SITIO PRINCIPAL KAREN BLANCHARD DISCUSSES COMMUNITY DESIGN WITH CIVIC LEADERS OF PHILADELPHIA

SITIO Principal Karen Blanchard joined a distinguished panel leading the discussion on ‘Building Strong Communities: Connecting Neighborhoods Through Inclusive Design’ at the AIA Philadelphia’s Forum on Architecture + Design.  As a member of the Board of Directors for the Fairmount CDC, Karen shared her role in engaging her community in an inclusive design processes and the resultant design. Joining Karen were panelist Jamie Gauthier, incoming City Council Member representing the 3rd District of Philadelphia; Sarajane Blair, Executive Director of the Fairmount CDC; Emaleigh Doley, Deputy Director for Germantown United CDC; moderated by Alesa Rubendall, Principal at Design Moxie. The Forum on Architecture + Design is a regional design conference focused on multidisciplinary content for all industries that contribute to shaping our built environment.

SITIO SELECTED FOR REBUILD'S LAWNCREST LIBRARY AND LAWNCREST RECREATION CENTER PROJECTS

SITIO has been selected to collaborate with Community Ventures on the Lawncrest Library and the Lawncrest Recreation Center and Park as part of the City of Philadelphia’s Rebuild program. This program is invested in improving community parks, recreation centers, and libraries throughout the City of Philadelphia. To kick off the projects at Lawncrest, an existing conditions assessment is currently underway as the first phase of design of the 18 acre site that contains basketball and tennis courts, a roller rink, swimming pool, playing fields and park space in addition to the Recreation Center and Library. 

For more information on Rebuild see https://www.phila.gov/programs/rebuild/

NORTH NEW STREET PROJECT RECEIVES UNANIMOUS PLANNING APPROVAL

SITIO’S North New Street mixed-use residential project in downtown Bethlehem received unanimous approval from the Bethlehem Planning Commission this week.  Located in Bethlehem’s popular Main Street district, North New Street offers residents the opportunity of modern living in a desirable and walk-able location to the heart of the City.

Click here for a featured article by lehighvalleylive.com

SITIO PRINCIPAL KAREN BLANCHARD CO-CHAIR’S WIA ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISER

SITIO principal Karen Blanchard has just completed another successful fundraiser for the AIA Philadelphia Women In Architecture (WIA) Scholarship.  As a long-time Co-Chair with Alesa Rubendall, principal of Design Moxie architecture + planning, Karen and Alesa have endeavored to expand WIA’s mission to cultivate a passion of design and architecture in the next generation. In support of this goal they launched and lead the Scholarship for the past 6 years - with notable guest speakers such as Inga Saffron, Denise Scott Brown, Billie Tsien, Marilyn Jordan Taylor, Billie Faircloth, and this year, Mónica Ponce de León.

The WIA committee created this annual fundraiser to establish scholarship awards to graduating female designers from Charter High School of Architecture and Design (CHAD) to pursue an education in architecture and design. The proceeds also support PATINA (Philadelphia Architects Teach Innovation, Networking + Agency), an immersive and interactive mentorship program created by WIA that pairs design professionals with female students, which has successfully entered its fourth year and continues to grow.

Karen credits “the success of this scholarship to the dedication and generosity of our local design community. WIA is very committed and proud to support our pipeline of aspiring female designers.”   SITIO is proud of our ongoing role in furthering that mission. 

SITIO FOUNDING PRINCIPAL ANTONIO FIOL-SILVA JURIES THE ULI GLOBAL AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

Antonio Fiol-Silva, SITIO’s Founding Principal and a Global Governing Trustee of the Urban Land Institute, is on the Jury for this edition of the ULI Global Awards for Excellence.  The Jury is composed of recognized industry leaders who apply the highest standards of appraisal to real estate projects that achieve excellence in design, construction, economics, planning and management.  Nineteen extraordinary developments from around the globe were recently named as finalists to what is recognized as one of the industry’s most prestigious awards:

• 150 North Riverside, Chicago, Illinois

• 1800 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Cornell Tech Campus Framework Plan & Phase I Site Development, New York, New York

• Crosstown Concourse, Memphis, Tennessee

• Empire Stores, Brooklyn, New York

• Frick Environmental Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Gathering Place, Tulsa, Oklahoma

• Guoco Tower, Singapore

• H Queens, Hong Kong

• Ink Block, Boston, Massachusetts

• International Market Place, Honolulu, Hawaii 

• Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), Shanghai, China  

• Lingnan Tiandi (LNTD) Lot 1, Foshan, Guangdong, China 

• Moscow Street Program, Moscow, Russia

• Pier 17 at the Seaport District, New York, New York 

• Renaissance Downtown Lofts, Denver, Colorado

• The Mark, Seattle, Washington 

• The Scioto Peninsula Cultural District, Columbus, Ohio 

• The Wharf Phase I, Washington, D.C.

Antonio is a past recipient of a ULI Global Award for Excellence for the SteelStacks Art and Cultural Campus, which was honored for its dramatic transformation of one of the country’s largest industrial brownfields sites into a dynamic destination for music and art festivals and cultural events.  At SteelStacks Antonio was Principal-In-Charge and Design Principal for the SteelStacks Campus Master Plan, the Levitt Pavilion at SteelStacks, and the Hoover-Mason Trestle at SteelStacks.

