New Case Study added for a pair of custom modular classrooms buildings constructed by our Marysville, WA production facility.  Located at a Washington State Department of Health and Social Services detention site for male and female juvenile offenders, the modular classroom was largely built off-site – even the pitched roof modules with clerestory windows were prefabricated in our factory.

The building also features extensive custom casework, efficient lighting and HVAC systems, and an attractive complimentary exterior.

Read more about this custom modular classroom building.

Partner:  Pacific Mobile

Modular Press Boxes

New Case Study added for a custom designed modular press box for Archbishop McNicholas High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The building features a custom 12′-0″ width (a 50% increase in space over standard 8′-0″ wide press boxes), custom glazing systems to insure optimal sightlines and provide a true Full Field View.  In addition, the building features covered entries and film platforms, two private coaches / coordinator’s rooms with interior windows to preserve sight lines, and a raised viewing area platform that serves a dual function, also overlooking the softball field to the rear.

Read more about this custom modular press box.

Project Partners:  Sightlines, Inc. + Outdoor Aluminum

Whitley Manufacturing is proud to announce that we were recently selected as the recipient of two Awards of Distinction from the Modular Building Institute honoring a pair of modular charter school buildings.

Cambridge Lakes Learning Center (CLLC) wins First Place for Permanent Education Facilities Over 10,000 SFT.  

Old Redford Academy wins Honorable Mention for Permanent Education Facilities Over 10,000 SFT.

These Awards make clear the dawning realization that modular buildings offer distinct advantages to both charter schools and public schools by providing sustainable and durable commercial space, all delivered on an accelerated timeline.  The flexibility of modular construction allows schools to create ‘scalable’ buildings with the option for future relocation or addition.

Read the Case Study on CLLC’s Modular Charter School Campus.

Read the Case Study on Old Redford’s Modular Charter School Addition.

South Whitley, Indiana.  April 6, 2012.  The Modular Building Institute (MBI) held its annual conference last week in Orlando, Florida.  Labeled “World of Modular” the event recognizes the industry’s past year of achievements, honoring both projects and people.  Through the “Hall of Fame” award, MBI seeks to recognize the contributions of those whose careers are, or were, dedicated to the modular construction industry or whose acts have had a significant impact on the careers of all others involved.  This year’s inductee, Simon Dragan (President / CEO and owner of Whitley Manufacturing), with over 30 years in the industry, has influenced the careers of employees and colleagues alike, along with significant contributions to the industry.

Mr. Dragan escaped Romania during its dictatorship in 1969 and found himself in a refugee camp seeking a new country to call home.  While Mr. Dragan could have left sooner for other countries, he waited for the opportunity to enter the United States.  ”In America,” Mr. Dragan explained, “I had the opportunity to succeed or fail on the merits of my own efforts.  Despite a language problem, different customs, and just $10.00 in my pocket, the American Dream encouraged me to succeed.  Doors for opportunity are open in America.”

Whitley Manufacturing has been located in South Whitley since the close of World War Two with an initial goal of providing returning veterans with homes.  Over the subsequent decades, the company changed focus to providing commercial modular buildings and was acquired by Williams Mobile in 1971, until it was purchased by Mr. Dragan in 1993.

When he arrived in the country in 1972, he was hired as a draftsman by a Baltimore, Maryland firm engaged in the modular industry.  He was later hired by Williams Mobile (now Williams-Scotsman), where his career grew and led to the opportunity to purchase the Whitley Manufacturing flagship factory.  Mr. Dragan singled out Barry Gossett, former CEO of Williams-Scotsman, as a key mentor and his reason for embracing the industry he has been honored by.

Whitley Manufacturing now includes three factories with the acquisition of Evergreen Mobile (Marysville, WA) in 1999 and a second Midwest factory location (Rochester, IN).  Whitley and its associated businesses typically employ over 250 including tradesmen, factory workers, design and engineering staff, and management team.  Mr. Dragan elaborated on the contribution of his employees, “I have succeeded because of my employees, many who have been with me for over 20 years.  I thank them for their hard work and dedication to our industry.”  The firm (headquartered in South Whitley, IN) has produced countless projects in over 40 states and overseas.  Whitley has won over 50 “Awards of Distinction” from the MBI for their excellence in the modular construction marketplace.

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Dragan on the well-deserved honor!

Learn more about the Modular Building Institute.

Learn more about Whitley Manufacturing.

Case study:  gustavus adolphus university

Gustavus Adolphus University was founded in 1862 with strong Swedish and Lutheran heritage.  The school is a highly selective, private, coeducational residential liberal arts college.  The college is guided by five core values:  community, excellence, faith, justice, and service.

