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

Industrial Asset Tenant Improvements

We provided Design Services for tenant improvements to this 507,638 square foot building with a design based on the proposed tenant’s requirements. Our services assisted our real estate services firm client with their building improvements made in service to the long term needs of the tenant of this fully-leased property. Schematic Design, Construction Documents, and Bidding/Construction Administration were provided in addition to mechanical, electrical, and fire protecting engineering.

A Re-Imagined Office for Lease

Providing potential tenants with a vision of what a façade renovation could look like, we created a 3D Rendering of a re-imagined exterior as well as conceptual leasing plans for an existing, vacant, 27,750 square foot masonry building, last renovated in 2000. Services provided included a site survey and analysis, design development, and our 3D Visualization services. Designs for this project were intended to compete with the surrounding properties in the corporate park that had upgraded facades.

3D Visualizations for Flex Building Concept Design

This project consisted of the schematic planning and design for the construction of a new 1-story 60,000 square-foot flex building with a mezzanine which is to be constructed as a shell only. We provided Schematic Planning and Design, including 3D Rendering Services. Our services also included the Project Manual for Design Development and budget estimate bidding and administration of the bidding on behalf of the owner.

Historic Church Multi-Building Facility Assessment

Huff’s Union Church maintains seven outbuildings with varying levels of historic significance, including the Church dating back to 1876. We provided a complete Facilities Assessment to help the congregation identify top-priority preservation projects and determine which other projects should be budgeted for and addressed over time. This assessment report included an in-depth photo series, with building reviews, an HVAC summary, code implications, and an estimation of probable costs for each of the seven buildings.

School District Multi-Building Roof Replacement

The Conrad Weiser Area School District needed to repair, and in some cases replace, the roofs of their Middle and High School buildings. Coordinated with the School District Administration to perform the work over the summer, we began the process with quality control testing for the product selected and selective demolition as required, providing temporary protection of roof areas being repaired or replaced to maintain the weather-proof condition of the existing building.

Experienced supervisors and installers, approved by the manufacturers installed the membrane roofing system and applied the coating system.  Rigid insulation panels including tapered insulation, metal copings, roof edge fascia, flashings, expansion joints, roof drains, scuppers and other accessories as required were also part of the scope of work.  Additionally, new metal gutters and snow guards were added to the High School’s existing metal roof system.

At the Middle School, 100 linear feet of seam irregularities and repairs were performed on the surface of the built-up roofing system.  An additional 300 square feet of damaged or wet roof insulation and repair, and the installation of 10 additional replacement roof drains were also part of the project.

Muhlenberg Green Architects’ Firm Principal and Project Architect James A. Sarro, AIA, wanted a cost-effective way to revitalize the finish of the existing metal roof at the High School. Created in the school’s custom blue color, Acrymax® Technologies Inc.'s coating system, based on Kynar Aquatec® PVDF, was selected to refresh the look of the building and provide the continued performance of the metal roofs for years to come.  

Working within the School District’s budget and guidance provided by the product manufacturer, the proper products were selected during the design process and installed in the field under Jim’s and Acrymax’s supervision, resulting in the successful completion of the project.

See Drone Video Footage

Acrymax ® Technologies Inc. Project Blog

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

All have been restored and recovered for another 15 years (warranted) - saving the school significant money. And they have the option to do a simple recoat in 15 years to extend the life of the roofs even further.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

All have been restored and recovered for another 15 years (warranted) - saving the school significant money. And they have the option to do a simple recoat in 15 years to extend the life of the roofs even further.

Photos courtesy of Acrymax Technologies Inc.

All have been restored and recovered for another 15 years (warranted) - saving the school significant money. And they have the option to do a simple recoat in 15 years to extend the life of the roofs even further.

Children’s Chapel Doubles as a Multipurpose Function Room

In 2012, the Children’s Home of Reading, in partnership with its donors and capital improvements committee, commissioned Muhlenberg Greene Architects to design a new Chapel addition to CHOR’s Pear Street Cottage building.

The addition was envisioned by its benefactors as a sanctuary for non-denominational worship, meditation and peaceful reflection. In addition, the space was to serve a multi-purpose function for small group activities, family visits, meetings, and music and art therapy sessions. Our challenge was to design a space that served these disparate functions within a small footprint and a modest budget.

To assist CHOR with its fundraising efforts, MG Architects developed conceptual renderings and design drawings for the Chapel that were presented to donors to generate support for the initiative. Over time, we revised our design, and eventually developed construction drawings to build the addition, and in 2016, the project officially broke ground.

The Holleran Chapel was delivered as a design/build project in conjunction with Associated Construction & Management Corporation (ACM), for whom we prepared detailed construction drawings and specifications. MG Architects also assisted ACM with bidding support and construction administration services throughout the construction phase. Mechanical and Electrical design services were provided by others, and MG Architects provided in-house structural design.

The Holleran Chapel, housing the Arthur L. Schott Sanctuary, was completed and dedicated in 2017. It continues to serve the residents and staff of the CHOR as a spiritual refuge and gathering place.

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

Knight's Pub at Stokesay Castle

Erected in 1931 by George Hiester as a honeymoon cottage for his bride, Stokesay Castle was originally designed by Fredrick A. Muhlenberg, the founder of Muhlenberg Greene Architects. The stone building, patterned after a 13th-century English castle, now includes two restaurants and several banquets, and meeting rooms of various sizes.

In order to add a casual dining atmosphere to augment the well-known fine dining available at historic Stokesay Castle, a 3,500-square-foot restaurant/bar addition was created.

The addition was constructed on the site of the original Knight’s Pub, which was an outdoor space only. The design of the addition incorporated traditional architectural styles into a contemporary design that seeks to complement the original structure.

This project allowed the Knight’s Pub to become fully enclosed, providing year-round service with seating for 150 patrons. The window systems slide away fully to maintain the open-air atmosphere of the former all-outdoor original pub.

The new addition of the Knight’s Pub at Stokesay Castle in Reading, Pennsylvania

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.

Vertis Warehouse and Shipping Dock Addition

Due to growth, a large United States producer of advertising inserts needed to expand their warehouse space. Muhlenberg Greene Architects provided planning and design services for a 48,000 square foot high-bay storage warehouse addition to the company’s existing plant. The project included the construction of new truck docks, mezzanine office space, the design of a new circulation pattern for their existing parking lots, additional trailer storage areas, and air conditioning of the existing plant 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.

Gateway Ticketing Systems Global Headquarters

The new 42,000 square foot Gateway Ticketing Systems Global Headquarters opened in August 2014 for its 86 employees, offering expansive views and ample amenities.

The “Main Street” of the building is flooded with light from the south facing clerestory, which is carefully designed to allow plentiful warming light in the cooler months, but also blocks harsh mid-summer sun.  More importantly, the central space provides a convenient circulation path, specifically designed to provide proximity and access between groups that have regular interaction.  A large lunch room will provide ample seating for everyone in the company and serve as a gathering location for the frequent potlucks, barbecues and other team-building events.

Spring Township Municipal Building Addition and Alterations

Muhlenberg Greene Architects prepared a feasibility study to review the Spring Township municipal departments’ current and projected needs and to analyze the functions and interactions of the various operations. The Master Plan study resulted in a project which included expanding the existing building to create a new meeting room for public gatherings and municipal functions, as well as creating additional office space.

The project also included renovating the existing office areas with a focus on creating flexible workspaces for the various departments, enabling them to adapt to future changes. The alterations were designed to complement the existing facade and bring daylight into the building beyond the perimeter offices, which had previously limited the natural lighting in the building. Construction activities were carefully phased to allow the Township to maintain its operations.