July 2026 - Warfelcc

Month: July 2026

Building Careers, One Summer at a Time

Posted on by marketing-admin@warfelcc.com

Each summer, Warfel welcomes a new group of interns to the team. For many students, an internship is the first opportunity to turn classroom knowledge into real-world experience. At Warfel, that experience is designed to be more than a summer of observation. Interns are trusted with meaningful work and encouraged to ask questions. They are also given opportunities to build relationships that shape their future careers.

For nearly 20 years, Warfel’s internship program has continued to evolve. It has become an experience where students build confidence in their future careers. With a summer intended to keep them busy, interns can expect hands-on responsibility and mentorship. They also experience value instilled in community service, an emphasis on team building, and a final intern project. Together, these opportunities provide a well-rounded look at what it means to be a team member at Warfel Construction.

This summer, Warfel is proud to recognize 11 interns who are spending their time learning alongside project teams, mentors, and employees across the company. In honor of National Intern Day, we are celebrating the role interns play at Warfel. We are also recognizing the experiences that help prepare them for what comes next.

This summer’s intern class includes:

  • Alyssa Murray – Marketing Intern | Penn State University
  • Gabby Barbosa – Project Management Intern | Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
  • Jayden Watts – Project Management Intern | Millersville University
  • Paddy McCarthy – Project Management Intern | Virginia Tech
  • Mason Pensabene – Project Management Intern | Penn State University
  • Zach Koptyra – Project Management Intern | Penn State University
  • Mick Cox – Project Management Intern | Penn State University
  • Connor Gentile – Project Management Intern | Penn College of Technology
  • Keegan Robinson – Project Management Intern | Penn State University
  • Ryan McNamee – Project Management Intern | Penn College of Technology
  • Liam Cheek – Project Management Intern | Penn State University

Learning Through Real-World Experience

From the start of the summer, they are encouraged to be active participants in the projects and departments they support. This helps interns begin to understand the industry’s pace. It also shows the importance of communication and the coordination required to move a project forward.

For interns working alongside project teams, learning often happens through everyday involvement. They may spend time walking jobsites, sitting in on project conversations, assisting with documentation, or helping track items that impact the progress of a project. These opportunities give interns a closer look at how decisions are made and how many people contribute to a successful outcome.  

“Working on observations and punch list items made me feel like part of the team,” Jayden Watts said. “Being trusted with those responsibilities allowed me to contribute to the project’s progress while working alongside the field team.” 

Ryan McNamee, who is completing his second summer with Warfel, has seen this responsibility grow over time.

“One thing I appreciate about the Warfel internship is how included I have felt in the team over the past two summers,” McNamee said. “Starting from the first day getting small tasks, to being a part of bigger discussions towards the end of the internship.” 

Seeing the Bigger Picture of Construction

Construction is often associated with the work happening on a jobsite, but every successful project begins long before work starts in the field. Through exposure to different areas of the company, interns gain a broader understanding of the planning, coordination, communication, and problem-solving that help shape each project from the earliest stages. 

Through project-based rotations, interns have the opportunity to see different sides of the construction process. They gain exposure to project management, preconstruction, VDC, field operations, quality control, and safety along the way. Rather than seeing these areas as separate pieces, interns begin to understand how connected they are.

“What surprised me most was how many different pieces have to come together to make a project work,” Mason Pensabene said. “…and also seeing how much goes into preconstruction before even setting foot on the site.”

The program also shows that there are many different career paths within the construction industry. In addition to project-based internships, Warfel offers opportunities in areas such as marketing. In this role, interns focus on the communication and storytelling side of the business. This helps bring attention to the people, projects, and culture behind Warfel. It also supports the relationships and pursuits that help move the company forward.

“My first two weeks felt like a constant stream of opportunities,” Barbosa said. “I got to be hands-on with everything, whether that was helping in the field or in the office. My experience was never a ‘sit and observe.’ It’s whatever I made it to be.”

Together, these experiences help interns begin to see where their interests and strengths may fit. They also offer a clearer picture of the many opportunities available across the construction industry.

Building Relationships and Confidence

While technical learning is a major part of the summer, relationships are just as important. Each intern is paired with a mentor who meets with them weekly to talk through their experience, answer questions, and provide any guidance needed. These check-ins give interns a chance to reflect on what they are learning and lead conversations about their own growth. 

The program also includes performance reviews and feedback forms throughout the summer, helping ensure interns feel supported and have opportunities to share how their experience is going.

“One thing I’ve appreciated most about my Warfel internship experience is the opportunity to communicate and work with the guys on site,” Watts said. “Building those relationships and learning from their knowledge and experience has been one of the most valuable parts of my internship.” 

