Everyone loves the NFL (willfully ignoring the world outside of the US). Everyone loves Big Brothers Big Sisters. In Philadelphia, we can look at both through the lens of a historic building.
Football is the most popular sport in America. One of the reasons this sport has grown in popularity and maintained its position on top of the proverbial heap is the work of the people at NFL Films. This company records football games, edits them down, sets the highlights to dramatic music, and adds narration to create an almost cinematic experience for viewers. They started doing their thing in 1965, a mere five years after the Eagles won their last championship. Back then, they were based at 230 N. 13th St., mere steps from the not-yet Vine Street Expressway.
By the 1980s, NFL Films moved to South Jersey and Big Brothers Big Sisters purchased the building. For years, it served as the national headquarters for this wonderful organization, which connects children with adults who want to make a difference in their lives. Last year, Big Brothers Big Sisters made the decision to move their national office to Texas, which means their old home is now available for sale.
According to the listing, the building was designed by William Harold Lee in an Art Moderne-style design. The building has over 20K sqft, and there's also parking available for twenty-five cars on the lot. With flexible CMX4 zoning, we could imagine a midrise building rising here, either replacing or incorporating the building we see today. It would certainly be a shame to lose the current building, but we're not positive it will be possible to preserve if the price remains at the current $2.75M. What would you like to see here?