MLK Lunch

Every year on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Keller Engineers' employees are treated to a delicious buffet luncheon provided by the Keller Family. This year's meal featured ham, kielbasa, sauerkraut, broccoli casserole, green beans, cheesy potatoes, pierogies, tossed salad and a variety of desserts. Thank you Joanie, Sarah, Joe and Jared for preparing a wonderful spread of food!

The Mill Project

This project involved the conversion of a 100+ year-old textile mill into a new urban, mixed-use center. An 80,000 SF building wing and several outbuildings were demolished, including a former gas station. A highlight of the project is the retainage of the original 90’-tall factory smokestack which serves as an iconic landmark.

Keller Engineers’ team was responsible for topographic survey and full site design including grading, landscaping, lighting, detail plans, NPDES permitting, and E&S plan. Additional design included parking lots, dining patios, and ADA compliant sidewalks. Stormwater detention was avoided by adding green space and amended soils to the site, which was previously 100% impervious.

A separate contract was awarded to Keller Engineers from the City of Altoona to break out the perimeter sidewalks, and to add landscaping and lighting inside the City street’s ROW.

Completion Date: Fall 2021

Project Manager: Adam Long, RLA

Project Engineer: Brian Smith, PE

DCNR C2P2 Grants

The following information is courtesy of the office of Pennsylvania Senator Judy Ward:

DCNR Grant Application Round Now Open to Assist Communities with Parks, Recreation and Conservation Projects

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced that grant applications are now being accepted for recreation and conservation projects in communities across Pennsylvania.

The 2024 Community Conservation Partnerships Program grant application round opened this week and will remain active until 4:00PM, Wednesday, April 3.

Last year, the program awarded more than $52 million to more than 225 local and community projects statewide. Those awards will help build or renovate more than 80 local parks, 23 miles of trails, and permanently protect 6,000 acres of land for public recreation.

Eligible applicants include local governments and recreation and conservation non-profit organizations. The grants fund:

Park and recreation rehabilitation and new development
Recreation and conservation planning
Trail planning and construction
Land acquisition and conservation
River access and conservation
Community and riparian tree planting
Regional and statewide partnerships to better develop and manage resources

Grant applications are only accepted through DCNR’s Grants Customer Service Portal. A portal tutorial video is available on DCNR’s YouTube channel to help potential applicants learn about grant requirements and how to navigate the application interface.

DCNR staff are available to assist with answering questions, visiting potential project sites, and developing competitive grant applications. Before starting an application, potential applicants should contact the agency regional advisor who serves the county where their project will be located. Contact information is available on the Regional Staff Assignment map (PDF).

Funding for Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants comes from multiple state and federal sources, including:

Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund
Environmental Stewardship Fund
Pennsylvania Heritage Area Program
Keystone Tree Fund
Land and Water Conservation Fund
Recreational Trails Program

Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants have helped permanently protect more than 435,000 acres across Pennsylvania for outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, and water quality. More than 40 percent of Pennsylvania’s 6,200 local parks have received a DCNR grant.

For more information, visit DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program webpage.

USDA REAP Grant

The United States Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the REAP Grant, which significantly reduces the cost of solar projects for rural small businesses and agricultural producers. The deadline to apply is March 31st. Click the button below to learn more.

REAP Grant Information

New Transportation Hires

Welcome to Keller Engineers Madalyn & Mason!

Keller Engineers welcomes Madalyn Heckman - Gonzalez to the Transportation team as a Highway Designer. Madalyn is an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering with a minor in Environmental Engineering from Messiah University. Prior to Keller, she worked as a Project Engineer for a paving company and general contractor, and interned for several engineering firms. Madalyn also has municipal experience working for Selinsgrove Borough.

Keller Engineers welcomes Mason Rodgers to our growing Transportation division as a Bridge Designer. Mason holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with minors in Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. As a college intern, he has acquired experience in the manufacturing, transportation, and mining industries. Mason is an EIT and certified as a Concrete Field-Testing Technician.