NEWS.
Latest & Greatest.
Whether it's a new project, construction industry updates, an employee teaming event or an opportunity to celebrate the best in our community - there's always something to talk about at McDonald Building Company.
Philly Zoo receives beary important AZA Accreditation!
Accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a commitment to excellence in animal care, safety, and the visitor experience. This highest-in-the-world accreditation standard is accomplished through teamwork, just like wolves working in a pack, and like any project at MBC, with a lot of heart. At Philadelphia Zoo, meeting that standard meant more than 40,000 square feet of a zoo-wide series of renovations and upgrades – from fan-favorite animal habitats to the systems and facilities that keep daily operations running. These are no small feats and couldn’t have been accomplished without the pack mentality in mind – a united team working for the same dream. Our partners at Aegis PM Group said it best “The dedication, teamwork, and professionalism made a real difference, and it shows in our outcome…Together, we delivered something we should all be proud of.” That pride is definitely shared here at MBC with the Zoological Society of Philadelphia, Dan Bosin Associates, Howard Lebold at MAI, Aegis Project Management, our MBC teams onsite. Accreditation standards were exceeded. Big round of a-paws for the entire team who made it happen. #buildingontrust #philadelphiazoo #aza #accreditation #animalcare hashtag#visitorexperience #mbcdelivers #partoftheflock #bearyimportantupdates #conservationmatters
Philadelphia Zoo, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Howard Lebold, McGillin Architecture
MBC flock: Jeff Graef, Ali Perkey, CHC, Dylan Robertson, Sam Cellucci, John Weiland, Regina Ennis, Beth Giorla
MBC says goodbye and good luck to our Summer Intern - Thank you, Quentin!
Today, we say goodbye to our summer intern Quentin who heads back to school at the University of Auburn next week. Quentin became an integral part of the University Place 3.0 project team...from coordinating details to reviewing drawings, he nailed every task and learned the “blueprints” of great teamwork. Along the way, he grew his skills, learned more tricks of the trade, and discovered the value of asking the right questions to get the right information…the foundation of any strong project..
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Quentin’s biggest advice to future interns? “The little things are just as important as the big things.” We couldn’t agree more. Sometimes, it’s the small details that truly hold the project together. A fun fact about Quentin...If he could take his skills anywhere, Quentin would hammer out a plan to work in Amsterdam restoring the city’s famous canal houses. MBC is grateful to have been part of your journey, Quentin, we wish you the best of luck in the future and you’ll always have a place in the MBC crew. Please come build memories with us again soon! #mbccares #mbcintern #teammbc #constructioncareers
Quentin Geerlings
New Market West project is awarded 2025 ULI Philadelphia Biennial Award for Excellence!
Throwback Thursday to a project that continues to make an impact. McDonald Building Company is proud to have served as the general contractor for New Market West, which was recently honored with the 2025 ULI Philadelphia Biennial Award for Excellence.
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Led by Mission First Housing Group and designed by Thriven Design, this project transformed a long-vacant lot in West Philadelphia into a vibrant community hub. Since its completion in 2021, it has become home to 41 affordable workforce apartments and vital services, including early childhood education, healthcare, and job training programs. The ULI Award for Excellence recognizes real estate and development projects that demonstrate leadership in design, sustainability, and community impact. We’re honored to have played a role in building something that continues to serve its neighborhood well beyond opening day. Congratulations to our partners at Thriven Design on this well-earned recognition. It’s always a good day when a project like this gets the spotlight it deserves.
#tbt #uli2025 #newmarketwest #mbccares #buildingontrust #communityimpact #thrivendesign #missionfirst #affordablehousing
Thriven Design Mission First Housing Group
https://lnkd.in/eFZgjpD5
MBC proudly attends the Allegheny West Foundation for their local Community Resource Fair!
What a day over at the Allegheny West Foundation for their local Community Resource Fair on Friday. It was a great opportunity to connect with the local residents and share more about what it means to build a future in the construction trades. MBC was proud to represent and support the local affordable housing market to educate those interested in pursuing a career in construction. Thank you to Laura Clevenger, Iliana Limon, and Regina Ennis for laying the groundwork and representing MBC with professionalism and heart.
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Big thanks as well to our partners at NewCourtland and the Allegheny West Foundation for organizing the event. It was an overwhelming turnout and we’re grateful to be part of a community that believes in creating pathways to careers and connection. #communitypartners #mbccares #buildingontrust #newcourtland #alleghenywestfoundation
Allegheny West Foundation and NewCourtland
Let’s Flamin-GO! Flamingo Cove at the Philly Zoo is now OPEN!
