This expansion to the DV Friends campus significantly transformed the school’s entrance and improved its overall functionality, creating a more welcoming and efficient space for students, staff, and visitors. This project introduced key updates, including new front and rear entry vestibules, exterior ramps, and canopies that redefine the school’s main entrance. These upgrades not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of the campus but also provide improved accessibility. Additionally, our team constructed a new two-story, 8,130-square-foot building, providing additional classrooms and expanded administrative space, allowing the school to meet the growing needs of its community. We completed approximately 1,975 SF of interior renovations focusing on the areas where the new addition seamlessly connects to the existing structure.
A standout feature of the project was relocating the school’s entryway to the point where DV Friends’ two buildings meet, creating a central reception area that all visitors will pass through—whether entering from the front or rear. This new design centralizes the building’s entry points and makes the school fully accessible for the first time in its history.
Construction began in April 2024, and our team leveraged extensive experience working in active school environments to ensure the safety of students and staff. We prioritized planning and careful coordination to minimize disruptions to the school’s daily activities. This included aligning our work with the school’s academic calendar, summer camps, and sporting events to ensure smooth operations throughout the project.
One of the challenges we successfully overcame was the tight timeline for completing renovations before students returned. Specifically, we had to complete the building and ramp connections in the existing hallway, along with essential MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) work, all within a three-month summer window. Despite this compressed schedule, our team delivered the project on time, meeting the school’s needs and expectations.
The Knowledge Park Redevelopment project revitalized the historic 200-year-old Schmidt & Ault Paper Co., transforming the site into a dynamic business and innovation hub. This redevelopment created modern fit-out spaces for local businesses and fostered a unique blend of classroom-based education with real-world learning experiences. The project benefits both York College students and faculty by enhancing the educational environment and offering a range of Project-Based Learning opportunities. These opportunities span disciplines such as engineering, computer science, and liberal arts, all across three floors.
The Knowledge Park Redevelopment has made a significant impact on the local community. The 40-acre property now connects York College with the surrounding area, providing new spaces for commercial tenants and strengthening the bond between the campus and the community. This innovative hub cultivates an entrepreneurial ecosystem that will benefit the region for years to come.
The building’s architectural design honors its industrial roots while blending modernity with heritage. A sleek new glass storefront and facade modernize the front of the building, creating an inviting and contemporary entrance for the hub. Construction on the Knowledge Park Redevelopment began in May 2022 and finished in November 2024, marking a major milestone in transforming Knowledge Park into a cutting-edge educational and business center.
Over six months, the IHM Center for Innovation and Creativity at Bishop Shanahan High School was involved in transforming the existing Media Center, Computer Resource Lab, and part of the academic wing. The newly created spaces, featuring 12,400 sq ft of cutting-edge technology labs, modern presentation areas, and dynamic collaboration zones, are designed to enhance the school curriculum. These facilities will enable students to engage deeply with their studies and explore their passions in physics, engineering, mathematics, graphic design, robotics, and art.
Located on the edge of Masonic Village at Elizabethtown’s campus, the Whisk Cafe is in a restored commercial unit which the Warfel team converted into a unique, farm-to-table restaurant. Serving the Masonic Village and greater Elizabethtown Community, the renovated space features more natural light, new MEP systems, and commercial kitchen equipment. Extensive planning was required to keep the project on a tight schedule, and special care was taken to coordinate utilities with another contractor working on Masonic Village’s busy campus.
The renovation to the dining room and café included upgrades to the walls, flooring, and above-ceiling systems. Notable amenities and finishes include trellis and chandelier lighting, an electric fireplace, sound attenuation panels, a new storefront entryway with a pocket door, and a hearth pizza oven. New high-end kitchen equipment included in the complex kitchen package required detailed communication with the design team and owner to ensure timely selections to maintain the project schedule.
The Sycamore Springs West Cottages comprised 50 cottages and four community buildings spanning over 27 acres. Each cottage had multiple upgrade selections, including finish, additional attic storage, two optional kitchen layouts, fireplaces, a sunroom option, and multiple bathroom selections. The residents completed all cottage upgrade selections through Warfel’s Virtual Design Modeler software.
Warfel broke ground on this long-awaited cottage development in 2019. The new, 33-acre community includes 75 units in a mix of single and duplex cottages, grouped in 12 total sequences during construction. Resident selections for finishes and personalized upgrades were managed with Warfel’s proprietary Virtual Design Modeler and the Warfel operations team, which enabled residents to view and modify their options online. The new neighborhood also included a clubhouse with a fitness center, multipurpose space, lounge, heated swimming pool, and an outdoor grilling area.
This expansion to Barclay Friend’s campus includes 60 resident rooms, country kitchens, and common spaces on the first and second floors, along with a dedicated single-story memory support wing. The below-grade ground floor includes the administrative suite, staff breakroom, bathrooms, a conference room (which can also be used for private dining settings), a salon, and a fitness room. This multi-floor addition is connected to the existing facility with two new corridors straddling the existing mechanical room, requiring utility tie-ins for multiple systems.
This project involved renovating the existing café to modernize the aesthetics and amenities for residents. The new space features a larger seating area, beautiful finishes, more natural light, and expanded views of the arboretum surrounding the Kendal at Longwood campus. This fast-casual marketplace allows residents to enjoy a variety of meal options while providing a space where comfort, connection, and community can flourish.
Completed by our Construction Services team, notable features to the facade upgrades include the Knotwood aluminum plank siding and pergolas, new aluminum storefront doors and windows, and a vaulted Porte cochere. A 25-foot dome with painted windows and a stone-clad chimney completes the roof design. The project began with the selective demolition of the existing carport, storefront, and sidewalks performed and repoured by the Warfel Special Projects team.