In 1990 Pennsylvania Department of Health shut down the Philadelphia State Hospital at Byberry. The patients from this psychiatric hospital were relocated to newly constructed community centers called Long Term Structured Residences. Gardner/Fox was retained by the Northwestern Corporation to urgently design and construct several of these specialized patient homes in the early 90’s. This week we’ve chosen to highlight two of the facilities, one located in Chestnut Hill and the other Germantown.

The Chestnut Hill Avenue project (top) involved the complete rehabilitation of the existing Chestnut Hill mansion. This included installation of new HVAC, plumbing, sprinkler,security and electrical systems. The design was focused on the accessibility, safety, and security of the patients.

The Germantown project (bottom) involved the conversion of a 1891 Dutch Colonial duplex from a boarding home to a fully functioning psychiatric care facility. The 16,000 square foot project involved substantial interior layout alterations, as well as the installation of new electrical, mechanical, plumbing, security, and sprinkler systems.