Berks County Agricultural Center

Originally built in 1973, the agricultural center comprises a 36,000 SF, two-story front section that houses many offices and a 30,000 SF single-story warehouse. The renovations to the center in Bern Township include converting warehouse space into an 8,000- square-foot office for the Berks County Conservation District. Phase one of the work is complete, and the renovated wing is ready to house the County facilities department’s north office, plus offices for the Conservation District, and the local USDA farm service agency.

Sophisticated Bar and Office Space for Downtown Revitalization

This existing building's major renovation project is located on Penn Street, the highly visible main drag of the City of Reading, and brings with it new vitality and economic impact. Constructed in 1894, the building was home to an inn and restaurant before becoming a chandelier factory and store. This project is a catalyst to revitalize the area.

A four(4)-story building, with a first-floor retail design, and upper floors for office space. The major tenant is a local distillery and tasting room located on the lower level(s), with upper floors designed as modern, professional office space with skyline views, for one or multiple tenants.

An expansive NanaWall (TM) folding glass door was incorporated on the street level to enable the seating for the distillery to easily expand onto the plaza area. The facade renovations also include window replacement on upper floors to meet the Historical Review Board area standards.

Berks Nostalgia | Walking Tour of the Revitalized Building

Reading Distilling Guild Restaurant/Bar Adaptive Reuse Project

Specialized State-of-the-Art Treatment Centers

Our firm provided Architectural Design for specialized, state-of-the-art care, and multi-modality treatment center located in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, forecasted to serve nearly 200 patients each day. Architectural design services were also provided for locations in Cape May Courthouse, Mays Landing, and Charlottesville, Virginia. The Project Architect also worked on the Camp Hill, Pennsylvania project.

Construction Documents with field verification of existing building conditions, preparation of the existing building floor plan, and a compliance code review were provided at the Ephrata location. Architectural Plans prepared for construction included the Code Plan, Floor Plans, Reflected Ceiling Plans, any details as required, and Door Schedules.

Outdoor Classroom Spaces at Kutztown University

Kutztown University contracted our firm for assistance with the architectural and structural design services for a planned Outdoor Classroom.  We visited the campus to identify the elements to be located at the Classroom Site, and surveyed the elements for accurate dimensions and to determine structural foundation requirements.

Together with Structural Engineering Firm Providence Engineering, we provided a structural review and analysis of the foundation and conducted site visits during construction to review work and respond to contractor questions. We provided drawings for use by the contractor for the foundation work and a shop drawing review of reinforcing, as needed.

One of the main features of this setting is the use of new and existing materials.  Adaptive reuse of a granite slab in the University’s inventory was incorporated as a tabletop.  Principal Scott O. Graham, AIA designed a foundation and support for this impressive stone, creating a stately presence for meetings outdoors.

Warehouse Adapted to Accommodate More Loading Docks

Suburban Management Company’s 143,092-square-foot warehouse spans 16 acres and is conveniently located less than 35 miles from the Philadelphia International Airport. The single-story facility started with only 4 loading docks, but with the new addition, now boasts twenty-four (24) loading docks, 8 drive-in bays, and a 31’ ceiling height.

Twenty (20) new Blue Giant overhead loading dock doors and dock levelers were designed and installed by our team, with modifications to the existing building structure and the underpinning of the existing footing as required. The scope of work also included adding concrete retaining walls with fall protection, and site modifications to lower the existing grade at the new dock positions to a height to allow warehouse equipment to access the trucks.

Our firm provided design documentation for the new 20 docks, detailing of site/interior modifications for a proposed tenant, architectural design, structural engineering services, and civil engineering design assistance. We were also on hand to answer any questions that building code officials and contractors may have had during the process.

