Ever since the Philadelphia Police Department relocated from its iconic Roundhouse headquarters on Race Street in 2021, city officials and local residents have been grappling with a complex question: what should happen to this distinctive curved building? The debate has centered around whether to demolish the structure along with its troubled legacy of police brutality, redevelop the entire block into much-needed affordable housing, or find a way to preserve and adapt the modernist architectural landmark for new purposes.

For a group of designers, urban planners, preservationists, and architecture enthusiasts who gathered at a recent symposium, the answer was unequivocal. They believe the building represents an architectural treasure that must be saved and has tremendous potential to become a valuable community asset that could help revitalize an underdeveloped section of Center City Philadelphia.

Inquirer architecture critic Inga Saffron expressed strong support for preservation, calling the Roundhouse "a great building, a building of international importance, a beautiful building, one that reminds me at least of an abstracted version of one of Rome's undulating Baroque facades." She emphasized that "it would be an act of Philistine ignorance if Philadelphia were to demolish such an important work of architecture and local history, however painful and disturbing some of that history is."

To explore innovative possibilities for the building's future, the Preservation Alliance of Philadelphia partnered with Docomomo, a historic preservation organization, to sponsor a design competition focused on visionary adaptive reuse concepts. The competition generated more than 30 submissions from creative teams, with six winning proposals presented last Wednesday at WHYY's studios, located directly across the street from the Roundhouse building.

The first proposal, developed by volunteer designers from the nonprofit Design Advocacy Group, envisions transforming the Roundhouse into a consolidated intercity bus terminal for Greyhound and other carriers. Their comprehensive plan includes space for a revitalized Philadelphia City Museum or Chinatown community organizations, a new pavilion constructed on the current outdoor plaza area, an outdoor café facing Franklin Square, and large residential towers built over portions of the existing parking lot. DAG chair Eli Storch explained that "one of the key roles this site can fulfill is to help connect the vibrancy and activity of Chinatown with the wonderful cultural sites and institutions in the historic district."

The second concept, presented by a team from Ian Smith Design Group, would dramatically alter the building's appearance by constructing a four-story glass Grand Atrium over the plaza area, complete with sweeping design elements on the roof and glass walls on the first floor. Their plan includes creating a green woodland area in the northwest corner, a bus depot in the parking lot, and underground walkways connecting to nearby PATCO and SEPTA stations. Architect Talcia Brown emphasized that "the first goal is shifting the perception of this building within the community, so that people feel a pull to enter the space and feel safe doing so, rather than erase the negative history that happened within these walls."

KieranTimberlake architectural firm presented the third proposal, focusing on affordable housing through a community land trust structure. Their plan features multiple housing types, including apartments in the Roundhouse specifically priced for low- and moderate-income residents. To ensure permanent affordability, the community land trust would own the land, sell units to residents, and buy them back when people move away. Architect Jazz Graves explained that by "removing this grandiose entrance plaza and the stairs, we expose the lower level cell blocks and the outlines of the cells remain filled with soil and flora, framed by two asymmetrical ramps, creating an accessible path for all."

The fourth concept, developed by Carolina Peña of Parallel Architecture Studio, proposes converting the building into a school and community hub designed to reverse the site's history of excluding the public. Their vision includes an auditorium for film screenings and neighborhood forums, wellness rooms for yoga and counseling, a cultural gallery, and an outdoor plaza with an open-air stage for concerts and food markets. Peña described how "the boundary between building and city dissolves" and "the Roundhouse becomes porous, its architecture no longer holding people out but drawing them in."

RVA Architecture presented the fifth proposal, featuring a comprehensive reimagining that incorporates healthcare services, retail spaces, residential units, and a new museum focusing on Philadelphia's diverse histories. Architect Modesto Bigas-Valedon clarified that the museum "is not imagined as a museum for the history of the police department" but rather "as a museum for the city of Philadelphia, where ambassadors for a city engage visitors, the community and members of our neighborhoods to capture these narratives." Their plan includes a 300-unit residential building with 390 parking spaces, mixing affordable and market-rate apartments with sustainability features.

The final presentation came from SSPJ Design, an interdisciplinary team that formed specifically for this project and includes museum exhibit designers. Their proposal centers on exploring the building's complex history through a mixed-use civic hub featuring a Museum of Citizen Rights, a Research Institute on Rights and Public Life for hosting scholars, and a Nonprofit Justice Center housing legal aid organizations. Team members explained they envision "interpretive and educational spaces that immerse visitors in the history of the building and equip them with the vocabulary and the tools to turn rights into action."

Despite these creative proposals, the city's intentions for the property remain unclear. Paul Steinke, executive director of the Preservation Alliance, noted that symposium organizers "tried very, very hard to get a city representative to attend the event, but at the last minute they declined the invitation." He expressed concern that "the Parker administration, for whatever reason, is playing their cards very close to the vest with respect to this building."

The uncertainty extends to official preservation efforts as well. In November, under pressure from Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration, the Historical Commission rejected an attempt to designate the building as historic, which would have protected it from demolition. However, work continues to get the Roundhouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which wouldn't prevent demolition but would make future preservation projects eligible for valuable state and federal historic tax credits.

Mayor Parker has repeatedly expressed support for affordable housing on the site, though it remains unclear whether she envisions housing within the existing Roundhouse structure or through complete redevelopment. In March, planning director Jessie Lawrence acknowledged that the building's brutalist design "might present some complexities in repurposing it," but emphasized the city's commitment to remaining "open to all opportunities." While the Planning Department previously indicated the city would sell the building in 2023, officials have yet to issue the promised request for proposals for potential buyers and developers, with spokesperson Bruce Bohi stating only that the city "still plans to put out an RFP, but has not decided when."