Boys & Girls Club of Germantown Receives Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
The newly renovated Ralph J. Roberts Boys and Girls Club of Germantown has received a Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance Club for Philadelphia. The primary mission of Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia is to protect historic properties through advocacy. Grand Jury Awards are given to historic building projects that have been restored or renovated in an exemplary way.
The historic Germantown facility has been serving the youth since 1887. Originally, the plan was to demolish the site and build a new state-of-the-art facility, however, after preservation activists fought to preserve the building, the BGCP decided to do upgrades instead. As a result, it was given a major overhaul that included facade rehabilitation, new roof installation, infrastructure updates, and a full interior renovation. Spaces created include a Literacy Center, Learning Center, STEM class, Tech Center, Teen Center, Gym, Music Room, Cafe, and Game Room.
In honor of Comcast's founder Ralph J. Roberts and his commitment to Philadelphia, as well as Comcast's longstanding partnership with the BGCP and nationally, the new Germantown Club was named the Ralph J. Roberts Boys & Girls Club. The center will bring hope to so many of Philadelphia's disadvantaged youth who live in unimaginable circumstances.
We were privileged to be a part of the team to help the Boys and Girls Club preserve and restore this historic building and turn it into a revitalized place for the organization to thrive. Specifically, Wick Fisher White provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection design for the renovation of the existing three-story building. Specific design upgrades included new HVAC equipment and systems, a new Building Automation System for control of all HVAC equipment, new plumbing fixtures and a new automatic sprinkler system.
We would like to give a big congratulations to the Boys & Girls Club of Germantown and the entire design and construction team!