Philadelphia Ballet's new home arrives on North Broad Street
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The new home of the Philadelphia Ballet is a statement-maker. Photo: Philadelphia Ballet
The Philadelphia Ballet is making a splash this week with the public opening of the company's flashy new home on North Broad Street.
Why it matters: The Center for Dance is the latest addition to a long-term effort to revive the commercial corridor — like what's happening on South Broad along the Avenue of the Arts.
State of play: The $45 million, five-story building at 323 N. Broad St. is the first public theater the ballet company has owned and operated in its 63-year history.
- The digs are a statement piece: elevating the Philadelphia Ballet's place among U.S. ballet companies, while securing its future in Philly and likely helping to draw top talent.
📍 Worth noting: The Academy of Music will still host the company's major performances — think "The Nutcracker."
- The season opens Oct. 8.
Context: The new HQ greatly expands (and is connected to) the company's previous footprint: a 15,000-square-foot former garage on Wood Street that was also renovated.
- Previously, dancers rehearsed in cramped studios and shared space with the company's school.
Zoom out: North Broad is in the midst of a renaissance.
- Over the past decade, scores of apartment units have come online; the Rail Park opened and aims to expand; the Met arrived; and hip restaurants opened, like Honeysuckle.
Zoom in: The new building spans roughly 43,000 square feet of space and includes:
- 🎭 A black box theater with seating for 120-150 people for community events, film screenings, educational programs and performances from outside companies
- 🧑🩰 Three new double-floored studios, as well as a double-height company studio along the top of the building with windows looking out onto North Broad Street.
- 🩰 Dedicated space for dyeing, customizing and storing thousands of dance shoes
- 🧖♀️ Wellness spa
- 🎶 Music room
- 🖼️ A gallery featuring artwork (seen along Wood Street)
💡 1 cool thing: A stainless-steel paneled facade along North Broad Street that's bedazzled with pinholes that light up at night and etched with 26 life-size dancer silhouettes.
Between the lines: The new HQ may already be paying dividends.
- The ballet company's school has seen a bump of more than 70 students compared with the same time last year, a spokesperson for the company tells Axios.
👀 First look: You can check out the new space during a free open house and festivities from noon to 5pm Saturday.
- Another (costly) option: A soirée gala is set for 7pm Thursday. Tickets: $1,250.