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Featured Project: 222 Rittenhouse Square

A New York real estate company works around the country reviving rental buildings that are sound, but in need of upgrades. Bolender Architects worked with the company over several years to renovate all 24 floors of a 1920's Rittenhouse Square apartment building. Three kitchen and bathroom types were designed and installed, in order to identify renters' preferences. Penthouses were renovated on the top three floors and a business center was gutted and renovated to create an additional apartment.

 
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1830 Rittenhouse Square

Over the years the firm has renovated multiple apartment homes in this historic building - the first high rise on the south side of the Square. Recent work has included feasibility studies for marketing one floor of apartments, a small kitchen and bathroom project, and the full renovation of one of the basement levels to create a gym for the residents, more comfortable lockers and break room for the staff, and a new workshop. 

 
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Asbury Park Boardwalk

A local engineering firm specializing historic structures gathered a large team to design renovations for all the structures along the Asbury Park boardwalk. Kiki Bolender, as principal of Schade and Bolender Architects, headed the architectural team for Pavilions 1 and 5. Pavilion 1, adjacent to the Casino, gained a second story addition and has since become a successful restaurant and club. Pavilion 5, another restaurant building, was renovated to its previous Howard Johnson style doo wop glory. Both buildings presented the design challenge of making a public face to Ocean Avenue. For many years the Pavilions had turned their backs on their esteemed neighbor across the street - The Stone Pony.

 
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Dock Street Brewery and Pub

The owners of a successful craft brewery wanted to have a new neighborhood restaurant in West Philadelphia. A former firehouse was converted to a restaurant with the brewing equipment visible to the diners. The architect shepherded the clients through a famously contentious zoning process. The success of the project can be measured in the way the site anchors a changing neighborhood and welcomes all. 

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Quantum Building

A couple with a very successful translation company owned the former McLees and Germon Daguerreotype Rooms - a late 19th Century row building typical of a period of robust industrial activity near Independence Hall. The building was renovated for retail on the ground floor with rental apartments above. Significant areas of structural damage from water infiltration and fire were stabilized. Despite the interior changes, the architect successfully led the application process for federal historic tax credits - a welcome surprise for the owners.  

 
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Pileggi on the Square

The two Pileggi businesses, a hair salon and a boutique, were the first projects awarded matching grants under the Center City District Façade Improvement Program. The boutique display window was enlarged and the door was redesigned. Knife edge awnings were added at the windows, with barrel awnings at the entrances. Brick was repointed and the stone coursing was cleaned.

Photo credits: Jeffrey Totaro

 
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The Pita Pit: Center City

The Pita Pit franchise restaurants offer wholesome fast food. Diners choose from an array of fresh vegetables, meat and vegetarian options, custom sauces and a variety of pita breads. Our young and energetic clients already had a successful franchise in State College, feeding Penn State students at all hours of the day and night. We worked with the franchise in Canada to customize the project to the Center City Philadelphia location, and to make the best use of an existing space in a high-rise building. We handled the permitting, including an extensive signage package for the Art Commission.