JMT Architecture Helps Rebuild Philadelphia

With a priority on improving communities throughout the City of Philadelphia, Rebuild invests in the physical improvements of parks, recreation facilities, and libraries, which serve as safe spaces for residents to learn, play, exercise, and have access to important services.

JMT has been using its collective expertise – architects, civil engineers, surveyors – along with some trusted consultants, to assess the conditions of parks and recreation facilities throughout many of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. Thorough investigations of the buildings, play equipment, sports courts, and landscaping are being captured with extensive notes, vast amounts of photographs, and interviews with facility staff members. Rebuild Philadelphia is then able to prioritize location to receive improvements and discuss the anticipated scope for each.

Recently completed assessments include the Vogt, Finnegan, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Centers, with current efforts focused on the Joseph E. Mander Playground and Athletic Center.

Many of these facilities evolve over the decades, adapting to the needs of its end-users. Drawings only tell part of the story, showing what is to be expected while roaming the halls. Opening doors can provide some pleasant surprises like the “old school” boxing gym (pictured) occupying an entire wing of the Athletic Recreation Center.