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CDI Studio One, the architecture division of L.R. Kimball -- a CDI Company, has completed the new Office Complex / Operation Center for Sheetz, Inc., the $7.2 billion, family-owned and operated convenience store giant. Located on the Sheetz corporate campus midway between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, the project includes a 115,000-sf modern Headquarters / Operation Center and an adjacent 13,000-sf Day Care Center.
“Sheetz is a rapidly-growing company that cares about its employees,” said Gary Lapera, FAIA, principal of CDI Studio One, “which is why it is consistently named among Fortune’s Best Places to Work. In the design of this building fluidity was the key conceptual driver. From a highly flexible workplace that can morph with dynamic growth to a building perimeter that obscures the boundary between inside and outside - this project will continue to evolve with the Sheetz upward trajectory.”
The long axis of the building is sited between two protected wetlands, which provides a pastoral view from the majority of offices. The building’s massing and plan is based on a simple, flexible, rectangular floor plan, reminiscent of the elegant, humble agrarian structures that dot the Western Pennsylvania landscape. The dining experience is conceived as a lodge, an independent pavilion that extends into the lawn. A large, southern facing glazed porch obscures the boundary between interior and exterior, which encourages people to experience nature during the workday.
The first floor features test kitchens and a dining room with exposed timber columns and a natural stone, gas-burning fireplace against an outside wall. The chimney is shared with a wood-burning fireplace on the outside patio, used for special events. State-of-the-art data center and training rooms are also on the first floor.
The second and third floors are devoted to flexible open plan offices, with conference rooms and common open spaces to encourage collaboration and camaraderie. Above the first floor, a mezzanine will accommodate future expansion.
Adjacent to the headquarters, the new day care center is a one-story wood-framed structure with a pitched roof, reminiscent of homes in the region. The entryway features a magnetic message center, family conference room, stroller storage, and access to a large multipurpose room and children’s library. The nine classrooms for infants to preschoolers are equipped with a training toilet room, countertop sinks, and storage. Each classroom has an exterior door leading to a fenced playground and natural play area.
“This landmark office complex accurately reflects our corporate objectives,” said Richard Cyman, vice president of design and construction for Sheetz. “It is progressive, innovative, sustainable and the process was truly collaborative. It is an effective tool for helping us to realize our goals for the next 60 years.”
Established in 1952 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Sheetz is one of America's fastest growing family-owned and operated convenience retailers, with more than $7.2 billion in revenue and more than 17,000 employees. Sheetz operates over 500 stores throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Maryland and Virginia.
The Design Team for the new Sheetz Office Complex / Operation Center includes CDI Studio One – Design Architect; CDI / L.R. Kimball – Architect of Record; Interior Design – Daroff Design; Site / Civil Engineering – Keller Engineers; Contractor – Poole Anderson Construction.
