In the News...Civic Design Review committee approves...

By: Melissa Romero

The Civic Design Review gave the green light at yesterday’s meeting for all three mixed-use design proposals, including a Penn Medicine tower, a dormitory at University of the Sciences, and an apartment complex in East Kensington...

The University of Sciences’ proposed dormitory at 4514-22 Woodland Avenue also presented to the CDR for the first time. Design Collective is behind the design of the mixed-use building, which will sit on the site of the shuttered Alexander Wilson Public School.

Architect Nick Mansperger said the goal of the design was to create a building that "invites the community to participate." With that idea, they designed a C-shaped building with a public courtyard in the center surrounded by classrooms and retail on the ground level.

The mostly brick building will be six stories tall and feature study rooms on the corners that will be lit 24/7, said Mansperger. In addition, they plan to repurpose the murals currently on the school building. One mural that runs along 46th and features neighbors who still live across the street, will be converted into a translucent graphic that will be backlit against the classroom windows.

The project will require six zoning variances, but Cecil Baker said in this case that’s a good thing: "The extra height [of the building] isn’t an issue because of the great public space. This is what zoning is meant to encourage."

http://philly.curbed.com/2016/8/3/12360766/design-review-recap-penn-tower-woods-square-university-of-sciences