The first official project of the newly partnered Irwin & Leighton was the completion of a grand addition to the Hotel Strand, at the corner of Pennsylvania and Delaware Avenues. Owned by the father-in-law of Mr. Irwin, the expanded hotel would vie for the public opinion of superiority, with all modern amenities and large ocean view “cabin rooms” as its main attractions.

Built by Irwin & Leighton in 1909 to replace a smaller clubhouse for the barons of Philadelphia’s burgeoning manufacturing industry, this “striking specimen of modern architecture...of unique fashion” towered over its neighboring Broad Street buildings. Although the club was reorganized as Manufacturers’ Golf and Country Club and moved to Fort Washington in 1937, the building still stands on the Avenue of the Arts, a monument to postindustrial, pre-World War II urban grandeur and Irwin & Leighton’s expertise.

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Irwin & Leighton built Victor Talking’s Camden headquarters and manufacturing complex. The company’s work included construction of seven buildings from 1909 into the 1930s. Over the years, the facility produced many innovative products from phonographs, to radios, to early television and radio broadcast industry parts. The main building was crowned with a large stained-glass tower featuring an image of Nipper, the famous Victor dog, making it an unmistakable part of the Camden landscape.

Founded in 1903, the Ford Motor Company released its Model T in 1908. Within ten years, more than half of the cars in America were Ford Model Ts. Ford opened the consumer market for automobiles to the average working man. Irwin & Leighton’s Detroit office dealt extensively with Ford as it expanded its production lines in support of the forward beat of the company. Irwin & Leighton built many projects for Ford in its early years across the United States, and one project in Canada.

The scope involved ten sections of multiple barracks and support buildings as well as extensive infrastructure work. In less than sixty days, the entire project was substantially complete. When the company hit stride, it was completing one barrack per day. The 31,000 acre complex is located inside the Pineland National Reserve in Central New Jersey. Used as a staging ground and training area for units during World War I, it was made a permanent Army post in 1939 and was renamed as Fort Dix.

The United States Treasury Annex, built by Irwin & Leighton in 1918, was designed by the great American architect, Cass Gilbert (1859-1934). In addition to the Treasury Annex, Mr. Gilbert designed the United States Supreme Court Building. The Beaux Arts character of the designs for these federal buildings expressed a common ideal of the time: namely, that Americans were the modern heirs of enlightened democracy.

In 1921, the Navy established Lakehurst Naval Air Station to serve as its headquarters for lighter-than-air flight after the pioneering use of zeppelins by the German forces in World War I. In order to house large helium-filled dirigibles, the Navy hired I&L to build Lakehurst’s Hangar No. 1, a massive structure measuring 961 feet long, 350 feet wide and 200 feet high. Inside it, Naval engineers assembled the first American-built rigid airship, the Shenandoah.

Henry Flagler built the original Union Station at Jacksonville in 1894. In 1919, five railroads, eager to capitalize on the migration of wealth and the passage of goods, partnered to build a new station on Flagler’s site. In order to complete the station, a creek which had been moved to build Flagler’s original station was relocated once again, and several railroads rerouted their own tracks to converge with the new terminal.

The Sears Distribution Facility, built by Irwin & Leighton, became a destination for many visitors to Philadelphia. This plant was second only to Sears’ Chicago headquarters in catalogue sales. Sears employees filled more than 7,000 orders every 15 minutes.

A classic of the Collegiate Gothic style, the Alumni Memorial Building is less typical than its perfected aesthetics because it was built not as an academic building, but as a monument to honor those students and alumni who fought or died in World War I. Commissioned by The Alumni Association of Lehigh University, the towering memorial was designed by the partnership of two Lehigh-educated architects.

Irvine Auditorium, was built by Irwin & Leighton in 1926 after a design from the offices of famed Philadelphia architect, Horace Trumbauer. Among Trumbauer’s associates was Julian Abele, a 1902 graduate of Penn’s School of Architecture and its first African-American graduate. The unusual Gothic-inspired space, with its intricately tiled walls and ceiling, was named for William B. Irvine, Treasurer of the City of Philadelphia and a longtime benefactor of the University.

Built in 1927 by Irwin & Leighton, The Fidelity-Trust Building represented the cream of Philadelphia’s financial world. It was one of the last Beaux-Arts skyscrapers to be built in America before the country entered the Great Depression of the 1930s. The massive 600,000 square-foot project involved: excavation of more than 140,000 cubic yards of earth from the site, and the use of rock bearing caissons, a modern steel frame which incorporated the largest girders ever placed in the Eastern United States.

