Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects highlights Aronimink Golf Club’s historic beauty, while adding new functionality.

November 2006 - Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, has gone back to its 1928 roots. Extensive architectural additions and interior renovations by Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects PC and BHH Tait Interiors LLC reveal and complement the main clubhouse’s original architecture, while modernizing its features to benefit today’s membership.

Pat McCarter and her husband Lou have been members of Aronimink Golf Club since 1963 and have seen many renovations over the years, but are very impressed with the club’s new look—especially since it expands on its “old look.”

“We love what they’ve done,” said Mrs. McCarter, who was especially pleased with the new Garden Room that revealed and restored original stained glass windows and brings natural light to previously isolated interior spaces.

“The main hall always looked dark before, but there is an attractive soft light now that really brings out the stained glass wall,” she said. “The whole renovation is a superb job—really the best we’ve seen. It can accommodate larger groups now, and it’s much more open. I think it’s great that they kept the old flavor but modernized and opened it up. You can move more easily from one room to the other. It’s really beautiful, and a first-class job.”

The McCarters aren’t the only members pleased with the club’s new face. George H. McGovern, III, who chairs the Long Range Planning Committee at Aronimink, says that the membership reaction has been universally positive.

“Response from members is very enthusiastic,” he said. “They appreciate that we preserved and protected the original architect’s intent—restoring a significant portion of the rear of the building by creating a new atrium, which had been covered over by the ballroom addition.”

As a member of the Aronimink’s Board of Governors, McGovern made progress reports to the Board during the year-long renovation, and was very pleased with the cooperation and creative talent that Bernardon Haber Holloway (BHH) brought to the project.

“This was far and away the most extensive renovation we’ve ever completed, and BHH brought a tremendous creativity to the project, effectively updating the facilities but preserving the original feel throughout the club,” said McGovern. “We almost completely rebuilt the original 1928 structure, which uncovered wonderful original architecture, such as wood and iron doors and windows. Everything is new, but maintains the flavor of the old.”

It wasn’t long before BHH’s initial scope of services (additions and renovations to the main clubhouse) expanded to include other projects spawned during the schematic design and programming phase. With stunning views of Aronimink’s 300-acre property, the new 6,400 square foot Belmont Center provides indoor and outdoor casual dining and adds a fitness area to the list of club amenities. The Belmont also provides improved locker facilities for the adjacent swimming pool. A new cart barn was also built, which blends discreetly into the wooded landscape.

Although the new construction added complexity to the project, the overhaul of the main clubhouse proved the most challenging. BHH Project Designer John Meadows, who was heavily involved in the schematic design through the construction documentation phases, pointed out that one of the biggest challenges was adapting the design in response to conditions revealed as the restoration unfolded.

“You’re dealing with an existing building with a lot of unknown conditions going in,” he noted. “The challenge is dealing with those conditions as they arise while keeping the project on schedule.”

Gerry Hanby, another architect at BHH who oversaw the projects on a daily basis during the construction phase, explained that the original building was put together using salvaged material from other sites, which was quite a puzzle at first. As each wall was taken down, many varieties of construction components were uncovered. Leaded glass windows, heavy timbers—even old stone walls came to light, and Hanby noted that it was both challenging and exciting to sort out which to use in reconstruction.

“It was quite a mix,” he said. “But each of these new finds presented opportunities, not just barriers, and we all worked together to find ways to use them—not just bury them or throw them away—and everyone was on board with that.”

Contractor Rob Reeves, Jr. of E. Allen Reeves, Inc. agrees, and added that mutual cooperation and trust went a long way toward keeping the project on target:

“We worked well as a team, especially with the owner’s committee,” he said. “Everyone came together with a can-do attitude, and focused on the big picture while keeping the details moving forward. There was a great deal of work done on this project, and even more work was added on as the project unfolded. I think BHH did a great job, not just in the original design, but throughout the changes and additions that came up as work progressed. They were fluid and practical, and mindful of the cost and the schedule. It was an excellent project.”

Jim Masserio, who has been Golf Pro and Manager at Aronimink for the past 17 years, said the extensive improvements weren’t just add-ons, and that much thought went into functionality as well as expanding Aronimink’s old-world elegance—not covering it up.

“It’s amazing how they’ve been able to blend the elegance of the 20’s with the functionality of today,” he remarked. He said that the Ballroom was definitely one of the biggest challenges, and the changes there are dramatic.

“The high ceiling, the parquet floor throughout—even the wainscoting on the walls, which matches the Great Room of the clubhouse—all of it adds a 1920’s richness that’s just beautiful. Plus, we now have a separate entrance for outside functions that works very well. This has always been a popular club, but these improvements and use of space make it much more comfortable. People now say that we are one of the top Golf Clubs on the East Coast.”

Gerry Hanby adds, “We accomplished what we set out to do, which was to keep the club’s historic character and make it look as if nothing happened—even though there was almost no part of the building that wasn’t touched.”

The end result for this historic club is a very successful blend; it’s hard to tell where the old ends and the new begins … a perfect match.

Timothy J. Cassidy, PhD, joins staff.

