The last remnant of Wayne's industrial past is coming to the ground, as the former Wayne Iron Works on Lancaster Avenue is demolished for the new condominium complex "Pembroke North." The three-building complex, designed by world-renowned Post-Modern architect Robert Venturi, has been delayed for months because of construction of Main Line Land Rover / Jaguar's new building closer to the Pike. The dealership formerly occupied the old Iron Works building, which before that had been Wayne Ford.

The Iron Works was once one of Wayne's most successful businesses. The company crafted many durable goods including fences and stadium seating. Their handiwork can still be seen with the bleachers of the Radnor Middle School gymnasium and the large grand stand at Radnor High School. The company closed in the 1960's and its buildings were converted for use by car dealerships.

The idea of building condos on the site has been discussed for some years. It was obvious that the old Iron Works building was not nearly up to the aesthetic standards of the well-off Land Rover dealer. The fact that high-priced housing will go on the site is somewhat perplexing, due to its close proximity to the railroad, Lancaster Pike and several large businesses such as the dealership and Acme.

The buildings of Pembroke North, named for the new extension of Pembroke Avenue requied by the complex, will be four stories high with large windows and ground floor garages. Pembroke North's website claims that the complex will be the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified multi-family residential building in the Philadelphia area. This means that they will be extremely energy efficient, and will likely get a higher price for the distinction.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Pembroke North project is the design by Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates. The Philadelphia-based firm is well-known internationally for their ground-breaking post-modern designs. Although the overall design of Pembroke North is somewhat unexciting (it appears to have many of the same aesthetics features as VSBA's other projects on their website, most notably the University of Michigan building seen on their home page), there is no doubt that the firm's high standing in the field will give Wayne some architectural attention for the first time in many years.

The buildings of Pembroke North will line a new street, aptly titled "Iron Works Way." That, it seems, will be the only remaining evidence of a once proud Wayne institution.

Further Reading:

Pembroke North's Home Page

Suburban & Wayne Times: Radnor Township Design Review Board backs condo project

Venturi, Scott Brown & Associates

Re:Vision Architecture's Project Description

Venturi, Scott, Brown & Associates' rendering of the buildings (click to enlarge)
courtesy www.revisionarch.com