What better way to celebrate National Pink Flamingo Day (which is today!) than to shake a tail feather and roll out the pink carpet for our beautiful pink feathered friends?!? McDonald Building Company is proud to fan out and reveal a few of our incredible final photos (!) of Flamingo Cove at the Philadelphia Zoo! This fully reimagined habitat was built to support the fabulous flock of flamboyance through conservation, continuing education and truly honor some fabulous feathers with bold and thoughtful design updates. The 17,966 square foot renovation has now opened to the public so Zoo Members and Guests can enjoy the newly expanded footprint from their previous aviary. The flamingos can gladly strut their stuff in style (as always) with the expanded wading and nesting zones – allowing guests to view these long-legged locals up close like never before.
MBC is beyond grateful for our partnership with The Philadelphia Zoo and to make this pink dream come to life. We’re hatching some big ideas with the Zoo and couldn’t thank them enough for their trust in our valued fur-iendship. Thank you to PGAV Architects, and to all our trades and subcontractors onsite who have made the feathered finish just fantastic! Huge shout out to our MBC flock who were instrumental in making things flamin-GO – Ali Moats-Perkey, Jeff Graef, Dylan Robertson, Sam Cellucci, John Weiland, Regina Ennis, and Beth Giorla. MBC may not have wings, but we are proud to help this amazing aviary take flight! #nationalflamingoday #buildingontrust #philadelphiazoo #conservationmatters #welcometothembcfamily #flamin-GO #thepinkcrew #partoftheflock
Philadelphia Zoo, PGAV Architects, Association of Zoos and Aquariums
MBC flock: Jeff Graef, Ali Perkey, CHC, Dylan Robertson, Sam Cellucci, John Weiland, Regina Ennis, Beth Giorla, Jason Evans
MBC attends GBCA Golf Outing!
Fun fore all! McDonald Building Company was teed up and grateful to attend GBCA's 2025 Golf Classic last Monday as a Gold Sponsor. Our mighty foursome comprised of Golf's finest - Howard Lebold, Shane McNamara, Tom McDonald and Paul McDonald! Hosted at the Philadelphia Cricket Club Militia Hill - MBC was thrilled to be back on the course and building these meaningful connections. Thank you GBCA for hosting this absolute top-tier event! #gbcagolfclassic2025 #forethewin #buildingontrust #mbccares #gbca #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #funforeall
General Building Contractors Association (GBCA) Pure Project Management, LLC MAI Architects
Howard Lebold Shane M. Paul McDonald Tom McDonald
MBC gets a Sneak Peek at Flamingo Cove Opening Soon at the Philly Zoo!
Feathered friends and family fun for this fine Friday! Our very own Paul McDonald and family (shout out to Allie and Madi!) got an early sneak peek at Flamingo Cove before these flamboyant friends strut their stuff for the public grand opening tomorrow! Thank you to The Philadelphia Zoo for hosting this great event, allowing us the chance to see the winged residents and fla-mingle with fellow partners and zoo members. MBC is tickled pink and honored to be part of this impactful update and help the Zoo's continuous conservation efforts take flight. There's a lot flamin-GOING on behind the scenes...we have a few more exciting updates to come from the Zoo up our sleeve...or er...wing.! #flamingofriday #buildingontrust #mbcbuilds #philadelphiazoo #phillyzoo #flamingos #zoolife #sneakpeek #conservationmatters #mcdonaldbuildingcompany
Philadelphia Zoo 🦩
Paul McDonald ❣️
Allie Doran 💕
Wishing you all a safe Memorial Day 2025
As we head into this Memorial Day weekend, McDonald Building Company honors and remembers those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Wishing you a safe and wonderful holiday weekend from all of us at MBC. ❤️🤍💙 #buildingontrust #mbccares #honorandremember #memorialday2025
MBC goes WILD for Philly Zoo’s Run Wild 5K!
This past Sunday, we ran. We walked. We climbed. We went wild. Team MBC showed up in full fur-ce for the Philadelphia Zoo’s Run Wild 5K! Rocking our matching tees, we brought our best team spirit and fully tapped into beast mode to take on the course…ANNNDDDDDD a big round of appaws to Blair Biggin, our MEP Coordinator, who crossed the finish line 2nd overall with a hare-raising time at 17:48.88. He outpaced his fellow race-mates that we think the cheetahs were taking notes on his strategy!🐆
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The MBC crew on the track manned the MBC refreshment table, keeping the paw-ticipants strong by hydrating the herd. ❣️ Huge thanks to The Philadelphia Zoo for hosting such a beary fun event in support of wildlife conservation, we were proud to be part of the pack. 👟🥰🙌 #mbccares #buildingontrust #blairthebear #wildspeed #bearyexciting #phillyzoo #conservationmatters #hydrationstation #mcdonaldbuildingcompany
Thank you, Philadelphia Zoo!
