Category: SCHRADERGROUP
SCHRADERGROUP Attends Community Design Collaborative’s Leverage Event
On June 18th, Community Design Collaborative hosted its annual fundraiser Leverage at the Center for DesignPhiladelphia. Leverage highlights the crucial role of design in accelerating positive change; the tool that empowers, inspires, and makes a lasting difference throughout neighborhoods in Greater Philadelphia.
The Community Design Collaborative’s goal is to strengthen and empower local architecture, engineering, and construction firms to gain support to build projects and discover new design solutions while partnering with communities to envision the environments where they live, work, play, and thrive.
SCHRADERGROUP is proud to have been a sponsor of this event. Team members Dan Pawluczyk, Kate McKenna, Wiley Muck, and Samantha Yaros attended the evening’s activities which honored Prema Katari Gupta, CEO of Philadelphia’s Center City District and Executive Director of the Central Philadelphia Development Corporation, for winning the LEVERAGE 2024 Award.
The team spent the evening listening to inspiring guest speakers, exploring recent Community Design Collaborative projects, and networking with other talented design professionals. The interactive programming of this event brought together designers, community members, community development experts, policymakers, and the media to discover new design solutions and new relationships.
SCHRADERGROUP is inspired by organizations like Community Design Collaborative and is proud to partner with and provide support to such worthy causes.
SCHRADERGROUP Announces New Office Location in State College, PA
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) recently located a new office in downtown State College, PA to support the firm’s geographic expansion. The new space enhances opportunities to cultivate partnerships, better integrate into the local community, and service projects in and around Central Pennsylvania.
David Schrader, Managing Partner, remarks, “As we continue to grow, adding another regional office provides the space for more talented professionals in the future. The new location will enhance our presence, communication capabilities, and client support in the central PA region. We are proud to host a presence in State College!”
The new office address is:
301 S Allen Street
State College, PA 16801
The SG team is excited about the opportunity to expand the team and portfolio with this new location.
SCHRADERGROUP Hires New Project Manager, Allison Mason, at Our Pittsburgh Office
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) welcomes our newest Project Manager, Allison Mason, who will service projects from our Pittsburgh office.
Allison has extensive project management experience, most notably in the K-12 and higher-ed markets. Before joining SG, Allison served as the primary K-12 Project Manager for her previous firm and helped develop their studio. Additionally, she helped lead projects to completion and made sure they were on time and within budget.
At SG, Allison’s involvement in projects will begin at the planning and development stage and continue throughout construction documentation. She will serve as the liaison between our firm, clients, and consultants, ensuring a seamless communication process. She will continue to grow both our internal team and our educational portfolio in the western half of Pennsylvania. Allison is a Pennsylvania State University graduate, a registered Architect, and an American Institute of Architects member.
Welcome, Allison! We are delighted to have you on the team and look forward to your valuable contributions to our firm’s long-term growth and success.
One-Year Testimonial of Chatham County’s Emergency Management and 9-1-1 Communications Center

