Federal Street
A former PECO substation turned into 18 apartments and eight artist studios, with an added floor and a green roof.
- Location
- South Philadelphia
- Status
- Completed
- Project
- Multifamily, Conversion, Addition
- Our role
- Architect — concept, zoning and permit drawings, revisions through construction
The opportunity
The building was a PECO substation: two stories of masonry on a South Philadelphia corner, with a one-story wing at the back. The job was to turn it into homes and workspace. The zoning district allowed 15 apartments on the lot.
The design
The brick facades on both streets were retained. The new floor was built over the one-story wing and clad in a single dark material, so the original brick corner remains the focus. The roof made the numbers work: a green roof over more than 60 percent of it earned the zoning bonus then available, three more apartments, for 18 in all. Eight artist studios share the building with the homes.
Project facts
- Apartments
- 18, many with sleeping lofts
- Studios
- Eight, for artists
- Zoning district
- CMX-2
- Green roof
- Over 60% of the roof, earning three bonus apartments
- Built
- 2025
Related services and work
Services behind this project
