NEWS.
Latest & Greatest.
Whether it's a new project, construction industry updates, an employee teaming event or an opportunity to celebrate the best in our community - there's always something to talk about at McDonald Building Company.
Batman the Drone is back at it again - NewCourtland Clearfield Apartments
Batman dusted off his drone wings to come back to the skies to give us one great progress shot for Flyby Friday at the NewCourtland Clearfield Apartments in the Allegheny West neighborhood in Philadelphia! The team onsite wrapped up 2nd floor precast plank install in March with the 3rd floor plank finishing up as we speak (or write, you know what we mean…). The 48-unit affordable senior housing community is quickly rising in the Philly skies and on track for completion this Fall. We can’t wait to share even more progress to come in the next few months – and even more excited for Batman to be back in action grabbing epic shots of these fantastic sites! #buildingontrust #mbcbuilds #flybyfriday #newcourtland #alleghenywestfoundation #batmanthedrone #batmanisbackbaby #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #senioraffordablehousing #eyesintheskies
NewCourtland , CBP Architects, Allegheny West Foundation, Unique Metal Concepts, Jemco, Stone Sherick Consulting Group, LLC.
MBC Project Team: Iliana Limon, Matthew Kreft, BETH CICHONSKI, Ed Swank, Beth Giorla
Batman Pilot Extraordinaire: Andrew Lojewski
Groundbreaking work over at Beaumont at Bryn Mawr Health and Wellness Center!
McDonald Building Company proudly attended the official (!) groundbreaking of the Beaumont at Bryn Mawr Health and Wellness Center! This 29,000-square-foot renovation will offer essential and meaningful enhancements to the Wellness Center and Health Center. Renovations will include refreshed finishes, modernized bathrooms, integrated technology, and upgraded HVAC systems that align with the latest DOH standards – all while ensuring daily operations continue to run smoothly for the residents and staff.
MBC was honored to be on site for this exciting milestone! A thundering round of applause and congrats to Joseph J Peduzzi, President & CEO and Adam Day, COO of Beaumont at Bryn Mawr, and the entire project team that was able to attend. The groundbreaking ceremony was also an excellent chance for the whole team to thank the board, residents, Owner’s Representative - Becker & Frondorf, and amazing architect - Core States for their dedication to the project and to see the possibility of what lies ahead. Even Batman the Drone made an appearance from the sky to grab a quick picture of the excitement below!
With the site now mobilized and construction beginning shortly, MBC looks forward to enhancing the everyday experience for residents through thoughtful and quality-driven spaces. Cheers to this exciting step ahead – it’s truly, well…groundbreaking! #buildingontrust #mbcbuilds #groundbreaking #seniorliving #newproject
Beaumont At Bryn Mawr Retirement Community, Becker & Frondorf, Core States Group
MBC Project Team: Andrew McDonald, Michael Mohr, Angelica Kreider, Renee Ellick, BETH GIORLA, Paul McDonald, Tom McDonald, Brad Springer, Danielle Terpoilli, Laura Clevenger, Andrew Lojewski
MBC has Beary Exciting News at The Philadelphia Zoo!
SPRING HAS SPRUNG…AND WE’RE COMING OUT OF HIBERNATION!
As the seasons change and the world wakes up, McDonald Building Company is stretching out and shaking off the winter snooze with an exciting new project at the Philadelphia Zoo (drumroll please) the complete transformation of Bear Country! This $20M renovation is no small feat! MBC is ready to roll but this project will take time, patience, and careful planning to create a state-of-the-art habitat designed to help the Philly Zoo’s Andean bears and sloth bears feel truly at home. More space means more room to roam, climb, and explore.
The upgrades include an enrichment-focused design, foraging & hunting zones, seasonal adaptability, and interactive guest experiences. Bear Country incorporates custom climbing structures, rockwork, and water features to encourage the bears’ natural behaviors, as well as elements that will simulate hunting and scavenging experiences, keeping the bears mentally and physically active. Visitors will get up-close insights into these incredible species with new educational features highlighting conservation efforts and wildlife preservation.
But Acclimating Takes Time… just like bears easing out of hibernation, settling into a new home doesn’t happen overnight. Andean and sloth bears are naturally cautious explorers, and we’re giving them the space and time they need to feel comfortable, safe, and at home in their brand-new habitat. That’s why our gradual acclimation process ensures their environment feels natural and familiar from the start. Every tree, rock, and pathway is designed to make the transition smooth and stress-free because even the coziest dens take time to feel like home! This transformation isn’t just about upgrading a habitat but ensuring the highest standards of animal care, conservation, and education as set by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). Giving all Philly Zoo guests a deeper understanding of these amazing species and how we can help them in the wild, while MBC will wrap up work in late 2025, our koal-ity residents will need some extra time to get used to their just-right habitat.