Just over a year after its doors officially opened, the new Chatham County Emergency Management and 9-1-1 Communications Center serves as a beacon for the community. The campus rests on forty acres of heavily wooded land in Pittsboro, North Carolina, and acts as the primary Public Safety Answering Point for the county. SCHRADERGROUP (SG) provided architectural and engineering services for the facility, and we are excited to see it benefit the community after its opening. The facility merges the Emergency Management and Communications Operations sectors to provide efficient solutions for those in need.
Steve Newton, Chatham County Emergency Management Director, comments on the facility’s benefits: “This past year we’ve not only enjoyed a beautiful new building with additional space and features, but also a mission critical facility with functionality, flexibility, and survivability designed into every space.”
The previous center was small and dim, without much room to spread out and work efficiently. The new hardened facility now has substantial amounts of natural light shining through the work areas, ample conference room space, a full kitchen with dining capabilities, ADA accessibility, collaboration spaces, and effective workstations equipped with up-to-date technology and the capacity to handle threat assessments and emergency operations swiftly. In emergencies, it is imperative to have reliable technology and enough space for comfort. Emergency responders need an environment conducive to high-stress situations. SG considered the nature of the work and the well-being of the responders when designing the facility, leading to its dynamic and practical layout.
Mike Reitz, Chatham County Emergency Communications Director adds, “Our staff in the 9-1-1 center provide a critical service to the community, one that is often stressful and emotionally draining. This new working environment is a breath of fresh air for them; the design of this facility had their mental health and well-being as a top priority. SCHRADERGROUP exceeded our expectations and delivered a welcoming space for our staff to use for many years to come.”
SG is pleased with the progress the Chatham County community has seen from the construction of the new center. We gain a sense of pride in knowing our buildings help provide a hub for emergency responders in times of crisis.
To view more of our Public Safety projects, click here.
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes Our Summer Interns!
SCHRADERGROUP warmly welcomes our annual summer interns! This year’s interns are Alissa Kinney, Shubh Savani, and Isaac Buxton. The interns will shadow our team members and assist with projects throughout the design process to gain a well-rounded sense of what a career in architecture resembles. The members of our internal Mentorship Committee will assign each intern to one major project for the summer where the interns will aid with smaller tasks throughout their time here, gaining knowledge and experience for their individual growth.
Alissa is a fourth-year student at Pennsylvania State University studying architecture with a minor in Architectural History. Alissa studied abroad at the Pantheon Institute in Rome, where she won first place in the Piranesi Prix de Roma Competition. She is an active member of the AIA Students chapter.
Shubh is in the fourth year of his program and Pennsylvania State University, pursuing a bachelor’s in architecture with minors in Economics and Art History. Shubh is an active member of his community and has been involved in various arts and architecture clubs throughout his educational career. He also studied at the Pantheon Institute in Rome and gained invaluable experience to strengthen his knowledge and appreciation for architecture.
Isaac is in his final year at Jefferson University’s College of Architecture & the Built Environment. Isaac aspires to accumulate a wealth of work experience while embracing opportunities to travel. Isaac recently embarked on a six-month internship with Olson Kundig in Seattle. Isaac gained valuable professional exposure while exploring a new city through this opportunity.
We look forward to any chance to share knowledge, experience, and community with others, and our internship program serves as the ideal opportunity to connect.
Willistown Township Unveils Their Renovated Township Building
Willistown Township recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony commemorating their newly renovated Township services building. The building houses an array of local government offices and staff serving the approximate 11,000 residents of Willistown. Originally constructed for the Willistown Police Department, this building was converted to its current administrative use when the Police Department moved into their new building in 2014. At that time, the Township made some minor modifications, however, the overall condition of the old building still needed further improvements.
Most notably, the building lacked ADA accessibility at the main public entrance, and the front porch itself was worn and degraded. Moreover, that same entrance did not have an adequately secure public lobby, and further lacked sufficient space for public transactions and business.
The front porch and main entry renovations include new decking, stairs, railings, columns, and lights. All elements of new construction and renovation were aesthetically aligned with the historical nature of the original building and surrounding areas. A new, wood-framed ramp, complementing the existing front porch construction, was added along the side of the building. This ramp now provides a clear, universally accessible pathway from the parking lot to the front entry.
Once inside the new front door, visitors find themselves in an enlarged secure lobby, isolated from the rest of the building. Township staff now have total control over visitor access to the various floor levels and office spaces of the building. This change enhances the safety and security of all the office occupants.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated these improvements, and we, at SG, are grateful for the opportunity to help the dedicated staff of Willistown Township.
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes Our New Public Safety Market Segment Leader, Pat McFeely!
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is delighted to welcome Pat McFeely as our new Public Safety Market Segment Leader. Pat brings over three decades of experience in the Public Safety Market. His contributions will add to our dynamic team at SG!
Pat’s expertise will expand SG’s project delivery for facilities supporting Law Enforcement, Fire/EMS, 9-1-1 and Communications, Emergency Operations and other Mission Critical agencies. His primary responsibilities will include leading, operating, and growing our Public Safety Facilities sector. His capabilities include: defining the connection between facility and technology, site selection, building and site threat assessments, infrastructure and technology requirements, and ensuring the proper incorporation of technology and audio-visual systems into facility design.
Beyond Pat’s technical role, he will continue to support communications between our team and our clients, establishing and expanding our relationships within the community. He provides clear client interface, ensuring our design team meets the needs of each client’s vision. We at SG understand the value of client satisfaction, and Pat will continue to ensure a smooth interface.
With over thirty years of experience in the industry, Pat has served as an IT Director, an IT Infrastructure Manager, and an Enterprise Client Manager. One of his greatest accomplishments was partnering with FEMA on the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP). CSEPP was one of the largest international efforts to eliminate large-scale deadly chemical weapons. As part of this effort, Pat assisted in the design and construction of multiple EOC/9-1-1 centers nationally, all of which were located within the plume range of the CSEPP facilities. These facilities were equipped with high-tech systems to provide effective communication between first responders and citizens.
SG welcomes Pat McFeely to the team! We are excited to leverage his expertise for your future Public Safety and Mission Critical projects!
PennDOT District 6-0 Regional Traffic Management Center Recognized for 2024 ACEC/PA Diamond Award
The American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania (ACEC/PA) awarded PennDOT District 6-0’s Regional Traffic Management Center (RTMC) a Diamond Award in the Building/Technology Systems category. SCHRADERGROUP (SG) supported the team leader, Heim Construction, along with technology and engineering partners Jacobs and Bala Consulting Engineers. Completed in 2023, the new RTMC is a centralized traffic management hub in Upper Merion Township for PennDOT employees to monitor and safeguard traffic conditions throughout the greater Philadelphia region. The Diamond Award occurs annually and honors engineering firms that create highly innovative and efficient buildings. SG would like to extend our congratulations to the engineers and the entire design-build team.
Click here to see the project.
SCHRADERGROUP Ranks in Building Design + Construction’s Top 150 Local Government Building Sector
Recently, Building Design + Construction (BD+C) published their Top 150 Local Government Building Sector firms in their Giants 400 Building Report. The Top 150 Local Government Building Sector highlights the largest government building architecture and engineering (A/E) firms throughout the nation and SCHRADERGROUP (SG) came in at number 108 in 2023.
SG is honored to receive this notoriety alongside other top A/E firms. Each recognition motivates us to continue to help our clients achieve excellent results.
Learn more about SG’s projects by clicking here.
Project Highlight: Ben Franklin Middle School
In March of 2023, Ben Franklin Middle School officially opened its doors to the students and community of the Bristol Township School District. This project encompasses 118,000 SF of renovations and 38,000 SF of additions, transforming the school into a state-of-the-art learning environment.

