Merion Golf Club

Building the Next Chapter of a Historic American Golf Club

Merion Golf Club is one of the most storied golf institutions in the country. Renovating its historic clubhouse required more than introducing modern building systems. New construction had to integrate with a facility shaped by generations of additions and renovations while preserving the architectural character that makes Merion distinctive.

Klover served as the specialty carpentry contractor for the approximately 55,000-square-foot renovation and expansion, delivering complex cold-formed steel framing, drywall, ceilings, rough carpentry, exterior systems, and architectural finishes throughout the clubhouse.

Project Snapshot

Location: Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Market: Commercial / Hospitality

Project Size: Approximately 55,000 SF

Construction Type: Historic Renovation & Expansion

Duration: 23 Months

Delivery: Cold-Formed Steel Framing, Commercial Carpentry & Architectural Finishes

Services Provided

• Cold-Formed Steel Framing
• Heavy-Gauge Structural Framing
• Structural CFS Box Beams
• Exterior Wall Framing
• Roof, Parapet & Soffit Framing
• Rough Carpentry
• Interior Light-Gauge Steel Framing
• Drywall Systems
• Fire- & Sound-Rated Assemblies
• Acoustical Ceiling Systems
• Linear Plank Ceilings
• Glass Mat Gypsum Sheathing
• Air & Weather Barrier Systems
• NanaWall Support Framing
• Structural Blocking
• Architectural Openings & Specialty Installations

The Challenge

Historic renovations rarely provide the predictability of new construction.

Merion Golf Club's clubhouse had evolved through multiple generations of additions and modifications. Existing conditions varied throughout the building and could not always be fully documented until demolition and construction were underway.

New framing, walls, ceilings, openings, roof assemblies, and building systems had to connect precisely with existing construction while preserving the proportions, transitions, and architectural character of the clubhouse.

The challenge was not simply building something new. It was making the new construction belong within what was already there.

The Solution

Klover developed framing solutions around actual field conditions as the renovation progressed, coordinating closely with the project team, consultants, and surrounding trades.

The Southwest Addition was among the project's most technically demanding areas. Klover utilized multiple sizes and gauges of cold-formed steel to construct shed roofs, mansard roofs, gable roofs, exterior walls, structural box beams, and a new chimney.

Heavy-gauge 8-inch and 10-inch cold-formed steel framing, bent plates, tracks, clip angles, and specialty connections were incorporated to create the structural support and complex geometry required by the architecture.

Elsewhere throughout the clubhouse, Klover constructed framing for roof extensions, parapets, soffits, NanaWall systems, kitchen exhaust enclosures, a pent roof, architectural openings, equipment supports, and numerous transitions between new and existing construction.

The interior demanded the same attention to detail. Fire- and sound-rated drywall assemblies, acoustical ceilings, linear plank ceilings, sound attenuation systems, architectural finishes, and specialty assemblies were coordinated throughout dining areas, gathering spaces, member amenities, and service areas.

As unforeseen conditions emerged, Klover adapted framing and installation methods to actual field conditions while maintaining the architectural intent of the renovation.

Project Impact

• Approximately 55,000 SF historic renovation and expansion
• Heavy-gauge 8-inch and 10-inch cold-formed steel framing
• Complex shed, mansard, and gable roof framing
• Structural CFS box beams and specialty connections
• Extensive integration between new and existing construction
• Renovated dining, gathering, member amenity, and service spaces
• 2,200+ hours of on-the-job apprenticeship training
• Nine ABC apprentices or graduates contributed to the project
• Project team included a 2024 ABC National Craft Championships Gold Medal winner
• All Klover work completed without a single OSHA Recordable incident

Why This Project Matters

Merion Golf Club is a place where history matters.

The goal of the clubhouse renovation was not to erase what came before, but to prepare the facility for its next generation while retaining the character and identity that have developed over decades.

That required Klover's teams to solve conditions that could not always be anticipated on drawings. Heavy-gauge structural framing, custom roof assemblies, drywall systems, ceilings, exterior framing, architectural openings, and specialty finishes all had to come together within an existing and evolving building.

The result is a clubhouse that meets contemporary needs while remaining distinctly Merion.

Building the Next Generation Alongside It

Merion also became an important training ground for the next generation of skilled construction professionals.

Nine members of Klover's project team were graduates or current participants in the ABC Registered Apprenticeship Program, contributing more than 2,200 hours of on-the-job training during the project.

Apprentices worked alongside experienced craftspeople on real-world conditions involving structural framing, historic renovation, architectural transitions, drywall, ceilings, and specialty construction.

Among those craftspeople was an ABC apprenticeship graduate who earned a Gold Medal at the 2024 ABC National Craft Championships, giving developing professionals the opportunity to learn alongside someone who had progressed through the same program.

Klover Differentiator

Complex Conditions. Built to Belong.

Historic renovation requires the ability to adapt without compromising the finished architecture.

Klover combines technical knowledge, field problem solving, skilled tradespeople, and close project coordination to integrate new construction into existing environments, solving complex conditions while respecting the character and intent of the original building.