MBC's Beary Great Crew: Blair Biggin, Iliana Limon, Michelle Tyler, Beth Armbruster, MBA, Beth Giorla, Ali Perkey, CHC, Justin Lausch, Allison Dern, Frank Cardone
Sofia is our new Assistant PM after Take your Child to Work Day!
Take Your Child to Work Day also means future employment possibilities! Project Manager Iliana Limon, brought the best helper to the NewCourtland Clearfield Apartments site yesterday…her daughter, Sofia! Equipped with a hard hat, highlighters, and her trusty sidekick Hello Kitty (assistant PM in training, obviously), Sofia was ready to rock and roll on-site. She made sure everything was running according to plan, that we’re thinking big, and that the snacks meet the highest quality standards. We see a promising future PM in the making. Happy Take Your Child to Work Day! #takeyourchildtoworkday #futurepm #womeninconstruction #minipmmoves #buildingontrust #mbccares @newcourtland1
A tradition unlike any other - MBC celebrates our 15th annual Opening Day of the Masters!
Fore-teen was fun, but FIFTEEN was a hole-in-one! MBC’s 15th Annual Opening Day at the Masters Party was tee-rific! We celebrated in full swing with our incredible colleagues, loyal clients, fantastic friends, and beloved family…because everything’s better when you’re under par and overjoyed.
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Special appearances were made by the one and only Eldrick Tont (aka Tiger Woods… kind of), and our crew brought the energy to match! From our Putterup Buttercup trick shot, chipping game, and Putterball, delicious food from Sunnybrook, to the 19th hole bar, and of course, signature sips sprinkled throughout, it was truly a party to tee-member.
The whole office was on par, the memories were un-fore-gettable, and the fun? Off the charts. Thank you to everyone who helped make this another Masters to remember! We can’t wait to say "Hello Friends" to another year of celebrating. Here’s to fifteen years of fairways, friendships, and a tradition unlike any other! #mbcmastersopeningday #masterspartee2025 #forethewin #golfpunswelcome #puttyeah #eldricktontapproved #tigerandme #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #mbccares
Cheers to 15 Wonderful Years!
Cheers to 15 incredible years! To kickoff the celebratory year ahead, the MBC team gathered last week for a quick toast to celebrate 15 years since we opened our doors. We raise a glass for the last 15 years and to each of you who made it possible – from our entire staff, project teams, clients, architects, partners, industry leaders, family, and friends we are proud to share this milestone with all of you. Here’s to 15 years and many MANY more to come! Cheers! #fifteenyears #mbccares #mbcproud #mbccelebrates #happyanniversary #wegetourlearnerspermit
MBC takes Flamingo Fridays to a new level!
TGIFF - Thank Goodness it’s Flamingo Friday! MBC’s Carpenter Apprentice, Noah Fisher is dressed to impress as our resident “flock star” on this fine Friday...always a great start to a flamazing weekend ahead. #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #mbccares #buildingontrust #tpz #beonewiththeflamingo #letsflaminGO #phillyzoo #zoolife
Philadelphia Zoo
Photo Credit 📸 Sam Cellucci
MBC Honors all of our amazing ladies during WIC Week 2025
The women of McDonald Building Company celebrated all throughout last week honoring the strong ladies who contribute each and every day to the world of construction. Philly NAWIC chapter hosted a kickoff lunch on Monday celebrating the history and efforts of Susan B. Anthony’s suffrage movement, thanks to The Baldwin Group of KOP for hosting. We also celebrated later in the week with brunch and a site tour at The Philadelphia Zoo hosted by our very own Ali Perkey, CHC, Shea Tomlinson, and Sam Cellucci to describe the intricate and complex builds we are doing there all across the zoo grounds. As WIC Week 2025 officially comes to a close, MBC is honored to recognize and say THANK YOU to all women working in the variety of roles of the construction industry. Together We Rise. #mbccares #buildingontrust #wicweek #togetherwerise #womeninconstruction
Giant Jenga was a towering success for MBC - next year we’ll bring our top-tier game!
