Where History Meets Innovation

The Wheelhouse stands on American Street in South Kensington on the site of a historic railroad depot, with one of the largest engine houses in Philadelphia. In the 19th century, this “workshop of the world” street hummed with the energy of locomotives and manufacturing. Trains came down the middle of American Street into a massive freight yard, changing direction on a 50-foot turntable in the roundhouse.

This former industrial district has also been turned around, transformed into a creative corridor. Historic warehouses and factories are now artist studios, exhibition spaces, and home to many small businesses. Environmental revitalization has turned the previously abandoned railroad tracks and neglected buildings into over 2 miles of green stormwater infrastructure, more than 2 acres of trees & plants, and the first protected raised bike lanes in the city.

The Wheelhouse is now home to businesses sharing a mission to provide community-centered resources grounded in sustainability and collaboration. The buildout of the Wheelhouse prioritized adaptive reuse throughout – transforming walk-in freezers and loading docks from the site’s latter uses as industrial cold storage and food warehousing and using repurposed elements wherever possible.

On the building’s facade, the Mural Art’s Climate Justice in Lenapehoking story is a rich depiction of interconnectedness, serving as a beacon of hope in the face of environmental challenges and a call to collective action. 

On the second Thursday of each month, the Wheelhouse opens its doors for building-wide open house events, inviting the community to explore its creative spaces. We joined this neighborhood tradition along American Street with the many galleries and studios in Crane Arts and The Clay Studio.

Welcome to the Wheelhouse, where the wheels of innovation and the spirit of creativity nurture collaboration in South Kensington.

Let the wheels turn!