SFCS began as Eubank & Caldwell in 1920, under the leadership of young WWI veterans B.N. Eubank and J. Walker Caldwell.
Eubank & Caldwell handled both architecture and construction for homes, churches, schools, and theaters throughout SW Virginia.
Work was slow during the Great Depression, but Eubank & Caldwell managed to stay in business. The firm was located in the Boxley Building in downtown Roanoke.
Architect Robert Sherertz and engineer J. Stuart Franklin joined Eubank & Caldwell in the 1940s. The firm fostered a sense of family among its staff. This commitment and loyalty were passed on to clients.
SFCS entered the retirement design field in the late 1940s with the design of the Virginia Baptist Home in Culpeper, Virginia. Extensive work for medical clients followed with hospitals in Roanoke, Waynesboro, Bedford, and Rocky Mount.
Caldwell established a separate contracting firm in the 1950s. Eubank & Caldwell and Associates continued to concentrate on architecture, with Bob Sherertz as a partner. The client base expanded to include libraries and dairies.
Stu Franklin became a partner in 1961, followed by Patrick Shaffner in 1970 and Ron Crawford in 1974. The “family” atmosphere continued to be the life-blood of the firm.
Eubank and Caldwell retired in 1969 after being in business 50 years. A number of their projects became Roanoke landmarks, including the Grandin Theatre, Friendship Manor, the Boxley Building, and the Central YWCA.
Under the direction of Sherertz, Franklin, Crawford and Shaffner, the growing firm made a serious commitment to long-term care design with major projects in Richmond and Lynchburg. Significant health care projects for Roanoke Memorial Hospital continued.
SFCS experienced rapid growth in the 1980s, becoming one of the country’s top design firms in the long-term care field. Nursing and retirement projects accounted for 60-70% of the firm’s business.
The firm was incorporated as Sherertz Franklin Crawford Shaffner Inc. in 1988. The name was shortened to SFCS Inc. in 1999.
SFCS continued to design regional clinics and area hospitals, as well as projects for the U.S. Postal Service and other government agencies. Significant projects at Virginia Tech led SFCS’s growth in the collegiate arena.
SFCS opens three new offices:
Charlotte, NC - 2004
Philadelphia, PA - 2014
Louisville, KY - 2018
SFCS celebrates 100 years of service and 35 years of By Design – four offices and 100+ employees later, the firm is excited and proud to be improving the lives of others for an entire century.
Our team is committed to providing quality service, meaningful connections, and thoughtful design. We believe the balance of these key elements has the power to encourage relationships and create exceptional environments where people – and projects – can flourish.
