by Brianna Crandall — April 15, 2011—The U.S. General Services Administration recently celebrated the completion of a project that has consolidated the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Philadelphia campus from seven outdated buildings into a modernized facility needed to accomplish its mission, while providing for the preservation of a historic building in University City.
The project has restored and renovated the 900,000-square-foot, five-story former main U.S. post office in Philadelphia into a modern, energy-efficient office building. The renovated facility houses nearly 5,000 IRS employees and includes a child care center, cafeteria, credit union, health unit and fitness center. A parking lot for 1,600 cars was also constructed as part of the project.
The facility was designed to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver criteria from the U.S. Green Building Council. Sustainable features include a high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning system; low-flow plumbing fixtures with occupancy sensors; energy-efficient lighting; and a light well that provides access to natural daylight. The project was awarded the 2011 Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia.
