Thanks to the heads up from Naked Philly, we now have a clearer picture of what the new Ronald McDonald House in University City will look like.
The rendering, which is posted to the organization's website, reveals that the project will keep the current property intact and include a glassy, 8-story addition.
The current property dates back to 1893, when the Victorian-era home was built and designed by architect William Decker. It first served as the residence for William James Swain, the son of the publisher of the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
The glassy addition did mean the demolition of two Frank Furness-designed Victorians on the site. But it also means more room for families: There will be an additional 92 rooms and the current rooms will be upgraded, as well. The website says this will allow 1,900 families to stay per year—that's more than double the current amount allowed.
We reached out to the Ronald McDonald House to find out which architecture firm is behind the design, but did not hear back at the time of publication.
The project is expected to be complete in 2018.
- Contemporary Rendering For Ronald McDonald Expansion [Naked Philly]