Swissvale Municipal Building

Borough of Swissvale

Swissvale, PA – New Construction - 15,000 sq/ft

The existing building had been owned and maintained by the Swissvale Municipality since its construction around 1906; a 2-story structure for a professional and volunteer fire brigade using horse-drawn fire trucks.  An addition to the facility was constructed in 1936 to house the municipal offices and full-time police barracks with jail cells.

In 2019, the south end of the 1936 building addition suffered a bearing wall failure which caused part of the roof to collapse onto the second floor. Thankfully no one was harmed, and repairs were made to secure the remaining roof construction.

The Borough of Swissvale commissioned CORE Architects to conduct an analysis of the existing facility and determine strategic goals for the future. It was clear to the Borough and its constituents that a new municipal complex would best serve the needs of the community and approved CORE Architects to program and masterplan a new structure with improved site facilities on the existing property, centered in Swissvale.

CORE Architects leads the design of a new 15,100 sf Municipal Building that will be home to the Borough Administration and Police Department. Using elements and design features of the former building, the new buildings façade pays homage to the history of the municipality while state-of-the-art construction techniques, building systems, and technology provides operational efficiency and solutions to modern day challenges.  The Master Plan includes a large community room, additional surface parking, and new recreational areas to improve functionality of the site and quality of life for residents and visitors.

Demolition of the former building was completed in 2024, Construction on this next-generation Municipal Complex is scheduled to begin in 2025, with an anticipated duration of 16-18 months for completion.