In May 2025, Fairmount Park Conservancy and partners completed the renovation of FDR Park’s first-ever Welcome Center!
Initiated in August 2022, this $12 million project is an adaptive reuse of the former park guardhouse and horse stables, made possible through a public-private partnership between the City of Philadelphia and Fairmount Park Conservancy.
The new Welcome Center is LEED Gold certified and features public restrooms, an open-air courtyard for refreshments and events, community meeting spaces, park offices, and an information center, bringing these important amenities – for the first time – to this 348-acre park that draws more than 4 million annual visitors.
Now that the renovation project is complete, Philadelphia’s Department of Parks and Recreation will finalize an operations plan and timeline to open this site to the public.
The Welcome Center is designed to serve as an essential hub for community, tourism, and recreation, serving local residents and the surrounding South Philadelphia neighborhoods while also attracting new audiences to this historic and distinctive public park. With space for three food vendors, the Welcome Center will offer economic opportunities for small, local businesses while also enhancing park users’ enjoyment of the park – whether as a standalone destination, or a place to rest and refuel between park activities. The staffed information center can offer equipment rentals, picnic site permitting assistance, event calendars, park guides, and more. Offices in the reimagined guard house will create space for park staff and partner organizations that host programming and activities in the park. The 3,800 square foot event space accommodates up to 200 guests for community meetings, public functions, and private celebrations, while the courtyard can host school field trips and other groups. And certainly not least of all, public restrooms with running water will provide a far more comfortable park experience for all visitors.
With new opportunities for revenue that can support the park’s operations, the Welcome Center has the potential to set a new standard for what Philadelphia parks can be and how we can sustain them for generations to come.
The Welcome Center is in an ideal location, close to the park’s main entrance and the new Gateway Plaza which serves as a pedestrian entryway to the park. It is a 3-minute walk from the Anna C. Verna Playground, making snack breaks and restroom trips easy for families visiting the playground! In addition, the Welcome Center’s terrace invites park visitors to enjoy views of the neighboring Pattison Lagoon, which the Conservancy has been restoring with significant support from park volunteers.
Fairmount Park Conservancy’s Places team managed the project’s execution, from design through construction, with the Conservancy raising half of the project costs to match the City’s investment and local firms WRT and Keating providing design and construction services, respectively. Thanks to Fairmount Park Conservancy’s architectural conservation specialists, this project integrates preservation design throughout the site, including restoration of windows, doors, glazed brickwork, original hardware, sculptural elements, and more.
Completion of the Welcome Center also marks the successful realization of the first phase of the FDR Park Plan! The Gateway Phase consists of the Welcome Center, the award-winning Anna C. Verna Playground which opened in October 2023, and the Gateway Plaza which will open to the public on June 14. Totalling $30 million in investment, these completed projects complement each other to improve park users’ experience through accessibility, welcoming amenities, and enhanced access to nature and play while ensuring that FDR Park can serve as a critical local and regional destination for generations to come.
Want a sneak peek? The Conservancy will host a tour of the future Welcome Center on June 14 as part of our all-day Gateway to Play celebration in FDR Park! Space is limited, so sign up for free on the Gateway to Play registration page.
