The Von Hess building on Bank Avenue
JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY
The three buildings are being transformed into a year-round campus that will include renovated exhibition spaces and enhanced public access to one of Pennsylvania's colonial landmarks.
For details, one has to look back to the March 18, 2025 Planning Commission meeting in which Ben Morton, a landscape architect with RGS Associates, and James Abbott, executive director of the Wright's Ferry Mansion and the Louise Steinman Von Hess Foundation, presented details of the project to commission members.
Part of the project includes reactivating the Von Hess building, sometimes known as the "railroad building,” at the rear of the Wright's Ferry Mansion, on Bank Avenue.
The building was designed by architect Frank Furness and was stabilized by the Von Hess Foundation about 20 years ago, according to Abbott. The plan is to develop a permanent exhibition there that will feature a story-and-a-half mulberry tree installation introducing visitors to Susanna Wright's vision for a colonial silk industry.
The renovated building will also tell the story of Wright's diplomatic negotiations with Native cultures, her friendships with Benjamin Franklin and James Logan, and the Wright family's legacy. The space will include hands-on components and artifacts from archaeological excavations at Columbia River Park.
Improvements will include a river-facing entrance to the building, pedestrian walkways to a new parking area, and an enhanced crossing of Bank Avenue featuring textured paving—possibly cobblestones—and a raised speed table for pedestrian safety. A wooden guardrail will protect the building while directing foot traffic to designated crosswalks.
The Cottage
Additional project initiatives include converting the cottage at 38 South Second Street into a gallery containing the personal art collection of Richard C. and Louise Steinman Von Hess, who purchased and restored the mansion in 1973. The cottage will also house an expanded research library, with an annex in the railroad building.
The Wright's Ferry Mansion
"We see the house as an artifact," Abbott explained, noting that the Wright's Ferry Mansion—built by Susanna Wright in 1738—will continue operating under strict preservation protocols. Abbott said tours are limited to protect original floorboards, plaster, and furnishings; the museum currently welcomes under 4,000 visitors annually during its May through October season, with tours capped at 10 people to minimize wear and tear.
Renovations will include a western terrace with a rain garden for stormwater management, according to Morton. Native plantings from the 1700-1750 period will be installed behind the mansion's Second Street fence, and the foundation plans to establish a clover lawn on the front grounds. Additional cameras and lighting are also planned.
The project spans five parcels, with properties zoned for downtown and riverfront commercial use. Abbott noted that cultural center museums are permitted by right in both zones.
"We see the house as an artifact," Abbott explained, noting that the Wright's Ferry Mansion—built by Susanna Wright in 1738—will continue operating under strict preservation protocols. Abbott said tours are limited to protect original floorboards, plaster, and furnishings; the museum currently welcomes under 4,000 visitors annually during its May through October season, with tours capped at 10 people to minimize wear and tear.
Renovations will include a western terrace with a rain garden for stormwater management, according to Morton. Native plantings from the 1700-1750 period will be installed behind the mansion's Second Street fence, and the foundation plans to establish a clover lawn on the front grounds. Additional cameras and lighting are also planned.
The project spans five parcels, with properties zoned for downtown and riverfront commercial use. Abbott noted that cultural center museums are permitted by right in both zones.