SITIO’S ANTONIO FIOL-SILVA FEATURED PANELIST AT UPCOMING CCPA ‘MEET THE DEVELOPERS’ EVENT

SITIO’s Antonio Fiol-Silva will join a distinguished panel discussion presented by the Center City Proprietors Association. The “Meet the Developers” panel will feature the city’s innovative developers, builders, architects, and engineers. The moderated discussion will explore current developments and their impact on the city’s economic growth and vitality. Panelists include:

• Antonio Fiol-Silva FAIA, LEED AP, Founding Principal, SITIO architecture + urbanism

• Michael Barmash, Senior Managing Director Philadelphia, Colliers International 

• Della Clark, President, The Enterprise Center

• Sarina Rose, Senior Vice President of Development, Post Brothers

• Jason Tucker, Vice President, Acquisitions, The Goldenberg Group

• Moderated by: Caitlin McCabe, Real Estate Reporter, Philadelphia Inquirer

 More information can be found here.

ULI PHILADELPHIA WELCOMES SITIO AS AN URBAN VISIONARY SPONSOR

SITIO is proud to expand our commitment to the Philadelphia Urban Land Institute, to join Brandywine Realty Trust and Liberty Property Trust as an Urban Visionary, the top sponsor tier.  Through material support and enthusiastic engagement, SITIO vigorously embraces ULI’s mission of providing leadership in the responsible use of land, while creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide.  ULI is the oldest and largest network of cross-disciplinary real estate and land use experts in the world. Through its members' dedication to the mission and their shared expertise, the Institute sets standards of excellence in development practice.

SITIO’s Founding Principal, Antonio Fiol-Silva, FAIA has been a vital member of the Institute for over two decades, currently serving as a Global Governing Trustee, a Jury Member for the Global Awards for Excellence, and the local Governance Chair for ULI Philadelphia.  

Learn more about ULI Philadelphia at: https://philadelphia.uli.org and ULI Global at: https://uli.org

SITIO ANNOUNCES MAJOR MILESTONES PASSED ON THE HUBBARD-VERNOR PROJECT IN DETROIT!

SITIO is pleased to announce the Hubbard-Vernor project has been unanimously approved by the Detroit Historic District Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals!

Working in collaboration with Cinnaire, Southwest Business District Association, and Invest Detroit, SITIO has recently completed schematic design on the 53-unit affordable housing mixed-use development in the historic Mexicantown neighborhood of Southwest Detroit. Located a mile from the former Michigan Central Station and soon to be home of the highly anticipated Ford Innovation Center, the project brings density and urban vitality to the Vernor-Bagley commercial corridor through diverse housing options, low-rent retail space for local business, enriching community amenities, and landscaped public space. Identified as a site for strategic catalytic development, the project has undergone significant community participation and will set precedent for equitable growth in the region.

In keeping with the context of the Hubbard Farms Historic District and the Bagley-Vernon Traditional Main Street guidelines, the project integrates contemporary design that thoughtfully responds to the local vernacular. Working with the challenges of a constrained site footprint, the project’s massing is articulated to create an inviting pedestrian-scaled street frontage that enhances the continuity of active facades along Vernor Highway. With two major project milestones underway, the project is moving full speed ahead with anticipated completion in the Spring of 2021.

BRIDESBURG PARK RECEIVES WILLIAM PENN FOUNDATION GRANT

The Bridesburg Park recently received a William Penn Foundation grant which will help launch Phase 1 of construction as featured in a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article. SITIO has completed design and documentation of the architectural components of this 10-acre riverfront park that includes a performance pavilion, picnic pavilion, and restroom facilities. These structures evoke the site’s existing industrial context and celebrates the iconic Betsy Ross Bridge that can be seen from nearly every corner of the site. The Bridesburg Park serves as a keystone in connecting the community of Bridesburg not only with their waterfront, but also their industrial heritage.

The project team includes Langan, Ground Reconsidered, O’Donnell and Naccarato, Arora Engineering, Milrose Consultants, and Becker & Frondorf.

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON THE CHESTNUT AT UNIVERSITY CITY!

Construction has begun on 3720 Chestnut! Our 30-story multifamily residential project in University City is being developed by EPG Urban and Mapletree Investments. The project is being built by the Hunter Roberts Construction Group, and will be completed in mid 2020.

SITIO'S KAREN BLANCHARD COMPLETES 2018 AIA PHILADELPHIA PRESIDENTIAL TERM

Congratulations to SITIO principal Karen Blanchard who ends her 2018 term as Philadelphia AIA President and joins SITIO founding principal Antonio Fiol-Silva as distinguished past-president alumni!

ANDREW FERRARELLI MENTORS STUDENTS AT COMPETE 360

SITIO’s Andrew Ferrarelli presents to a group of middle school students at Welsh Elementary in Philadelphia, PA as part of Compete 360's Designers in Schools week.  For several years Andrew has volunteered as a mentor at various schools helping students creatively solve problems they identify in their school or community. The program empowers students to become change makers while learning about design thinking.

Compete 360 is an organization to support the education and development of urban youth. For fourteen years, the charity provided academic support and enrichment programming to children in grades K-8 in Atlantic City, Camden, and Philadelphia. Their mission is to cultivate a design thinking practice in under-resourced city schools, helping teachers bring new ideas and practices to their work, and helping students engage in hands-on, inquiry-driven learning.