Tag: North Carolina
SCHRADERGROUP Attends North Carolina Public Safety Communications Conference
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) attended and exhibited at the North Carolina Public Safety Communications Conference from May 1st to the 4th at the Wilmington Convention Center in Wilmington, NC. The conference was hosted by the North Carolina Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (NC APCO) and the North Carolina National Emergency Number Association (NC NENA).
The NC Public Safety Communications Conference is held annually to focus on providing educational, development, and networking opportunities for public safety communications professionals and 9-1-1 Telecommunicators. This is the first time in ten years that the conference was held in Wilmington, North Carolina, and the first time the conference was held in person (instead of virtually) in the last two years.
SG Principal Harry Pettoni joined over 300 attendees at the conference that included educational sessions on the latest public safety topics, technologies, and services as well as certifications and training for professional development. SG was happy to exhibit at this great event that allows attendees to return to their agencies with new ways to inspire and inform their peers and communities.
The North Carolina Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (NC APCO) is a member driven association of communications professionals that provides leadership and opportunities, influences public safety communications decisions for government and industries, promotes professional development, and fosters the development and use of technology for the benefit of the public and responders. NC APCO provides members with training opportunities, access to publications, and advocacy at the state and national level on topics important to the public safety communication professional.
The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) works with 9-1-1 professionals nationwide, public policy leaders, emergency services and telecommunications industry partners, like-minded public safety associations, and other stakeholder groups to develop and carry out critical programs and initiatives, to facilitate the creation of an IP-based Next Generation 9-1-1 system, and to establish industry leading standards, training, and certifications. NENA is on the forefront of all emergency communications issues and the association serves its members and the greater public safety community as the only professional organization solely focused on 9-1-1 policy, technology, operations, and education issues. With more than 16,000 members in 52 chapters across the United States and around the globe, NENA promotes the implementation and awareness of 9-1-1, as well as international three-digit emergency communications systems.
Learn more about the North Carolina Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (NC APCO) here.
Learn more about the North Carolina National Emergency Number Association (NC NENA) here.
Learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s work in Public Safety here.
SCHRADERGROUP Attends North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association Spring Conference
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) attended and exhibited at the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (NCSA) Spring Conference from April 23rd to the 25th in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The NCSA is a state-wide organization made up of the state’s 100 sheriffs. The association works to strengthen the professional law enforcement services provided to the people of North Carolina.
SG Principal Harry Pettoni operated the SG booth throughout the event. This conference hosted training sessions, special speakers, and exhibitions that dealt with issues in law enforcement and the community. Events like these help sheriffs across the state figure out how to better serve their communities and to share techniques and strategies with their local counterparts.
SG was pleased to be a Corporate Partner for this event. We are dedicated to regularly attending public safety and law enforcement events as they provide new information and processes for the design of safe and efficient public safety facilities.
Learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s work in Public Safety here.
Learn more about the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association here.
Franklin County, NC Breaks Ground on New E911 Communications Center
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) attended the official ceremonial groundbreaking for the new 911 Primary Public Safety Answering Point Facility on Wednesday, April 6th, 2022, in Louisburg, North Carolina. Principal Harry Pettoni represented SG at the event that was attended by the County Commissioners, County Manager, NC911 Board Executive Director, and County 911 Director.
The 911 Primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Facility will consist of a 6,000 SF communications center on a four-acre site adjacent to the existing Franklin County Sheriff’s facility, communication towers, and storage facilities. Sitework will include new stormwater system, sanitary sewer system, water lines, and electrical service to the building. New sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots will also be provided.
The non-hardened portion of the building will be structural steel framed on steel deck while the floor will consist of slab on grade concrete with conventional concrete spread footings. The hardened portion of the building will consist of a reinforced concrete masonry wall system. The roof structure will consist of structural steel framed with concrete slab on composite steel deck with PVC roofing systems. The exterior façade will be a mixture of brick, pre-cast concrete, cementitious panels, aluminum windows, storefront, and curtainwall systems.
This project is funded through a grant funding award from the North Carolina 911 Board. SG provided the programming, schematic design, design development, construction administration, and permitting documents for this new facility.
The facility is scheduled to open in December 2022.
If you would like to learn more about Franklin County, click here.
To learn more about SG’s work in the Public Safety Sector, please click 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.
SCHRADERGROUP Construction Progress – May 2021
As summer quickly approaches, construction work continues to accelerate on SCHRADERGROUP (SG) projects! The team has been hard at work with construction administration for a variety of projects, with some rapidly approaching final completion. A few of our construction projects underway include a new Emergency Operations Center in North Carolina, additions and renovations to the School District of Philadelphia’s Anne Frank Elementary School, the Community College of Philadelphia’s new Career and Advanced Technology Center, the new Upper Merion Area High School, and the new PennDOT District 6.0 Regional Traffic Management Center and Parking Structure, among others. A brief description of a few projects follow.
