Historic Filling Station
Philadelphia, PA
Relocation and Restoration Gives New Life to a Philadelphia Landmark
The Filling Station, built in 1930, originally served as a gas station when the lot was leased to the Gulf Oil company. Its Spanish Revival style was a common feature of Gulf Oil gas station structures of the period. Although the structure was listed on the City’s Historic Register, it fell into disuse and was left abandoned in the 1970’s.
In 2014, Parkway Corporation acquired the site and looked to develop it with a more expansive office development. As the site was historically listed, the developer worked with the Historic Commission to change the Filling Station’s designation from a small structure to a historic object, allowing the relocation of the structure elsewhere to be restored. It was agreed that the Filling Station would be stabilized and transferred to a new site adjacent to Sedgeley Porter House in Fairmount Park. At the selected site, a new foundation was designed to accommodate the relocated structure. Once relocated, the former Filling Station restoration included brick masonry repairs and repointing, a new clay tile roof, new windows and doors, and the renovation of its interior allowing for a new flexible meeting space.
Great attention to detail was taken when replacing the missing clay tiles on the roof, where some of the original tiles had been previously infilled with asphalt shingles. The color and finish was selected to match the original tiles, restoring a significant feature of the structure. Other elements of the exterior were also restored, including the metal brackets and stucco soffit, while the interior was upgraded and brought up to contemporary standards with high quality and durable finishes. The renovated Station is intended to serve as a meeting space for the Schuylkill Navy and Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.
Project team: Keast & Hood, Structural Engineer; Pennoni Associates, Civil Engineer; Haverstick-Borthwick, Construction Manager