by Charles Hendricks | Dec 31, 2025 | architecture, artwork, Blacksburg, Bryce Resort, Charles Hendricks, Charlottesville, citizen architect, Custom Home, First Friday, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg Architect, Holiday, In Review, Interior Design, Massanutten Resort, project update, Roanoke, Roanoke Architect, team
Happy New Year! Before we jump into 2026, enjoy a quick recap of our top 10 blog posts of 2025!
We are thrilled to announce a significant milestone in the history of The Gaines Group Architects: the opening of our third office, establishing a dedicated home right in Roanoke, Virginia!
This blog post shows off one of our projects from this year near Massanutten Resort! Take a look for some photos of this beautiful property and even some comparisons of our renderings vs. final product!
This blog post features a beautiful renovation project that made this home feel so warm and inviting!
In 2025 we were lucky enough to be recognized with a few awards:
-Best Architectural Firm in the Shenandoah Valley Region by Virginia Living Magazine
-#1 Rated Architectural Firm in Virginia by Top Rated Local
-Top Employer for Interns in 2025 by VTOP
-Charles was named one of the Top 100 Architects in the US by Fixr.com
We couldn’t do it without the support of our clients and community!
6. Eastern Mennonite Elementary School Project Update
In this post we see an update to the Eastern Mennonite Elementary School’s gathering space!
Shopping for a late Christmas gift for your favorite Harrisonburg architect? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
We love participating in First Fridays in the Valley here in Harrisonburg! This post goes back over our wonderful artists from 2025!
We were so excited to partner with Shenandoah Valley SBDC on this project. See photos of this awesome space here!
In this post we share a project update where a vacation getaway is turned into a forever home! Click below to see photos and before and afters!
Thank you for a wonderful 2025, we will see you in 2026!
by Charles Hendricks | Oct 6, 2025 | artwork, citizen architect, community
We are always looking for incredible organizations that are doing good work in our community. We first heard about Rocktown House of Music and started working on ways we could support their efforts to bring accessible music education to the entire community. This organization is working to build and strengthen the local music culture in Rockingham County. They are bringing together seasoned musicians to teach and collaborate and welcoming learners of all ages to join in. We are particularly thrilled that their wide range of classes are open to musicians of all skill levels.
Music Education is incredibly important for a vibrant community. Learning music is a full-brain activity, engaging auditory, motor, and visual systems simultaneously. It helps build language and literacy skills, improves academic performance, supports memory and concentration, and builds motor skills and coordination. This hits on many of our firm’s core values along with our love of music and the arts. So you can understand why we jumped in as quickly as possible.
RHOM representatives are continuing their work to build a sustainable scholarship program to allow access by all to this invaluable educational community resource. If you have interest in supporting their efforts you should reach out to John Hostetter, Director at
Rocktown House of Music.
We are also working with the
Rotary Club of Rockingham County, the club that Charles actively supports, on a longer term project to help fund access to quality instruments for students.
by Charles Hendricks | Aug 13, 2025 | artwork, community, First Friday
Join us for First Fridays Harrisonburg in September at the Depot on September 5th from 5-7 PM! We will be featuring J. Brooke Chao and her exhibition “Everyday Beauty”
As always, this event is free and open to everyone, and refreshments will be provided by Gaines Group Architects.
Series Name: Everyday Beauty
Medium: Mixed Media Acrylic and Watercolor
Artist Statement: “The goodness and beauty of God’s creation is evident all around us: the way that light spills across a doorway, the beauty of unique people, the gossamer wings of an insect, the intricate patterns of plants and flowers, or the brilliant colors of a sunset. God has
also generously bestowed upon us the ability to participate in his creative work both through care of his creation as well as through artistic endeavors like music, poetry, dance and visual arts. My art is my attempt to connect to this creative spirit and the beauty I see all around
me. It also is a way to for me explore and process the complex range of experiences and emotions that are part of being humans created in God’s image.”
Artist Bio: J. Brooke Chao (She/Her) is an artist and graphic designer local to the Harrisonburg area. Brooke’s primary mediums are acrylic and watercolor, although she enjoys creating across a wide variety of mediums and styles including photography, sculpture, wood folk art and mixed media. Brooke is largely self-taught but strives to challenge herself to try new techniques and to learn from artists who have a greater breadth of knowledge, experience and mastery in their mediums. When she is not creating art, she enjoys refurbishing furniture, gardening and enjoying the downtown area with her family.
*Accessibility Note: This building was previously restored from a fire. The elevator shaft is currently not functioning and there is an absence of ramps in the space. Because the show is on the 2nd floor, this may pose an issue for those who have mobility challenges. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.
This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there!
Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot!
by Charles Hendricks | Jul 17, 2025 | artwork, citizen architect, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Office Culture
Join us for First Friday Harrisonburg in August at the Depot on Friday, August 1st from 5pm – 7pm for the Exhibition “ICONS” by artist Derrick Chirinos!!