Bear With Us…big changes are coming! We couldn’t do this without the incredible partnership with Philadelphia Zoo – their support for our team is un-bear-lievable! We also want to thank PGAV Architects for their design: they handled designing the "bear" necessities and beyond to make Bear Country all that it is. With completion set for December 2025, we can’t wait to share more beary exciting updates as we continue to build on trust and bring Bear Country to life! #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #buildingontrust #phillyzoo #bearcountry #springhassprung #comingoutofhibernation #bearyexciting #aza #conservationmatters #bearwithus #denreno #bearbnb
Philadelphia Zoo PGAV Architects Dan Bosin Associates Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Christy Recreation Center in West Philadelphia awards MBC as GC!
McDonald Building Company is honored to be the general contractor for the Christy Recreation Center enhancements and renovations, the space has been a long-standing cornerstone staple to the West Philly Community. MBC is eager to watch the progress for the 40,000 square-foot renovation project that will refresh and enhance this beloved gathering place while preserving all the memories and history housed within these walls. We want to offer a huge thank you to Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA & PHDC) for their investment back into the community and to SMP Architects for their artistic vision for shaping the future of Christy Rec Center that will be enjoyed for many years to come. Once finished the project will bring a new spray ground to cool off in the summer, upgraded playgrounds, resurfaced basketball courts, a multi-use striped court, outdoor fitness stations, and expanded seating areas. Keeping it cool just in time for summer…We’re also making important ADA-compliant upgrades to help keep Christy Rec accessible and continue being a welcoming place for all.
We broke ground in November and are making steady progress towards completion slated in late spring 2025. Big shoutout to our MBC project team for ALL their dedication to bringing this vision to life. West Philly, this space has been part of your stories for years, and we are thrilled to be part of its next chapter together! #mbcbuilds #buildingontrust #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #awardannouncement #workinprogress #westphilly #christyreccenter #philly #renovations
MBC PROJECT TEAM: James Cameron, CHC Robert Whartnaby Jack Kenney Justin Lausch Regina Ennis BETH GIORLA
Eagles Pride and Slab-on-Grade at NewCourtland Clearfield Apartments
Well, look at that! That's how you pour in style! A smooth concrete pour this week at Clearfield Apartments to complete the slab-on-grade and look who showed up to help... an Eagles-themed concrete truck bringing that big championship energy to the job site! Shout out to Clearwater Concrete for laying the solid foundation for success and big thanks to our crew for keeping things rolling…onto the structure! #progress #mbcbuilds #slabongrade #concretepour #clearfieldapartments #collaboration #gobirds
Madison West Elm final photos are HERE!
February is often considered the month of love, and we can’t help but spread the love when we look at these incredible FINAL photos of Madison West Elm over in Conshohocken. MBC couldn’t be prouder to see this project come to completion from foundation to finishing touches and looking identical to the rendering that JDavis presented back in the pre-con phase – it’s truly a full circle moment. Seeing the 443,228-square-foot, 13-story residential development taking its place in the Conshy skyline is an immense accomplishment. Located just along the Schuylkill River, this luxury building brings 348 upscale apartment units and top tier amenities for residents. We could go on and on about the resort-style elevated pool deck, rooftop lounge with a perfect view, and the modern state-of-the-art fitness center inside, but we’re capped on only so many characters for these posts! Blending modern urban living with Conshy’s distinct unique charm – Madison West Elm shines with the stunning exterior finishes adding this polished product to MBC’s final portfolio of work.
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McDonald Building Company is incredibly proud of the achievements this great build brought forth and humbled continually by the hard work and dedication to the team that made it possible. Thank you to Equus Capital Partners and Affinius Capital for your trust in us to bring this vision to life. And thank you to JDavis/O-N/AEI for your precision and craftfully creative designs that delivered a perfect product for residents to enjoy for years to come that is just simply beyond words. A testament to the power of collaboration, we could not have done this without our MBC team onsite. The Madison West Elm project elevated Conshy to new heights – literally! For more final photos, check out the project link here.
Welcome to the MBC family, Madison West Elm – we’re proud to have you here! #buildingontrust #madisonwestelm #mbcbuilds #mbcpartners #welcometothembcfamily
MBC Team: Iliana Limon, Jeff Graef, Ali Perkey, CHC, Kelly Giuliani (McGettigan), Jack Kenney, Jared Applegate, Harry McCook, Regina Ennis, Brad Springer, Danielle Terpoilli, Dylan Robertson, Matthew Coleman
MBC is making big progress over at The Hill at Whitemarsh - Hawk Ridge Villas!
