No longer private land, the 42-acre Maybrook estate near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania presented the potential to be a mixed-use treasure. An 18-month planning process culminated in The Reserve at Maybrook, comprising a well-appointed apartment complex, public walking trails, an amphitheater, and community gardens. As a Class 1 historic resource, the retained mansion now accommodates offices, a community center, and 250 luxury residential units. RGS Associates provided landscape architectural services from planning through construction. Photo Credit: Ben Sauder Visuals
A community green of natural lawn and sodded turf greets residents and visitors. RGS Associates designed the entrance signage to match the piers at the building's porte-cocherep, with veneer stone, brick bands, and bluestone caps. In front of the sign is a planting area that is changed out four times a year, pictured here with petunias. Boulders and granite curbing delineate tiers in the lawn that serve as a 'grand stairway' from the driveway to the open, recreational space. Belgian block was used in the driveway and parking area. PHOTO CREDIT: BEN SAUDER VISUALS
The original Japanese garden was fully restored with existing, relocated ferns and repurposed, power-washed boulders, steppingstones, and vertical stone features. Granite and Pennsylvania fieldstone boulders serve as infill. Existing trees were limbed up, new, dry streambed and gravel walking paths were installed, and the garden area was enhanced with supplementary landscaping. PHOTO CREDIT: BEN SAUDER VISUALS
The area around the communal, gas-fueled fire pit is surfaced with 12-inch by 12-inch cement pavers with a natural color and a granite-like finish bordered by charcoal-colored bricks. The accompanying sidewalk is standard broom-finished concrete. Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja plicata 'Green Giant') trees and Tardiva Hydrangea (Hyrdrangea paniculata 'Tardiva') shrubs shelter the area enclosed by a three-rail, industrial, aluminum fence with a black powder-coat finish. PHOTO CREDIT: BEN SAUDER VISUALS
This dining terrace located in the eastern courtyard is shaded by a Western Red Cedar pergola. The see-thru fireplace features an 82-inch firebox opening and a glass windshield. Its preassembled enclosure and the concrete masonry unit (CMU) pergola columns use the same materials found elsewhere on site. The powder coating on the 42-inch-high, aluminum rail fence was selected to match the color of the stone veneer. Synthetic turf was installed between the patio and the building. The tables and chairs were specified by the project's interior designer. PHOTO CREDIT: JAY GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY
As part of the redevelopment plans, structures and gardens on the grounds of the historic estate were preserved and made accessible to the public, including almost three-quarters of a mile of pathways. Local tree replacement regulations called for the addition of over 280 trees. PHOTO CREDIT: JAY GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY
Because the site is a residentially zoned property of more than five acres, the township's Open Space Preservation District requirements mandated that a minimum of 50% of the land be maintained as permanently protected open space. A public trail system links the mansion to the adjacent neighborhoods and commuter rail line (bottom). The new development added more than a quarter mile of sidewalk along Penn Road (left). RENDER: RGS ASSOCIATES
Three 5-to-9-foot-tall basalt columns were used to create an entry fountain. Water flows from the property's water supply through regulating valves, over the stones, and into a custom, concrete basin with pedestals supporting a metal grate covered by 3-inch to 5-inch river rock. Lilyturf (Liriope spicata) and Kuma Bamboo grass (Sasa veitchii) are some of the specified groundcovers. PHOTO CREDIT: JAY GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY
The western courtyard features a multi-level pool with a Baja bench and lap lanes. The pool deck is stamped concrete in a fractured slate pattern tinted with color hardener and antiquing release in grey and buff. The corners of the deck are surfaced with woodgrain plank stone. At one end of the pool is an outdoor grilling area with a built-in gas grill and a jet fountain at the other end. Black, aluminum litter receptacles and benches found throughout the site are from Landscape Forms. The building's orientation provides ample areas of sun and shade throughout the day. PHOTO CREDIT: JAY GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY
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No longer private land, the 42-acre Maybrook estate near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania presented the potential to be a mixed-use treasure. An 18-month planning process culminated in The Reserve at Maybrook, comprising a well-appointed apartment complex, public walking trails, an amphitheater, and community gardens. As a Class 1 historic resource, the retained mansion now accommodates offices, a community center, and 250 luxury residential units. RGS Associates provided landscape architectural services from planning through construction. Photo Credit: Ben Sauder Visuals
