Building Bonds and Constructing Legacies at Penn State University
Projects
For more than a quarter-century, Barton Malow has been an integral part of the construction landscape at Penn State University’s main campus in State College, Pennsylvania. This longstanding partnership, spanning 25 years and encompassing numerous landmark projects, stands as a testament to the enterprise’s unwavering commitment to excellence and the strong bond forged with the University.
A Lasting Partnership
Barton Malow’s association with Penn State dates back to 1999, when the pivotal expansion of Beaver Stadium’s facilities marked the beginning of a fruitful collaboration. This project enhanced the nation’s second-largest collegiate stadium and laid the foundation for a lasting partnership built on trust and shared values.
“We managed to keep it open during construction without losing any seating capacity,” recalls Marv Bevan, former Facilities Project Manager at Penn State. This feat demonstrated Barton Malow’s adept project management skills and set the stage for future endeavors.
Landmark Projects
Over the years, Barton Malow has been involved in numerous prestigious projects on Penn State’s campus, each serving as a testament to the company’s expertise and the University’s confidence in their abilities.
In 2004 – three years after the Beaver Stadium renovation – Barton Malow Vice President Len Moser and Senior Office Director Scott Mull collaborated with Penn State on Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, the first LEED-certified baseball stadium in the United States.
“It was built extremely fast on an ‘unreasonable schedule,’ and the designers and CM pulled it off,” Marv says. “It’s one of the nicest collegiate baseball parks in the country because it’s built as a minor league facility.”
Another standout project was the Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Building (CBEB), completed in 2019.
“This might have been the second project where they had done colocation, and again it was something that John Bechtel [Assistant Vice President at Penn State’s Office of Physical Plant (OPP)] was pushing because of Lean and being innovative,” recalls Penn State Project Manager Dwayne Rush, noting the collaborative efforts of the team. “Now almost all of our projects have it.”
Embracing Innovation
Penn State embraces Lean construction techniques, and its OPP strives to be a leader among universities. Through their partnership, the University continually pushes Barton Malow to evolve and bring emerging trends and practices to its projects.
At CBEB, Barton Malow introduced design-assist, a novel concept for Penn State at the time. By involving trade partners early in the process, the team streamlined the design phase, arriving at a complete design two months ahead of schedule and within budget.
“If you want to hire us, we’re bringing these two firms with us … so they were all our team members from day one,” the Barton Malow team proclaimed during the interview, emphasizing their commitment to fostering a collaborative environment from the outset.
A Future Built on Trust
As Barton Malow embarks on the exciting new Beaver Stadium renovations, awarded to the Barton Malow-AECOM Hunt-Alexander team in late 2023, the company remains deeply rooted in its relationship with Penn State. With 32 PSU alumni among its ranks and a vibrant alumni network, Barton Malow’s integration with the University extends beyond construction projects.
“It’s been Len Moser and Scott Mull… it’s always been the same people who’ve been involved,” says Marv, underscoring the personal connections underpinning the partnership’s success. “That’s what’s good. It’s the same people that we know, and we can trust to do it right and get it finished.”
As Barton Malow celebrates its centennial milestone, it looks forward to continuing the longstanding partnership with Penn State University, a collaboration built on trust, innovation, and a shared commitment to excellence that will shape the campus for generations to come.
