City Grill

Brett Hallacher
Project Manager
RLPS Architects

The industrial sector is strengthening with warehouses rising around the region, says Hallacher, AIA Central Pennsylvania president-elect. Senior living and education projects are also continuing to advance but with more “bite-sized initiatives” involving planning, phased construction and renovation of existing properties, he says.

As for design trends, the post-pandemic focus on wellness and biophilic design that seeks to connect people with nature and incorporate organic forms and materials into designs, remains popular. With prolonged “uncertainty” over interest rates and the high cost of borrowing, renovating is becoming more favorable than building, he says, especially for existing higher education projects that are more sustainable to renovate than to rebuild. 

While subcontractors are more available, bidding can be volatile with more selective subcontractor bidding, he says. 

Based on its lower cost of living, “we expect Harrisburg, and south central Pennsylvania overall, to continue to experience slow but steady growth,” Hallacher says.