The 20-story building along Broad Street was one of the first high-rise teaching hospitals in the world when it was built in 1928, and is still in use today as Hahnemann University Hospital of the Drexel Medical System. In the 1980s, Irwin & Leighton returned to the facility to do extensive renovations for the then owner, Allegheny Health Education and Research Foundation (AHERF). The modern high rise was also, in part, a design of famed architect, Horace Trumbauer.

During and following World War II, veterans began to return home in need of medical attention. Often, the wounded GIs also needed extended care. In this climate of demand, Irwin & Leighton was heavily involved with the medical community, pairing with government, private, and church subsidized organizations to build facilities (like the pictured, Espiscopal Hospital) for the growing number of patients. Many of these hospitals would prove just as necessary in the following decades with the advent of the Baby Boom era.

An increased number of midshipmen at the Naval Academy required more dormitory space. Rather than build satellite dormitories, Bancroft Hall, the beaux-arts building designed by Ernest Flagg in 1901, was expanded by Irwin & Leighton. This and subsequent expansions made Bancroft Hall the single largest dormitory building in the world, with nearly 5 miles of corridors and 33 square acres of floor space spread over 5 floors. As well as housing a gymnasium, a post office, medical and administrative offices, retail shops, a bank, and a barber shop.

For Bethlehem Steel, Irwin & Leighton completed many projects at its Sparrow’s Point Steelworks. The largest steelworks in the world, Sparrows Point was a vital part of steel production during both World Wars.

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Educational institutions in the 1950s were experiencing an influx of students, many of whom were returning GIs. The climate was one of optimism and advancement. The Cold War was fueling scientific study while the stirrings of a cultural revolution loomed in modern literature and politics. In this exciting atmosphere, Irwin & Leighton constructed many buildings on college campuses. Among them were state-of-the-art facilities for learning and research, as well as modern dormitories.

Educational institutions in the 1950s were experiencing an influx of students. Young men and women with a mind to achieve great things had seemingly endless opportunities. This was the final decade of a purely patriarchal academic system, a time in which anti-communism was potent enough to suppress the emerging issues of Civil Rights that would eventually and truly revolutionize academia.

With incorporation in 1955, Bill Olmstead was named President; he proved an effective, easy-going leader, popular with employees and clients alike. Bill would be central to shaping the unique culture of employee ownership and tradition of conservative leadership by consensus that have been fundamental to Irwin & Leighton’s stability and success. For these reasons alone, his legacy will endure at Irwin & Leighton. He served as the leader of Irwin & Leighton from 1955 until 1978.

The Physics Department, along with aid from several others nationwide, commissioned Wilson Synchrotron Laboratory, a facility where a large particle accelerator would help students and researchers make groundbreaking discoveries regarding the atom. The huge Cornell Electron Storage Ring (CESR) lies in a tunnel 15 meters below Alumni Football Field.

"Academia was forever changed by the 1960s as students began to demand a different educational environment. Coeducation and desegregation also changed the American educational landscape. While schools responded to the demands of a new generation, they were also forced to deal with the mathematical reality of a population boom. As enrollment reached all-time heights, Irwin & Leighton remained heavily involved with prominent institutions – building new dormitories, administrative buildings, laboratories, and classrooms to accommodate the needs of these institutions.

Princeton University’s Departments of Mathematics and Physics were growing during the 1960s and 1970s, causing a need for more space. Irwin & Leighton was hired to construct a large complex which included two buildings connected by a shared library. Jadwin Hall, headquarters of the Department of Physics, was dedicated as a memorial to Stanley Palmer Jadwin. Fine Hall, home of the Mathematics and Statistics Department, adjoins Jadwin Hall. Including the two levels beneath the plaza, The complex has six floors; these contain ninety laboratories, eighty-four offices, and eight classrooms.

In 1970, Irwin & Leighton returned to Cornell to build a classroom building for the Agronomy Department. Agronomy, the science of using plants for fuel, food, feed, or fiber, is a modern biotechnology that continually investigates better methods of producing and using crops. The 1968 Ulrich Franzen design for the building was modeled after Louis Kahn’s 1961 modernist Richards Medical Research Building at University of Pennsylvania. The flat, unobstructed brick façade was praised by architectural critics for its sculptural solidity.

