June 24th, 2020
To: Beige Berryman
The Philadelphia Art Commission
1515 Arch Street
12th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Re: SEPTA Wissahickon Transportation Center Project Cover Letter
Dear Ms. Berryman,
McCormick Taylor and its subconsultant, Sowinski Sullivan, have been contracted by SEPTA to
provide preliminary design services for the replacement of the existing Wissahickon Transportation
Center, located on Ridge Avenue. The proposed facility will greatly improve passenger experience by
increasing capacity, safety, and amenities as outlined below.
The existing transfer facility consists of a small (less than 900 square feet) building and a waiting
shelter on a single, compact bus loop. SEPTA has acquired additional property adjacent to this current
facility and is proposing an expanded transfer hub that can accommodate approximately 14 buses, with
upgraded amenities for both passengers and operators. The facility will be organized into two
“islands” to accommodate the bus circulation and boarding, with signage and wayfinding elements to
make transfers between routes clear and seamless.
The style of the proposed design was developed through careful consideration of both SEPTA’s needs
and input from local stakeholders. The material palette consists of brick, Wissahickon schist, impact-
resistant metal panel, and glazed aluminum storefront. The selected materials are durable, easy to
maintain, and appropriate for the neighborhood. The building on the front island will provide space for
a future commercial opportunity, while the building on the main island provides spaces for driver
break rooms, restrooms, a police outpost, and various utility rooms required to meet the facility’s
functional needs. Opportunities for incorporating public art as part of the SEPTA Art in Transit
program will be evaluated at a later phase of design.
Note that this project had previously been included on the June Art Commission agenda but was
withdrawn before being presented. The drawings provided with this letter are unchanged from the
previous set submitted. We hope that we may be included in the upcoming July 1st meeting, and look
forward to presenting the project to the Philadelphia Art Commission.
Sincerely,
Kristian Bellotti
CC: William Kunkle, SEPTA
WISSAHICKON TRANSPORTATION CENTER
ART COMMISSION PRESENTATIONMARCH 17, 2020MAY 06, 2020JULY 01, 2020
DEKE'S BBQ
STORAGE FACILITY
WISSAHICKON CREEK
SEPTAWTC
RIDGE AVE
COMMERCIAL BUILDING(TO BE DEMOLISHED UNDER
SEPARATE CONTRACT)
PHILADELPHIACANOECLUB
PECO SUBSTATION
SHELTER
WISSAHICKON TRANSPORTATION CENTERWORK IN PROGRESS
DRAFTEXISTING SITE PLAN
03/17/20 AC-0105/06/2007/01/2020
1
2 3
45
6
7
8
EXISTING SHELTER
EXISTING SEPTA WTC
EXISTING STORAGE FACILITY
EXISTING PECO SUBSTATION BUILDING
EXISTING PECO SUBSTATION
RECOVERY LANES
BIKE PATH, BY OTHERS
RAIN GARDEN
SEPTA PARKING
EXISTING ACCESS ROAD TO CANOE CLUB
FENCING
CONNECTION TO WISSAHICKON TRAIL
362' - 2 1/2"
446'
- 11
1/2
"
PROPERTY LINE
PROPERTY LINE
SNOW STORAGE
BIKE PATH
LEGEND
WISSAHICKON TRANSPORTATION CENTERWORK IN PROGRESS
DRAFTPROPOSED SITE PLAN
03/17/20 AC-02
N
05/06/20
3
4
5
7
8
07/01/2020
WISSAHICKON TRANSPORTATION CENTERWORK IN PROGRESS
DRAFTPROPOSED SITE AERIAL VIEW LOOKING SOUTHEAST
03/17/20 AC-0305/06/2007/01/2020
BUS STOP CANOPY
EXISTING SEPTA WTC
STORAGE FACILITY
MAIN STREETRIDGE AVENUE
PROPERTY LINE
SUPERVISOR'S BOOTH
WAITING AREA CANOPY, TYP.
