MSD Warren Township partners with Section 127 to brand new Larry Whelan locker room as renovations advance

MSD Warren Township officials showcased construction progress at Warren Central High School in the March episode of Inside Warren and announced that Section 127 will design the creative branding for the district’s new Larry Whelan locker room at Warrior Stadium.

The host said the district had dedicated the new locker room in honor of Larry Whelan, whom the program described as a longtime teacher and coach at Warren Central: “Coach Whelan was a business teacher, football coach, and track coach here at Warren Central High School for over 50 years,” the host said, noting his role on nine state football championship teams and four boys track state championship teams.

Kevin Gormel, executive director of experiential design at Section 127, said the agency will handle the project’s visuals and branding elements. “We are the agency of record for the NCAA championships,” Gormel said. “We design logos, branding, court design, tickets, the stadium venues, the locker rooms, for all championships.” He described Section 127 as a strategic branding agency that grew out of a 40-year signage and print production company and said the firm will apply the same intake-design-execute process used for large sporting events to the Warren Central locker room.

District and contractor representatives described the locker-room complex as a multiuse facility with separate varsity, junior varsity and freshman locker areas; adjacent coaches’ offices with observation windows; an athletic training room; and a larger equipment room with secured access by card reader. A construction representative noted key systems are in place and that some benches and finishes were recently poured and installed.

The program also previewed the district’s plan to create Instagram-friendly moments and other visual highlights inside the facility, with Gormel noting the importance of placing elements where visitors and players will engage with them. The district credited Powers and Sons as a construction partner on the project.

Officials told viewers they are anticipating July as the completion date for the stadium work. No formal board action or vote on the project was recorded in the segment.

Why it matters: The project combines facility upgrades, a named dedication to a longtime coach and an external branding partnership; the district said those moves are meant to strengthen school identity while improving athletic and operational spaces.