Frankie's Summer Club, the new outdoor pop-up bar on the former University of the Arts campus, will open Friday in Center City.
Named after the school's Frank Furness building, the bar offers a selection of natural wines, seasonal snacks and soft serve ice cream from Michael Ferreri, the chef behind Irwin's in the Bok Building. It will be open throughout the summer at 355 S. 15th St., the courtyard of the Furness building, Wednesdays 4-9 p.m., Thursdays-Saturdays 4-10 p.m., and Sundays 2-8 p.m.
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The space includes a bar inspired by a former plan from architect Louis Kahn, who in 1975 proposed expanding the school onto the current site of the Kimmel Center. Kahn's design included multi-story tube-shaped shaft structures to provide consistent, diffused northern light, which is preferred by artists, in the school's studios. The sculptures spanned the interior of the building and flared at the base to maximize the natural light.
The bar at Frankie's Summer Club is a nod to a 1970s design by architect Louis Kahn.
Frankie's Summer Club will serve wine, ice cream and seasonal snacks at its curvy tables.
That design is replicated at Frankie's with a similar structure for the bar in the courtyard and winding, curved tables to continue the geometric shapes of Kahn's proposal. Developer Scout, the new owner of the property, partnered with studio ISA to create the design.
Scout said the bar is a symbol of the site's legacy and the possibilities for its future.
"Frankie’s is more than a
pop-up — it is a prelude for what is to come and an invitation,” Lindsey Scannapieco, managing partner at Scout, said in a statement. “An invitation to reconnect with this historic space, to celebrate Philly’s creative
energy, and to get a glimpse of what’s coming next as we begin a new chapter in these remarkable
buildings.”
The University of the Arts closed in June 2024 after 148 years due to financial issues from declining enrollment and increased operating expenses. In February, Scout bought both Hamilton Hall and the Furness building at auction for $12.25 million. It plans to convert the spaces into studios and artist housing. Scout is also the developer of the Bok Building, an artist collective in South Philadelphia.