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Muhlenberg Greene Architects

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Muhlenberg Greene Architects, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 25 July 2025
Muhlenberg Greene Architects, Ltd.
Company typePrivate
IndustryArchitecture
Founded1920
FounderFrederick Augustus Muhlenberg II
Headquarters
Reading, Pennsylvania
,
United States
Area served
Primarily Berks County and surrounding areas, Pennsylvania
Key people
Lawrence A. Greene Jr., Howard Quaintance, Dennis W. Rex, John R. Hill
ProductsArchitectural design and engineering services
Websitewww.muhlenberggreene.com

Muhlenberg Greene Architects, Ltd. is a comprehensive architectural practice founded in 1920, maintaining uninterrupted operations and playing a major role in the architecture and engineering landscape of Reading, Pennsylvania throughout the early 1900s.

Initially launched under the name Frederick A. Muhlenberg, Registered Architect, the company has delivered more than 3,500 projects, including prominent Reading landmarks such as Berks Heim, the Reading Medical Arts Building, and Stokesay Castle.

Founder

The originator of the firm, Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg II, FAIA, was a distinguished architect and civic figure whose career encompassed architecture, politics, social welfare, and military service. Although he briefly operated an office in Philadelphia between approximately 1917 and 1919, by 1920 the enterprise was firmly rooted in Reading and underwent multiple reorganizations before becoming Muhlenberg Greene Architects, Ltd.

The firm’s corporate evolution included these key stages:

  • Frederick A. Muhlenberg, Registered Architect (1920–1930)
  • Muhlenberg, Yerkes, Muhlenberg (1930–1957), with partners Simeon M. Yerkes and Charles Rick Muhlenberg
  • Muhlenberg and Yerkes Associates (1957–1959)
  • Frederick A. Muhlenberg & Associates (1959–1965)
  • Muhlenberg-Greene-Veres (1965–1972), with Lawrence A. Greene Jr. and Elmer Veres as partners
  • Muhlenberg-Greene Architects (1972–1980), eventually transitioning to sole ownership under Greene
  • Muhlenberg Greene Architects, Ltd. (1980 to present)

Although often mistaken for the unrelated Muhlenberg Brothers firm active in Reading during the same period, Muhlenberg Greene Architects has maintained a separate corporate identity; however, Frederick Muhlenberg was related to the Brothers family.

Frederick A. Muhlenberg retired officially in 1977 at age 90 but continued contributing until declining health limited his involvement. He died in January 1980 at age 92.

Present organization

Following Mr. Muhlenberg’s retirement in 1977, Lawrence A. Greene Jr., who had been a partner for 25 years, assumed sole proprietorship until January 1, 1980, when Muhlenberg Greene Architects, Ltd. was formally incorporated. The initial principals and shareholders were Lawrence A. Greene, Howard Quaintance, and James E. Dockey. Dennis W. Rex became a principal in 1983, with John R. Hill joining in 1998. The current leadership team comprises Greene, Quaintance, Rex, and Hill. The firm holds affiliations with the American Institute of Architects and the U.S. Green Building Council; numerous staff members possess LEED certification.

Selected projects

  • Pennsylvania Optical Company (1916)
  • Chantrell Tool (1922)
  • Alterations to Pomeroy's Department Store in Reading, PA (1922–1968)
  • Harold Furniture Company in Reading, PA (1923)
  • Expansion projects for Carpenter Steel Company (1923–1950)
  • Additions to Penn Hardware (1924 and 1942)
  • Surgical wing extension at St. Joseph's Hospital in Reading, PA (1926)
  • Croll and Keck building in Reading, PA (1927)
  • Wyomissing Club annex (1929)
  • YMCA expansions in Reading, PA (1929–2000)
  • Medical Arts Building in Reading, PA (1931)
  • Renovation and restoration of Stokesay Castle including updates completed in 2009
  • Whitner's additions in Reading, PA (1941 and 1953)
  • Berks Heim hospital and annex enlargements in Bern Township, PA (1954 and 1974)
  • Science Building at Kutztown State Teachers College (1959)
  • Episcopal House Apartments high-rise in Reading, PA (1972)
  • Penn Square Center in Reading, PA (1978)
  • Madison Building located downtown Reading (1984)
  • Addition and renovation of Reading City Hall (1994)
  • Expansion and modernization of Reading Eagle Press Hall completed in 2009
  • Read's Department Store along with two branches of the Reading Public Library
  • Numerous American Bank buildings across various decades in Reading
  • Construction of four school buildings for the Reading School District
  • Community General Hospital facility in Reading
  • Western Electric main manufacturing plant in Reading
  • Bell Telephone Company addition located in Lancaster, PA
  • Facilities for General Battery Corporation in Reading
  • CNA Insurance offices situated within Reading
  • Upgrades to the Reading-Muhlenberg Vo-Tech facility in Muhlenberg Township, PA
  • Carole & Ray Neag Center at Children’s Home of Reading completed in 2003
  • Renovation and expansion of C.E. Cole Intermediate School within Muhlenberg School District finalized by 2008–2009
  • Utilities Employees Credit Union building constructed in Wyomissing completed in 2010

These endeavors showcase Muhlenberg Greene Architects’ enduring influence within the regional market and demonstrate a broad portfolio spanning commercial enterprises, institutional buildings, healthcare facilities, educational structures, and historic preservation efforts.

Additional Clients

Related Topics

External Resources

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