Poole Anderson Buys MABX Building, Moving Regional Office to Harrisburg

State College-based Poole Anderson Construction LLC is moving its midstate office to Harrisburg from South Middleton Township this summer after buying the former Mid Atlantic BX office at 2501 N. Front St.

Earlier this month, Poole Anderson acquired the vacant MABX building for $415,000, according to Dauphin County deed records.

The trade association closed in March.

The three-story office, which needs minor cosmetic updates, is about 5,000 square feet — double the size of the company’s leased space in the Carlisle area, said John Lehmann, vice president of operations.

“One of our major growth initiatives is the southcentral Pennsylvania area,” Lehmann said, noting that the company has been recruiting regional staff. “We are ramping up as we speak.”

The move to Harrisburg is expected by late summer, possibly early August or September. Poole Anderson has a regional staff about 15 people, including field employees.

Over the last year, the company has seen revenue growth of about $15 million. It is a $60 million company right now, Lehmann said.

The five-year goal is $100 million.

“We believe we can do that sooner,” he said.

About 75 percent of its work is currently in the State College area. The company’s goal is to continue growing its market share in the Harrisburg area.

The biggest project areas are hospitality and higher education, Lehmann said, citing projects in the Philadelphia suburbs, Reading area and Shippensburg.

Projects include a Courtyard by Marriott hotel for the Shippensburg University Foundation.

The company also is expecting to pick up more health-care-related work through its connections to the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

“We are in and around the area all the time,” Lehmann said, adding that he hopes the move will propel the company to new heights in Central Pennsylvania.

Poole Anderson also is looking to work in the Chambersburg area and possibly get into Maryland, he added: “We’re not afraid to expand out.”

By Jason Scott, June 15, 2015 – Central Penn Business Journal