West Point Foundry Preserve

Cold Spring, NY

The West Point Foundry Preserve is a recreational area incorporating the site of the West Point Foundry (established 1817). The foundry’s significance lies in its utilization of innovative production methods for the manufacture of military armament and industrial products. The Foundry ruins are now fragmentary reminders of the site’s industrial past within the Preserve’s verdant landscape. The Scenic Hudson Land Trust transformed the Preserve into a world-class industrial heritage site that protects and interprets all of the site’s resources for public enjoyment.

As part of the design team led by Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, LSA analyzed the existing conditions and made recommendations for the stabilization and selective reconstruction of eight historic structures within the Preserve.

After the park opened, work commenced on Phase 2 with a project team led by LSA. The main focus of this phase was the stabilization of the historic 1865 Administrative Building, a key feature of the Preserve. The badly deteriorated cupola had been removed from the bell tower due to safety concerns in the 1990s. In 2015, the team worked to stabilize the building and tower and to restore the cupola to match its original condition. The raising of the cupola onto the tower symbolized the integration of architecture, landscape, and environment at the West Point Foundry Preserve, allowing Scenic Hudson to continue to provide a valuable historic and natural resource for all to enjoy.

Awards: American Society of Landscape Architects New York Design Award (2014), New York State Historic Preservation Award (2014), John A. Roebling Award, Roebling Chapter of Society for Industrial Archaeology (2014), Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES™) Certified Pilot Project (2014)

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