A PRECURSOR TO THE FREE LIBRARY

The building at 22 S 40th Street has a complex history, with multiple phases of programming, ownership, design and architectural features. Constructed in 1876, the building originally housed the West Philadelphia Institute, an early precursor to the Philadelphia Free Library. Attributed to the architect Frank Furness, the brick masonry structure originally featured multiple public entry points with stoops facing 40th and Ludlow Street. A library, chess room, classrooms, and offices occupied the ground floor, along with a 600-seat lecture hall on the upper floor. However, the lack of existing information about the original building design and attribution was documented in the project’s application to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Buildings in 2016. Major renovations in the 1920s and 1970s transformed the building into a showroom and offices for the Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO), and later a community health clinic.

STRATEGIC PRESERVATION

The design team carefully stripped back the changes made to the building in the 1970s, restoring elements of the 1920s facade that had been preserved, and replacing elements, like the ground floor storefront windows, that had been destroyed. The strategic approach to preservation looked to balance historic restoration with a desire to re-open and re-activate the ground level street corner with an inviting retail frontage. The facade approach also looked to upgrade accessibility, replacing a steep side ramp on Ludlow with an ADA-compliant one, and providing lift access to the building elevator within the split-level lobby on 40th Street.

NEW LIFE

Now in its fourth programming iteration in nearly 150 years, the building’s handsome historic shell continues to house vibrant neighborhood assets. The new tenants of the ground level retail space include a physical therapy studio at the rear and a plant shop facing the street, with creative office suites above. Both new and old elements of the design offer a warm invitation to engage West Philadelphia’s vibrant street life and welcome whatever the future holds.