FDR Park holds groundbreaking for new welcome center
Mayor Jim Kenney, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Fairmount Park Conservancy, local leaders, and the Friends of FDR Park broke ground on the new Welcome Center at the Gateway to FDR Park on Wednesday. The building is expected to open in fall 2023.
The Welcome Center is just inside the Broad and Pattison entrance to the FDR Park at 1500 Pattison Ave.
The nonprofit Fairmount Park Conservancy, in partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Friends of FDR Park, is implementing the FDR Park Plan, a vision that offers a once-in-a generation opportunity to reimagine a historic Olmsted Park to serve 21st-century Philadelphians.
The FDR Park Plan is the first of its kind in Philadelphia to incorporate climate change projections and climate resiliency. A comprehensive hydrology study and extensive community engagement informed the overall plan.
The Gateway Phase of the Park Plan will enhance the visitor experience at FDR Park through rehabilitation and transformation of the historic 18,000-square-foot guardhouse and stables at the Broad Street and Pattison Avenue entrance into a modern Welcome Center. The project anchors the Gateway experience in the Park and will transform the existing stables into a 4,000-square-foot cafe and 6,700-square-foot multi purpose event space overlooking Pattison Lagoon. This project will also include restoration of the riparian edge of the lagoon, allowing visitors to enjoy wateredge views from the Habitat Terrace.
The Welcome Center will include:
• Public restrooms
• Local concessions
• A staffed information center where visitors will be able to find out about upcoming events, rent equipment to use in the park, and sign up for park permits
• An open-air courtyard
• Community event and meeting space
The new Welcome Center is the first of three projects for the Gateway Phase. To learn more about the FDR Park Plan, visit myphillypark.org/fdrplan.