Tag: engineering
SCHRADERGROUP Attends North Penn School District’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Knapp Elementary School
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) attended the ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of an additions and renovations project to Knapp Elementary School for North Penn School District (NPSD) in Lansdale, PA on October 18th. Managing Partner David Schrader and Associates Danie Hoffer and Devin Bradbury represented SG at the event.
The ribbon cutting ceremony commemorated the transformation of this 1950’s facility into a next generation school. The 13,200 SF of additions and 64,800 SF of renovations to Knapp Elementary help facilitate interactive learning, provide enhanced learning environments with natural light, and generate a new sense of pride for the school and the community from the moment you enter its doors.
Community members were invited to see the new and improved school and to hear from district and community leaders. After a few words by the NPSD administration and David Schrader, the ribbon cutting ceremony was held. Following the ceremony, community members and attendees were invited to tour the new and improved facility and hear from staff and students about what they love about their new school.
The building renovations address ADA compliance issues and complete interior improvements throughout the school. The infrastructure and systems design incorporates energy-efficient construction, all-new lighting, HVAC, electrical systems, plumbing, technology, and fire alarm systems. The building design now serves 700 students.
The existing school was configured with classroom wings on either side of central enclosed spaces that housed the administration offices, kitchen, and cafeteria. As part of the renovation, a third classroom wing was added for grades 5-6 to accommodate the population and to eliminate the modular classrooms on-site. The central core was reconfigured to pull the dining commons directly across from the main entrance lobby and the roof structure was raised to introduce natural light into the space through clerestory windows. The library/resource center was relocated to the former cafeteria which now opens into a large group instruction area that is an extension of the dining commons. Internally connected to the two existing classroom wings and the third newly added classroom wing, these core spaces offer a variety of instructional areas in addition to small group instruction rooms provided in the classroom wings for pull-out instruction. The administration was relocated to the former library area directly adjacent to the main entrance which could now be secured.
To clearly identify the main public entrance to the school, the entry features a tall, glass-enclosed volume further marked by the prominent entrance canopy leading to it. This serves as the parent drop-off area with a new entry to the side of the addition serving as a separate bus loop. Sufficient parking is provided in the existing parking lot for staff and visitors with the bus loop used for parking for off-hour events. Outdoor facilities include new paving and sidewalks, hardscape and softscape play areas, one playfield, and open space.
SG would like to express our gratitude to the entire NPSD team for their contributions to improving their district’s schools. We would also like to thank our consulting team for all of the wonderful collaborative work done on this project.
To learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s commitment to design for education, please click here.
To learn more about the North Penn School District, click here.
SCHRADERGROUP Attends the Community College of Philadelphia’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the New Career and Advanced Technology Center
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Career and Advanced Technology Center (CATC) for the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) in Philadelphia, PA on August 18th, 2022. The event commemorated the completion of the college’s newest facility.
As part of its mission to build a better and brighter future for Philadelphia, the College selected SCHRADERGROUP, in partnership with Lavallee Brensinger Architects (LBA), to transform the college’s West Philadelphia Regional Center into a destination that provides high-quality academic, career, and technical programs that support career-focused students entering the region’s workforce. The main objective of this effort was to create a dynamic, identity-focused center that provides students with the ideal learning environment for mastering technologies of the ever-evolving industry and healthcare workplaces.
SCHRADERGROUP Managing Partner David Schrader, Project Architect Eric Weiss, and Interior Designer Charlotte Stoudt represented SG at the event, with members from LBA and our engineering subconsultants in attendance as well. Our design team joined CCP staff, faculty, students, local community members, and city and state officials to celebrate the new facility’s completion.
The main goal of the project was to create a center that provides students with programs that concentrate on career readiness and to generate a thriving workforce in Philadelphia’s transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare fields. The new 75,000 SF facility includes state-of-the-art advanced and adaptive technologies for instructional space and study areas, laboratory service bays for automobiles and small engine equipment, and spaces for diesel technology. Programs offered include transportation and logistics technology training, advanced manufacturing training, entry-level healthcare career training, and an innovation hub for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
The existing West Campus Automotive Technology facility was demolished and replaced with the three-story building.
Comprehensive instruction and training in this facility will focus on automotive and stationary equipment. Programs on the ground floor will service current and future technologies, including diagnostic and repair procedures, as well as techniques for vehicles powered with gasoline, diesel, biotech, electric, propane, and compressed natural gas. The second and third stories will consist of a variety of classrooms and laboratory spaces supporting the automotive program, materials technologies, and healthcare programs.