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A community green of natural lawn and sodded turf greets residents and visitors. RGS Associates designed the entrance signage to match the piers at the building's porte-cocherep, with veneer stone, brick bands, and bluestone caps. In front of the sign is a planting area that is changed out four times a year, pictured here with petunias. Boulders and granite curbing delineate tiers in the lawn that serve as a 'grand stairway' from the driveway to the open, recreational space. Belgian block was used in the driveway and parking area. PHOTO CREDIT: BEN SAUDER VISUALS
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The original Japanese garden was fully restored with existing, relocated ferns and repurposed, power-washed boulders, steppingstones, and vertical stone features. Granite and Pennsylvania fieldstone boulders serve as infill. Existing trees were limbed up, new, dry streambed and gravel walking paths were installed, and the garden area was enhanced with supplementary landscaping. PHOTO CREDIT: BEN SAUDER VISUALS
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The area around the communal, gas-fueled fire pit is surfaced with 12-inch by 12-inch cement pavers with a natural color and a granite-like finish bordered by charcoal-colored bricks. The accompanying sidewalk is standard broom-finished concrete. Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja plicata 'Green Giant') trees and Tardiva Hydrangea (Hyrdrangea paniculata 'Tardiva') shrubs shelter the area enclosed by a three-rail, industrial, aluminum fence with a black powder-coat finish. PHOTO CREDIT: BEN SAUDER VISUALS
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This dining terrace located in the eastern courtyard is shaded by a Western Red Cedar pergola. The see-thru fireplace features an 82-inch firebox opening and a glass windshield. Its preassembled enclosure and the concrete masonry unit (CMU) pergola columns use the same materials found elsewhere on site. The powder coating on the 42-inch-high, aluminum rail fence was selected to match the color of the stone veneer. Synthetic turf was installed between the patio and the building. The tables and chairs were specified by the project's interior designer. PHOTO CREDIT: JAY GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY
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As part of the redevelopment plans, structures and gardens on the grounds of the historic estate were preserved and made accessible to the public, including almost three-quarters of a mile of pathways. Local tree replacement regulations called for the addition of over 280 trees. PHOTO CREDIT: JAY GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY
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Because the site is a residentially zoned property of more than five acres, the township's Open Space Preservation District requirements mandated that a minimum of 50% of the land be maintained as permanently protected open space. A public trail system links the mansion to the adjacent neighborhoods and commuter rail line (bottom). The new development added more than a quarter mile of sidewalk along Penn Road (left). RENDER: RGS ASSOCIATES
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Three 5-to-9-foot-tall basalt columns were used to create an entry fountain. Water flows from the property's water supply through regulating valves, over the stones, and into a custom, concrete basin with pedestals supporting a metal grate covered by 3-inch to 5-inch river rock. Lilyturf (Liriope spicata) and Kuma Bamboo grass (Sasa veitchii) are some of the specified groundcovers. PHOTO CREDIT: JAY GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY
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The western courtyard features a multi-level pool with a Baja bench and lap lanes. The pool deck is stamped concrete in a fractured slate pattern tinted with color hardener and antiquing release in grey and buff. The corners of the deck are surfaced with woodgrain plank stone. At one end of the pool is an outdoor grilling area with a built-in gas grill and a jet fountain at the other end. Black, aluminum litter receptacles and benches found throughout the site are from Landscape Forms. The building's orientation provides ample areas of sun and shade throughout the day. PHOTO CREDIT: JAY GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY
Located just west of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the historic Maybrook estate represented untapped possibility in the mixed-use realm. After 18 months of planning led by officials in the development's jurisdictions of Lower Merion Township and Narberth Borough, The Reserve at Maybrook emerged in 2017 as a historically situated, high-end apartment complex that integrates walkability enhancements for the larger neighborhood. Landscape architectural services, including land planning, impact studies, and construction observation, were the domain of RGS Associates located in nearby Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Zoning Innovation & Planning Process The 42-acre estate adjacent to the Wynnewood Train Station has considerable frontage on both Penn Road in Lower Merion Township and North Wynnewood Road in Narberth Borough. When the property owner brought forward a large-scale redevelopment plan for the site in the early 2000s, township planners recognized the significant impacts of such a development and initiated a thoughtful facilitation process that took place over an 18-month span. During this period, the property owner worked with Lower Merion Township, Narberth Borough, the Lower Merion Conservancy, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transport Authority (SEPTA), and adjacent civic associations to refine the development concept and identify the needed improvements.
