Philadelphia is still recovering from the abrupt closure of The University of the Arts last June, grappling with the loss of a major piece of the city’s creative identity. Now, as the dust settles, the fate of the school’s iconic buildings hangs in the balance.
Hamilton Hall, the Greek Revival landmark featured on the school’s former logo, and Furness Hall, the striking Victorian-Gothic structure beside it on the Avenue of the Arts, recently were claimed at auction for $12.5 million by Scout, the female-led development firm behind the transformation of the Bok Building.
The bid was made possible by an anonymous donor, who provided an emergency bridge loan. The compnay must repay the loan within 60 days. Whether the company can move forward with its development plans remains in question.
“Even a week before the final auction, I was not confident that we were going to be able to do this,” said Lindsey Scannapieco, Scout’s co-founder and a Philly native. “And then, you know, I found out that I was the highest bidder, the youngest bidder and, of course, the only female bidder.”
Scannapieco targeted the UArts spaces after learning that a private market-rate developer was looking to bid on the buildings, rather than another school or university.
“I think it’s a reflection of what the bankruptcy process requires, which is quick, hard cash —which no cultural institutions have access to,” she said. “This happened because of, really, a miracle, in that an individual stepped in and offered an emergency bridge loan.”
‘Called to do’
Scannapieco’s company has gained a reputation for infusing life and culture back into city spaces that are forgotten or abandoned. The Bok Building, for example, was a former school in South Philly that closed due to declining enrollment and budget cuts. Now, it’s a creative force to be reckoned with — home to dozens of Philadelphia businesses, nonprofits, makers and artists. The rooftop is a popular bar with skyline views and couples hold wedding receptions in the former gymnasium.
In some ways, the UArts buildings are outside of Scout’s wheelhouse. While currently vacant, they are far from forgotten. Instead, they are beloved and historical treasures in the heart of Philly.
“I said to somebody, I don’t know if this is the next project I necessarily want to do, but I think it’s the project that we’re being called to do, because we really realized that nobody else was able to step in and step up,” Scannapieco said.
‘A moment of closure’
In other ways, this project is right in line with Scout’s mission — another closed school in need of some love. Scannapieco said she is looking to speak with UArts students and alumni and hear their ideas about this next chapter to honor the history of the space.
“I do think we still need to kind of have a moment of closure and even mourning about UArts, because I feel like people weren’t really able to do that,” Scannapieco said. “[The feeling] immediately became anger because of the timeline and the process that we all experienced in May.”
Hamilton Hall was synonymous with UArts as the icon of the school logo. Three of the most important architects of 19th Century America — William Strickland, John Haviland and Craig Furness — had a hand in developing it, taking inspiration from great Greek buildings like the Parthenon. Originally a school for children with hearing and speaking disabilities built in 1826, a University of the Arts predecessor took it over to transform it into a creative institution in 1893.
“I think it’s a really important building. I think it’s a really important cultural space. I think it’s a really important social space for so many people who went to the University of the Arts,” Scannapieco said. “You know, I think we certainly feel a lot of responsibility in terms of how we reimagine its next chapter.”
Scout does not have an all-female team, but the company is women-led, which Scannapieco believes influences development decisions.
“I think women are more tapped into the emotional side of spaces and places and people,” she explained. “One of the things we talk about is, how does the space make you feel? And that doesn’t necessarily have to be through a shiny and new intervention. It can be about a touch, a smell, a smile. It can be so many different things.”
“The building is just a physical structure, It’s a shell, essentially,” she said. “And you can make the sexiest shell in the world, or the ugliest shell of the world, but the thing that makes a space special is the people. That’s really what makes a building special and your experience in it.”
According to Scannapieco, many of the same elements that people loved about Scout’s reimagining of the Bok Building will play a part in their shaping of the UArts buildings. They will be versatile spaces for artists, nonprofits, food-and-drink vendors and more.
“It’s right on the Avenue of the Arts, and we’re really excited about keeping working artists on the Avenue of the Arts,” she said. Bok’s workspaces are currently at capacity, and the new purchase will allow more room for Philly creatives to thrive. “We have a very long wait list at Bok, so we’re really happy to be able to provide space for this community and this type of use to grow.”
Scannapieco also noted that Scout plans to embrace the unique characteristics and history of the Hamilton Hall space, using them to its advantage.
“The thing that actually, really excites me about this building is that it’s kind of a collection of a couple little buildings,” she said. “There’s kind of a carriage house. There’s the dorms. There’s a ceramics shop. There’s a maker’s lab. There’s a metal shop. What you’ll end up feeling is … almost like a village that will start.”
Scannapieco also highlighted how this project will differ from Bok, including plans to repurpose the Furness building, a former dormitory, into affordable housing for artists. Scout also plans to create a residency program there for visiting artists to stay and collaborate with nearby institutions like the Kimmel Center, the Wilma Theater, the Barnes Foundation and more.
And although Scannapieco said that she can imagine a future, there is still a steep road ahead for making this vision a reality. “Although we’ve been successful in winning the option, the work is not done,” Scannapieco said.
Scout now needs to fundraise to repay the emergency bridge loan that allowed them to successfully bid on the buildings. The company is currently working to launch a crowdfunding campaign where people can co-invest in their vision for the UArts buildings
“We certainly need more support to pull this project off,” she said. “This project will not happen without others, other philanthropy, other individuals and public support.
“We always talk about, ‘How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time,’ and this building will be no different than that. So, we’re looking forward to start taking some of those small bites.”
