In this renovation project, Varenhorst was asked to plan an adaptive reuse of the former Board of Public Education Building of the School District of Philadelphia. This lovely National Register-listed historic building was designed by Irwin Catharine and built 1930-32. We were able to create 130 luxury apartments while preserving the beauty and character of the building’s original Art Deco styling and Neoclassical public spaces. In addition to the residential units, some of the larger spaces were preserved: the Board Room in the east wing of the ground floor became the offices of the Barnes Foundation, and the Auditorium on the second floor was converted to house Varenhorst’s Center City Office.
Status: Built
