Aerial view of Bok with surrounding South Philadelphia neighborhood streets. The towering 8-story 340,000 sqft historic school building occupies an entire city block and towers over a predominately two-story residential neighborhood. Credit: Brendon Costello

This measured site plan of Bok shows landscaping and furniture elements including the dog park, preschool playspace, bike rack and repair station, public seating and clock and Indego bike share station. Credit: Scout

Between the public elementary school across the street from Bok, the well-traveled bus routes on the north-south streets flanking the building, the 600+ people coming to Bok to work every day, and the thousands coming to enjoy events, food & drink, there is street life from early morning to late at night. Credit: Sam Oberter

This entrance is one of many across the building. Between the defensive architecture and the multiple entrances, designing signage and smart wayfinding was an important early step. Credit: Ed Newton

The “Stoop” outside of Bok serves many uses: seating for those waiting for the bus, gathering and celebrating. Shown here is a Dios de Los Muertos altar. Credit: Julie Guinto

The Wyss Wellness center by Jefferson Health in Bok services the surrounding immigrant neighborhood community. Credit: Mike Persico

What was once a neglected back door to the building has been transformed into the bustling main entrance to Bok. The most public-facing businesses including the coffee shop, bakery, cafe, bike shop, print shop, and retail spaces are found just inside. Credit: Ed Newton

The WKSHP, originally the auto-body shop during Bok’s Vo Tech days, is now home to a collection of food offerings and carefully curated retail business, including the bicycle repair shop shown here. Credit: Ed Newton

Originally located on the fourth floor of the building, Machine Shop pivoted during the pandemic from wholesale to retail and, in doing so, relocated from the old machine shop on the 4th floor for which their business is named to the ground floor of Bok. in the Bok WKSHP. In 2022, the owner was named a Best New Chef of 2022 by Food & Wine and the bakery was applauded as one of Eater’s best new restaurants in America. Credit: Ed Newton

SEAMAAC, a local non-profit and valued community stakeholder, organizes a weekly elders gathering, bringing together an average of 80 Southeast Asian elders for engaging programming and offering the opportunity to socialize in their native language. Shown here is a dance performance during an elders breakfast. Credit: Doria Wohler

A practicing multimedia artist in Philadelphia for decades, G. Kellum’s studio is located on the 5th floor. Credit: Mike Persico

Small batch skincare company Sabbatical Beauty makes all of their products out of their lab space at Bok. They also host events in their space and offer in-store shopping. Credit: Mike Persico

Italian sneaker company Diadora’s US headquarters is located at Bok. Between their showroom, office, inventory storeroom and kitchen, they occupy four adjacent former science labs. Credit: Mike Persico

Milder Furniture designs and produces furniture for work and learning environments, specializing in modular furniture for the office, library, maker space, and educational institutions. One of Bok’s original tenants, their business more than doubled their footprint during their tenure at Bok. The majority of business owners at Bok live in South Philadelphia — Milder Furniture founders shown here are examples of tenants who benefit from this proximity. Credit: Mike Persico

Fringe Hair Salon moved from a ground floor retail space on a busy commercial corridor to the 5th floor of Bok in 2017. Located in a former cosmetology classroom, the salon made use of existing plumbing. Credit: Mike Persico

Winner of the ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming and Philadelphia magazine’s “Best of Philly” award, Ars Nova Workshop (ANW) is an internationally recognized jazz, experimental, and new classical music presenter. The nonprofit is one example of many that more than doubled their square footage within their first couple of years at Bok. Credit: Mike Persico

Ohm Family Chiropractic has been providing chiropractic care to families for over 30 years. Their Bok office is their second location, which also serves as a space for birth, breastfeeding and yoga classes. Credit: Mike Persico

A crochet installation artist, a muralist and a multimedia artist share a small (380 sq. ft.) but bright, colorful studio on the 6th floor. Credit: Mike Persico

One of the nation’s top Atelier schools for realist art, Studio Incamminati offers an Advanced Fine Arts diploma and a BFA program as well as drop-in community workshops. Studio Incamminati occupies the entire 7th floor as well as a portion of the 7th floor east rooftop and takes full advantage of the nearly 300 linear feet of north-facing light between interior and exterior spaces. Credit: Mike Persico

Founded by a sister duo during the pandemic, Second Daughter Baking Co. started off at Bok on a temporary basis in the shared catering kitchen. They were so successful, they expanded into a permanent dedicated space shortly thereafter and in 2022 were named a James Beard Award Semifinalist. Credit: Mike Persico

Bok Bar, the seasonal rooftop bar atop of Bok, has become a popular summer destination for food and drink, attracting 75,000 people in the 29 weeks that it operates. Named “Best Scene” by the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Reader’s Choice, Bok Bar also collaborates with local chefs and thought leaders to offer a diverse range of events, pop-ups, and workshops throughout the season. Credit: Zara Neifield

Named one of 10 Best New Restaurants in America in 2022 by Bon Appétit, Irwin’s features fine modern Sicilian cuisine and natural wines. The restaurant is open year round. Credit: Mike Perisco