A Major Update to the Chinatown Station
ADA accessibility, a new headhouse, and a new plaza are coming to 8th & Race
There’s been a ton of talk lately about development in Chinatown, with the potential 76 Place arena being the main focus. However, the recently funded Chinatown Stitch and the nearly complete PATCO station at Franklin Square are also likely to change the feel of the area, in a way that we would argue is undeniably positive. And thanks to an upcoming meeting of the Art Commission, it looks as if yet another public-serving space is set for a major, major update.
The Chinatown Station at 8th & Race, which connects to the under-utilized Broad-Ridge Spur, is currently pretty desolate, with the unkempt building and uninspiring plaza sitting in a sea of parking. A mid-rise building called Man An House 萬安樓 is on the rise on the NW corner of the property, adding 51 affordable and senior units to the fold. But this block is still punching woefully below its weight, thanks in part to the now-tabled Equal Justice Center that was supposed to rise here.
But the conceptual plans to be presented next week are both dramatic and exciting, with the existing station and plaza getting an entirely new look. The current headhouse building will be torn down, with a larger building to rise, featuring two staircases and two new ADA-compliant elevators. The external plaza is also seeing a major change, with new pavers and landscaping creating a much more pleasant approach to the building.
While site plans are certainly fun, we are even more excited by all of the brand-new renderings from Jacobs that show off the updated look. Gone is the brown Mid-Century Modern look, with a contemporary gray brick to go up, with larger upper windows and glass blocks to let in light, and a green roof to top things off.
In addition to these exterior plans, the interiors will also get a fresh feel, with new ticket booths and warm wood ceilings creating an open and airy feel that is more in line with an Apple store than a subway station.
Our first thought on seeing these plans? Oh, hell yeah. This area is currently a bit of a dead zone, especially as traffic flies past on both Race and 8th Streets. But having a more welcoming entrance to the station should change things for the better, especially with the new accessibility. We might even pose that the usage of the spur could go up, as more people are aware of - and less skeeved out by - the updated station. We don’t have any specific timelines as to when this would be complete, but it would most certainly be another welcome addition to an area that is indeed changing, arena or not.
Philly does have its struggles with ADA compliant properties and structures. This is good news.