PHILADELPHIA – The City of Philadelphia issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) today seeking a consulting team to lead community engagement around the redevelopment of the Police Administration Building. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission will oversee the RFP and community engagement processes.

Commonly known as the Roundhouse, the Police Administration Building at Seventh and Race Streets will become vacant later this year. The Philadelphia Police Department headquarters is moving to 400 N. Broad St. in the coming months.

The consultant selected will lead a citywide community engagement process. The outcome is expected to be a vision plan for the site that provides community-driven, realistic guidance to the City regarding its future use. The vision plan will recommend how best to incorporate community desires while also recognizing the City’s need to recapture much-needed financial resources.

“The Roundhouse is a complicated site,” said Eleanor Sharpe, executive director of the City Planning Commission. “To many people it represents an era of police brutality. For some that era continues to this day.”

“At the same time, it is an iconic piece of architecture,” Sharpe said. “It sits on a large and valuable parcel. It is an opportunity to secure revenue to support education, social services, public safety, and other critical needs.”

Although the site is located in Center City, its history and its future are relevant to residents across the city. Accordingly, the City will seek input from stakeholders citywide.

“This site has meaning to Philadelphians of all races, ethnicities, ages, gender, sexual orientations, gender identities, and incomes,” Sharpe said. “It means different things to different people. We want to hear from everyone.”

The RFP, its timeline, and its requirements are available on the PIDC website. The deadline to respond is March 14, 2022.The City expects to select a consultant in March. Community engagement activities will begin in May and continue through October. The final report is to be issued by the end of the year.