COMMERCIAL BUILDING
PROPERTY LINE
SNOW STORAGE
BIKE PATH
LEGEND
WISSAHICKON TRANSPORTATION CENTERWORK IN PROGRESS
DRAFTPROPOSED SITE PLAN ENLARGED
03/17/20 AC-04
N
2
4
3
1
6
5
9
7 10
12
811
4
5
6
78
910
11
05/06/2007/01/2020
WISSAHICKON TRANSPORTATION CENTERWORK IN PROGRESS
DRAFTVIEW 1 - FRONT ISLAND LOOKING SOUTHWEST
03/17/20 AC-0505/06/2007/01/2020
WISSAHICKON TRANSPORTATION CENTERWORK IN PROGRESS
DRAFTVIEW 2 - FRONT ISLAND LOOKING SOUTHEAST
03/17/20 AC-0605/06/2007/01/2020
WISSAHICKON TRANSPORTATION CENTERWORK IN PROGRESS
DRAFTVIEW 3 - BUS STOP LOOKING EAST
03/17/20 AC-0705/06/2007/01/2020
BUS ENTRANCE BUS EXITCOMMERCIAL BUILDINGSUPERVISOR'S BOOTH
WISSAHICKON TRANSPORTATION CENTERWORK IN PROGRESS
DRAFTSITE ELEVATION
03/17/20 AC-09
VIEW 5 - RIDGE AVE ELEVATION
EXISTING SITE LOOKING EAST EXISTING SITE LOOKING WEST
4
05/06/20 AC-0807/01/2020
15' - 10 1/2"
31' - 0 1/2"
8' - 4" 22' - 8 1/2"
3' -
6"11
' - 7
"
2' -
0"9'
- 7"
15' - 10 1/2"
23' - 3 1/2"7' - 9"
31' - 0 1/2"
16' - 1"
7' - 10"15' - 5"7' - 11"
31' - 2"
11' -
7"
3' -
6"
WISSAHICKON TRANSPORTATION CENTERWORK IN PROGRESS
DRAFTELEVATIONS
03/17/20 AC-10
VIEW 7 - COMMERCIAL BUILDING EAST ELEVATION VIEW 8 - COMMERCIAL BUILDING WEST ELEVATION
VIEW 6 - COMMERCIAL BUILDING NORTH ELEVATION5
6 7
05/06/20 AC-0907/01/2020
T ectonic Cop yright 2007
T ectonic Cop yright 2007
8' - 8"
2' -
7"12
' - 8
"
8' - 4 1/2"
12' - 6 1/2"
2' -
7"2'
- 0"
10' -
6 1
/2"
15' -
1 1
/2"
18' - 7"
12' -
10"
48' - 0"
WISSAHICKON TRANSPORTATION CENTERWORK IN PROGRESS
DRAFTELEVATIONS
03/17/20 AC-11
VIEW 10 - SUPERVISOR'S BOOTHWEST ELEVATION
VIEW 9 - SUPERVISOR'S BOOTHEAST ELEVATION
VIEW 11 - SUPERVISOR'S BOOTHNORTH ELEVATION
VIEW 12 - RIDGE AVE. BUS STOP ELEVATION
T ectonic Cop yright 2007
T ectonic Cop yright 2007
8' - 8"
2' -
7"12
' - 8
"
8' - 4 1/2"
VIEW 10 - SUPERVISOR'S BOOTHWEST ELEVATION
VIEW 9 - SUPERVISOR'S BOOTHEAST ELEVATION
12' - 6 1/2"
2' -
7"2'
- 0"
10' -
6 1
/2"
15' -
1 1
/2"
18' - 7"
VIEW 11 - SUPERVISOR'S BOOTHNORTH ELEVATION
8
11
05/06/20 AC-1007/01/2020
WISSAHICKON TRANSPORTATION CENTERWORK IN PROGRESS
DRAFTPROPOSED MATERIAL PALETTE
03/17/20 AC-12
Wissahickon Schist Brick
StorefrontMetal Panel
05/06/20 AC-1107/01/2020