The creative class has been coming in droves to Fishtown, the working-class neighborhood on the doorstop of Center City Philadelphia, but it hasn’t had a large-scale place to conduct business.
With the opening of 2424 Studios on Gaul and York Streets, the neighborhood now has a communal, three-story building offering work spaces, studios, a business services center and event space.
“There’s a lot of working artists here. It’s a hotbed of creativity,” says Leo Addimando, a partner and co-developer of 2424 Studios. “It’s been a welcome addition in a community whose identity is in transition.”
The building at Gaul and York, a former industrial space most recently occupied by a company that made plastic wheels for moveable furniture, was purchased in March, 2007, but when the housing market collapsed, the original concept of studio/office space was shelved.
At the May First Friday opening, artwork from University of the Arts graduate students was on display in The Skybox, a 6,000 square foot state-of-the-art exhibition and event space that features 40-foot high ceilings and natural light. Developers hope to continually showcase art in the space.
Addimando says about one-third of the building has been leased. It has attracted tenants like interior decorator BusyBee Design and local entertainment/gossip website Philebrity. Addimando is hoping to fill a void he still sees in the neighborhood–quality restaurants–and would love to see a cafe move into a prime corner unit.
“We have some interesting companies coming in,” Addimando says. “Ultimately, we hope one-third or one-half of people in the neighborhood will walk to work.”
Source: Leo Addimando, 2424 Studios
Writer: Joe Petrucci