Irwin & Leighton’s long time connection with Bell Telephone proved strong in 1971, when the company was chosen to build the massive Telephone Exchange Building in Philadelphia. The building housed the most advanced automated switchboard system available. Ironically, technological advancements came with such rapidity during this time that, by the end of the decade, the microchip would forever render the switchboard obsolete.

This 2,900-seat arena, located on the southernmost point of the campus, was the crown jewel of University of Pennsylvania’s Athletic Department when Irwin & Leighton completed it in 1972. The 60,000 square-foot arena marked an important event in the University’s history; at the cost of $3.2 million, it was the largest class gift ever given. This gift was prompted by the efforts of Howard Butcher III, Class of 1923, and the Friends of Penn Hockey. The facility was then, and remains, the largest collegiate arena in the state; it has hosted many hockey teams.

Built to house the Wharton Graduate School of Business, the 1973 structure on Spruce Street is considered a classic of modern “Philadelphia School” design.

With the help of longtime company attorney and shareholder, Paul Guest, the company purchased a portion of the former Irwin Farm estate. Irwin & Leighton then built the Stouffer’s Hotel (1971), The Irwin Building (1974) and The Leighton Building (1979) on the land. With the completion of The Irwin Building, Irwin & Leighton moved its headquarters, after more than 50 years in Philadelphia, to the top floor of this modern facility; it was designed by long-time friend, The Ballinger Company.

Walt Babich, Vice President of Operations for some time, was named President upon Mr. Olmstead’s retirement in 1978. As President, Walt used his experience to rejuvenate the company, resolving to take on and excel at “doing only the work we can handle.” His effectiveness as a leader served to preserve the company’s high performance standards. He served at the helm of the company from 1978 until 1985.

Irwin & Leighton completed its third successful management transition in 1985 when Walt Babich retired and Jim Brecker, who was serving as Vice President of Estimating and Purchasing, was named head of Irwin & Leighton. His leadership was marked by his calm practicality and realistic optimism, as well as his strong focus on long term relationships with quality customers and employees alike (pictured center).

The college students of the 1980s were fiercely practical and career driven. Irwin & Leighton helped colleges and universities live up to the expectations of this new breed of student.

With the rapid increase in the speed of information and changes in the philosophy of retail came a rapid increase in demand for product control and distribution. Irwin & Leighton worked for two masters of the distribution business during the early nineties – United Parcel Service (UPS) and CVS/Mark Steven Service Merchandisers, Inc. (CVS) – building three distribution centers for UPS and one for CVS.

Ford Motor Company’s North Penn Electronics Facility has long recognized that the key to winning in its industry is continuous improvement in everything it does,” the proud manufacturer stated. Irwin & Leighton built this state-of-the art facility in 1991. The project team of Ford, Ballinger, and Irwin & Leighton had worked on projects together since 1909. Over the next decade, the site would host projects involving the design of two new assembly lines, which would build the five module families responsible for controlling security in Ford’s and other automobiles.

Irwin & Leighton built two central buildings on Lafayette’s Easton campus during the 1990s – Farinon College Center and Keefe Hall, a new dormitory. Along with being praised for their classic designs, the spaces have been enjoyed by students, faculty, and administration for their functionality.

Irwin & Leighton built Wal-Mart’s first store in the State of New Jersey in 1992. This was the beginning of a long-term relationship. To date, Irwin & Leighton has completed nearly one hundred contracts for Wal-Mart.

Irwin & Leighton built Keefe Hall in 1998. This 40,000 square-foot, 117-bed student residence, dedicated October 22, 1999, has seven separate “houses,” each with lounge and kitchen; these houses provide a friendly living-learning environment for students who share special academic or co-curricular interests.

Perhaps most notable in all this activity is Princeton’s Scully Hall project. Princeton entrusted Irwin & Leighton to build its first new dormitory in many years, a prominent addition to the University’s campus, and strategic in that its completion would launch a major dormitory renovation program.

Little Hall was constructed between 1899 and 1901, and was Princeton’s fi rst dormitory built with bathrooms. The Cope & Stewardson design is a classic of the Collegiate Gothic style, though F. Scott Fitzgerald compared the building to a snake winding its way from Blair Hall to the Gymnasium. The extensive 2001 renovation by Irwin & Leighton brought this historic building up to modern standards.