Other notable features of the facility include LEED certification, energy efficient design utilizing copious amounts of natural daylight, green rooftops for students and community members, a second-floor patio and adjoining room for events, and a learning commons and multiple conference rooms for student collaboration.
SG would also like to express our gratitude to the entire team for their contributions to the design and construction of this amazing school. Thank you to our partnering firm, Lavallee Brensinger Architects, and our subconsultant team KS Engineers, Arora Engineers, Metropolitan Acoustics, Re:Vision Architecture, and International Consultants, Inc. for all of the collaborative work done on this project.
SG was honored to work on this exciting project. To learn more, click here.
To learn more about the Community College of Philadelphia, click here.
T&M Associates Infrastructure Case Study Highlights Manavon Elementary School and Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center
T&M Associates, one of SCHRADERGROUP’s go-to consultants for Site and Civil Engineering, recently published an article dealing with how enhanced erosion and sediment control leads to resilient infrastructure.
This informative article uses a SCHRADERGROUP and T&M Associates project favorite, the Phoenixville Area School District’s (PASD) Manavon Elementary School and Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center as a case study for during- and post-construction erosion controls.
Interested in learning more? You can read the full article by clicking here.
Want to learn more about PASD’s Manavon Elementary and Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center? Click here.
SCHRADERGROUP to Speak at PASBO’s 2022 Annual Conference!
We are excited to announce that the SCHRADERGROUP (SG) team will be speaking and exhibiting at this year’s 67th PASBO Annual Conference & Exhibits in Hershey, PA from March 8th to the 11th in the Hershey Lodge. Stop by Booth 410 this year to say hello and meet the team!
SG is thrilled to attend this great event in person after last year’s conference was held virtually. We are even more excited to announce that the SG team will be partnering with previous clients and consultants to bring you a special panel this year: “SCHOOL OF THE FUTURE: The Next Generation of Safety and Security, HVAC and Virus Mitigation.” This panel discussion will be on Wednesday, March 9th from 10:45am – 11:45am. We hope to see you there!
“School districts are continually advancing the level of internal transparency and are including more unique and dynamic learning environments as they seek to adjust to changing learning styles and the increased use of technology. Solutions required to respond to the recent pandemic have only exacerbated the challenges of delivering a higher caliber of education to the learner. In response to these issues, school districts have had to evolve their thinking in terms of; safety, security, HVAC and virus mitigation.
Historic threats to schools have created the need to implement safety and security protocol and systems but now, for the first time in 100 years, we have encountered a health pandemic which became another threat to our students, faculty, staff, and community. These compounded concerns create dynamic needs for school districts. Threat assessments, emergency planning and ultimately implementation of protocols are critical to procedures going forward. But further, those threats have modified the systems in buildings. It is critical that these become an underlying part of our process and systems so that all members of society can enjoy learning and community-based activities without actively feeling those threats.
This panel is intended to discuss and debate these topics and to reveal some of the next generation thinking relative to these topics.”
More information on this special panel, as well as information about attending the conference, can be found here.
The Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO) is a statewide association with 3,000 members. They are devoted to providing their supporters with education, training, professional development, and timely access to legislative and policy news. Their membership base covers school professionals working in finance, accounting, operations, facilities, transportation, food service, technology, communications, human resources, purchasing, and safety services. While diverse in areas of specialty, all members share a common goal – to support classroom learning in schools during good and bad economic times through smart business practices. PASBO helps make that goal a reality.
Each year, PASBO provides an opportunity for school business officials to listen to keynote speaker presentations and attend information workshops that provide members with the opportunity to network with their peers. PASBO provides its members with the education, training, and professional development, as well as the timely access to legislative and policy news, needed to support this goal of developing and supporting leaders in school business operations.
Learn more about registering for the PASBO conference here.
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes the New Year!
2021 was a great year for SCHRADERGROUP. Our team grew both in number and in professional qualifications, we reconnected with clients and colleagues at conferences and events, our projects were featured in multiple publications, we participated in sponsorships and mentorships, and, most importantly, we inspired our communities with responsive, innovative, and sustainable architecture created through client-driven, collaborative practice.
SCHRADERGROUP would like to thank you all for the support and opportunities that have been afforded to us in 2021. We look forward to our continued relationships and the exciting projects that are planned for 2022.
See below for a recap of some of SG’s most memorable milestones from the past year!
We had yet another exciting year of projects that were either completed or made great progress in 2021.
