Old Spaces, New Places
Adaptive reuse is the term given to the repurposing of old buildings, and many of the buildings we use today are serving a very different purpose than originally intended. But repurposing a structure is not always easy.
Creativity thrives in the Commonwealth—from community art projects to makerspaces, galleries and festivals, the arts play a pivotal role in bringing people together throughout our region.
Adaptive reuse is the term given to the repurposing of old buildings, and many of the buildings we use today are serving a very different purpose than originally intended. But repurposing a structure is not always easy.
In the early days of the Commonwealth, nearly 29 million acres of Pennsylvania were covered in forest. By 1895, this number dropped to 9 million acres. While Pennsylvania provided lumber to build a nation, this invaluable natural resource was almost lost.
Pennsylvania and its citizens have a long history of innovation and creativity. The Slinky, Jeep, cheesesteaks, the Ferris wheel, the polio vaccine, revolving doors and movie theaters are just a few things that came from Pennsylvania.