Stevens & Wilkinson celebrates York County Government Center topping out ceremony
April 26, 2018
Stevens & Wilkinson, a full-service architecture, engineering and interior design firm, recently took part in the official “topping out” ceremony earlier this month for York County’s new Government Center. The “Topping Out” ceremony is a construction rite traditionally held when the last beam, or its equivalent, is placed atop the structure during construction.
The new 80,000-square-foot government center, which officially broke ground late last year, will consist of a four-story administration building that will allow the county to consolidate most, if not all, of the office space needed for its day-to-day operations. Programing also includes internal space for future expansion as needed.
“It’s exciting to see our work on the York County Government Center become a reality,” said Ashby Gressette, AIA, principal and president of Stevens & Wilkinson. “This new landmark building, with its high-quality office space, traditional design elements and prominent location, will provide a fantastic home for several of the county’s growing departments.”
The new structure takes several design cues from the existing historic courthouse, which is located on the same block. The building will be set back from South Congress Street to align with the courthouse and will also provide a generous, uninterrupted green space, for the entire block.
A unique design aspect of the building is due to the unusual topography. From the front of the building, it is seen as a three-story structure – a height consistent with the neighboring buildings in the area – along South Congress Street. As the grade drops to the rear of the site, the lowest level is exposed to show the exterior’s four-story façade.
The traditional exterior composition has a cast stone base, brick mid-section and is topped with a cast stone cornice. Stevens & Wilkinson assured colors, textures and scales used in the design of the project remained complimentary to the town’s historic downtown core.
The York County Government Center is projected to be completed in early 2019.
About Stevens & Wilkinson
Founded in 1919, Stevens & Wilkinson is a full-service architecture, engineering and interior design firm committed to providing clients with “Smart Design Solutions.” The firm’s combined design capabilities lead to projects executed with creative, innovative and holistic design solutions. Learn more: www.stevens-wilkinson.com.