October 2006 -  Timothy J. Cassidy, a Chester County, Pennsylvania native, joins the team at Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects PC adding his planning and design expertise to the award-winning design firm.

Bernardon Haber Holloway has a new team member whose professional knowledge spans the full breadth of the built and natural environment. An Urban Designer, Landscape Architect, and Certified Planner, Dr. Cassidy brings over 20 years of diverse experience to the architecture, interiors, and land planning firm.

Cassidy graduated from West Virginia University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture, and completed his education with a Master of Architecture (1995) and a Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture (2000) from Texas A&M University.

He has worked on a variety of planning, urban infill, mixed use, and traditional neighborhood development projects in Pennsylvania including the Paoli Rail Yard and the Master Plan for Village of Hawthorne, among others. Current projects where Cassidy will lend his planning expertise in the design and development of new and existing neighborhoods include the Baederwood and Dreshertown Redevelopments in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

“Tim brings to the firm planning and design experience in both the public and private sectors,” says Kerry Haber, a principal of the firm. “He has significant local experience, especially in Chester County, which enhances the services we can offer our clients. Tim’s leadership abilities and skills as a designer make him an ideal addition to our team.”

Cassidy worked early in his career for Thomas Comitta Associates, Inc., in West Chester, then for Texas A&M University as an Assistant Lecturer while completing his graduate degrees. After returning to Pennsylvania to start a family, he worked for Thomas Comitta Associates and the Arcus Design Group – Architects, Inc., before coming to Bernardon Haber Holloway.

“I’ve admired the work of Bernardon Haber Holloway for many years and it’s a great thrill to make a home for myself here,” said Cassidy. “Their work on projects such as the Genesis HealthCare building in Kennett Square, and the Chester County Justice Center in West Chester have really made a mark—they are doing the types of urban infill projects that excite me and I think my diverse background will complement and enhance their capabilities. It’s a great fit!”

As a Certified Planner and Landscape Architect, Cassidy brings his knowledge of these disciplines into the mix—something Kerry Haber says is very important to the built environment.

“The relationship between buildings and the landscape is vital to the overall successful design of a building or complex,” he notes. “Besides Tim’s other wealth of experience, having urban planning expertise in-house is a real benefit to our clients and we’re very excited to welcome him to the team.”

Meadow Ridge Assisted Living Facility in Lancaster County Pennsylvania – demonstration of the power of building long-term business relationships.

September 2006 - Willow Valley Retirement Communities teams up with Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects PC and Paul Risk Associates once again. From initial concept to design and construction, the Meadow Ridge Assisted Living Facility at Willow Valley represents the perfect blend of long-term business relationships to meet changing community needs—and incorporates home-style changes residents love.  When Melinda Scott first entered the newly-completed Meadow Ridge Assisted Living facility at Willow Valley, she was shocked.

“It wasn’t what I was expecting,” said Scott, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Willow Valley. “And my reaction was mirrored by just about everyone who came to our open houses at the facility. The lights, the colors—the reflections—everything is so different from what people would normally expect to see in an assisted living environment.”

Wide corridors, an open hearth, natural light throughout, and even whimsical decorating touches like gold stars painted on the foyer ceiling and art glass vases make Meadow Ridge an unusual find in assisted living facilities. “It definitely doesn’t have an institutional feel,” says Scott.

And that's no accident—Meadow Ridge represents a sea change in the traditional design process for supportive living communities—separating assisted living from skilled nursing environments, and that’s where a long-term relationship between the client, the designer and the builder comes in handy, for a number of reasons.

Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects PC (BHH), architectural designers of the project, has been working with Willow Valley for 25 years, and during this time, has seen the senior care industry change.

“In the beginning, we started with the design of the Willow Valley Manor Project and its health care center,” says Associate and Project Director Steve Brown, “and we’ve provided updates to the skilled nursing and personal care facilities over the past 20 years.”

For assisted living to be successful, it requires life-style and aesthetic appeal—people want to maintain a home-style living environment as long as possible, and Meadow Ridge was created to facilitate that need, with more spacious rooms and a warm, residential feel. The challenge was how to do it all and stay within a fixed budget.

“There was a calling to create a variety of living environments within the budgetary requirements of the residents already living at Willow Valley,” said Brown. “We established design modules within the units, rather than unit-specific designs. Using simple, straightforward materials and creating interesting details and finishes helped keep the project on time and on budget.”

He also noted that a long working relationship with both Willow Valley and General Contractors Paul Risk Associates was key to success as well. “Being in tune with Willow Valley’s philosophy and mission and understanding the excellent quality standards of Paul Risk Associates helps us collaboratively design exciting environments like Meadow Ridge.”

Bill Koch of Paul Risk Associates agrees: “Our relationship with Bernardon Haber Holloway and Willow Valley over the long term has definitely benefited this project in terms of time and cost reduction. We came together on this with a lot of things already in place—like BHH, we had previously worked with Willow Valley on several projects, and we already knew their goals and needs. We have a good sense of how they operate, but even more important, Willow Valley as a client is really in tune with their short and long-term goals. We didn’t have to sort through six versions of what they may want—they had already pared it down to two.