Progress, Progress, Progress! As we wrap up January coming to a close, MBC is far from slowing down over in Lafayette Hill. The team onsite is hitting a major kudos marker of 25% complete (!) for our Hawk Ridge Villas build at The Hill at Whitemarsh. Steel is up in between the foundation walls, slab-on-deck this week, and wall panels are anticipated early February. When completed, this two-story customized senior residences will expand the campus by 20,000 square feet with lots of luxury amenities to boot. We could go on and on about what’s yet to come for this build but right now we tip our hard hats to our team onsite who has made this possible – Andrew, Chris, Renee, Danielle, Brad and Beth. Big thank you for our valuable partnership with The Hill at Whitemarsh having MBC as their trusted CM onsite and thanks to our friends at Barton Partners for their architectural design expertise. Construction is still trucking along with our anticipated completion by end of Summer 2025 and we will share more progress to come. hashtag#mbcbuilds hashtag#buildingontrust hashtag#mcdonaldbuildingcompany hashtag#progress hashtag#thehillatwhitemarsh hashtag#bartonpartners hashtag#seniorliving
The Hill at Whitemarsh Careers BartonPartners Architects Planners, Inc.
MBC team: Andrew McDonald Renee Ellick BETH CICHONSKI Danielle Terpoilli Brad Springer
MBC is tickled pink working with the Philadelphia Zoo for their Flamingo Habitat Upgrade!
The temperatures may be cooling down in Philly, but MBC is just heating up with several great projects on the horizon, especially with our new work at the Philadelphia Zoo. McDonald Building Company is proud to be working on a few major projects, including renovations to the existing aviary and upgrade to the Flamingo Habitat for our feathered flamboyance friends. The existing free-flight aviary has long provided guests with the joy of flocking to the Zoo to see this unique pink pack. Now, we’re good to flamin-GO with boots on the ground for the 17,996 square foot renovation expected to finish around the New Year. Thanks to the brilliant work of Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets, Inc. (PGAV Architects), guests will get to experience the habitat like never before with an all-glass enclosed space featuring walk-through paths for a chance to see these Phoenicopterus (say that, five times fast!) up close! The new habitat plans to expand the footprint of the flamingo wading pool and nesting area. Once construction is complete, the Flamingos will greatly benefit from the space by keeping them safe year-round from the highly contagious Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The habitat will also provide educational feeding experiences for guests through the Philly Zoo’s participation in the Flamingo Species Survival Plan (SSP). This program, established by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, ensures the long-term survival of these fabulous flamingos through successful breeding – the winged residents will be simply tickled pink.
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Our newly formed partnership with the Philadelphia Zoo is invaluable and the start of a beautiful fur-iendship. 👷 🤝 👷♀️ We have lots of exciting updates including renovations to the South End of the zoo...we can’t wait to share what more we have in store – we’re so excited we’re standing on one leg. 🦩 😅 🦩 #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #buildingontrust #mbcbuilds #philadelphiazoo #phillyzoo #flamingos #pgav #zoolife #letsflaminGO #aza #projectannouncement
MBC Team Special Shout Out: Jeff Graef Ali Perkey, CHC Dylan Robertson Sam Cellucci John Weiland Regina Ennis
Groundbreaking for NewCourtland’s Clearfield Apartments marks the start of an incredible project to come!
We're now full speed ahead to begin building at NewCourtland 's Clearfield Apartments in the Allegheny West neighborhood of Philadelphia. This 48-unit new construction affordable housing community for seniors will energize the area and provide several supportive care services, including onsite healthcare offerings to its residents. MBC is proud to serve as the building partner once again for NewCourtland after the successful completion of St. Barts Phase II earlier this year - a 90-unit senior housing community in Northeast Philadelphia. Let's get going! Congrats to NewCourtland and all the building partners involved including Allegheny West Foundation , CBP Architects and MBC project team members Erick Tripp Ed Swank Iliana Limon Regina Ennis Matthew Kreft on a successful groundbreaking ceremony on Friday! Clearfield Apartments expects to open in Fall 2025; stay tuned for progress updates.#buildingontrust #newcourtland #newproject
Suffolk Avenue Warehouse Project is now fully turned over to Holt Logistics Corp - check out the finished results!
