Green Building Alliance is offering a guided tour to showcase Masano Auto Park in Reading.
Green Building Alliance, Pittsburgh, called Masano Auto Park “a standout example of adaptive reuse and innovative sustainability in action.”
Tom Masano Auto Group bought Masano Auto Park in 2016.
Formerly a Baldwin Brass manufacturing site, the 30-acre property was transformed into a multibrand automotive campus through strategic design and environmental remediation, Green Building Alliance said.
The space includes a 150-car indoor showroom and commercial truck service center, and a 1-mile test track.
The free tour is scheduled for March 4 from noon to 2 p.m. at the auto park, 841 E. Wyomissing Blvd.
Attendees will gain insight into the challenges, successes and community benefits of sustainable redevelopment, with time for questions and discussion with the project team, the alliance said in a release.
Green Building Alliance is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting sustainable building design.
“As Pennsylvania’s authority on high-performance building design and construction, we equip, train, educate and inspire designers, builders, manufacturers, developers, policymakers, and educators to catalyze systemic change,” the alliance said on its website.
The tour ties into Green Building Alliance’s “Resilient Reading” initiative, which aims to bring topics to the community designed to educate, inspire, and provide examples of sustainability, in addition to offering recommendations on weatherproofing, financing operations for building upgrades and more, the nonprofit said in a release.
Green Building Alliance noted several sustainability highlights of Masano Auto Park, including:
• Heating the facility using recycled waste oil from vehicle services.
• High-efficiency combustion systems and advanced indoor air quality monitoring.
• Adaptive reuse of a 75-year-old industrial structure.
• Reduced carbon footprint, eliminated disposal costs, and energy efficiency.
• On-site agriculture through Harvest Moon Aquaponics.
The event will also feature speakers, including John and Megan Masano, who both serve in leadership roles within Masano Auto Group.
“John Masano led the transformation of the former Baldwin Brass factory into Masano Auto Park, a 30-acre, 250,000-square-foot automotive destination,” Green Building Alliance said in the release. “His vision combined innovation, sustainability, and community impact, creating a space that goes beyond a dealership.”
Megan Masano also plays a critical part at the auto park.
“Megan has been instrumental in integrating sustainability and customer-focused initiatives into the facility, making it a welcoming environment where innovation meets service,” Green Building Alliance said. “Her commitment to community engagement reinforces Masano Auto Group’s mission to serve Reading with integrity and forward-thinking solutions.”
Those interested in registering for the tour can visit gba.org/events.
In addition to the auto park, Tom Masano Auto Group operates three dealerships along Lancaster Avenue: Tom Masano Ford, Cumru Township; BMW of Reading; and Tom Masano Inc., a Mercedes-Benz Dealer, Reading.