The first step in the project was to conduct a field survey to verify existing conditions and update the schematic plan based on those field conditions. On one side of the warehouse, the design for eight (8) of the new loading docks would need to accommodate the existing steel structure behind the facade. The solution was to space the docks in this section further apart to avoid the need for expensive structural changes. A bulk pour foundation and concrete wall were constructed to encompass and underpin the existing building foundation.

Keeping water away from the loading docks is a design imperative. At this location, site and grading issues needed to be addressed to get the proper slope back to the loading docks, making certain that the correct angle for the trucks coming towards the building is maintained. With no sanitary or stormwater lines on one side of the building, the interior work included putting in a pump to get the sanitary lines over to the other side of the building.

Existing docks that were renovated received updated dock levelers, dock bumpers, and wheel locks. A lighting system that interfaces with the wheel locks tells drivers when they can pull in and out - green means go!

New Blue Giant Loading Docks Added to Warehouse in Pennsylvania

The Big Brothers Big Sisters Carriage House

The Big Brothers Big Sisters Carriage House of Berks County, PA project is the recipient of the  2019 Building Berks Nonprofit Project Award. 

The Carriage house was purchased by BBBS in 2001.  Funds were raised in 2017 with the goal to create a modern facility that is safe, comfortable, and inviting for socializing, training and interviews.

The Carriage House is a historic property.  One of the more challenging parts of the plan was to preserve the historic front façade of the building, which had four (4) original Carriage House overhead doors.  To accomplish this, one of the overhead door panels were cut and hinged, creating a functioning entryway from the street, and uniformity on the outside.  The remaining three original panel doors are solid and anchored, and the exterior has maintained its historic appeal.

An exterior brick retaining wall was removed on the side of the Carriage House, and pathways were paved so that water may run down the hillside to the street without getting trapped.  This solution avoided the added expense of floor drains.

Outside in the yard, a trench was dug to place a large PVC pipe between the main building and the Carriage House.  This pipe holds all the lines run for gas, water, and other utilities.

Inside was a blank slate.  The interior was completely rebuilt, including the floor which had been sloped from back to front.  To adjust this, a ramp was added inside where the door to the street is located.  The remainder of the interior floor was built up on a platform to create a level surface.  Steps were added to the side entrance, and the staircase to the second floor was rebuilt.

Working with code officials, it was determined that a single bathroom could be added to the floor plan because there are additional bathrooms in the main building.  This solution saved money for the client and allowed room for the new kitchenette.  The lower level accommodates new electric, plumbing, and alarm systems.  And a new closet was created on the second floor to house the HVAC unit.

The Carriage House now offers a warm, inviting interior with flexible seating arrangements for gatherings that range from socializing to interviews and formal training sessions.  Many thanks to our partners at Dolan Construction. 

Reading Eagle Article on the History and Adaptive Reuse of the Carriage House

Read More About This Project on the Big Brothers Big Sisters Website

Big Brothers Big Sisters Carriage House Doors Highlight

Adaptive Reuse for New Health Center

Located in a former Giant Foods storefront, the Berks Community Health Center is a new Federally Qualified Health Center that provides primary care, pediatrics, dentistry, behavioral health, chiropractic, walk-in triage, and other community health services. Included in the conversion are sub-lease spaces for a medical lab, physical rehabilitation, radiology, and more.

This project is a conversion of an existing, vacant, 37,000-square-foot strip-mall tenant space into a community health center with the goal of offering as many multi-disciplinary healthcare providers as possible.

Designs for this project were vetted to make certain we stayed true to supporting the mission of the new facility. This translated into the scale of private consultation and public waiting areas, the use of durable, economically viable, and attractive finishes integrated with the psychology of color, and the urgency to maximize the floor plan.

Our firm provided Architectural/Engineering Design Services, including planning and programming phase surveys and analysis, design development and construction document preparation, bidding and award of contracts, and construction administration services.

