PhilaPort Recognized as Partner in Award-Winning Mustin Seaplane Hangar Project

Philadelphia, PA (July 30, 2026) – The Mustin Seaplane Hangar Mitigation Project received the 2026 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Award – Special Focus Award: Ralph Modjeski Award for Transportation Design, Preservation or Archaeology, recognizing the collaborative efforts of PennDOT, the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, PhilaPort and project partners.

Presented by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission and Preservation Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Awards recognize projects and partnerships that preserve, document and interpret the Commonwealth’s historic resources.

Constructed in 1943 at the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, the Mustin Seaplane Hangar was the last surviving World War II-era seaplane hangar at the site and a notable example of structural engineer Anton Tedesko’s innovative thin-shell reinforced concrete design.

When preservation of the structure was no longer feasible, PennDOT, the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, PhilaPort and project partners developed a comprehensive mitigation program under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Working with Terracon Consultants and a multidisciplinary team, the project salvaged artifacts and documented the hangar through large-format photography, aerial and interior laser scanning, a three-dimensional printed model, a digital reconstruction video, historical publications, exhibit panels and survey documentation. These resources are now available online through the Tinicum Township Historical Society, preserving public access to the hangar’s transportation, engineering, military, architectural and aviation history even though the building itself no longer survives.

PhilaPort is honored to have been a partner in this collaborative effort to document and preserve the legacy of this significant historic resource.