UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Students and faculty from Penn State’s Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation recently traveled to Ellis Preserve in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, to explore one of the region’s most ambitious examples of sustainable, mixed-use development.
The guided tour, hosted by Equus Capital Partners, showcased the intersection of design innovation, environmental stewardship and long-term community planning, according to Scarlett Miller, director of the Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation. The visit was made possible through support from the Sokolov Family Industry Partnership Endowment and Equus Capital Partners.
A living case study in sustainable real estate
During the visit, participants toured Ellis Preserve’s 100,000-square-foot mass timber office building, a regional first for commercial-scale timber construction. The development also includes 90,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, an 18,000-square-foot event venue, 200 rental apartments, a 140-room Marriott AC Hotel and 60 for-sale townhomes — all integrated within a pedestrian-friendly campus that balances adaptive reuse, or repurposing an existing building for a new purpose, with new construction.
“Experiences like this bring our mission to life,” said Miller, Paul Morrow Professor of Engineering Design and Manufacturing at Penn State. “By connecting students directly with industry leaders and projects at the forefront of sustainable development, we’re preparing them to shape the future of real estate with creativity, technical expertise and a deep understanding of community impact.”
Students gained firsthand insight from professionals who helped shape the 20-year transformation of the site. Presenters included Bill Rearden, Penn State alum and site/civil engineer with Bohler Engineering; Denis Mordan, structural engineer with O'Donnell & Naccarato; John Schwartz, architect with D2 Architecture; Seth Shapiro, land planner and architect with Barton Partners; and Steve Spaeder and Neil Gallagher of Equus Capital Partners.
Rob Fenza, member of the Penn State Board of Trustees and the vice chair of the Cocoziello Institute board, also addressed the group, discussing how the institute’s programs connect academic learning with the practical demands of large-scale real estate development.
“Ellis Preserve represents the kind of forward-thinking, multidisciplinary development that defines today’s real estate industry,” Fenza said. “It was inspiring to see Penn State students engage with professionals across engineering, design and planning, and to witness firsthand how their classroom learning translates into real-world innovation.”
A full day of immersive learning
Organized by Art Pasquarella, a founding partner of Equus Capital Partners and Penn State alumnus, the visit opened with remarks from Pasquarella and Equus leaders Steve Spaeder and Neil Gallagher, who hosted the group throughout the day. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring the project’s engineering, architecture and design teams. Students showed a keen interest throughout the discussion and tour, asking thoughtful questions that explored both the creative and technical aspects of the Ellis Preserve project, according to Jennifer K. Wagner, assistant professor of law, policy, and engineering and of anthropology, and associate director of the Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation.
“There were so many thoughtful details designed to ensure the built environment truly nurtures the community and culture,” Wagner said, noting that the visit included a stop at Equus’ corporate headquarters that offered a behind-the-scenes look at the company’s development strategy and long-term commitment to community revitalization. “It’s the kind of space where you can genuinely imagine wanting to live and work.”
Students said the experience offered a powerful look at how the classroom concepts translate into real-world problem solving and design thinking.
"Visiting Ellis Preserve was incredible. Seeing mass timber used on such a large scale showed me how design, sustainability, and engineering come together,” Bhavya Pravallika Velugula, a graduate student in real estate analysis, said. “One moment that stuck with me was when Dennis Mordan talked about looking at the structural work and said, ‘Look at it, it’s never going to look this beautiful again.’ I thought, if that’s not building poetry, I don’t know what is."
Another student pointed to the technical coordination behind the project as a key takeaway from the visit.
“Visiting the Ellis Preserve site was an inspiring experience that brought my coursework to life,” said Siddharth Gaur, a graduate student in Architecture. “Seeing sustainable materials and innovative timber technologies applied at scale deepened my understanding of how design and material choices can help decarbonize the built environment. What stood out most was watching how architects, engineers and contractors coordinated around panel logistics, sequencing and connections — highlighting how cross-laminated timber requires deeper collaboration across the design and construction process. I’m truly grateful to the Cocoziello Institute for the opportunity to connect theory with practice and to witness the future of sustainable construction firsthand.”
While the technical aspects stood out for some students, others reflected on how innovation and sustainability shape livable, people-centered spaces.
“The visit to Ellis Preserve was educational and inspiring. It showed me that livable communities can be built with both innovation and sustainability in mind.” Alexander Wasden, a fourth-year student in architectural engineering, said. “The panel discussion revealed how much detail and care is necessary for a successful development like this to come into being.”
Miller said experiences like this not only enhance technical understanding but also help students see their potential role in shaping the future of sustainable development.
“This experience allowed students to connect classroom concepts to real-world application, particularly in sustainable design, structural innovation and systems integration,” Miller said.
About the Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation
The Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation at Penn State fosters education, research and industry collaboration across the fields of real estate development, construction and sustainable design. The institute connects students and faculty with industry leaders to explore innovative solutions that advance the built environment and drive community impact.
Learn more at the Cocoziello institute website. Support for this experience was provided in part by the Sokolov Family Industry Partnership Endowment.