The Oechsle Hall and Alumni Center project involved a complex renovation of a former turn-of-the-century, architecturally historic athletic building into a state-of-the-art Psychology/Neurosciences facility and a new addition for the Alumni Center.

The Millennial Generation has been described in various terms, but it is unmistakably identifi ed by its attachment to information technology as a living accessory. Unlike their elders, who may think of technology primarily as a business tool or form of entertainment, these young people think of their various electronic accouterments as extensions of their physical being and social identity.

The City Avenue Residence Halls project represented a major addition to Saint Joseph’s campus and the largest contract between the University and Irwin & Leighton to date.

The Millennial Generation has been described in various terms, but it is unmistakably identifi ed by its attachment to information technology as a living accessory. Unlike their elders, who may think of technology primarily as a business tool or form of entertainment, these young people think of their various electronic accouterments as extensions of their physical being and social identity.

Irwin & Leighton has worked for Capital Health System since the 1980s, completing numerous projects at their Trenton, New Jersey, facilities. Most recently, the company completed a medical offi ce building in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, for this leading healthcare provider,

Irwin & Leighton’s early involvement with the “Box Store” movement in retail provided it with the background and expertise to work on many retail projects in the new millennium. Working with the newest leaders of the domestic and worldwide retail market, Irwin & Leighton has had a hand in expanding the reach of those companies.

In June 2007, Reading Eagle Company announced that it would expand the facility of the family-owned, 140-year-old newspaper. Irwin & Leighton is in the process of completing a 77,000 square-foot addition that involves extensive logistical issues, massive foundation and structural work, and complex mechanical and electrical systems.

Irwin & Leighton provided preconstruction and construction services for the phased renovation of Princeton’s Physics building, Jadwin Hall. The work encompassed ±240,000 SF of office, classroom, laboratory, and mechanical spaces.

Irwin & Leighton completed the renovation of several ±100-year-old buildings for the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation including the Farm Barn, ±22,000 SF structure built in 1906, initially served as a stable and later as a dairy barn, the Orchid Range, a conservatory structure built between 1899 and 1901, and the adjacent gardener’s cottage,a ±13,500 SF state-of-the art conservatory and teaching facility. Four ±2,500 SF former residences constructed in 1906 were also renovated to create additional meeting and office spaces for security, building management, and the data center.

Irwin & Leighton built a new apartment-style community on Princeton Theological Seminary's West Windsor campus. The project involved the construction of 204 apartments in three residential buildings.

In 1998, Travis E. Gedney was hired as a Project Manager and through the years moved his way up to his current position as President and CEO. Travis’ first project for Irwin & Leighton was the Keefe Hall Residence Hall at Lafayette College, one of our longest customers in the educational sector. Travis continues to lead Irwin & Leighton into the future.

Irwin and Leighton completed construction on this brand new two-story building that includes 115,000 SF of skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, a full commercial-grade kitchen, two remote kitchens, multiple dining areas, offices, and indoor and outdoor gathering areas.

Irwin & Leighton completed the +/-79,000 SF renovation of Xfinity Live! in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The project included adding a new restaurant, 1100 Social, as well as a new outdoor patio area with multiple fire pits and covered and heated dining areas. An exterior patio garden area was added and includes a new glass and steel outdoor bar structure with seating and fire pits.

Continuing our relationship of over 40 years, Irwin & Leighton was chosen as the Construction Manager for the renovation of the existing Weinstein Natatorium at Lafayette College that included a new pool and new facade.

The team broke ground on March 7, 2016 with the demolition of a large surface parking area that sits between Stuckeman, Holmes and Runkle Halls. This new five-story, +/-90,000 square feet, 300-bed residence hall is now home to first year students at Penn State’s Main campus. Common spaces include floor lounges and study nooks, laundry rooms, a communal kitchen, community and study rooms and a Resident Life Staff apartment on the ground floor. The building was constructed in a “L” shape allowing for extra space outside for students to enjoy.

Irwin & Leighton is proud to have been selected by St. Luke’s University Health Network to be the Construction Manager for the Warren Hospital’s Campus Wide Renovation. Overall this project is a phased,+/- 150,000 SF, +/-$35,000,000 five (5) story renovation of an existing hospital including new emergency room, labs, operating rooms, patient rooms, physical therapy suites, office space and infrastructure upgrades.