RE: Build Manufacturing Facility RIDC New Kensington | 12th Street, New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park, New Kensington, PA 15068
Owner: RIDC (Regional Industrial Development Corporation)
Architect: R3A Architecture
Contractor: Mascaro Construction
Glazier: Southwest Aluminum & Glass Co
Manufacturer – Industrial Windows: EXTECH/Exterior Technologies, Inc.
Photos courtesy of RIDC
In early 2023, the Re:Build Manufacturing team, RIDC, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania announced the rebuilding of a manufacturing facility in New Kensington, Pa, designed to create local manufacturing opportunities and bring jobs to the region. The 175,000 SF former aluminum manufacturing facility (belonging to ALCOA corporation) was set for a multi-phased renovation. This included replacing declining structures, removing the old windows and updating them with newer industrial windows, and removing hazardous waste, while ensuring the facility was optimized for energy efficiency and met the standards for the 21st century.
To meet the demands of the rugged manufacturing environment and bring the building envelope to code, 13,524 SF of EXTECH’s LIGHTWALL 3440 was utilized for the industrial window replacement and sawtooth infills. The aluminum framed translucent wall system features 40mm tongue and groove cellular polycarbonate, offering excellent impact-resistance, insulation, and little to no maintenance, making it also ideal for fixed window applications.
The CC1, Class A polycarbonate was chosen in the shade opal for 30% light transmission, offering perfectly diffused light with modern appeal. A common choice for translucent wall applications, the tongue-and-groove system is lightweight and installs quickly. Prefabrication cuts down on installation time and improves the integrity of the system. To lessen field waste, polycarbonate glazing is pre-cut to size. Additionally, the aluminum framing system is pre-cut and drilled with installed gaskets.
In 2024, the facility was awarded NAIOP Pittsburgh’s Best Industrial Renovation Project. The facility provides necessary space for manufacturing activities, with room for growth. The facility allows for state-of-the-art engineering, fabrication, and manufacturing that could employ 300+ people by 2026.