Nation’s Oldest Black-Owned Design Firm Tackles Major Projects While Keeping Its Legacy Front And Center
McKissack & McKissack is the oldest Black-owned construction and design firm in the nation, but that doesn’t mean Black History Month is a particularly special time of the year for its employees.
“We celebrate Black History Month almost every day,” said Executive Vice President Dean Robateau, a 20-year veteran at the firm who oversees many of its projects across the Philadelphia area.
These days, much of Robateau’s attention is focused on roughly $300M of renovations McKissack is carrying out in two JPMorgan Chase office towers at 201 N. Walnut St. in Downtown Wilmington.
McKissack has a 51% stake in the JPMorgan Chase project, which it’s completing alongside its frequent collaborator Turner Construction.
Workers are currently renovating one 300K SF tower spanning 18 floors, Robateau said.
He expects that portion of the project to wrap up in February 2026. McKissack will then begin work in the second tower. It’s not clear when that stage of the project will be complete.
“This is a pretty big job, not only for us, but for the bank,” Robateau said of the revamp, which includes new lighting, standardized sit-stand workstations with dual monitors and meeting spaces that foster collaboration with technological upgrades.
McKissack is also involved in the renovations underway at JPMorgan’s Park Avenue office in New York City, and it has secured high-profile contracts with everyone from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority to the School District of Philadelphia and major universities like Temple and Princeton.
The company's origin story is one of a family working hard for two centuries to overcome slavery and discrimination, McKissack’s fifth-generation CEO Cheryl McKissack said.
“This firm represents more than just a business. It is a testament to resilience, excellence and the enduring legacy of Black entrepreneurship in America,” she said.
Eggs In Different Baskets
McKissack's offices are in New York City, the majority Black suburb of Mount Vernon in nearby Westchester County, and Philadelphia, where the company has had a presence since 1994.
The Philly office was founded during Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s first term, which came with with a major retreat from public contracts with minority- and women-owned businesses in New York City.
“Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Mayor Ed Rendell and City Council President John Street were actively supporting and expanding [Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprises] initiatives,” Cheryl McKissack said.
“Given these contrasting landscapes, it was a strategic decision to establish a presence in both cities rather than put all our eggs in one basket,” she added.“Many firms went out of business during that period, but by diversifying our operations, we ensured that McKissack & McKissack could not only survive but continue to grow and thrive.”
President Donald Trump’s second term has come with a major step back from diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government and the private sector. But Robateau said McKissack hasn’t been impacted.
“In my discussions with private companies, I haven’t seen a pullback,” he said. “I can speak for the public sector… I haven’t seen a change on that side either.”
A recent case in point is SEPTA, which is currently seeking a company to carry out station upgrades and other daily rehabilitation projects for its aging rail system.
Robateau was at an event the agency held to discuss its needs with several potential contractors. He recalled representatives of minority-owned companies being asked to stand up and introduce themselves.
“There were firms of national significance that participated, and everybody knew that they had to partner with a [disadvantaged business enterprise],” Robateau said, referring to companies where at least 51% of the ownership can be traced back to members of socially and economically disadvantaged groups.
A Storied History
McKissack is largely focused on the Northeast these days, but the company’s roots stretch back to Nashville. That’s where Cheryl McKissack's great-grandfather Moses McKissack III and great-uncle Calvin McKissack incorporated the firm in 1905.
“Knowing that I am part of a lineage that has literally helped shape the American landscape is humbling, and it motivates me every day,” she said.
But the firm’s story actually started way back in the late 1700s when one of Cheryl’s enslaved ancestors was freed by his master, she said. He and another former slave made a name for themselves building churches and schools for the Black community.
Education is still an important part of McKissack’s identity. Robateau highlighted the firm’s 12-year-old contract with the School District of Philadelphia, which has brought in millions of dollars for the company.
McKissack has 15 architects, engineers and estimators who regularly assist the district with its nearly 300 buildings across the city in addition to 30 full-time staffers in the Philadelphia region.
“The district really respects what we do,” Robateau said. “We feel that we’ve established a keen foothold.”
While much of McKissack’s work with the district is focused on smaller tasks, the firm has also been involved with some high-profile ground-up construction projects.
One of Robateau’s first undertakings with McKissack was the School of the Future, a gleaming white public school in Fairmount Park that welcomed its first students in 2006.
He hasn’t looked back since, adding that leadership is a major part of what's kept him around for so long. Working at a Black-owned firm like McKissack has also allowed Robateau to carry on his own family legacy.
“My dad was an architect and builder,” he said. “Meeting someone who has the same lineage as you creates a sense of pride.”
CORRECTION, FEB. 21, 8:30 A.M. ET: McKissack provided new information about its relationship with the School District of Philadelphia. The story has been updated.