At the Start of the Year
Additions and renovations to Quakertown Community School District’s Neidig Elementary School completely transformed this elementary school to support project-based learning.
In the Spring
SCHRADERGROUP repurposed four pools and eight libraries at Hazleton Area School District’s K-8 schools to generate additional educational classroom space to accommodate growing enrollments.
Council Rock School District’s newly renovated Rolling Hills Elementary School achieved LEED Gold Certification and received an ACE Grant.
We made progress during spring construction (March, April, May) on a number of projects, including Upper Merion Area School District’s new Upper Merion Area High School, the sitework for Chatham County, North Carolina’s new Emergency Operations Center, the additions and renovations to the School District of Philadelphia’s Anne Frank Elementary School, the additions and renovations to North Penn School District’s Knapp Elementary School, and the construction of PennDOT District 6-0’s new Regional Traffic Management Center, among others.
During the Summer
We celebrated the School District of Springfield Township’s new Early Learning Center’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
We showcased the newly completed Springfield School District’s new High School.
Last summer’s construction progress (part 1, part 2) included updates for the additions and renovations to North Penn School District’s Knapp Elementary School, the demolition and construction of Springfield School District’s Athletic Fields, the construction of PennDOT District 6-0’s new Regional Traffic Management Center, the construction of Upper Merion Area School District’s new Upper Merion Area High School, the additions and renovations to the School District of Philadelphia’s Anne Frank Elementary School and Paul Dunbar School, the construction of the Community College of Philadelphia’s new Career and Advanced Technology Center, the renovations to Bristol Township School District’s Benjamin Franklin Middle School, and the renovations to Council Rock School District’s Hillcrest Elementary School and Sol Feinstone Elementary School.
In the Fall
East Pennsboro Area School District held their ribbon cutting ceremony for their new Administration Center.
SCHRADERGROUP is always committed to becoming fully involved with the communities in which we work and this past year was no different. See below for some of the ways we strived to inspire our communities.
We hosted design workshops for Hatboro-Horsham School District’s new Keith Valley Middle School project and for Great Valley School District’s new 5/6 Grade Center project. SG also hosted a planning workshop for Rose Tree Media School District’s new Elementary School project. It was great to be back in person for our consensus-based planning process for these projects as it is always a great exercise in collaborating with the Community and the School District.
The SCHRADERGROUP team also participated in multiple events that were not project related. Our team’s dedication to mentoring the next generation of designers and professionals include our participation in mentoring programs and Penn State University’s Architectural Alumni Group Seminars.
Although some of our favorite conferences were cancelled or held virtually in 2021, we were happy to see so many of you both virtually and in-person at some of these great annual events. We were excited to have attended the PSU Virtual Career Fair, PASBO’s Virtual Conference, the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association Meeting, A4LE LearningSCAPES Conference in Colorado, Design Philly’s Kick-Off Meeting in Philadelphia at Cherry Street Pier, PASBO’s Facilities and Transportation Safety Conference in Lancaster, PA, and the DVASBO Trade Show in Oaks, PA.
2021 was a year filled with awards and recognitions for SCHRADERGROUP and for some of our projects. A few of the accolades we received included:
SCHRADERGROUP making the Building Design + Construction Magazine’s 2020 Giants 400 report, as well as ranking in Architectural Record’s Top 300 Architecture Firms of 2020.
The School District of Springfield Township’s Enfield K-2 Early Learning Center earned quite a bit of recognition this year, with Learning by Design’s Spring 2021 Issue’s Outstanding Project, American School & University’s 2021 Educational Interiors Showcase’s Outstanding Design, Learning by Design’s Fall 2021 Issue’s Outstanding Project, and American School & University’s 2021 Architectural Portfolio’s Outstanding Project.
Additionally, we celebrated some great milestones for the impressive individuals on our team—their growth is SCHRADERGROUP’s growth, and we couldn’t be more proud of their accomplishments both for themselves and for the firm!
This included welcoming Jillian Kreglow as our newest Architectural Designer and Brianna Smith as our new Office Administrator over the summer and welcoming Hugo Li as our newest Structural Engineer just last month.
Congratulations to our senior Architectural Designers Jeremy Ross and Paige Geldrich, for passing their exams and for becoming registered architects this summer. Congratulations are in order for senior Architectural Designer Chris Farmer as well, who recently passed his WELL AP exam in addition to becoming a registered architect.
We would also like to thank our summer interns, Leah Balderson and Dan Pawluczyk, for their contributions to the firm over the summer and we are excited to see their academic and professional growth in the future!
