Barry Isett New Headquarters

Isett Breaks Ground on New Headquarters

Barry Isett & Associates, Inc. broke ground Wednesday for a new central office – a development described as “a milestone in the growth of the company” by its patriarch and namesake.

The engineering and consulting firm has grown to eight locations across Eastern and Central Pennsylvania but will continue to call the Lehigh Valley its first home when the new headquarters opens at 5420 Crackersport Road in Allentown.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve done and the contributions we’ve made in the Lehigh Valley,” Barry E. Isett, P.E., P.L.S., F.NSPE, said during the groundbreaking ceremony. “I’m big on values, and I think we all have good values, and that’s what makes us good. It’s a good team.”

Isett leadership gathered with project partners MKSD Architects and Boyle Construction for brief remarks and shovels of dirt that marked the start of work on the building.

“We set out from the very beginning that we were going to treat our consultants on this project like we like to be treated – with respect and trust,” Kevin Campbell, Isett President and CEO, said at Wednesday’s event. “We look forward to the evolution of this project and the continued evolution of the company.”

The next milestone is expected in September when associates and friends return to the site for a “topping-off” ceremony. The new headquarters could be ready for occupancy in the spring.

The new facility will provide Isett associates with larger, smarter workspaces; several common spaces for meetings and team building; a patio for lunch breaks or outdoor work; and other modern amenities that align with the company’s values of Balance, Ownership, Service and Team. It will replace the company’s current main office in a double farmhouse along Route 100 near Trexlertown.

“This will be a shining example of the kind of company this is, the kind of leadership we want to provide in the Lehigh Valley, and the kind of organization we want to be in the future,” said John M. Hayes, a member of Isett’s board of directors who is Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer of New Tripoli Bank.

Barry Isett & Associates provides service to clients across eastern and central Pennsylvania in 14 engineering and consulting disciplines in Design, Field and Public divisions. Mr. Isett started the company in 1977. Since then, it has expanded to eight offices in Allentown, Hazleton, Mechanicsburg, Phoenixville, Stroudsburg, Wilkes-Barre and Wyomissing, and at a soon-to-be new location in Furlong, Bucks County. An employee-owned company, ownership of the firm is shared between Mr. Isett and company-shareholders.

Isett has been named among the Top Workplaces in the Lehigh Valley by The Morning Call for eight consecutive years. In 2019 and 2020, the firm earned a spot on the prestigious Best Places to Work in PA list, an annual recognition administered by a statewide consortium led by the Central Penn Business Journal.