As always, this event is free and open to everyone, and refreshments will be provided by Gaines Group Architects.
Series Name: Icons
Medium: Photography, Digital and Film
Artist Statement: In
Icons,
Derrick Chirinos swaps out live subjects for mannequin heads to capture the small, everyday moments we often take for granted. These silent figures live out ordinary routines: sipping coffee, taking a stroll, laughing with friends. Each scene becomes a time capsule, a reminder that our time on Earth is brief. As our planet’s protections waver and tomorrow feels more uncertain, these photographs stand as proof that at one point: we moved, laughed, and lived freely.
Artist Bio: Derrick Chirinos (He/Him), is a photographer and filmmaker local to the Harrisonburg area who sometimes attempts to control the chaos in his process and other times lets the art come to life on its own terms. Since expanding his skillset to processing and physically altering film to convey a moment in time, Derrick not only unlocked what he thought was possible in art but hopes to inspire others to think outside the image as well. Since 2019, he has exhibited in Brooklyn, NY, JMU, and at his alma mater
Eastern Mennonite University.
*Accessibility Note: This building was previously restored from a fire. The elevator shaft is currently not functioning and there is an absence of ramps in the space. Because the show is on the 2nd floor, this may pose an issue for those who have mobility challenges. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.
This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there!
Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot!
by Charles Hendricks | Jun 18, 2025 | artwork, citizen architect, Harrisonburg Architect
As always, this event is free and open to everyone, and refreshments will be provided by Gaines Group Architects.
Mixed Media Exhibition
Artist Ian Yoder
July 3, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
2nd Floor
141 W. Bruce St.
Harrisonburg, VA, 22801
Ian Yoder is a recent graduate of Rocktown High School and plans to attend VCU this fall. His biggest inspirations are other artists such as Hayao Miyazaki and Tove Jansson. He is also a huge fan of strange cinema. This gallery will contain pieces created over the last year.
*Accessibility Note: This building was previously restored from a fire. The elevator shaft is currently not functioning and there is an absence of ramps in the space. Because the show is on the 2nd floor, this may pose an issue for those who have mobility needs. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.
This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there!
Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!
by Charles Hendricks | May 31, 2025 | artwork, First Friday
A Bond with the Landscape
June 6, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
2nd Floor
141 W. Bruce St.
Harrisonburg, VA, 22801
About the artist:
Lori Mier, known online to some as Lori May, is a passionate lifelong learner and a self-proclaimed grief rebel. Her life is a tapestry woven with love for her son (an emerging 7th grader), cherished friendships that have become family, and a dedication to community work. Lori’s enthusiasm for coffee and fashion is matched by her profound appreciation for mountain sunrises.
As the author of
“Merin and Her Very Bright Star: A Story of Resiliency,” Lori draws from her personal journey of loss and healing to let children know that grief is real and it is okay. She is currently crafting a poetic memoir that promises to delve deeper into her experiences. With a degree in Social Work, Lori founded “Through Hiking,” a not-for-profit initiative offering guided hikes to foster care agencies and youth, fostering a connection with nature and resilience.
Lori’s commitment to education and social justice is evident in her past role on the Equity Committee for Rockingham County Public Schools and her current position on the Board of Directors for the
RISE Foundation in Waynesboro, VA. Although not a native Virginian, Lori has found her true home in the Shenandoah Valley.
In August, Lori will embark on a new chapter as a middle school English teacher, building on her timeserving in AmeriCorps when she was 21 assisting in a classroom in the Bronx, NY
,
five years with
RISE Scholars, three years of experience as a substitute teacher and her imminent teaching license. Passionate about nurturing the diverse social, cultural, emotional, and academic traits, and sparking the energy of middle school students, she is intentional and dedicated to igniting a love for reading, writing, and speaking. Her classroom will be a shelter because she is a shelter.
Her journey as a nature photographer began nearly a decade ago, capturing the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains. Her work, featured in publications like AT Journeys and Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine, is available on her Etsy shop,
Butterfly And The Storm.
Lori’s artistic journey was unexpected; she embraced the title of photographer only after repeated inquiries about her healing sunrise and sunset images. Her connection to nature traces back to her Minnesota childhood and her early years in Oregon, where her parents tragically lost their lives. A return to Oregon in2020 revealed the striking resemblance between those mountains and the Shenandoah Valley, deepening her bond with the landscape. Through her photography, Lori shares the spiritual and therapeutic essence of her hikes, inviting others to experience the magic of morning and evening light.
*Accessibility Note: This building was previously restored from a fire. The elevator shaft is currently not functioning and there is an absence of ramps in the space. Because the show is on the 2nd floor, this may pose an issue for those who have mobility needs. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.
This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there!
Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!
