When we recommended that you attend the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association 40th anniversary celebration a couple weeks back, it wasn't simply because of the significance of the milestone for this organization that's done so much for its community. The free food and booze, while certainly a draw, were also not the primary reason this event captured our attention (for a change).

At the event, which we understand was a huge success, NLNA unveiled plans for a new community pavilion and gathering space designed by Kieran Timberlake. We weren't sure at the time, but now we know that this space will be located behind the NLNA office at 3rd & Fairmount. That area is now covered in patchy grass and has the vibe of a space that could be better utilized.

NLNA office

View from Fairmount Ave.

View from 3rd Street

Someone from Kieran Timberlake was kind enough to reach out to us last week to share renderings for the new pavilion. As we told you previously, funding for this project comes from the Penn Treaty Special Services District. This makes us feel a little better about our disastrous blackjack run from last week. But we digress. Check out these renderings!

View from Fairmount Ave.

Under the Pavilion, looking toward Fairmount Ave.

View from 3rd Street

This project will certainly be an improvement for this space and will hopefully inspire improved community gathering and cooperation in the future. Architecturally, the look of the pavilion is sleek and contemporary, and the material on the bottom looks almost shiny. It should be fun to see what this looks like in real life, and we'll be interested to know just how much it impacts community life in Northern Liberties in the coming years.