SG leadership had a great year as well. SG Principal Harry Pettoni recently became the President of A4LE’s Chesapeake Bay/Delaware Valley Chapter. Also, SG Founder and Managing Partner David Schrader was inducted into the College of Fellows for the American Institute of Architects at the Lincoln Center in Washington D.C. in November. Congratulations David and Harry!
And last but not least, we are proud to recognize and celebrate the individuals who devoted so much of their time and expertise directly to the firm, congratulations to Regina Jean-Claude, Danielle V. Hoffer, Dan D’Amico, and Devin Bradbury on becoming SCHRADERGROUP Associates!
The SCHRADERGROUP team remains socially active. Whether we are attending happy hours, work parties, fundraisers, or just simply going out to lunch, the team always has a great time together. But who can forget about golf as the ultimate social activity? It was great to return to the courses in 2021, whether for a charity game, a fundraiser, or just to play with friends and members of the SCHRADERGROUP family.
The team participated in some fantastic events including Council Rock Education Foundation’s 2nd Annual Golf Classic, Springfield Area Educational Foundation’s Annual Golf Tournament, Delaware Valley Association of School Business Officials’ Annual Golf Outing, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit Education Foundation’s 21st Annual Golf Classic, North Penn School District’s Educational Foundation’s 20th Golf Classic, and the SCHRADERGROUP Team’s Inaugural Golf Outing.
Welcoming 2022
We cannot wait for what may come in the new year! While SCHRADERGROUP has a number of exceptional projects in design, we also have many projects that will be approaching completion and we are eagerly anticipating more ribbon cutting ceremonies. We are very happily looking forward to another year of growth for our team members and for the firm as a whole. SCHRADERGROUP anticipates being able to participate in more conferences and attending more fundraisers where we can connect with our clients and collaborators. We will continue to inspire and mentor our younger generations, and to simply continue the wonderful relationships we have built over the years with all of you–our partners, our supporters, our families, and our friends.
We celebrate with all of you the accomplishments of the previous year and the optimism of the new one we are entering.
Cheers and have a safe, happy, and healthy new year.
From all of us at SCHRADERGROUP.
Springfield School District’s New Springfield High School is Complete!
The SCHRADERGROUP (SG) team, in association with our design partner Perkins&Will of Chicago, is happy to announce that Springfield School District’s new Springfield High School is now complete!
Photo courtesy of Todd Mason from Halkin | Mason Photography.
Constructed on the southeast corner of the existing high school’s campus, the goal of the new facility is to provide the school district with a complex that will serve the community for the next 50 years. Perkins&Will and SG provided programming, planning and design services for the new high school complex that encompasses 230,000 SF on a 25-acre campus. The school will immediately serve over 1,450 students.
Photo courtesy of Todd Mason from Halkin | Mason Photography.
Consistent with the SG mission of creating next generation learning environments, the new high school employs an Academy Model that provides offerings in Art, Business, STE(A)M (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), Humanities and Liberal Arts. The new facility includes an interior courtyard for outdoor learning as well as for gathering and common space. Unique to the facility is its inclusion of the District Administration within the structure of the facility.
Photo courtesy of Todd Mason from Halkin | Mason Photography.
Beyond the high school and District Administration, the project includes the design and construction of new site amenities, including the athletic fields, parking, and a stadium complex. Next up, SG will be engaged in the demolition of the existing high school, which will then lead to the construction of additional playing fields.
Photo courtesy of Todd Mason from Halkin | Mason Photography.
The SG team is pleased to partner with Springfield School District on this wonderful project. To learn more about Springfield School District, click here.
Photo courtesy of Todd Mason from Halkin | Mason Photography.
This project was completed in association with design architects Perkins&Will of Chicago, IL and the owner project representative CID Group of Berwick, PA. To learn more about Perkins&Will, click here.
Photo courtesy of Todd Mason from Halkin | Mason Photography.
To learn more about the New Springfield High School project, and view more photos, please click here.
Photo courtesy of Todd Mason from Halkin | Mason Photography.
Thank you to Halkin | Mason Photography for the beautiful images captured of this great project. To learn more about Halkin | Mason Photography, please click here.
Photo courtesy of Todd Mason from Halkin | Mason Photography.
