During the early 20th century, North Broad Street was one of the most fashionable thoroughfares in Philadelphia. Stately mansions lined the street, which was also home to schools for the arts, grand movie theaters and concert halls, including the Metropolitan Opera House and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

The downturn of North Broad Street began soon after the Great Depression. Residents abandoned their homes to settle in more prestigious areas of the city, leaving many of these homes subdivided into apartment buildings. Others were torn down to accommodate the development of the light industry and retail.

The shift of investment from the city to the suburbs had a disastrous effect on the area. Still, improvements have been made recently to revitalize the site as a cohesive corridor anchored by a series of arts, cultural and institutional organizations, and other developments.

To this end, WGI was retained to study the feasibility of converting one floor of an existing office building at 401 N. Broad St. to a limited-access tenant parking facility.

Scope of Services:

• Prepare conceptual designs
• Examine anticipated design/construction costs.
• Determine the financial feasibility of the conversion