MBC brought our A-game, leveled up our skills, balanced the pressure, and TOWERED our way into the Elite Eight at the ACE Giant Jenga Tournament! Was it our skill? Our Strategy? Or was it Senior Project Manager, Jeff Graef, and his “lucky” t-shirt keeping us steady? Beyond the Jenga towers and nail-biting competition, we are proud to support ACE Mentor Philly’s inspiring mission - mentoring the next generation of AEC leaders. This event is always a highlight for the MBC team and one to attend for an even better cause - thank you ACE and Simeone Automotive Museum for a great evening. And big thank you to Brian Rawlings from O'Donnell & Naccarato for his tireless effort and dedication to making this event so fantastic each year! #mbccares #buildingontrust #ACEMentorPhilly #AEC #giantjenga #gamefaceson #stackedstrategy #nextyearweregonnawin #jeffsluckyshirt #simeoneautomuseum #yeartoprep
ACE Mentor Program of Greater Philadelphia
Shout out to our Giant Jenga Dream Team Extreme: Blair Biggin, Chris Fernes, Jeff Graef, Iliana Limon, Paul McDonald, Tom McDonald, Brad Springer, Laura Clevenger
MBC wears their best green to support our Eagles at the Super Bowl, E-A-G-L-E-S!
We’re on the countdown to greatness! The MBC Office wore their lucky Eagles green to support the Eagles this weekend for their Superbowl WIN! We’re counting down to the big game and rooting on our guys for another Eagles victory. Wait, are we having déjà vu?Feels like we’ve been here before...This time it’s not about reliving the past…it’s about rewriting the ending. GO BIRDS! #buildingontrust #mbccares #flyeaglesfly #phillyproud #ringthebell #gobirds #superbowl
Special MBC Spotlight Shout-out to our Office Manager, Michelle Tyler, weaving up a storm for the Philly Airport!
MBC is rocking and rolling into 2025 - and we are proud to shine the spotlight on our talented Office Manager, Michelle Tyler! Michelle's artistic talents are taking flight with a special art installation over at the Philly Airport. Inspired by her own Grandmother, Grandmom's Granny Square Rocker is part of PHLAirport Art installations project and is proudly displayed between Terminals A East and B... keep an eye out when you're traveling! When she isn't being an absolute rockstar at MBC - Michelle is working on custom creations that will KNOT disappoint. Be sure to check out her work at Only Meesh Handmade to stay in the LOOP for all her creative crocheting creations. Congratulations, Michelle! #mbccares #buildingontrust #mbccares #buildingontrust #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #mbccreates #philly #PHLairport #rocking2025
Happy Holidays from all of us at MBC! Cheers to a Merry and Bright 2025
Wishing you a very happy holiday season from all of us at MBC. As we continue to build towards a bright 2025, we want to take a brief moment to wish you joy and health for a wonderful holiday season. Each of you helped to lay the groundwork for an incredible 2024 and we can’t wait for what 2025 has in store. Happy Holidays from the MBC crew. Cheers!
#mbccares #buildingontrust #holidaygreetings #cheersto2025 #merryandbright
Procore’s Groundbreak 2024 was Groundbreaking Fun and Insightful!
Procore’s Groundbreak 2024 event may have just passed but we are still reeling from what an amazing event it was! Senior Project Manager, Jeff Graef ventured to the mile-high city to see what all the excitement was about. The two-day event at the Colorado Convention Center brought together innovative construction professionals worldwide to learn from insightful future-forward sessions and experience groundbreaking technology. In addition to all these incredible opportunities, we got to meet up with the greatest Procore Certified Consultant of all-time, David McDonnel, in person! Dave is a huge reason why Procore launched successfully at MBC and why Procore’s offerings are still a daily tool to help keep us mobilized and optimized. Dave has stuck with us since the very beginning of our Procore journey and we couldn’t have it without him. A big thank you to Procore for an inspiring event and constantly reinventing how we can all be groundbreakers. #buildingontrust #mcdonaldbuildingcompany #mbccares #groundbreaker #innovationandeducation #procore #procorepals #Contech #GBK24 #wegotdaveashirt
Friendsgiving Success - MBC traditional Thanksgiving Feast and Card Signing!
Nothing marks the start of the Thanksgiving season for MBC other than our tradition of Thanksgiving Card Signing and (of course) our Friendsgiving Feast Luncheon! November keeps the Norristown office busy and in the holiday spirit, with staff signing cards to express our thanks to our loyal partners and client and ending the week off right with a well-deserved Friendsgiving Potluck. Check out these friendly faces enjoying one of MBC’s favorite months - National Gratitude Month. Pecan hardly believe we are approaching the end of November but couldn’t miss the opportunity to express our thanks to all of you for being here during this grateful time of year. Let’s keep the good thymes rolling and enjoying the reason for the season. Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Cheers! #mbccares #buildingontrust #mbcfriendsgiving #gourdtimes #thanksgivingseason #turkeyth