The Suffolk Avenue Warehouse Project has officially been turned over to Holt Logistics Corp. and we are proud of the finished result. About 50k square feet was added to the already existing 100k+ square foot warehouse to make ample space to store and transport cocoa beans. It was a pleasure partnering with Holt Logistics on this project as well as PJA Architects. Congratulations to our MBC team - Sam Cellucci Erick Tripp John Weiland on a job well done. 👏 #mbcbuilds #buildingontrust #holtlogistics #pja_arch
In Preparation of Project HOME’s 35th Anniversary Gala, Let’s Check in on Kates Place!
🏗 Progress is moving along at historic Kates Place on Sansom Street in Philadelphia - this 144-unit, fully-furnished, permanent supportive housing project undergoing extensive renovations and upgrades. Our construction team is halfway through room renovations and window replacements and the brick repointing on the exterior is now complete. Mechanical equipment was recently picked up to the rooftop with ease thanks to Thackray Crane Rental, Inc. and our team is preparing for lobby finish upgrades in the coming weeks. We are proud of our longstanding relationship with Project HOME and are excited to build for them once again on such an impactful project for the homeless and affordable housing community in Center City.
We look forward to next week where MBC will be participating as one of the lead sponsors in Project HOME's 35th Anniversary Gala to honor the retirement of founders Joan McConnon and Sister Mary Scullion. 🏬
Congrats to our project team on the excellent progress being made at Kate's as we reach the halfway mark! 👏 👏 Team Photo left to right: Project Superintendent Ed Swank, Assistant Project Manager Ali Perkey, CHC, Project Manager James Cameron, CHC and Carpenter Justin Lausch. #buildingontrust #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #projecthomephl #thackraycranerental
Timelapse Tuesday at 400 West Elm - Conshohocken, PA!
🕛 TIMELAPSE TUESDAY!! 🕦 The spectacular Madison West Elm is now complete and we are beyond proud of how gorgeous this property has turned out! 😍 Today, on Timelapse Tuesday, we're celebrating the results of 2 years of progress as we watched Conshohocken gain a beautiful new high-rise for residents to call home. 🏗 Situated along the Schuylkill River with breathtaking views, Madison West Elm boasts 348 apartments and ultra-luxury amenities including a sport simulator, a speakeasy, a turf dog park & grooming center, a resort-style pool, an onsite Starbucks cafe, a 3-level parking garage for all, and MUCH MORE. Stay tuned for stellar photos of the interior and beyond. We are so grateful to have partnered with the notable Equus Capital Partners, Ltd. on this project as the developer and JDAVIS as the trendsetting design team...your partnership has been a pleasure throughout this project. Madison West Elm has no doubt elevated Conshohocken living and we are thrilled to have contributed to such a monumental beauty! #buildingontrust #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #madisonwestelm #equuspartners #jdavisarchitects
https://lnkd.in/eWJt4-Cb
Construction Begins at Collingswood Department of Public Works Building
MBC was delighted to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Borough of Collingswood Dept of Public Works on Wednesday. The new facility will be a two-story, 12,000+ square foot office building along with a nearly 10,000 square foot five-bay equipment garage. The new modern design and additional space will meet the growing storage and equipment needs of the Collingswood community. Construction is anticipated to be complete in about 18 months. We are proud to partner with architect Thriven Design and Remington & Vernick Engineers on this project. We wish our project team a very successful build as construction gets underway... Valerie Schell Kelly Giuliani (McGettigan) Renee Ellick @Chris Pili Jeff Graef
#buildingontrust #groundbreaking #newbuilds
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Pictured (left to right): Geno Schiavo (Thriven Design), Cassandra Duffey (Borough Administrator) Steve DiOrio (Director of Public Works), Mayor Jim Maley, Camden County Commissioner Al Dyer, Collingswood Commissioner Rob Lewandowski and Jeff Graef (McDonald Building Company)
Pictured (left to right): MBC Team - Renee Ellick (Project Engineer), Kelly Giuliani (Assistant Project Manager), and Jeff Graef (Senior Project Manager).
