Join DRS as we celebrate each decade of our 60 years of design excellence!
1979 -- | -- Cypress Creek Marriott -- | --- The Pennsylvania State University -- | - - United States Postal Service S-- | -- ---- 1988
Cypress Creek Marriott, Fort Lauderdale, FL
During the ‘80’s DRS Architects was responsible for the design of full-service Marriott hotels throughout the east coast of the U. S.  The hotels were developed by Interstate Hotels and were located in Worcester, MA; Charlotte, NC; Albany, NY; Trumbull, CT; Pittsburgh, PA; and Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The photo depicts the Cypress Creek Marriott in Ft. Lauderdale which is 16-stories and 232,000 SF. The hotel contains 322 guestrooms, including a concierge level, a two-story atrium lobby with monumental stairs, upscale restaurant, entertainment lounge, lobby bar, ballroom, meeting rooms and outdoor swimming pool with a health club. DRS designed a 3-story parking garage which is connected to the hotel. Additional hotel projects in this decade include Hilton Ocala, FL, Marriott addition, Harrisburg, PA Casa Marina Hotel and Resort addition, Key West, FL, Holiday Inn addition, Plantation, FL, and Hilton, Pittsburgh, PA renovation.
1979 -- | -- Duquesne University -- | -- - SHHS Hospital -- | -- Marriott Hotels -- | -- Carnegie Mellon University -- | -- 1988
A. J. Palumbo Center, Duquesne University
Duquesne University identified the need for a convocation/recreational complex on its urban campus to provide facilities for its varsity basketball games, intramural sports, student activities and special events. The major element of the 100,000 SF complex is the 6,500-seat, two level basketball arena. The facility also contains a two-court basketball gymnasium, locker rooms, racquetball courts, weight training, aerobic/dance studio, VIP Lounge, concessions and student lounge. Over the years DRS has worked closely with Duquesne on updating their facilities. Recently, DRS completed design for a $35 M, 200,000 SF renovation and addition to the newly named UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse which is now under construction. See the following link.
1979 -- | -- John J. Kane Regional Center - | -- Hilton Hotels - | - Canonsburg Hospital -- | -- St. Francis Plaza -- | -- 1988
Winston Plaza Hotel, Winston-Salem, N.C.
This hotel was developed by Alcoa Properties and is located across the street from the Winston-Salem Convention Center. The eighteen-story hotel has 320 guestrooms with a concierge level, and features complete meeting and banquet facilities, including a 5,500 SF ballroom, six meeting rooms, and a hospitality/exhibit area. The hotel also contains two restaurants, cocktail lounge and lobby bar, swimming pool with sundeck and sauna, and a gift shop.  Guest parking is accommodated in an existing parking garage adjacent to the Convention Center and is connected directly to the hotel via a pedestrian bridge. The hotel was originally operated by S touffers and is currently a Marriott.
1979 -- | -- Winston Plaza Hotel - | -- St. Francis Hospital -- | - St. Francis Convent - | - Trimont -- | - Spectra, Inc. -- | - 1988
DRS designed the 391-bed Jefferson Regional Medical Center using some of the latest concepts of modern healthcare design at that time. The 376,000 SF hospital contains a two story entrance lobby on the first floor, a chapel, emergency triage, surgery/recovery unit, intensive care unit, radiology, and clinical laboratory space. Support functions on the second floor include administration offices, pharmacy, rehabilitation center, education and medical library, material handling center, and a full service cafeteria.

Each of the upper three floors contains 128 single patient rooms. The individual patient floors include separate admitting, administration and supply services. The unique square configuration of the patient floors allow for a landscaped courtyard with a central elevator and support tower. Access to each quadrant of the hospital is provided by four enclosed pedestrian walk ways attached to the support tower.
South Hills Health System, Jefferson Regional Medical Center
1979 -- | - High Temperature Materials Laboratory - | - University of South Florida e- | -- Casa Marina Hotel and Resort st | -- 1988
High Temperature Materials Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
The 64,500 SF facility contains a collection of special research equipment needed to characterize materials in terms of microstructure and microchemistry as well as physical and mechanical properties. This two-story reinforced architectural concrete, metal and glass building houses laboratories, offices, conference rooms, library, and other support service areas. The principal architectural design feature of the building is a two-story lobby and primary circulation “spine” covered by a translucent, insulated “sky roof” which admits natural light to the building interior. The building received a High Honor Award for “Laboratory of the Year” from Research and Development magazine. The HTML was also awarded the Merit Design Award by the AIA Tennessee Chapter.

1979 - | - Leeds & Northrup -- | - Supelco - | - The University of Pittsburgh | Landmark Bank | Eye & Ear Hospital | 1988
John J. Kane Regional Center, Ross Township
This 360-bed Long Term Care Facility is located in Pittsburgh’s northern suburbs on a 29-acre wooded site. The 172,000 SF, four-story hospital is built of split-face white block. A full range of services are provided to restore residents to their maximum state of physical, mental and social functioning.  The Center contains a spacious lobby, admissions, rehabilitation department, chapel, gift shop, beauty shop and library to encourage socializing. 
Each of the 168 semi-private and 24 private beds are provided a view of the outdoors through generously proportioned windows. A centralized nursing station supervises sixty bed groupings. Each floor contains dining and recreation space, a solarium, conference room and social service offices. The Center features landscaped terrace for outdoor activities.
1979 - | - Equitable Life Insurance | Duquesne Light Company | Mt. Sinai Medical Center | Westinghouse Electric | -- 1988
U. S. Postal Services, General Mail Facility, Pittsburgh, PA
DRS was selected by the U. S. Postal Service to design a new General Mail Facility located on a 23-acre parcel to replace the historic Post Office in downtown Pittsburgh.  This 1,000,000 SF facility contains a 300,000 SF workroom housing mechanization equipment for mail handling and distribution. Mail enters and leaves the facility via 126 truck loading docks adjoining the workroom area. There is a branch post office located on the first level along with the administrative, computer, locker rooms and support spaces. The second level contains additional administrative space and food service facilities which serve the 3,500 employees. As a result of DRS’s success on this project DRS was awarded nine Indefinite Delivery Contracts and has worked on over 350 postal facilities.
1979 - | - Department of Energy | -- Interstate Hotels -- | -- Atlantic Financial -- | -- Braddock General Hospital | -- 1988
William Sippel
Phil Hundley
When the founding principals retired, the firm was led by William Sippel and Phil Hundley, other stockholders included Jim Kling, James Dowden and Jim Armstrong. DRS also had a branch office in Fort Lauderdale, FL during this decade. DRS invested in its future by becoming one of the first firms in this region to use a computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting system. During this period, healthcare and higher education remained strong from the previous decades and hospitality and government laboratories became new areas of expertise. 
This year, DRS Architects is celebrating 60 years of design excellence in architecture, planning and interior design.  We want to share the six decades of our history with you and thank our clients for their continued support. Please follow us as we celebrate projects completed throughout each of our six decades in business.
Need to catch up? Click the links above to read about our first two decades!