Read the article feature on this project in Healthcare Construction and Operations News

Ancora Mail Processing Facility

Muhlenberg Greene was hired to assist with the planning and design to create the company’s largest mail processing facility on the east coast. Work included major renovations to 55,000 square feet of leased space, once occupied by a major battery producer. Approximately 11,000 square feet were designed to contain Ancora’s regional corporate headquarters for the east coast, with the remaining 44,000 square feet for production.

The project included “phased construction” which allowed for the occupation of the production area while construction on the corporate office and employee common areas continued. One design feature of this project was the creation of an area for the supervisors located between their existing production floor area and the new production floor area. This area now serves as a central command post/teaming area.

Angelica Park Environmental Center

The Angelica Park Environmental Center is an extension of the wetlands restoration. A Preliminary Design and Study were generated for a 12,500-square-foot building with classrooms, a teaching lab, administrative offices, lecture space, an exhibit gallery, and upper-level observation. deck for indoor/outdoor gatherings for Phase 1 of this project.

Designed to achieve LEED certification, sustainable design features included a geothermal HVAC system, natural stormwater management via rain gardens, a pervious pavement access drive, photovoltaic panels to provide electric power, and a solar shade system.

A team consisting of representatives from the local colleges, the school district, the state park system, and the City of Reading was established to collaborate with Muhlenberg Greene Architects on the planning, programming, and design for a building that would embody environmental sustainability and energy efficiency while providing space for a broad range of activities. The first phase of the project modified the existing boat house structure.

Press Hall and Mail Room Addition to the Reading Eagle Company

Reading Eagle Company planning and design for the expansion of an existing building to house a new state-of-the-art press. The project required the demolition of several existing structures and the new construction of a 77,000-square-foot addition. The expansion included a new mail room and ancillary spaces for the control room, maintenance shops, mechanical/electrical equipment, three truck docks, and four shipping docks.  

A basement level was constructed for ink storage, paper deliveries, and the reel room for the new press. The ground floor provides space for the mail room and houses the inserter and palletizer equipment as well as the main floor of the press hall. The 2nd floor consists of a mezzanine level for the press hall and provides space for the control room, computer-to-plate room, and electrical equipment for the press operation.

The 3rd floor was designed for mechanical equipment surrounding the press hall. The press hall was an open space extending 56 feet above the ground floor level to house a new press. A critical aspect of the planning and management of the construction process for this project was the requirement to maintain the daily operation of printing and shipping the newspaper.

Keystone Villa at Ephrata

An innovative new retirement community in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. The design-build project, led by Hollenbach Construction, is part of the Keystone Villa Retirement Communities. Keystone Villa is a Berks County-based retirement community with locations in Fleetwood and Douglassville. 

The Ephrata location is designed around one of the former Artworks at Doneckers buildings and involved the demolition of several ancillary buildings of an old shoe factory, as well as the renovation of a 35,000-square-foot mill building.  This wing of the original building was incorporated into the construction of the two new wings, and they comprise the new 139-unit apartment building.  Amenities include a second-floor outdoor terrace, multiple activity centers, a fitness center, an outdoor courtyard, a beauty salon, and a library.  Living unit options include independent living, personal care, and memory care.

Ranch Home gets a Suite Addition

A Mother-Daughter suite addition to an existing ranch home in Boyertown, PA with the primary design goal to create an addition that feels like a separate home. The project was designed independently of the existing residence, connected to allow easy interior circulation between the aging parents and adult child’s spaces. Budget constraints and zoning limitations excluded expanding the building footprint on the site. Our vertical addition addressed this concern.

To create the effect of a distinct home, we designed a Welcoming Room entrance and elevated deck at the rear of the building. A stairway following the vaulted ceiling of the 1st-floor addition leads to a FULL second-floor, 2-bedroom, 1-bath dwelling complete with a full kitchen and laundry.

Congregation Gets a New Facility

A former J.C. Penney department store, built in the 1950s, was adapted to accommodate a growing congregation in New Jersey. Located on the western edge of downtown Dover, the building was home to a flag factory, which had been closed for about five years.

