina to develop the new 9-1-1 communication center makes the local news on WNCT 9.

This highly anticipated facility was developed by SG to accommodate the Emergency 9-1-1 needs of Martin County, NC as well as backup 9-1-1 services for Bertie and Pasquotank Counties.

The SG team developed a new one-story 5,000 SF solution that provides; front-of-house administrative functions and support in a non-hardened structure accessible to the staff and public, and a back-of-house fully redundant hardened communications center and all of its support functions. The facility operates 24/7 as a primary communication center for Martin County with four positions and occasionally as a back-up with five additional positions for when adjacent counties require backup 9-1-1 services.

Systems in the facility are fully redundant, consistent with state-of-the-art 9-1-1 center standards. The site design provides appropriate setbacks from the main access road and public parking areas to buffer the facility. A secure gated area is also provided for staff parking and access.

SG is honored to have had the opportunity to design and build a new facility for Martin County’s Emergency 9-1-1 Communication Agency. We are eager to be able to provide the space and functionality required to provide for public safety for the citizens of Martin County and its adjacent counties.

You can find more of our public safety projects here.

Newly Renovated Palmyra Area School District Middle School gets a Facelift and Upgraded Energy-Efficiency Systems

Responding to significant enrollment growth over the past ten years, the Palmyra Area School District is proactively approaching and enhancing the student experience.  Addressing numerous facility deficiencies at the Middle School, the District recently finished a two-phase, multi-year addition and renovation process. Much of the process was completed using a GESA process (Guaranteed Energy Savings Act) administered through Reynolds Energy Solutions.

Phase one focused on modernizing all of the energy-consuming systems and equipment within the building. Reynolds Energy Solutions provided new mechanical, plumbing and electrical upgrades with SG providing finish and ADA upgrades to the existing building. By replacing decades-old equipment, fixtures, and lights, the Middle School is now poised for operational efficiency in the coming years.

Other upgrades during phase one included architecturally new or upgraded materials to hallways, classrooms, ADA upgrades, roof replacement, window replacements and exterior restoration throughout the entire school.

Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing upgrades included new corridor LED lighting, new HVAC system throughout Phase, replacement of all toilet Fixtures, flush valves and faucets, replacement of all water fountains and new emergency generator.

Phase two addressed the District’s physical/spatial needs by adding twelve classrooms, small-group instruction space, a faculty room, and new toilet rooms. The cafeteria was modernized and expanded to include an outdoor dining area. Several rooms within the existing building were reconfigured to function programmatically with the District’s current and growing needs.  Finally, the Administrative suite received an organizational facelift including a new secure entrance portal.

Renovations to the remainder of the existing School also included: New bleachers for the existing gymnasium, floor leveling of the existing band room to meet ADA, conversion of large group instruction classroom into two new classrooms, replacement of all existing exterior doors, new signage throughout the school, elevator upgrades to meet current codes and new secure front entrance vestibule.

SG is proud of our partnership with the Palmyra Area School District and Reynolds Energy Solutions and excited to continue working with them on several other building modernization projects.

Check out our other K-12 projects here.