The new home of Philly Fringe and Philadelphia Live Arts Festival has begun its transformation from a 1903 riverfront pumping station into a 21st Century concert hall. Resting on the corner of Race and Columbus Boulevard, the facility is conveniently located on the edge of Old City and accessible by public transit, foot, bike, and car.
The goal is to have the new 240-seat theater, studio and offices complete for the 2013 Fall Fringe Festival (Sept. 6-21). More amenities to come late Spring of 2014 are an indoor restaurant and bar, outdoor plaza space and further building restoration. Currently workers are tearing out old pumps and shoring up the brick structure. They will also be spraying the ceiling with six inches of material designed to both improve acoustics and provide insulation.
The festival will continue to host events in unique spaces around Philadelphia, but having a home-base allows Philadelphia Live Arts and Philly Fringe to become a year-round presence in Philadelphia. This new expansion of the performance season allots for more opportunities for local productions and acts, like the possibility of mixed visual and performance arts installations on the waterfront, along the pedestrian and bicycle trail, and even in some of the existing strip-malls, says President and Producing Director Nick Stuccio.
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