Promotions!!

Clockwise LtoR- Deidre, Jose, Rick, Jason, Elisa, and Jen

JKR Partners Architects is proud to announce the promotions of six dedicated individuals whose contributions have helped make JKR Partners a success.  Jose Hernandez, AIA is promoted to Principal of the firm.  Deidre DeAscanis, AIA, Richard Stewart, AIA and Jason Wistreich,AIA, are promoted to Associate Principals, and Jennifer Whary and ElisaLanzutti, ARB are promoted to Project Coordinators.  Jose has demonstrated his ability to manage many complex residential projects and guide clients through complicated zoning matters and is actively involved in many committees within the local architecture and building trade organizations.  Deidre DeAscanis has managed some of the firms highest profile rehabilitation and historic preservation projects ranging from the award winning former Naval Home in Philadelphia, the Presser and Nugent Senior Apartment projects in Mt. Airy, to the successful residential conversion of ICON|1616 on Walnut Street.  Deidre is currently working on a similar ultra high-end residential conversion at the intersection of Broad and Chestnut Streets along the Avenue of the Arts.    Richard Stewart was instrumental in the success of 777 South Broad Street, a high end luxury apartment building on the Avenue of the Arts, and has led many of the firms successful movie theater jobs across the country.  Jason Wistreich manages our high end restaurant clients and is currently managing a host of projects for the Philadelphia Housing Authority. Both Elisa Lanzutti and Jennifer Whary have quickly demonstrated their ability to successful manage diverse clients and projects ranging from residential to retail, and are very active with committees within the office.

Breaking Ground at Cottman & Castor!

Dave and Elisa with their golden shovels.

all the people that make the projects happen

Clover in the mid 80s?

bringing the site into the 21st century

1954... the original

Dave, Elisa, Katie and Mike Schmitt have been working diligently for the last few months to get the Cottman and Castor job off the ground for Kimco Realty. This morning, ground was sort of broken for the project, if you count just holding a ceremonial golden shovel as breaking ground.  Other than no ground actually being broken, it was your typical celebratory event complete with all the local politicians and deal makers.  There was a ceremonial sledgehammer to take down some of the existing building.  Although this particular project isn't the most glamorous, it is a pretty big deal for the Great Northeast. What was once a Lit Brothers store eons ago, then a Gimbels, and then a Clover store, and then JC Penny for a short while, then just a vacant building for a long time, is now going to be given new life as a Burlington Coat Factory, a Bob's Discount Furniture and a soon to be TJ Maxx if everything goes as planned.  So the site has a long and storied history as a retail anchor in the Bustleton neighborhood.  This is a game changer for this area, which believe it or not happens to have the highest concentration of retail in Philadelphia outside of Center City.

JKR announces two new hires

Elisa and Jeff

Last week we added two new designers to our already burgeoning design department.  Elisa Lanzutti is a world traveler, and has worked in Italy and the United Kingdom before taking her talents to the States.  She is working on some tenant fit out work at the former St. Agnes Hospital on Broad Street and a new retail project in the Great Northeast.  Jeff Pelcheck comes from another small firm in the area focusing mostly on institutional work and healthcare projects.  A recent Temple University grad, Jeff is working on a large scale residential project in Connecticut. We're looking forward to them joining our team and sharing their talents!