The Ralston Center in West Philadelphia is home to a non-profit organization which provides a range of health and social services to neighborhood seniors. Formerly a retirement home, the building is now mostly leased by the University of Pennsylvania's Geriatric Institute. Schade and Bolender designed renovations to two of the entries. On the west side of the building a new glass canopy was installed and the entry ramp for access by the disabled was replaced. On the south side the old fabric canopy was removed and a new glass canopy installed that reveals historic details of the building. The garden wall was also reconfigured, the stone coping modified, and the lamp posts were restored to enhance the overall experience. In the summer of 2009, we redesigned the Activity Center where horticulture and art therapy classes are convened.
