The Franklin Center is a multi-story office building with street-level retail that blends old world architecture with modern amenities. Working closely with municipal officials, community members, architects, and the town’s historical commission, we were able to construct a state-of-the-art office building that fits perfectly with the look and feel of Kennett Square’s historic setting.

Location: 128 E. State Street Kennett Square, PA
Size: 77,500 Square Feet
Floors: Six
Owner: Kennett Center, LP
Architect: Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects PC
Developer: Key Real Estate, LLC
Anchor Tenant: Genesis HealthCare Corporation

• The Borough’s zoning limited permissible building height.
  
  
• The community had serious concerns that a non-traditional building would compromise the downtown’s historic setting.
  
  
• Parking had reached capacity. Additional facilities were required to accommodate growth.

• Collaborated with Borough Council to develop and educate the community on a Tall Building Overlay District, which would allow building heights of up to 75 feet within the downtown’s commercial area.
  
  
• Presented and discussed project concepts at 17 public meetings including Borough Council, Planning Commission, Historical Commission, Architectural Review Board, Zoning Hearing Board, and public safety reviews.
  
  
• Worked with architects to design a building that complemented the town’s historic nature and incorporated design elements from the original buildings.
  
  
• Responded to the desire for an appropriate scale from a pedestrian perspective.
  
  
• Obtained state infrastructure grant funds to assist in the construction of a parking garage, creating parking for employees, retail shoppers, and community visitors.