Transforming Philadelphia’s 35-year-old Four Penn Center office building into a Class A property required an $80 million renovation that integrated such modern amenities as fiber-optic cabling, back-up power supplies and a high performance coating system from Tnemec. “The architect wanted a coating system to provide long-term protection for exposed aluminum on the building’s exterior,” recalled Tnemec coating consultant Pat Murphy. “The interior and exterior renovation was designed to make the building a more attractive property and provide a much needed facelift to this aging part of the business district.”
The project was completed over a six-month period and required scaffolding for the exterior work. The aluminum surface was acid-etched and rinsed with an alkaline solution to prepare it for a prime coat of Series 161 Tneme-Fascure, a polyamide epoxy. An estimated 100 gallons of Tneme-Fascure were used on the project, according to Tnemec coating consultant Ed Enoch. Another 100 gallons of Series 73 Endura-Shield, an aliphatic acrylic polyurethane, were roller-applied in off-white over the primer. Endura-Shield is highly resistant to abrasion, wet conditions, corrosive fumes, chemical contact and exterior weathering.
Approximately 70 gallons of Series 76 Endura-Clear, an aliphatic acrylic polyurethane clear coat, were roller-applied to provide added protection from ultraviolet light and long-term color and gloss retention. “Endura-Clear is formulated to both enhance the finish and extend the long-term weathering qualities of pigmented Endura-Shield,” Enoch noted. “The Endura-Clear topcoat ensured both the long-term performance and aesthetics the architect and owner required.”
“Weather was a factor because the project was started in early spring,” Murphy added. “As long as the surface temperature remained above 35 degrees, the applicator could continue to work, but rainy conditions caused some delays. The contractor felt the primer provided excellent adhesion and was easy to apply. Everybody was satisfied with the aesthetics of the coating system. After five years, the project still appeared as though it had been recently completed.”
Built in 1965, the 20-story, 525,000-square-foot office building is part of the “Penn Center” complex considered among the city’s most desirable business properties. The buildings range in size from 20 stories to 36 stories