Set to open Fall 2025
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brandywine Realty Trust (NYSE: BDN) today announced a new culinary destination is taking shape at Schuylkill Yards. Gather Food Hall & Bar will bring together six local vendors and an elevated bar, offering a mix of global flavors in a lively, contemporary setting. Designed to serve office tenants, students, and University City locals, the food hall will create a welcoming space where people can connect over high-quality dining experiences. Located on the ground floor of the historic Bulletin Building, Gather Food Hall will honor the site’s legacy as a hub for innovation, communication and ideas—transforming it into a modern gathering place that blends hospitality with innovation.
Originally constructed in 1955, the Bulletin Building at 3025 Market Street was home to the Philadelphia Bulletin, a leading newspaper that informed and connected the city. The building symbolized progress and communication during an era when print media was the pinnacle of modern innovation. In 2021, the building was transformed into a state-of-the-art life science hub, bridging its historic role as a center for ideas with its current mission to drive groundbreaking research and discovery. Gather Food Hall on the ground floor will reflect the newsroom’s bustling energy, fostering collaboration and community in a lively setting where stories and ideas are exchanged.
Gather Food Hall, totaling 13,000 square-feet, will feature a collection of artisan concepts, curated and operated by New York based – chef and restaurateur, Akhtar Nawab’s Hospitality HQ (HHQ), known for their portfolio of chef-driven concepts. Hospitality HQ has partnered with Gather Food Hall (GFH) Management, a Philadelphia-based organization with a mission to uplift emerging culinary entrepreneurs as well as address the epidemic of food insecurity experienced by 1 in 4 college students. GFH Management includes FNB+, a hospitality consultancy, JEME Agency, and Believe In Students, a non-profit dedicated to ensuring aspiring college students have their basic needs met.
Brandywine Realty Trust has been at the forefront of crafting Schuylkill Yards into a leading hub for innovation, solidifying University City as a key driver of economic and technological progress in Philadelphia. With 70,000 square feet of retail space and an additional 33,000 square feet set to open in 2025, the location is cemented as a dynamic social and interactive destination with 6.5 acres of dedicated greenspace.
Strategically located adjacent to 30th Street Station, Schuylkill Yards provides unparalleled access to Amtrak, regional rail, and SEPTA transit lines, seamlessly connecting businesses with talent and resources across the region. With its blend of cutting-edge research, retail, public space, and connectivity, Schuylkill Yards has become a dynamic hub for collaboration and economic growth, driving Philadelphia’s evolution as a center of innovation.
Bell Butler Design & Architecture has been tasked with the design of Gather Food Hall with an emphasis on preserving and celebrating Bulletin Building’s industrial past. Borrowing inspiration from the newspaper printing press that once occupied the site, the design integrates an eclectic mix of graphics, historical elements, and lighting features that celebrate the building’s history. Thoughtful design elements, like vintage accents and newspaper-inspired décor, will honor the building’s storied past while embracing its modern evolution. Just as the Philadelphia Bulletin once connected the city through conversation, the revitalized Bulletin Building continues to inspire progress through the added flavor of exceptional dining.
With support from Brandywine Realty Trust, Gather Food Hall will empower the community and provide programs for vendors and students. Initiatives led by Hospitality HQ, a minority owned and operated business, alongside its Gather partners, seek to minimize barriers of entry for vendor partners. The team offers additional mentorship programs intended to help guide vendors to manage successful businesses. The mentorship program will enable small business owners to test their concept, cultivate professional practices, and gain insight from some of the best chefs in the region.
Gather Food Hall’s social mission has been supported by seed funding from Cerity Partners and also includes an innovative approach to addressing the growing issue of food insecurity among college students, which is more prevalent among college students than the general population.
About Brandywine Realty Trust
Brandywine Realty Trust (NYSE: BDN) is one of the largest, publicly traded, full-service, integrated real estate companies in the United States with a core focus in the Philadelphia and Austin markets. Organized as a real estate investment trust (REIT), we own, develop, lease and manage an urban, town center and transit-oriented portfolio comprising 126 properties and 19.4 million square feet as of December 31, 2024. Our purpose is to shape, connect and inspire the world around us through our expertise, the relationships we foster, the communities in which we live and work, and the history we build together. For more information, please visit www.brandywinerealty.com.
About Hospitality HQ
Hospitality HQ* (HHQ) is a creative consulting and management company offering bespoke solutions for venue management and culinary-driven concepts across the United States. With over 40 years of combined experience in the most competitive markets, HHQ has the expertise to develop, curate and manage multi-use food and beverage venues that allow us to create a sense of place and enhance a community.
Contact Information
Heather Crowell
Gregory FCA for Brandywine Realty Trust
215-316-6271
heather@gregoryfca.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4fb2cffe-7ab8-4c6a-a927-317e9a0f5d05
