What RLPS Architects does

RLPS Architects (legal entity: RLPS, LLP, formerly Reese, Lower, Patrick & Scott) is a Pennsylvania-based architecture, master planning, and interior design firm founded in 1954 and operating as a privately held limited liability partnership. The firm operates from three offices — Lancaster, PA (headquarters at 250 Valleybrook Drive), Pittsburgh, PA (40 24th Street, 4th Floor), and Sarasota, FL (240 N. Washington Blvd, Suite 400/410) — serving institutional clients across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. Its client base is concentrated in three primary verticals: Senior Living (Life Plan Communities, continuing care retirement communities, skilled nursing repositioning, independent living expansions), Higher Education (colleges and universities), and K-12 education (public and private school districts), with a smaller Select Work portfolio covering hospitality and community facilities such as country clubs.

The firm's service offering spans seven integrated practice areas: architecture, interior design, master planning, feasibility studies, sustainable design (incorporating LEED and WELL principles), building technology consulting, and space planning. Differentiated methodologies include biophilic design strategies, a University Retirement Community (URC) Planning Framework, skilled nursing rightsizing consulting, and a curated Residence Selection Package design service for senior living independent living expansions. Technical delivery relies on industry-standard AEC design tools and methodologies; the firm does not disclose proprietary technology platforms or AI/ML capabilities, and its "Technology Services" line addresses smart building design and systems integration rather than artificial intelligence.

RLPS generates revenue through project-based professional services fees, with engagements typically structured as multi-year contracts and pricing determined by engagement scope, complexity, and scale. Business development is driven by direct enterprise field sales — relationship-based engagement with institutional decision-makers, competitive bidding, and RFP responses — supplemented by a content marketing program comprising project case studies, an insights blog, white papers, and webinar thought leadership distributed via the firm website and LinkedIn. The firm is independently owned and operated by its partners, with no venture capital, private equity, or institutional investor involvement disclosed. The firm is led by Managing Partner Craig Kimmel (30+ years) and partners Eric Endres, Carson Parr, and others, supported by senior project architects and NCIDQ-certified interior designers with deep sector specialization.

Name

RLPS Architects

Legal name

RLPS, LLP

Website

https://rlps.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

RLPS Architects is a Pennsylvania-based architecture, master planning, and interior design firm serving Senior Living, Higher Education, and K-12 institutions. The 1954-founded partnership operates from three offices across Pennsylvania and Florida, with deep specialization in Life Plan Communities and university campus planning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lancaster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Professional architecture, master planning, and interior design services for institutional clients including senior living communities, higher education institutions, and K-12 school districts. Revenue is generated through project-based fees for design and consulting services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RLPS Architects is a professional architecture, master planning, and interior design firm that delivers integrated design services for institutional clients. The firm serves Life Plan Communities, colleges and universities, K-12 school districts, and select commercial clients (such as country clubs and hospitality venues) primarily across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States from offices in Lancaster PA, Pittsburgh PA, and Sarasota FL.

Product overview

RLPS Architects is a professional services firm specializing in architecture, master planning, and interior design. They offer integrated services across multiple market sectors including Senior Living, Higher Education, K-12, and Select Work. The firm's core service offerings include Architecture Services, Interior Design Services, Master Planning Services, Feasibility Studies, Sustainable Design Services, Technology Services, and Space Planning Services. They also provide specialized services such as Residence Selection Package Design for senior living communities, helping clients curate finish options that balance personalization with construction efficiency. The company operates from three locations in Lancaster, PA, Pittsburgh, PA, and Sarasota, FL.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Services Full architectural design services for senior living, higher education, K-12 education, and select commercial markets. Services include schematic design, design development, construction documentation, and construction administration.
• Interior Design Services Interior design services including finish and fixture selection, furniture selection and installation, sales center design, and space planning for residential and commercial interiors.
• Master Planning Services Campus-wide master planning services that help institutions position themselves to meet future needs and goals through vision statements, resource assessment, and phased development plans.
• Feasibility Studies Analysis services that determine project viability by evaluating site constraints, programming requirements, timelines, and budgets for proposed developments or renovations.
• Sustainable Design Services Sustainable and environmentally conscious design services incorporating LEED principles, energy-efficient systems, and green building materials.
• Technology Services Building technology consulting services addressing technology infrastructure, building systems integration, and smart building design.
• Residence Selection Package Design Curated finish and fixture selection packages for senior living independent living residences, including flooring, cabinetry, countertops, plumbing fixtures, lighting, and hardware, designed to balance personalization with project efficiency.

Quantifiable outcome

• Residence hall renovation can achieve up to 20% savings compared to new construction
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CannonDesign: Large multi-sector architecture firm with established Senior Living, Higher Education, and Healthcare practices — directly comparable to RLPS in target markets and project types (campus master planning, residence hall renovation, life plan community design).
• Perkins Eastman: Major North American architecture practice with deep Senior Living and Education practices; competes for the same institutional clients and project scopes (Life Plan Communities, K-12, higher ed campus planning) as RLPS.
• Hord Coplan Macht: Mid-Atlantic architecture firm with senior living, healthcare, and education studios — a directly comparable East-Coast peer competing for similar institutional planning and design engagements in RLPS's home geography.

Regional players

• Legat Architects: Midwest-based architecture firm with K-12 and Senior Living market focus; comparable in size and vertical specialization but serves a different geography (Illinois/Iowa) than RLPS's PA/FL footprint.
• BKV Group: Multi-state architecture firm with senior living, education, and public-sector practices; similar mid-size scale and vertical mix to RLPS, but with primary geographic focus in the Upper Midwest rather than the Eastern U.S.
• WLC Architects: Idaho-headquartered architecture firm with K-12 and Senior Living expertise; comparable vertical specialization and project types (campus planning, life plan community work) but operating primarily across the Mountain West.
• Lantz-Boggio Architects: Colorado-based mid-size architecture firm with established Senior Living and Education practices; comparable in scale and vertical mix to RLPS but serving the Mountain West rather than the Mid-Atlantic/Southeast.
• JLG Architects: North Dakota-headquartered architecture firm with community, K-12, and senior living work; comparable mid-size scale and institutional-client focus to RLPS, but concentrated in the Upper Midwest and Plains states.
• Moseley Architects: Virginia-based architecture firm with Senior Living, Higher Education, and K-12 practices; a regional peer in the Mid-Atlantic competing for many of the same institutional clients in RLPS's core geography.

Broad incumbents

• DLR Group: Large national architecture, engineering, and planning firm with senior living and education studios; a broader incumbent whose institutional practice overlaps with RLPS in target segments and project types.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rlps_architects
• Facebookfacebook.com/rlps-architects-153583567987899
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rlps-architects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RLPS Architects