Repurposed Steel: Historic industrial factory readapted into waterfront retail and hospitality destination
Ironworks at Pencoyd Landing is a historic industrial landscape located along the banks of the Schuylkill River, northwest of Philadelphia. Existing structures and materials from the historic landscape were analyzed and adapted into a complete transformation of the site. By incorporating bits and pieces from the original Pencoyd Ironworks building into the design, history is made visible in the steel outline of the former complex. The now modern waterfront complex features an elegant river walk where you can meander along and stop for coffee or a meal at the Landing Kitchen or admire the surviving ironwork structures.
Location:
Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania
Square Feet:
7,000
Stories:
1
Service:
Structural
Industries:
Commercial
Primary Material:
Steel
Project Highlights
The development also supports hospitality services while engaging the community through the creation of the public plaza and a continuation of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail.
DCI+MacINTOSH worked with the landscape architect David Rubin to repurpose Pencoyd factory’s steel girders for a pedestrian ramp linking the new riverwalk to the Marriott Residence Inn. The ramp spans a water retention basin layered with slate.
For the event venue, a portion of Pencoyd’s existing pump house was repurposed into a boutique-style banquet hall; the scope also added 7,000-sf of new space to the venue.
For the pergola structure, the team relocated original steel factory trusses and connected them to new foundations.
Video by the Montgomery County Planning Commission
“I’ve always enjoyed the art of being part of a team – discovering the most helpful role in projects and the reward of seeing that collaboration come to life.”