The facilitation process revealed that Lower Merion Township's zoning ordinances allowed for the infill development of a new, 250-unit luxury apartment community that maintained the historic presence and value of the site while permitting it to be used for multiple purposes. As the site was within the sphere of the township's Open Space Preservation District, which applies to residentially zoned properties with five or more acres of land, a minimum of 50% of the tract was required to be set aside as permanently protected open space. This stipulation created a guideline for the design team to use and ensure that the new development was efficiently laid out. Wooded lot calculations and tree replacement ordinances were also part of the municipal's requirements for the project, resulting in the obligation that over 280 additional trees be planted on the estate's grounds.
Historic Considerations At the center of The Reserve at Maybrook sits the 20,000-square-foot Maybrook mansion, originally built in 1881 as a summer retreat for whiskey baron Henry C. Gibson. Over the years, the mansion and its environs have served as landmarks for both residents of and visitors to the area. Architecturally inspired by Scottish castles, the mansion was listed as a Class 1 resource in the township's Historic Resource Inventory as a condition of the township's initial approval for the development of the land. This listing allows the notable building to have multiple uses, with rooms serving as offices, a community center, an event venue, and an area for a small number of residential units. As part of the original subdivision, the time-worn carriage house, gate house, and barn were also preserved, retaining the fundamental feel of the northern portion of the site.
Site-Sensitive Design The community planning process for this large property helped identify the key context-sensitive goals for the development: preserve and integrate the historic resources within the estate and ensure any new structures were concentrated along the railroad line to minimize impacts on adjacent neighborhoods. By locating the new development and a central parking structure close to the train station, more than 20 acres of open space were retained and integrated into the overall design, including acres of woodland and a buffer of mature trees along the railroad tracks. Where selective tree removal was necessary, hundreds of replacements, including native understory trees, were planted. These actions created new outdoor spaces and tree edges. The resulting site design allowed for the restored mansion to remain nestled within its longstanding landscape, maintaining its authentic relationship to the refurbished Japanese gardens and the original carriage path to the train station.
Past and Present Comforts The Reserve at Maybrook integrates unique community amenities befitting its historical context, including an amphitheater, community gardens, and pathways. In total, three-quarters of a mile of trails within the site and over a quarter mile of sidewalk along Penn Road were created as part of the development, opening the stately site for public enjoyment while improving resident access to facilities such as the Wynnewood Train Station and a nearby commercial area.
This trail system provides access to two private courtyards with modern amenities for residents. The eastern courtyard contains a wide variety of gathering and seating options, including a Western Red Cedar dining pergola, grilling areas, and fire pits surrounded by Adirondack chairs. An open lawn area is available for cornhole, and plantings like River Birch (Betula nigra) trees provide privacy for the activity areas and residents on the ground floor. The western courtyard houses the property's multi-level pool with fountains at the top, a smaller Baja shelf in the middle, and a large pool with lap lanes. Surrounded by poolside lounge seating and umbrellas, this courtyard also contains outdoor grills and dining tables. Parking facilities are directly connected to the residences and are concealed from view by existing, mature vegetation. Other modern amenities on the estate grounds include paddle tennis courts, outdoor gathering and grilling areas, and a putting green.
Looking Forward Reinforced by a lengthy community planning process, The Reserve at Maybrook is an excellent example of a historically sensitive infill project that resulted in the conservation of valuable bygone resources. In 2023, at the 56th annual Montgomery Awards - which is sponsored by the Montgomery County Planning Commission and recognizes the best in land planning and environmental stewardship - this rigorous endeavor was honored for zoning innovation, historic preservation, and site-sensitive design. The strategic reallocation of part of the estate as a transit-oriented apartment community, the thoughtful restoration of notable landmarks, and the protection of more than 20 acres of open space as a tranquil woodland prepares the Reserve at Maybrook for remarkable times yet to come.
TEAM LIST Landscape Architect / Land Planner: RGS Associates Inc. Client: Jefferson Apartment Group, Haverford Properties Original Owner / Developer: Robert Lockyer, Merloc Partners Developers: Haverford Properties, Jefferson Apartment Group / JAG Management Company Architect: KTGY Engineer: Momenee Associates, A Karins Company