SCHRADERGROUP (SG) completed the design for a full renovation of the existing building, implementing classroom reconfiguration to accommodate the growing student population and providing spaces for next-generation teaching and learning. Additional renovations include a new media center, cafeteria expansion, and the creation of multiple large group study areas providing the student population with more space and modern technology.

Additions to the building include a main lobby entry and reception area, an expanded administrative suite, two sets of Learning Stairs for student gathering, and additional classrooms and science labs. Each grade level has access to the Learning Stairs and its own dedicated Large Group Instruction, maximizing space for multimodal learning. Keeping in line with next-generational education methods, all students have access to the STEAM area, featuring the centralized library/media center, Tech Ed. Labs, and art classrooms. The layout of the school encourages students to research, make, and present their work efficiently.

Extensive site modifications include new turf and natural grass playing fields, parking lots and sidewalks, and stormwater management systems. The new, more spacious layout allows for safer, more accessible, and fluid movement during busy drop-off and pick-up times, particularly after separating the bus and car drop-off traffic loops.

Previously housed at Franklin D. Roosevelt Middle School, the student population now has an expanded facility with the latest technology and resources for next-generation learning. The transformed Ben Franklin Middle School is a symbol of progress for the future of this community. SG is thrilled to see the new middle school up and running and serving the Bristol Township community members.