Meet Avenir the MHN Excellence Gold in ‘Adaptive Reuse’

Philadelphia—A Gold winner in the MHN 2015 Excellence Awards Adaptive Reuse Category, the Avenir is the new heart of Center City living, developed by Scully Co. and Alterra Property Group. Located at 42 South 15th St., the historic property is an adaptive reuse of the 110-year-old Robinson Building. Avenir, French for the word ‘future,’ features 180 apartments steps from Philadelphia’s most popular attractions, restaurants, shops and public transportation.

The original façade of the building was a hodgepodge of materials as the result of decades of patchwork renovation efforts. Today, the façade has been restored by architect Harman Deutsch to its original Beaux Arts splendor. The lobby of the Avenir features a sleek design, with smooth stonewalls and a backlit screen behind the concierge desk. The large package room can accommodate up to 100 packages per day and its three central elevators include one with a door that opens to the side of the building so residents can avoid bringing their bicycles in through the main lobby. They can also store them in the designated bike room, which features two cycle repair stations.

See the full list of MHN 2015 Excellence Award winners here.

Flats and studios range in size from 314 to 424 square feet with multiple floor plan options, and two-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 522 to 1,049 square feet. Rents start at aboout $1,200 for a flat and go up to $3,000 for a two-bedroom. Avenir apartments boast several smart features, including a built-in command center equipped for charging, storing and working, smart thermostats and keyless entry.

Since most of the 17th floor had virtually no windows, the developers transformed it into an amenity floor with a screening room, 2,000-square-foot lounge, demo kitchen and fitness center, as well as three conference rooms called “Think Suites,” with state-of-the-art AV equipment.

In order to accommodate a more modern lifestyle and attract retailers for the residents while gentrifying the neighborhood, the ground-floor retail space was reconfigured, moving a fast-food retail chain out of a prominent corner space and relocated to more a suitable space on South 15th Street. Wells Fargo also opened a state-of-the-art retail bank with an entrance on Chestnut Street.