The revitalization of the historic Cobbs Creek Golf Course in West Philadelphia marks a milestone in community-centered development. Led by the Cobbs Creek Foundation, the initiative is transforming the 340-acre site into a destination for recreation, education, and public connection. As part of this effort, LF Driscoll, in partnership with Perryman Construction, managed the preconstruction and construction of the Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab and the Lincoln Financial Center, advancing the Foundation’s long-term vision for the campus.
ANCHORING EDUCATION AND ACCESS
A cornerstone of the early revitalization effort is the Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab, a nearly 30,000sf facility constructed by LF Driscoll on behalf of the TGR Foundation. Established by Tiger Woods, the TGR Foundation empowers youth through innovative STEAM education and career readiness programs. As the first structure completed on the former golf course, the Learning Lab quickly became a focal point for community engagement. Designed to provide free, year-round programming for students in grades 1 through 12, the facility includes classrooms, a makerspace, a podcast studio, and flexible collaboration spaces that support hands-on learning in robotics, engineering, and digital media. A short course adjacent to the building further reinforces accessibility and youth participation in golf.
It’s transformative for the area,” SAYS MICHAEL WOLFE, VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS AT LF DRISCOLL. “The golf course has a lot of historical contribution to not only golf, but equality—so it was super meaningful for us to be a part of it.”
NAVIGATING COMPLEX SITE AND INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES
Redeveloping a former golf course presented unique technical challenges. Preparing the campus required extensive grading, deep excavations exceeding 20 feet, and new stormwater management systems. One of the most complex efforts was the design and installation of a campus-wide underground electrical system—complete with manholes, transformer vaults, and PECO modules strategically routed to avoid sensitive golf course greens.
LF Driscoll and Perryman Construction worked closely with PECO, civil engineers, and the design team to precisely map utilities and reduce risk. Weekly drone flights were used to survey elevation changes, verify underground conditions, and track progress in real time. Additional infrastructure work included a private-cost sewer installation, a new force main, and the installation of a prefabricated pedestrian tunnel beneath Lansdowne Avenue, enhancing connectivity across the campus.
COLLABORATION AT THE CORE
Collaboration was essential to maintaining momentum across a complex, multi-stakeholder project. LF Driscoll and Perryman Construction spent nearly a year in detailed preconstruction planning and value management sessions, aligning scope, budget, and quality expectations.
The Lincoln Financial Center—a two-story golf entertainment and practice facility—introduced additional coordination challenges with two design teams: one focused on the core and shell and the other on the interior fit-out. Regular design charrettes and pull-planning sessions helped align priorities and resolve conflicts. “Integrating their needs and their desires was an important component of the project,” Wolfe explains. Central to the coordination of the broader campus was Don Dissinger, the Cobbs Creek Foundation’s Project Development Director and Principal of Suntop Design Group. Hired directly by the Foundation, Dissinger was responsible for the programming, planning, design, and construction oversight of the restoration, rehabilitation, and preservation of the Cobbs Creek Golf Course and campus, providing continuity and leadership across all phases of development.
WORKFORCE, INNOVATION, AND LASTING IMPACT
Innovation and workforce development were key drivers of success. Drone technology improved accuracy and situational awareness across the site, while advanced golf technology systems at the Lincoln Financial Center required close coordination with operational partners. Skilled union labor and dedicated
trade partners delivered high quality work across all trades, supported by partnerships with workforce development programs such as Everybody Builds and Women in Non-Traditional Careers. Even as the revitalized Cobbs Creek campus continues to open in phases, its impact is already evident. The Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab now serves more than 4,500 students annually through tutoring, after-school programs, field trips, and college readiness initiatives. “My hope is that this revitalization reestablishes the course’s historic significance—both within the golf community and across the region,” Wolfe says.