MRI Replacement at AtlantiCare Mainland Hospital Campus in Pomona
MBC recently completed this MRI suite upgrade including the replacement of a 10 ton MRI scanner at the AtlantiCare Mainland Hospital Campus in Pomona, NJ. Complete with modern finish upgrades, the coordination and move-in was a success thanks to Medical Equipment Contractors, Inc., Sautter Crane Rental, Inc. , and our excellent MBC team @chris pili Renee Ellick Andrew McDonald Valerie Schell who executed this work with precision and ease for our partners at The Carlin Collaborative and AtlantiCare. BEFORE AND AFTER...#buildingontrust #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #thecarlincollaborative #atlanticarenj #medicalequipmentcontractors #sauttercrane
Progress at Suffolk Avenue Warehouse Expansion Project
Progress is moving along at our Suffolk Avenue Warehouse Project near the Philadelphia Airport...the building envelope is now about 80% complete as the roof and exterior wall panels on 3 sides are now enclosed. The slab on grade concrete pours have begun and are running smooth thanks to the great work at Capital Concrete Inc. Shout out to our Superintendent Sam. I. Am. Mr. Sam Cellucci - our smooth operator out there keeping everyone in sync and on track. #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #mbcbuilds #buildingontrust #holtlogistics #capitalconcrete #samtheman
Check Out the Progress Being Made at the New Courtland Apartments at St.Barts
FLYBY FRIDAY ALERT! After last week's wonderland of snowfall ❄ ❄ ❄ , Batman flew over to the site at NewCourtland @ St. Barts Apartments Phase 2 in Northeast Philadelphia to check out the latest progress. The exterior metal panels are mostly complete and the first four floors are beginning flooring installs and paint finishes. Cabinets arrive next week along with appliances and spring will soon be upon us to complete the finishing touches. 📢 Shout out to The Gillespie Group, Inc. who recently completed pouring the underlayment gypsum concrete with top quality precision, it was a pleasure to partner with you. 🤝 St. Barts Apartments will soon add 48 one-bedroom apartments to offer for seniors along with convenient covered parking and supportive space. Keep up the great work team, the project looks beautiful in the snow! 👏 👏 #flybyfriday #buildingontrust #batmanthedrone #newcourtland #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #mbcbuilds #thegillespiegroup
Hotel AKA Alexandria Recognized by Interior Design Magazine!
📢 More excellent news for our Hotel AKA Alexandria AKA Hotels+Hotel Residences project...a congratulations is due to MBC's entire project team and our extended project partners, especially Lissoni & Partners for being announced as the 🥇 WINNER 🥇 by Interior Design Magazine 2023's Best of Year Awards in the Domestic Hotel Transformation category...what an incredible honor from a nationally-recognized publication, hats off to you Lissoni! Check out the award details and other finalists: https://lnkd.in/eedxE6gY
Before & After Photos of Hotel AKA Alexandria!
Before & after’s of Hotel AKA Alexandria
Who loves some "before and afters" when it comes to big renovations? We do! Check out these transformational images of the former Holiday Inn in Alexandria, Virginia that we revived into the polished and welcoming Hotel AKA Alexandria that shines now. 😍 📸 Photo Cred: Jeffrey Totaro #buildingontrust #mbcbuilds #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #stayaka #livekorman #hotelaka #pierolissoni #lissoniandpartners
Batman Makes His Way Over to 400 West Elm for Another FlyBy Friday
Join Batman as he flies over to Conshohocken, PA to check on the progress being made at 400 West Elm
Batman 🦇 was back up in the skies on this beautiful fall Friday at the 400 West Elm jobsite in Conshohocken, PA. 🏗 A boatload of activities are happening onsite as the front facade nears completion on the north side of the building; this should be complete in 1-2 more weeks. Paving is planned to begin next week at the south side parking garage and the landscaping touches are beginning...talk about curb appeal! But that's not all...amenity spaces are wrapping up - the pool, the speakeasy lounge, golf simulator, and courtyard just to name a few. So far, temporary Certificates of Occupancy have been issued for the amenity spaces & 4th floor as renters prep for move 12/1...just in time for the holiday season.
Great work by all and a special thanks to our project team for their dedication and efforts on this meticulous push to the finish line. Congrats Team! #flybyfriday #buildingontrust #mbcbuilds #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #400westelm Equus Capital Partners, Ltd. JDAVIS
Progress Continues at AtlantiCare Mainland Hospital Campus with the Successful Removal of MRI Scanner
MBC tackles the challenging operation of coordinating the removal of a 10 ton MRI scanner at the AtlantiCare Mainland Hospital Campus in Pomona, NJ
MBC recently tackled the challenging operation of coordinating the removal of a 10 ton MRI scanner at the AtlantiCare Mainland Hospital Campus in Pomona, NJ. About a week after mobilizing onsite, it was “removal day” and the crane lifted a suspended platform as the MRI was meticulously “pushed” out of the 2nd floor of the hospital...pretty cool! This was tricky coordination as the crane operator needed to adjust for the weight difference as the magnet was loaded. We will continue to prep the space with plans of coordinating the install of the new MRI equipment when it arrives. Thank you Medical Equipment Contractors, Inc. for your rigging expertise and Sautter Crane Rental, Inc. for the smooth removal of this equipment, great job all! #buildingontrust #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #atlanticarenj #medicalequipmentcontractors #sauttercrane