SCHRADERGROUP Hosts Design Workshop for Hatboro-Horsham School District to Determine the Future Configuration of the Keith Valley Middle School
2021 has been off to a busy start for Hatboro-Horsham School District (HHSD)! After hosting multiple conceptualization sessions in January and February and taking tours of example facilities throughout the Mid-Atlantic in March, the SCHRADERGROUP (SG) team conducted a planning workshop with HHSD staff, parents, and Hatboro and Horsham municipal officials last month.
The existing Keith Valley Middle School is aging and in need of serious repairs. There are ADA issues throughout the facility and upgrades are needed to the HVAC systems. Through prior studies and through a process conducted by D’Huy Engineering, it was determined that replacing the entire middle school was the most feasible option for the district. So, the next steps were to meet with the community members to design a replacement middle school that can better serve its students as part of a 21st century learning environment.
SCHRADERGROUP partnered with HHSD and D’Huy Engineering to host the workshop on April 8th. After an introductory process, the team split into smaller groups. Each group was given site plans and program blocks to brainstorm and envision the different aspects of the new school on the existing site. SG is very excited to take the next steps in creating a dynamic and functional middle school to serve the residents of Hatboro-Horsham School District.
Following the completion of the Crooked Billet Elementary School in 2020, this exciting project continues SG’s relationship with Hatboro-Horsham School District and all of the wonderful people who live, work and learn in the district.
Learn more about other SG projects at Hatboro-Horsham School District here.
Learn more about Hatboro-Horsham School District here.
Council Rock School District’s Rolling Hills Elementary School Completed with LEED Gold Certification + ACE Grant
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is excited to announce that Council Rock School District’s (CRSD) Rolling Hills Elementary School additions and renovations project is complete. The 12,426 SF addition and 62,695 SF renovation project transformed the facility to support the next generation of learning. The construction phase of this project persevered through the challenges associated with the pandemic through spring and summer of 2020.
Rolling Hills Elementary School is a 75,121 SF single-story elementary school for grades K-6. The existing building floor plan was completely overhauled through to the concrete roof structure to convert the existing old-style open classroom layout to a progressive and functional configuration with natural daylighting.
The design incorporated energy efficient solutions, including solar panels on the roof, and achieved LEED Gold Certification and an ACE Grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The transformation is further exemplified with an identifiable high-volume main entrance that floods the space with natural light. New building façades were constructed with abundant window openings and a variety of exterior finish materials which serve to fragment the horizontality of the one-story classroom wings.
Apart from the Multi-Purpose Room which remained in its previous location, the majority of the other spaces were reconfigured within the parameters of the original building footprint. Additions for an expanded and secure administration area, classrooms and stage were added to support the design program. The building also received all new exterior and interior walls, new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, and AV/IT infrastructure systems.
SG is proud of our partnership with the Council Rock School District, D’Huy Engineering, and our many great consultants. We look forward to more projects in the future.
Learn more about Council Rock School District here.
Learn more about Council Rock School District’s Rolling Hills Elementary School project, here.
See previously completed K-12 projects, including other Council Rock School District projects here.
SCHRADERGROUP to Attend Virtual 2021 PASBO Conference
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) will be attending the 66th Annual Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO) Conference on March 17th, 19th, 23rd and 25th this month! SG team members will be at the SCHRADERGROUP Virtual Booth from 10am – 1pm on Wednesday the 17th, Friday the 19th, and Tuesday the 23rd, as well as from 10am-noon on Thursday the 25th. We welcome you to stop by and meet the team!
SG is proud to be a Gold Level Sponsor of this prestigious event devoted to the common goal of supporting classroom learning in school through smart business practices. Each year, PASBO provides an opportunity for school business officials to listen to keynote speaker presentations and attend information workshops that provide members with the opportunity to network with their peers. PASBO provides its members with the education, training, and professional development, as well as the timely access to legislative and policy news, needed in order to support this goal of developing and supporting leaders in school business operations.
Although the event is virtual this year, the SG team looks forward to seeing some familiar faces and meeting some new ones! Come visit us at our booth!
Learn more about registering for the PASBO conference here.
Learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s dedication to educational facilities here.
SCHRADERGROUP Ranked in Architectural Record’s Top 300 Architecture Firms of 2020
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is proud to have been ranked #274 in Architectural Record’s Top 300 U.S. Architecture Firms of 2020.
Architectural Record is a monthly publication dedicated to architecture and interior design. Their yearly Top 300 lists are ranked by revenue for architectural services performed in 2019.
This is the first year SG has made this prestigious list, and we look forward to moving up in the rankings in the future!
Learn more about SG’s projects here.
View Architectural Record’s Top 300 U.S. Architecture Firms of 2020 here.