Interns also have opportunities to build relationships beyond their daily responsibilities. This summer, interns spent a day together at Hersheypark, participated in team activities, did a volunteer day, and had opportunities to connect with employees across the company.They also had the chance to sit down with President Conlan Swope, who began his own Warfel career as an intern.

Bringing the Summer Internship Together

At the end of the summer, each intern presents an individual project. Each project focuses on a topic that has the potential to benefit the company. Interns spend the summer researching their topic, developing their ideas, and preparing to share what they have learned. While all team members are welcome to attend the final presentations, interns primarily present their work to specific groups. These include peers, mentors, project teams, and members of Warfel’s senior leadership team.

The project gives interns a chance to build confidence in public speaking, professional communication, organization, and problem-solving. It also allows them to apply what they have learned throughout the summer and share their own perspective with the company.

Preparing for beyond the internship 

At Warfel, much of the internship experience is shaped by learning alongside others and contributing to the work underway. As interns take on new responsibilities, explore different areas of the company, and build relationships with mentors and team members, they gain a broader understanding of the construction industry and begin to see where their own interests may lead. 

National Intern Day offers an opportunity to recognize the contributions of this year’s interns. It also recognizes the perspective they bring to the teams around them. Their curiosity, thoughtful questions, and willingness to take on new challenges contribute to the work they support. These qualities also encourage learning across the company.

Every internship represents more than a summer experience. It represents an investment in the future of our industry. We’re grateful for the curiosity, dedication, and fresh perspectives this year’s interns have brought to Warfel. We look forward to seeing where their careers take them.

Happy Retirement, Garry Gross!

Posted on by marketing-admin@warfelcc.com

Celebrating Garry Gross: Honoring 44 Years in Construction and a Well-Earned Retirement

After more than four decades in the construction industry, Construction Supervisor Garry Gross is officially hanging up his hard hat. As Garry prepares to retire on July 31, Warfel Construction Company is proud to celebrate his remarkable career and thank him for the leadership, dedication, and experience he has shared over the past five and a half years.

Although Garry joined Warfel in 2021, his construction career spans an impressive 44 years. He began as a laborer before advancing through the trades as an apprentice carpenter, journeyman carpenter, foreman, and ultimately construction supervisor — a role he has held for the last 30 years.

A Career Built on Experience

Reflecting on his time at Warfel, one experience stands out above the rest. Garry recalls completing an Acadia Geisinger Behavioral Health Hospital and then having the opportunity to construct a mirror-image version of the same facility alongside many of the same teammates.

“It’s not often you get the chance to build the same project twice with nearly the same construction team,” Garry shared. “That was a unique experience.”

While projects come and go, Garry says his greatest accomplishment has simply been finishing his career with the Warfel team.

“Being part of Warfel Construction Company for the last five-plus years to finish my career is something I’m especially proud of,” he said.

Looking Ahead to Retirement

When asked what he’ll miss most, Garry’s answer was immediate: the people.

“The great people I have worked with in the short time I was here.”

As retirement begins, Garry is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, traveling, and camping at some of their favorite destinations. Most of all, he’s excited for the flexibility to enjoy life on their own schedule.

“We’ll be able to do whatever we want, whenever we want,” he said. “If we want to head out camping during the week, we can just go.”

A Message for the Warfel Team

Before stepping into this next chapter, Garry shared one final piece of advice with his coworkers, one that reflects both Warfel’s culture and his own approach to life.

“I encourage everyone to not only live by Warfel’s core values at work, but to carry them into your daily lives at home as well,” Garry said. “I also try to approach every task by asking, ‘What if?’ Working safely every day is important so that we all make it to the finish line and can continue enjoying life long after our working careers are over.”

Garry’s commitment to safety, teamwork, and living out Warfel’s core values has left a lasting impact on those who have worked alongside him.

Congratulations, Garry, on an incredible career and a well-deserved retirement. Thank you for your years of service, and best wishes as you begin this exciting new chapter. We hope it is filled with many camping trips, new adventures, and plenty of time with family.

How to Build on an Occupied Senior Living Campus

Posted on by marketing-admin@warfelcc.com

How Do You Expand a Senior Living Community Without Interrupting Daily Life?

Construction on an active senior living campus is about more than building new spaces. It is about understanding the people who already call that campus home.

At LifeSpire of Virginia’s The Summit in Lynchburg, VA, several projects are underway across the campus, as part of Warfel’s ongoing work in senior living construction, including a new Memory Support Building, Blue Ridge Commons, Hybrid Homes, and related site improvements. Each supports the community in a different way, from expanding memory care services to creating new spaces for dining, wellness, and resident connection.

While the campus continues to grow, residents, staff, families, and visitors continue their daily routines.

