Washington Crossing Visitor Center

Location:  Washington Crossing, Route 32, Upper Makefield, PA
Client: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, PA Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums
Team:

BWA Architects (Prime)

CVDA (Landscape Architecture)

T&M Associates (Civil Engineers Entech Engineering)

HVAC Kachele Group (Structural Engineers)
Date:  Initial construction 2012 

The Washington Crossing Visitor Center is located within a 550-acre state park adjacent to the Delaware River. The park is the site of the encampment and departure point for the Continental Army’s Battle of Trenton on December 25, 1776—the turning point of the American Revolution. Over the years a number of renovations have changed the original design of the landscape around the Visitor Center.

As part of the renovation of the Visitor Center by Becker Winston Architects, CVDA was asked in 2004 to complete the land development and landscape architecture portion of the project. Part of this process included research into the historic landscapes and the original design of the landscape and reflection pools. CVDA developed a safer site circulation system by adding a bus loop on the east side of Route 32.  New crosswalks connected walkways and parking.  The improvements were designed to tie into the adjacent Taylorsville Road streetscape project. The historic nature of the site meant that no digging could go below 18 inches without an archaeological inventory.

 

After a lengthy township approval process from 2004 to 2010, CVDA completed the project documentation to restore the landscape and provide for safe pedestrian connections to meet current codes. The project was sent to bid in 2011, and the construction phase was completed in 2012.  A garden restoration plan for the Hibbs House is ongoing.