Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published in the Fall 2024 issue of Extant, a publication of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.
The front facade of the YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School in its fully restored state. | Photo: Peter Woodall
While searching for a new, permanent home, the YouthBuild Charter School chose a vacant, but historically and architecturally significant building in North Philadelphia. Extant spoke with representatives of the school and Atkin Olshin Schade Architects about the excellent rehab and adaptive re-use project, which engaged its students and received a 2025 Preservation Achievement Award from the Preservation Alliance.
Extant Magazine (EM): What was the building’s original use?
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects (AOSA): The building at 2309-2313 N. Broad Street was constructed in 1930 and designed by noted architect John T. Windrim. It originally served as a Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) showroom and North Philadelphia district office. At the time, PECO still sold appliances in addition to providing electric service to residents, and the building served as a retail location. PECO sold the building in the 1970s, and it subsequently changed hands multiple times. Although the building was not protected by any historic registrations, the limestone façade, bronze storefront and prominent Philadelphia Electric Company name on the upper faccade had remained intact.
EM: What was most important to preserve?
AOSA: Preserving the exterior was a top priority to maintain the building as a prominent landmark on Broad Street. The project team saw this as an opportunity to honor the legacy of the Windrim-designed PECO building while ensuring its continued presence as a symbol of Philadelphia’s history. At the same time, renovations were carefully planned to modernize the building’s functionality, aligning it with the evolving needs of this vital institution.
EM: What was the client’s original vision? Did it change over time?
AOSA: The original vision was to secure a space that truly reflected what YouthBuild students and educators deserved. Initially, YouthBuild Philly hoped to find and purchase an existing school building that could serve as a permanent home. However, after exploring dozens of properties, it became clear that the school’s unique facility needs–along with its commitment to remaining in North Philadelphia–called for a building rehabilitation and adaptive reuse project instead. The vision for this new space was co-created with YouthBuild students, graduates, staff, Board members and the design team. While plans for this new space evolved throughout the process, YouthBuild Philly’s core vision for how the space would be used remained strong and consistent.
Top: Google Street View from 2019 showing the spandrels and front door surround before they were stolen. Bottom and left: The main showroom’s terrazzo floors on the first floor were the only original interior feature that was retained. Detail showing the replacement spandrels and surround that were fabricated to look as close to the original as possible. Photos: Peter Woodall
EM: What was the biggest preservation challenge?
AOSA: Preservation challenges arose due to the building’s prolonged period of vacancy and lack of climate control, as well as vandalism that had damaged or removed elements of the facade. Careful coordination and planning were required to retain as much of the original structure as possible while upgrading the building’s envelope performance, integrating new systems and accommodating the client’s program. While the masonry façade remained largely intact, exposure to the elements and water infiltration had corroded the window lintels, necessitating their replacement. Additionally, shifting and cracking masonry required repairs and stabilization. The most complex challenge was adapting the remnants of the existing bronze storefront to accommodate a new thermally broken glazing system. This required addressing structural stability issues, reinforcing missing elements and meticulously recreating lost architectural details. Adding an additional story to the building to meet programmatic needs was an additional challenge that required both deference to the historic Broad Street façade and an acknowledgement of 21st century materials and energy efficiency goals.
EM: Did you look to any role model for inspiration or as an example?
AOSA: The inspiration for this building came directly from YouthBuild students and graduates, who expressed a need for a space that was open longer, safer and better suited for learning. Many contributed thoughtful ideas about what the building should include and how it should be designed. YouthBuild Philly looked at examples like the recently built Cristo Rey School facility in North Philadelphia. However, YouthBuild’s unique need to balance education and career training spaces sets this project apart. With only a handful of YouthBuild programs nationwide owning their own buildings, this effort was both ambitious and groundbreaking.
EM: What was the project’s biggest surprise (good or bad)?
AOSA: During the design phase, much of the historic bronze facade remained intact. However, just before construction began, the building was vandalized, resulting in the theft or severe damage of significant portions of the Broad Street facade metalwork. This unexpected loss created both scope and budget challenges. Initially, the plan was to preserve and restore the bronze facade while constructing a new thermally insulated system behind it. Due to the extent of the damage, the approach shifted to integrating new, matching aluminum storefront components within the remaining original bronze framing. New bronze elements were fabricated to replace missing pieces, and the entire assembly was refinished to ensure a seamless blend of old and new components.
Although the loss of the double-hung windows, acanthus leaf ornamentation, entry surround, brackets, and other decorative elements was unfortunate, it provided an opportunity to enhance the thermal performance of the system. The situation also became a valuable hands-on learning experience for students. By partnering with Legacy Atelier, a local caster in Germantown, students gained firsthand experience in the process of casting new bronze elements and assembling the replacement acanthus detailing, which now adorns the restored facade.
