JL Architects

Company News

Meet Amy!

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Having just celebrated Thanksgiving, we are reminded of how grateful we are for our staff. Today we want to highlight Amy, an integral team member who manages the JL office, and is organizer extraordinaire! Amy has been with JL for 6.5 years, and we really could not accomplish what we do without her by our side.

What sort of duties do you have at work?

I am the person who keeps paperwork and contracts organized and makes sure the office runs smoothly. My range of duties is vast & varying – from invoicing, keeping track of office licenses and continuing education, managing office equipment needs, to answering phones.

What’s the most exciting part of your job?

Every day is different

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

Every day is different!

How is it working for an architecture firm vs. other companies?

In my experience, working for an architecture firm is very exciting.  I had not been in this type of field before, and I enjoy watching our projects progress from conception to construction.  I am happy to help and support our team throughout each phase.  I particularly enjoy our family-like work environment that we have here at JLA.  We really are like one big family!

What’s your most-used productivity hack?  `

Organization!  I am a very organized person and I find that really helps me stay focused and enables me to complete my tasks on time

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?

My hidden talent is walking into Target for shampoo and leaving with $300 worth of throw pillows and candles.

What’s your idea of a perfect day? 

Sleeping in and then spending the entire day at the beach with a good book…family optional 😉

What do you do for fun? Any hobbies? 

I love spending time with my family, especially my 4 year old and 9 year old sons.  We love going to the beach, spending the day at Hershey park, taking our puppy, Bruiser, to the park, and having family game and movie nights.  As for hobbies, I love to read.  My favorite books are either true crime or murder mysteries.  I also enjoy watching any type of crime shows.  Maybe I was a detective in a previous life…or a criminal.

Favorite food?

Any type of pasta…yum!

If you could have any super- power what would it be and why?

My son asks me this almost daily and I always say I would love the power to become invisible.  Want to check on my kids in school…bam!  Want to not be bothered…where’s mommy!?  Want to rob a bank…what just happened?

Who inspires you? 

My biggest inspiration, since I was about 16 years old, has been Princess Diana. She loved people and loved helping them.  She was very generous with her time and truly made a difference in the lives of many who were in pain or struggling in life.  Even many years after her death, people are still consumed with her compassion and I think she will always be remembered for that.

Thank you, Amy, for all you do!

-Sydney Hitchens, Architectural Designer

Food Banks Need Our Support

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As coronavirus continues to surge across the country, more and more Americans are turning to food banks, many of them for the first time. The holidays traditionally include festive gatherings and large meals that many people will not be able to afford this year.

Prior to the pandemic, about 10.5% of US households were food insecure (having limited or uncertain access to food) at some point in 2019. Now, that number has more than doubled. Today on average, about 22.5% of households are food insecure each week, and for minority households, the rates are typically much higher.

As of the end of October, 80% of food banks are serving more people than they were at this same time last year, according to Feeding America, the largest charitable food assistance network in the country. They report distributing approximately 4.2 billion meals so far in 2020.

Additionally, it’s more difficult for food banks to fundraise during the pandemic, especially for smaller local locations. That said, food banks have been and will continue to be there for their neighbors through the holidays.

“If there was ever a time to work together to help our world, it certainly is now,” said Trish Faidiga of Advantage Building & Facility Services in West Chester, PA. They, along with JL Architects, TD&H Engineering, and Old Forge Builders are teaming up with their client, Goshen Executive Center in West Chester, PA, to support food banks across our area. To help out, please donate to our Philabundance virtual food drive. Philabundance is the Delaware Valley’s largest hunger relief organization, acquiring, rescuing, and distributing food to 90,000 people weekly in nine counties in PA and NJ.

How can you help if you want to do more than donate to our virtual food drive? Feeding American suggests the following:

  • Food banks need volunteer support to keep food programs running. Make a difference in-person or online and volunteer today.
  • Send a message to the front-line food bank workers and volunteers helping our neighbors every day to say thank you for all of their hard work during this time.
  • Families across the country need more support to get meals – and fast. Support emergency relief today by becoming an advocate.

This holiday season may we come together to support the needs of our community, while staying safe and taking the necessary steps to maintain our health and wellness. Together, we will get through this pandemic!

Happy Thanksgiving from JL Architects

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Thank you for your continued support!

On Thanksgiving and every day, we are thankful to have clients and partners like you. While this has been a memorable year, we hope that you have an unforgettable holiday with your loved ones.

This year families are in greater need than ever before. Please consider joining our Goshen Executive Center project team in making a donation to support families across the greater Philadelphia area this holiday season: Click Here To Donate

Please note that our office will be closed on
Thursday, November, 26, 2020, and Friday, November 27, 2020

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours. Be safe. Be well.
– JL Architects

The Silver Lining: A Whitepaper for the AEC Industry

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Until a cure for COVID-19 is discovered, apprehension about contact with others and crowded spaces will continue after we are back to work, engaging at restaurants, and sending our children to school. To ease some of this anxiety, commercial businesses and institutions are looking at how to thrive in spite of an infectious disease.

In this whitepaper, we discuss the big picture implications surrounding design and construction in a post-COVID-19 world, broken down by specific market segments. As we all begin to move our company’s operations back to normal, the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic remain.

Download our *whitepaper to review a compilation of concepts gathered from across our industry to gain insight around what you can do to set yourself up for a successful reopening.

*A collaborative whitepaper brought to you by JL Architects and Old Forge Builders

Special COVID-19 Offer For Architecture Services

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We are offering a 30% discount on new services until June 30!

We’ve been keeping you in our thoughts and hope that you and your loved ones are all healthy and well during this time.

We received a grant/loan from the SBA under the Payroll Protection Program (3P) and want to share the benefits with you. As in all things, we are committed to a win-win-win relationship which has led us to formulate this special offer.

Contact us to Reserve your Spot

To qualify, a client must be in good standing and their account must be current. This discount applies to all new work contracted to JL Architects. Payment for those discounted services will be made by ACH or credit card on-file and due when services are completed, by invoice, or at the end of the discount period.

For services extending past June 30, discounts may also be available, and we will formulate those as business restrictions are reduced and lifted.

We look forward to working together in the near future to restore the flow of our businesses.

Take Advantage of the Discount

JLA Welcomes Hannah Helmes

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JL Architects is happy to introduce Hannah Helmes, the most recent addition to our team. A Southeast PA native, Hannah joined JL Architects after completing her bachelor’s degree in Architecture at Penn State. Hannah’s design skills and software experience compliment our collective skillsets, and she jumped in with both feet, quickly bridging the gap between academic and professional application.

While growing up, Hannah always had an interest in creative mediums, whether it was a form of art like drawing or creating something out of Legos (which all architects can all relate to!).  The shift to architecture began in high school after having an opportunity to take an interior design and drafting class.  Then, just before starting her senior year she took an architecture summer course at Temple University which sealed the deal. From that point, she decided to pursue architecture as a way of creating art in a way that impacts the world.

As Hannah begins her professional career, she looks forward to testing for her license and gaining more experience with projects from conception through completion. Since she grew up in the area, she also hopes to someday design a building in Philadelphia.  As coworkers and mentors, we are excited to see Hannah join our talented group; we look forward to helping her achieve her goals and welcome her to the JL Architects family.

Fun Facts About Hannah:

She loves to travel.  She’s been to 11 countries so far, with plans to visit many more.

She’s a mean cook and was a culinary apprentice in school.

She can play the ukulele.