Framing the Future of the Roundhouse is a report that documents a six-month process of public engagement that will inform how the building is redeveloped. The Roundhouse, the former headquarters of the Philadelphia Police Department, was vacated in 2022 when the department moved in to 440 North Broad Street.

The Department of Planning and Development contracted with Connect the Dots and Amber Art and Design to lead the engagement process on the ground. The concept of meaningful placemaking shaped the multiple engagement efforts implemented throughout the process. Meaningful placemaking connects people’s stories and lived experience to a site during a period of transition in use or form, creating public engagement that connects people to the site and to each other.

The team used surveys and focus groups as well as artmaking, youth-led discussion groups, and other community-building events.

The Roundhouse contains 125,000 square feet over four floors. The Roundhouse shares a 2.7-acre parcel with a 56,000-square-foot surface parking lot to the rear.