Philadelphia unveils plan for Ben Franklin Parkway, new African American museum location

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The City of Philadelphia has unveiled an ambitious plan that brings additions to the Ben Franklin Parkway.

Those plans include a new location for the African American Museum in Philadelphia, additions to the Free Library of Philadelphia's Parkway location, and an adaptive reuse of the historic Family Court Building.

"This is real," said African American Museum of Philadelphia Board Chair Sabrina Brooks with excitement. "It's going to happen!"

The African American Museum of Philadelphia will join the other iconic cultural institutions that are housed along the Ben Franklin Parkway, including the Philadelphia Art Museum and the Franklin Institute.

"We will be right on the Parkway with all the other museums and we're finally taking our mark in Philadelphia," said Brooks.

"This is where this museum belongs," said Mayor Jim Kenney who had been providing support for the plan along with City Council President Darrell Clarke, who wants the African American Museum in Philadelphia to become even more of a sight-seeing destination.

"It can't just simply be the Liberty Bell or the Rocky Statue," said Clarke.

The new museum will be housed at 1901 Wood Street, which is currently a city-owned parking lot. It's a much different location from the museum's current location: across from a prison.

"It's always been a question of 'wow we have this museum and it's right across from a federal prison,'" said Brooks.

The new location is part of a new development plan along the Parkway. It includes not just the addition of the museum, but also an expansion of the Free Library of Philadelphia at 19th and Vine streets. And next door to the library, the project will bring new life to the historic Family Court Building.

It will be transformed into a boutique hotel with 250 rooms. Since the building is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, developers won't tear it down. Instead, they'll take on the challenge of transforming most of the inside, taking care to preserve certain spaces on the inside including the 37 interior murals, which are also listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.

"We have assembled a world-class team of professionals who are uniquely qualified to execute a project of this scale and complexity in the city," said Daniel Killinger, president of National Real Estate Development, as he stood alongside Evans Charles, founder and managing principal of Frontier Development & Hospitality Group.

The two companies joined forces to create the plan and secure the deal with the city.

The plan also includes adding a new Children and Family Center and an auditorium to the Free Library on Vine Street.

"We're very excited about this historic project," said Kelly Richards, president and director of the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Terms of the development deal are still being negotiated, and there's no estimated total cost yet, but the city has already committed to investing $50 million into the plan.

For the African American Museum, being on the Parkway is priceless.

"In order for us to take our place here," said Brooks, "it's something phenomenal."

There is no set start date for construction yet. The developer estimates the project could take about five years to complete.