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Campus for the City

Girard College Awarded $1 Million State Grant to Revitalize Landmark Founder’s Hall

Senator Sharif Street and Representative Donna Bullock recently announced that Girard College was awarded a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant in the amount of $1,000,000 that will support the revitalization of Founder’s Hall, the iconic heart of our campus.

The Founder’s Hall revitalization project will preserve the National Historic Landmark and allow year-round access and programming for Girard College's 315 students as well as neighbors and community partners throughout the city.

“Girard College is deeply appreciative of the continued partnership with our legislators,” said F. Christopher Goins, President of Girard College, “as they invest in our young people and in the North Philadelphia community. They recognize how important it is for us to fulfill the vision of this project, which will create significant educational and cultural impact for our students and neighbors.”

Goins added, “Girard College is also grateful for Governor Wolf’s support of the Founder’s Hall project by making these funds available to the school.”

The project, announced in October 2021 by The Board of Directors of City Trusts, includes interior work to create a single, large, multi-purpose room for events, conferences, or lecture-style seminars. Adjacent rooms will be repurposed for support spaces, a catering kitchen, and breakout conference spaces. Infrastructure upgrades are needed for accessibility, HVAC, electrical, lighting and life safety systems.

The museum exhibits on the second floor, featuring Stephen Girard’s personal collection and a Girard College historical archive, will benefit from the added climate control as they undergo their own refresh. Because of the building’s historical significance and designations, each proposed change had to be thoroughly vetted by the Philadelphia Historical Commission and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Exhibit Room

The single most transformative aspect of the revitalization will be to remove an interior masonry wall to create a bigger room suitable for larger events and conferences.

“These are very competitive awards,” said Sylvia Bastani, Chief Advancement Officer at Girard College, “and we are delighted that Girard was selected. The revitalization of Founder’s Hall will enhance the educational opportunities for our students and invite the public to experience Girard as the Campus for the City through partnerships, conferences and other events.”

Portico Doors

Two windows in the Boardroom will be converted to doors, allowing direct access to the exterior portico.

Ductwork

A new HVAC system will provide air conditioning to both the first floor for comfortable year-round events and to the second-floor museum spaces to control humidity for fragile items in the Stephen Girard collection.

Construction at Founder’s Hall has been underway since April 2022 and is working toward a 2023 reopening, coinciding with the school’s 175th anniversary year. The project received a $500,000 grant in a previous round of RAC-P grants.

The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects.

Additional Coverage:

Senator Street Announces More Than $21M in Grants for North Philadelphia

Rep. Bullock announces $7.5 million in grant money for the 195th District

Girard College Announces $10 million Revitalization of Founder’s Hall

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