In light of the storm damage and disasters afflicting the Midwest, Whitley Manufacturing would like to share a past modular construction disaster recovery story with a happy ending.

On March 29, 1998, a tornado struck the campus of Gustavus Adolphus and the town of Saint Peter.  As the tornado swept across campus, it caused at least some damage to all 59 campus buildings with total damage estimates in excess of $52M.

Whitley Manufacturing was proud to assist the school in their time of need by joining the “Rebuilding a Greater Gustavus” recovery effort, constructing a modular student housing facility for the school.  WM built Prairie View Hall for the school, utilizing our accelerated modular construction system, to deliver the finished project by the start of the next year (project timeline from early April through August).

The modular dormitory houses 54 students in double occupancy rooms arranged along common corridors.

Modular Student Housing Case Studies

Modular Buildings for Disaster Recovery

As even more severe weather strikes the Midwest, the thoughts of everyone at Whitley Manufacturing are with our fellow-Hoosiers and Midwesterners who have been so dramatically effected by last week’s severe and unseasonable storms.

A pair of Southern Indiana communities suffered heavy damage in addition to the losses already suffered by victims throughout the region.  The National Weather Service states that the tornado that struck New Pekin measured a EF-3 on the Fujita scale, while the tornado which struck Henryville, IN measured EF-4 with winds of 175 MPH.

As our neighbors shift their focus from rescue to recovery, Whitley Manufacturing is proud to stand ready to support the disaster recovery with our line of relocatable modular buildings produced with our sustainable construction system.

Modular construction from Whitley Manufacturing can deliver flexible and high-quality commercial space on an accelerated timeline, allowing for a quick recovery and a well-supported clean-up effort.

We currently have a number of our flexible clearspan modular building components available for rapid delivery.  These flexible units feature clearspan construction, allowing for endless reconfiguration of the building and interior layout.  See our full inventory of modular buildings available for rapid delivery.

Whitley Manufacturing is a custom manufacturer of commercial modular buildings, and as such, can work with you, your architect, your town planner, etc. to design and build facilities to suit your individual needs.

Other Modular Buildings for Disaster Recovery:

• Temporary Classrooms
• Permanent Modular School Buildings
• Modular Healthcare Buildings
• Modular Office Space
• Modular Clearspan Buildings
• Emergency Water + Sewer Systems

THE HARRISOn mixed-use project completes fort wayne’s harrison square development, the centerpiece of downtown revitalization plans.

The Harrison (pictured above) is the last phase of the Harrison Square development which includes Parkview Field (home of the Fort Wayne TinCaps) and is a vital component of the city’s downtown revitalization efforts.  The mixed-use development will offer Fort Wayne an upscale urban living option in a one-of-a-kind setting.

The third and fourth floors of The Harrison (click here to download a brochure) feature forty-four luxury apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms with amazing views into Parkview Field or towards the Fort Wayne downtown skyline.  The first floor features retail and restaurant space with the second floor occupied by commercial offices.  The Harrison (scheduled for completion by February 2013) is the final component of the Harrison Square development which seeks to drive activity and economic growth back into the downtown area.

Despite the poor economy that hampered the initial phases of the project, a new public-private partnership including the owner of Whitley Manufacturing, have backed the project which celebrated a cake-cutting event on January 31st.

The New York Times profiled this unique approach to downtown revitalization in a feature article last year.

The Anderson (a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment) featuring ballpark views over Parkview Field is shown at left.  The full floorplan package can also be downloaded here.

Media Coverage:

• The Journal-Gazette
• The Journal-Gazette (Gallery) 
• The News-Sentinel
• Indiana’s NewsCenter 

Construction of the modular Science Wing at Wapato School District in Washington continues.  The gallery above shows the modular building process from construction of wall and roof sections through delivery of modular units to the project site.  The project is being constructed by our Whitley-Evergreen facility in Marysville, WA with partner Williams-Scotsman.

Live views of the modular science wing installation can be seen here and here.

Source:  Wapato SD

Read the full article on Builder Online’s website.

The first two modular components of the new High School Science Wing rolled into town this afternoon (Dec. 16th).   Four more are scheduled to arrive tomorrow and most of the rest are scheduled to arrive next week. There are 17 pieces in all that make up the building. They are being trucked over from the construction plant in Marysville, WA (Whitley-Evergreen). If the weather cooperates and they all arrive on schedule, a crane will be brought in the week of December 26th to lift them on to the foundation…Once the building is assembled on the foundation, crews will begin hooking up utilities and doing the interior and exterior finish work. The District hopes to take possession of the new Science Wing in early March.

Source:  Wapato School District