CRGA Design

Last week I had a huge milestone with an institution that has meant so much to my career: UPMC Western Maryland (nee Western Maryland Health System). I first started working as a designer for them just prior to 2000. In 2004, after completing a few projects for what was then two campuses, the system decided the best path forward was to build a new 260 bed replacement hospital. Amazingly, with the trust that had been developed with our team on the smaller projects, WMHS direct selected our HCM team—which included several talented architects including PAVLINA ILIEVA, Kuo Pao Lian, Jesus Robles, David Lopez, Usama Hassanein, Jeremy Kargon, Michael Heytens, Scott Robison, and most importantly Chun-Fa Tan—to design and deliver the project. Barton Malow and Mascaro did a fantastic job as the CM and the facility opened in 2009. In 2010, WMHS invited me to join their Board of Directors, and I cannot say how much that contributed to my growth as a healthcare architect. I eventually became Vice Chair and then took the reins as Chairman for a five-year stint that saw us through the merger with UPMC. After a 14-year tenure, I finally stepped down from the board this month. Finally, I’d especially like to thank Barry Ronan, former CEO, who transformed over these 24 years as first a client- to a colleague- to a mentor-and eventually to a dear friend. It’s been an awesome ride. - Rolf

Last week I had a huge milestone with an institution that has meant so much to my career: UPMC Western Maryland (nee Western Maryland Health System). I first started working as a designer for them just prior to 2000. In 2004, after completing a few projects for what was then two campuses, the system decided the best path forward was to build a new 260 bed replacement hospital. Amazingly, with the trust that had been developed with our team on the smaller projects, WMHS direct selected our HCM team—which included several talented architects including PAVLINA ILIEVA, Kuo Pao Lian, Jesus Robles, David Lopez, Usama Hassanein, Jeremy Kargon, Michael Heytens, Scott Robison, and most importantly Chun-Fa Tan—to design and deliver the project. Barton Malow and Mascaro did a fantastic job as the CM and the facility opened in 2009. In 2010, WMHS invited me to join their Board of Directors, and I cannot say how much that contributed to my growth as a healthcare architect. I eventually became Vice Chair and then took the reins as Chairman for a five-year stint that saw us through the merger with UPMC. After a 14-year tenure, I finally stepped down from the board this month. Finally, I’d especially like to thank Barry Ronan, former CEO, who transformed over these 24 years as first a client- to a colleague- to a mentor-and eventually to a dear friend. It’s been an awesome ride. - Rolf

Looking back on an inspiring morning at our Women In Design Panel! 🌟 Our extraordinary panelists shared their “why,” their career journeys, and invaluable insights about dreaming big and backing those dreams with grit and determination. The turnout was incredible, and the discussions sparked new ideas and meaningful connections. A huge thank you to our panelists for sharing their stories and to all who attended for making this event such a success. Together, we’re paving the way for a future of design driven by women who innovate and leave an impact. 🎙 Our Panelists: 🔸 Amanda Petrusky | Executive Director, Health & Design, Bialek Environments 🔸 Yolanda Cole, FAIA | Senior Principal, Owner, Hickok Cole 🔸 Sandy Goodman, CHID, IIDA, NIHD, LEED AP, EDAC, LSSBB | President, CRGA Design 🔸 Paola Moya | Founder & CEO, Moya Design Partners (MOYA) 🎤 Moderator: 🔹 Sherry Kissal | Partner & Executive Director, Strategy & Acquisition, Coakley & Williams Construction (CWC) Venue: ALUR #WomenInDesign #Architecture #Design #IIDAMidAtlantic #CareerInspiration

CRGA Design transformed a previously undeveloped retail space into an urgent care clinic for MedStar Health in Southeast Washington, D.C., creating a 3,800 SF facility that includes a warm waiting area, reception, lab/testing suite, X-ray facilities, and seven exam rooms. Working closely with MedStar, JLL, and CJL Engineering, CRGA addressed complex conditions to integrate essential infrastructure, delivering a streamlined, welcoming environment that exemplifies MedStar’s standards—thoughtfully merging healthcare functionality with a space once reserved for retail use.

Congratulations to our very own Rolf Haarstad, who is taking over as Chairman of Board of The Healthcare Council! Rolf joined the HCC board in 2020 and has served as the Strategic Committee chair and most recently Vice Chair. He serves HCC by leveraging his expertise and industry connections to aid the Council’s goal of providing strategic and business advantages to healthcare providers, schools, and health-related institutions in the Mid-Atlantic. In his new role, Rolf will also help lead The Healthcare Council’s wholly-owned group purchasing (GPO) entity, Sharesource. CRGA Design is proud of Rolf and looks forward to his tenure leading the board of The Healthcare Council!

Thank you to everyone who attended our end of year holiday party, hosted at our cozy Cross Street office. It was a great turnout with many friends and clients coming from far and wide to celebrate with us. We are grateful for the relationships we’ve built over the years and wish everyone a wonderful holiday season. 

We're excited to announce the promotion of Lauren King to the role of Associate. Lauren joined the firm as a young graduate student and has continued her professional development and proven herself as a leader in the firm through her advancement to Senior Medical Planner and Project Manager as well as achieving professional certifications as a Certified Healthcare Interior Designer, LEED Accredited Professional, EDAC Professional and Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt. We are proud of you, Lauren!

We are pleased to share the promotion of Bill Brown to the role of Principal. Since joining the CRGA team, Bill has taken on a leadership role with business development efforts in our southeast regions and with his expertise as a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and his focus on operational efficiency, he has been instrumental in supporting our continuous improvement process. Congratulations Bill!

We are excited to welcome Joshua L. Baumgardner, AIA, NCARB, Project Manager, to CRGA Design! With his extensive experience and commitment to excellence, Josh is set to play a key role in driving successful project outcomes and fostering strong client relationships. We look forward to the positive impact he will make on our team and projects. Welcome, Josh!