Bok to the Future

Bok Vocational High School was built in 1936, funded through the Works Progress Administration. The school accommodated 3,000 students from across the city, who studied subjects as varied as wallpapering, cosmetology, auto mechanics, and bricklaying. Many of the classrooms were purpose-built to accommodate trade-specific studies

The school eventually faced decreased enrollment and deferred maintenance. In 2013, the School District of Philadelphia closed Bok and put it up for public auction. Scout, a design and development firm, won the auction and proposed reusing the building’s infrastructure to create affordable work spaces for a wide variety of users.

Today, the 340,000 square-foot building serves more than 250 businesses, artists, and nonprofits. Users include filmmakers, woodworkers, a daycare center, a community-wellness center, and a bakery. Among the tenants, 71 percent are residents of South Philadelphia, 50 percent are women-run businesses, and 80 percent are self-owned businesses.

This tour highlights the importance of partnerships in the success of Bok and poses some important questions: How do communities respond when integral parts of their infrastructure close? What are potential futures for a hulking, historic, block-long building? How can neighborhood change benefit the existing community? Learn how the developer worked with and supported various South Philadelphia communities and organizations.

Attendees walk during this workshop.