After Philadelphia’s University of the Arts (UArts) closed in 2024, its nine buildings went up for auction. Scout, a local development and design company, acquired two of the buildings: Dorrance Hamilton Hall, on Broad Street; and Furness Residence Hall, named after its architect, Frank Furness. This summer an outdoor pop-up bar invited people back to the historic campus.
The local women-owned company subsequently tapped DIGSAU and AOS to create a vision plan for the buildings. This week Scout announced a list of tenants who will rent space within Hamilton and Furness Residence Halls.
Scout also shared a new moniker for the 110,000-square foot, 2-building ensemble that spans 1.9 acres on the Avenue of the Arts: The Village of Industry & Art (VIA).
AIA Philadelphia, BlackStar Projects, Community Design Collaborative, DesignPhiladelphia, Monument Lab, and the Stained Glass Project will begin moving into the Village of Industry & Art this fall.
On October 3, DesignPhiladelphia will host its opening celebration in the Haviland Building’s great hall, a major milestone for the VIA team. In the coming months, more tenants are expected to move in, through 2026 and beyond.
“The Village of Industry & Art is an open invitation—to experiment, to build, to belong,” said Lindsey Scannapieco, Scout managing partner. “Our phased approach allows the community to gradually come alive again, with early programming shaping the space. By spring, we’ll unveil more—with a range of additional tenants fully moved in, and a slate of thoughtful events and activations.”
The adaptive reuse scheme by DIGSAU and AOS prioritizes affordability, minimal intervention, and community-first design.
In addition to office space, the future phases will deliver food and beverage concepts, affordable artist housing, and studios.
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