Chatham County, North Carolina – Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
School District of Philadelphia – Anne Frank Elementary School
In Philadelphia, the additions and renovations to Anne Frank Elementary School are quickly progressing. The exterior brick work is now complete and the installation of windows and ceramic tile begins. Inside, the painting is still in progress while the acoustic ceiling tile grid installation begins.
Community College of Philadelphia – Career and Advanced Technology Center
In West Philadelphia, the steel framing is complete at the new Career and Advanced Technology Center for the Community College of Philadelphia and the crane has been removed. MEP rough ins above grade have started in addition to the Concrete Masonry Unit walls. This project is scheduled for substantial completion by February 2022.
Upper Merion Area School District – Upper Merion Area High School
In King of Prussia, foundation work continues in the performing arts and gym/pool area of the new high school. In the classroom wing, concrete slabs have been poured. Out front, the curbs and asphalt have been installed in the parking lot. The most exciting update this month is that the site contractor is preparing to connect the site’s existing stream to the renovated stream area, which will be located near an outdoor amphitheater and teaching area to provide the students with science-based learning activities directly related to their campus.
Department of General Services – PennDOT District 6.0 Regional Traffic Management Center (RTMC) and Parking Structure
Another SG project in King of Prussia, the new RTMC facility’s foundation is progressing nicely. Heim Construction continues to advance the concrete footings and foundation walls. This week, waterproofing of the concrete footings began as well.
The new adjacent parking structure is swiftly approaching completion. Installation of metal panel and soffit systems at the Penthouse are underway. The glazing, batten installation, metal louvre, site sign foundation, parking striping, and asphalt paving are all complete. Additionally, electric charging stations have been installed.
As the weather improves and work continues, it is exciting to watch these projects come to fruition. We would like to thank all of our clients, consultants, contractors, and supporters for your dedication and support!
Learn more about these and other exciting SCHRADERGROUP projects here!
SCHRADERGROUP Attends the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association Spring Meeting
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) recently attended the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association (NCSA) 2021 Spring Meeting from April 23rd to the 26th in New Bern, North Carolina. The NCSA is made up of the state’s 100 sheriffs and the association works to strengthen the professional law enforcement services their offices provide to the people of North Carolina.
SG Principal Harry Pettoni operated the SG booth throughout the event that hosted training sessions, special speakers, and exhibitions that dealt with issues in law enforcement and the community. Events like these help sheriffs across the state figure out how to better serve their communities and to share techniques and strategies with their local counterparts.
SG is proud to attend an event dedicated to the safety of the people of North Carolina. We had the pleasure to meet some new faces, connect with existing clients, and discuss current facility needs for NC Sheriffs.
SG is dedicated to attending as many public safety and law enforcement events as possible, as it provides crucial information and strategies in the design and construction of public safety facilities. Attending these events ensures we maintain our knowledge base in order to continue providing dynamic designs that are survivable and redundant.
Learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s work in Public Safety here.
Learn more about the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association here.
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes The New Public Safety Market Segment Leader!
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) Welcomes our new Public Safety Market Segment Leader, Timothy Lisle, AIA.
Mr. Lisle joins the SG team with a history of directing mission-critical practice. His work has included the programming, planning and design of a wide range of public safety facilities for government and corporate clients across the United States. Tim regularly speaks at national conferences and has published multiple columns in mission-critical and law enforcement journals.
Mr. Lisle holds a Bachelor’s degree in both Architecture and Science and is a registered architect in six states. He is an affiliate of the AIA, PSAP Design, NENA, Lower Merion Township Uniform Construction Code Appeals Board and is also a visiting architectural critic at both Drexel University and Temple University.
Mr. Lisle’s expertise, extensive experience and 35 years of practice in this field make him a valuable leader for SG’s public safety design team. Please join us in welcoming Tim Lisle to our Public Safety Leadership.
Interested in joining the SG team? Check out what opportunities are available at SG for you here.
SCHRADERGROUP Opens A New Regional Office!
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is expanding! The team is proud to announce that we have opened a new office location in Raleigh, North Carolina which benefits both existing and future SG projects. We are thrilled to situate ourselves in a region that we have been committed to.
Since the founding of the firm in 2004, SG remains dedicated to public safety and academic facility design. With existing offices in Philadelphia, Lancaster and Baltimore, the SG team looks forward to continuing our long-standing relationships and welcoming new opportunities in North Carolina.
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.
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.
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.