Working on Meadow Ridge has also challenged both BHH and Paul Risk with forward-thinking design for the industry, which will be very advantageous in future projects.

“Meadow Ridge is really the next generation in assisted living,” says Koch. “It’s a step away from the traditional institutional feel and more in line with residential, while still maintaining state regulatory requirements. When an independent person moves into a retirement community like this, they have more choices. If they fall and break a hip, what happens? The old options were not as pleasant. We know what the state requirements are, and rather than build just to those specifications, we came together to create something much more flexible and consumer-oriented—which I think benefits everyone.”

Bernardon Haber Holloway goes to the Dogs

May 2006 - Bernardon Haber Holloway has “gone to the dogs,” receiving top honors for charity at the 2nd Annual Barkitecture Competition at the Chase Center on the Wilmington Riverfront in May.

Just for fun, the firm decided to roll up its sleeves this spring and complete a project just for dogs, in hopes of raising money for a local animal welfare agency, Faithful Friends, a Wilmington-based operation that offers spay and neuter programs, community pet education programs and a “no-kill” adoption policy for hard-to-adopt pets.

Faithful Friends partnered with the Delaware Chapter of the American Institute of Architects to hold the Barkitecture Gala - Doghouse and Cat-Condo Competition on May 20, 2006 at the Chase Center in Wilmington, and 19 of the structures were auctioned off to benefit the animal charity. A panel of seven judges (including two four-footed ones) awarded the BHH entry the “Best in Show” award, and the house was auctioned for the second-highest bid ($775) and donated back to Faithful Friends. Guests at the Gala also voted to give it the “People’s Chews Award” for the most popular design.

A team from BHH volunteered their time in the evenings to design and construct the dog house, entitled “Bone-I-Fide Cottage,” which took about 12 weeks from start to finish.

BHH founder Art Bernardon was also pleased with the results of the competition. “We’re really proud of all the hard work from our staff and the team that put this together,” he said. “Teamwork is the reason it came off so well, and I can’t say enough about these volunteers—in my mind they’re all ‘top dogs.’”

In an unusual twist, one of the firm’s earlier projects received recognition at Barkitecture as well. While attending the auction, a competitor’s design called “The Salty Dog” caught the eye of the BHH team. It was a replica of the Indian River Life Saving Station in Bethany Beach, Delaware, which BHH helped to renovate and restore. Designed by two 10th grade students of the Charter School of Wilmington, the moment it was spotted, the team knew they had to bid on it.

Between bidding on The Salty Dog and designing their own, team members concurred that it was all for a wonderful cause and a fun way to give back to the community.

Bernardon Haber Holloway Designs Premier Retail Lifestyle Center

February 2006 - A new upscale shopping, dining and entertainment center may soon be constructed in one of the fastest growing areas of Pennsylvania with help from Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects PC.

Designed by Bernardon Haber Holloway, Providence Town Center, located at the intersections of Routes 29 & 422 in Collegeville, PA, will create an environment that integrates the upscale lifestyle of Philadelphia’s western suburbs and the influence of the ambiance of Collegeville. Appealing more to the affluent shopper, this new 550,000+ square foot lifestyle center will offer a variety of shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities to the Upper Providence Township community.

The intention of owner is to create a retail environment that had an urban feel much like the early Philadelphia suburbs along the main line. Our challenge was to design an understated yet sophisticated lifestyle center with an emphasis on small-town style architecture and streetscapes. The mixed uses along with the attention to detail will create a retail experience that will remain interesting visit after visit.

In order to facilitate a sense of intimacy and place, special attention was paid to lighting and the design of hardscapes. Both natural and modern materials were integrated to provide a diverse array of interests and aesthetics thus inviting the visitor to shop and stay. The center reinforces this concept through architectural forms such as buildings with rounded and flat arches with each “block” of Main Street comprised of a series of ten or more distinct building facades of varying heights. The storefronts will be reminiscent of traditional downtowns with rich brick detailing and varied cast stone coursing. Other visual elements include pedestrian scale lighting to supplement the street lighting and trees to separate vehicle and pedestrian zones. At the center of town on “ Main Street”, four tall towers each 2 ½ stories high with dome tops and lighted windows scaling the tower will be positioned on all corners creating architectural landmarks.

Street intersections will be marked by roundabouts and provide opportunities for visual interest elements such as sculptures or fountains. Ample sidewalks and street-side parking will encourage visitors to park their cars and walk from one shop to the next.

Bernardon Haber Holloway Team Member Becomes a LEED-Accredited Professional

January 2006 - Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects PC proudly announces that Melanie Smart has recently completed the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Examination and is a LEED-Accredited Professional in accordance with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

As LEED-Accredited, she has demonstrated her knowledge of integrated design and her capacity to facilitate the LEED certification process. Her expertise will be beneficial in supporting the firm’s mission of advocating environmentally responsible design concepts by recommending materials and building systems that reflect a commitment to sustainability and the use of environmentally conscious materials that are local, sustainable, recycled, recyclable, or renewable. There are currently three LEED-Accredited Professionals on the Bernardon Haber Holloway Team.