That creates a unique challenge for the project team: How do you keep construction moving while helping daily life continue as smoothly and safely as possible?

The answer comes down to thoughtful planning, clear communication, careful logistics, and a shared understanding that every construction decision affects real people.

Planning the Work in Phases

Before work began, the project team partnered closely with LifeSpire to understand how the campus operates and how each phase of construction would support the community’s long-term vision.

Early planning focused on how the different buildings connected to one another, both physically and operationally. Blue Ridge Commons, the new amenities building, is designed to become a central gathering place for dining, fitness, and resident connection while complementing the campus’s recent cottage expansion and Hybrid Homes.

At the same time, the Memory Support Building became an early priority because of the growing need for specialized memory care services. The new building will allow LifeSpire to better serve residents while expanding an important offering for the community.

Like any occupied campus project, the plan has continued to evolve as work progresses. Construction sequencing has been adjusted to align with operational priorities, and the team is planning for a gradual occupancy of the Hybrid Homes rather than having many residents move in at once.

That flexibility is essential on an occupied campus. A successful plan needs structure, but it also needs the ability to adapt as conditions change and client needs evolve.

Managing Campus Logistics

From the outside, this may appear to be one large construction project. In reality, it functions as several individual projects operating simultaneously within one active community.

Each building has its own schedule, challenges, turnover date, and coordination requirements. Add in occupied cottages, ongoing sitework, active facilities, and daily campus operations, and the work becomes a constant exercise in planning.

Senior Superintendent Jason Noll describes it as “a very logistical chess game.”

One of the biggest challenges is the project’s location in the heart of campus. Both Blue Ridge Commons and the Memory Support Building connect to existing facilities and require renovation. Temporary parking impacts have even led LifeSpire to implement valet service for residents while nearby parking areas remain under construction.

The team is also working directly beside, behind, and between occupied cottages. A one-way roadway runs through the campus, requiring deliveries to be carefully coordinated each day. Larger trucks must enter, navigate the campus safely, turn around, and exit using the same route.

Work hours are also planned around campus operations. Construction activities generally occur between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., with deliveries scheduled between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. When utility shutdowns are necessary, the team seeks opportunities to perform them during off-hours to minimize disruption. Billy Delacruz shared one example of the team staying late to complete a gas shutdown so the campus kitchen could continue operating during its normal schedule.

Many of these efforts happen behind the scenes, but they make a meaningful difference for the people who use the campus every day.

Communicating with Staff

On an occupied senior living campus, communication is just as important as the construction itself.

The Warfel team stays in close contact with LifeSpire’s facilities staff through near-daily phone calls, text messages, and emails. Early in the project, multiple Warfel team members shared their contact information so staff would always know who to reach if questions or concerns arose.

Another key communication tool is the Construction Impact Alert (CIA). These customized notices outline upcoming activities that may affect the campus, including the dates, impacted areas, and what residents, staff, and visitors can expect. LifeSpire prefers receiving these notices at least one week in advance, allowing staff time to communicate changes throughout the community.

To date, the team has issued more than 30 Construction Impact Alerts. Some have covered major activities, such as crane deliveries or road closures. Others have addressed work inside occupied buildings, including installing temporary dust partitions.

The goal isn’t simply to notify people that something is changing. It’s to help residents, staff, and visitors feel informed and prepared before construction activities begin.

As fencing, walkways, and access routes change, updated site logistics plans are shared with LifeSpire in advance. Clear wayfinding signage also helps residents and visitors confidently navigate temporary route changes throughout the campus.

Protecting the Resident Experience

Every decision starts with one question:

How will this affect the people already living here?

Jason explained that the team approaches every decision by thinking about the residents as if they were their own parents or grandparents.

That perspective changes everything.

Backup alarms. Construction noise. Deliveries. Temporary route changes. These aren’t simply jobsite conditions; they’re part of someone’s everyday life.

Safety always remains the top priority, but the team also considers how every activity affects the overall campus experience. Keeping roads clean, maintaining an organized jobsite, coordinating around resident activities, and planning noisy work in advance all help reduce unnecessary disruption.

The human side of the project became especially clear during a recent hard hat tour. Residents had been watching monthly construction update videos featuring Jason, and when they arrived for the tour, several recognized him immediately. They stopped to tell him they appreciated the updates and enjoyed following the project’s progress.

For Jason, that moment stood out.

It was a reminder that construction wasn’t simply happening around the residents—they were part of the journey.

When residents see familiar faces, receive clear communication, and understand what’s happening around them, construction becomes less disruptive and more connected to the future of their community.

Building with Daily Life in Mind

Expanding an active senior living community requires more than quality construction. It requires patience, flexibility, thoughtful planning, and a commitment to the people who already call that community home.