Muhlenberg Greene Architects designed a new 10,000-square-foot chapel under one 30,000-square-foot roof, combining two local congregations poised for growth. The store building was converted into a church, which required bringing it up to code, and the addition of a 40-foot steeple.

Read more about the project in this article from The Daily Record.

Read more about the project in this article from Religious Products News.

Conrad Weiser West Elementary Additions and Renovations

The newly expanded and renovated Conrad Weiser West Elementary School was completed in time for the 2012 school year, and thrilled students and staff alike. The original building was completely renovated, including an expanded Library and a new, full Gymnasium. The school serves grades Kindergarten through Fourth Grade, and the project achieved LEED Silver Green Building Certification. The additions and renovations were designed to address the need for additional classroom space, upgrade the 42-year-old infrastructure, address accessibility, security, and building code issues, and provide an improved environment that meets current standards for staff and students.

The design reused much of the existing building and recycled many of the materials that were removed during the project.  The high-performance school building uses energy-efficient technologies for the operation and control of the mechanical systems, daylight harvesting to maximize natural light in the occupied spaces, along with energy and water-conserving plumbing fixtures.

The existing building was an all-electric facility, constructed prior to the energy crisis of the early 1970s.  The new design utilizes natural gas service to reduce energy costs for heating, cooking, and hot water needs, and a new, state-of-the-art geothermal heat pump system for classroom heating and cooling.  Through the use of automated building controls, the mechanical and electrical systems reduce energy use and assist the District in reducing its carbon footprint.

The new building incorporates modern systems and controls that provide a healthier interior environment, designed to support and encourage the educational program.  Healthier environments are created by improved ventilation systems that effectively circulate and filter adequate air volumes through the spaces, combined with natural daylight to help stimulate the students and staff.  The materials selected have been chosen to prevent the circulation of harmful chemicals and dust.

Alvernia University Schuylkill Center

Alvernia University traces its roots back to 1926, when the Bernardine Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis established an orphanage in what’s now known as Francis Hall. The institution became a four-year liberal arts school in 1958 and two years later, received its charter from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Located in Pottsville, PA, the Schuylkill Center has adult education and graduate degree programs, offering flexible scheduling with day, evening and weekend classes. Muhlenberg Greene Architects provided the planning and design services for the satellite campus, located in a former strip-mall retail space. The Project consisted of the design for the tenant fit-out of an, approximately, 10,000 sq.ft. lease area to create new classrooms, a commons area, and administrative offices. The new campus building provides much needed space for the University’s adult education programs.

Kutztown University Old Main A-Wing Elevator Addition

Built in 1864-65, Old Main is the oldest and most historic building on campus. In our early years at the close of the nineteenth century, Old Main was the sole University building, providing classroom, administrative, and living space.

Today, Old Main is a modern and vibrant educational haven, housing the university's Computer Science and Information Technology, Criminal Justice, Counseling and Student Affairs, Modern Languages, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Social Work and Sport Management, and Leadership Studies departments. You will also find the offices of Grants and Sponsored Projects, Housing, Dining and Residential Services, Public Safety, Social Equity, and Student Support Services, as well as the Women's Center and the LGBTQ.

Muhlenberg Greene Architects was commissioned to design an elevator addition to the historically significant Old Main building for Kutztown University. The elevator was planned to provide accessible entry to the ‘A’ wing of the building, which was being converted from dormitory rooms to faculty offices. The new addition permits access to the offices and maintains the secure separation of the wing from the dormitory rooms remaining in the center portion of the building. The exterior design was detailed to complement the historic character and quality of Old Main. Interior finishes for the lobby at the main floor landing were designed to match the existing wood trims and moldings of the original building. Access from the elevator lobbies to the existing building was developed through the existing window opening of the original building. The addition includes a slate roof, exterior cornice moldings and trims, and brick detailing to integrate with the original structure.