At The Summit, every delivery, utility shutdown, pathway adjustment, and schedule change is carefully planned to keep the campus operating while preparing it for the future.

That’s what makes construction on an occupied senior living campus different.

Success isn’t measured only by the buildings that are completed. It’s also measured by the trust that’s built along the way.

Seeing the Future Before it’s Built with VDC

Posted on by marketing-admin@warfelcc.com

Seeing the Future Before It’s Built: How VDC Helped Bring Tel Hai’s Vision to Life

Helping People See What Comes Next

When clients look at construction drawings, they can often understand the design, but it can be harder to picture how the finished space will feel. For organizations making a significant investment, helping residents, employees, donors, and stakeholders visualize that future is an important part of building understanding and excitement. Warfel’s Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) team supports clients by helping turn project information into something people can see, understand, and connect with. That support became especially meaningful as Tel Hai, a senior living community in Honey Brook, Pennsylvania, prepared for the Ground Blessing of its new Health Center and wanted to help residents and stakeholders connect with the vision and better understand what was ahead.

Understanding Tel Hai’s Need

Tel Hai had been planning its future Health Center for years. As the project moved forward, the community needed more than drawings and descriptions to share that longstanding vision with the people it would serve. Tel Hai wanted residents and families to be able to see how the completed building could look and feel, even while the site was still in the early stages of construction.

Warfel’s VDC team developed detailed renderings and animations that translated the project information into spaces people could recognize and understand. These visuals gave Tel Hai a helpful resource for conversations with residents, team members, families, care partners, and other stakeholders. Rather than asking viewers to interpret technical documents, Tel Hai could offer a realistic preview of the environment being created for future care, connection, and daily life.

Bringing the Future Health Center to Life with VDC

To help Tel Hai share that vision in a meaningful way, Nathanael Tran, VDC Coordination Specialist, turned the project’s drawings and finish selections into detailed renderings and animations. By incorporating flooring, paint colors, lighting, signage, door hardware, interior décor, and other familiar details, the visuals helped the future Health Center feel less like an idea on paper and more like a place residents and families could begin to picture.

Nathanael also used character mapping to thoughtfully place people throughout the renderings, including residents using wheelchairs, family members, caregivers, and visitors. These details helped bring warmth and familiarity to the visuals, keeping the focus where it belonged: on the people who will use the space and the moments it is being designed to support.

Sharing the Vision

In June, Tel Hai marked an important project milestone with a Ground Blessing for the future Health Center. Residents, team members, care partners, and project partners gathered to reflect on the meaning behind the project and the people it will serve. Attendees also shared their hopes through stones that will later be incorporated into the landscaping, creating a lasting connection between the community and the place taking shape.

The renderings and animations added another meaningful layer to that experience. While attendees could see the early construction work on site, the visuals helped them look beyond the current conditions and picture the completed Health Center. They could see the character of the future rooms, the details that would make the building feel residential, and the ways the environment would support residents, families, and caregivers.

That shared visual reference made the project easier to discuss. Instead of relying only on written descriptions, Tel Hai had a tool that could support questions, explain design decisions, and keep people connected to the purpose behind the work. The result was not simply a preview of a building. It was a clearer way to communicate what the future Health Center would mean for the community.

Why VDC Matters for Clients

The value of these visualizations extends beyond presentation. Renderings and animations can help clients communicate complex design information in a format that is easier for a wide audience to understand. They can also support conversations about colors, flooring, lighting, fixtures, door hardware, and other details before those elements are installed. Seeing the selections together within the space helps clients understand how individual decisions contribute to the overall environment and ask more informed questions.

Nick Slobozien, Warfel’s Senior Project Manager for the project, explained the outcome: “The renderings and animations gave everyone a much better understanding of what the new Health Center will look and feel like before construction even started. For residents, families, and other stakeholders, it helped bridge the gap between the drawings and the finished project. Having that visual representation made it easier to communicate the vision, answer questions, and build excitement for what’s ahead.”

For Tel Hai, VDC created a common point of reference for people with different levels of construction knowledge. Residents could focus on how the space might feel. Team members and project partners could discuss specific design details. Stakeholders could better understand the long-term vision behind the investment. The technology supported those conversations, but the value came from helping people see, understand, and connect with the same future.

Bringing the Vision Into Focus

As the new Health Center moves forward, Tel Hai’s residents and families can begin imagining the experiences that will take place within the finished space. The renderings and animations bring that future into focus before construction is complete, helping strengthen the connection between the project’s vision and the people it is designed to serve.

Warfel’s VDC team helped Tel Hai communicate not only what the Health Center will look like, but why it matters. By making the future space easier to understand and more personal, the visuals helped the community connect with what is being built and feel part of what comes next.