Mariposa Food Co-Op

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

West Philly adaptive reuse of a historic bank in a former fresh food desert

Three big ideas:

Historic,
Community Focused,
Energy Efficient

Putting into practice a Greening Groceries research project completed for The Food Trust, Re:Vision designed the adaptive re-use of a 5,000 sf Greek-revival style bank in West Philadelphia into an appealing food-shopping venue for Mariposa Food Co-op. The project was designed to be developed in three phases, including retail space, community gathering, and a roof top farm. Re-using the old bank building presented the team with opportunities to uncover and re-purpose existing materials, such as terrazzo flooring and former marble wall panels which became countertops. An open layout coupled with light tubes greatly improves the shopping and working environment, as well as energy efficiency.

Fast Facts

Given that grocery store utility bills are dominated by refrigeration, the team selected high-efficiency refrigeration units circulating benign glycol

Open refrigerator cases were limited and outfitted with night curtains

Tube skylights and daylight sensors minimize lighting energy consumption

Salvaged materials used throughout for custom designed display furniture and cash wraps

Grand Jury Prize for Preservation/Renovation, Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia

““Our small organization was going through what felt like a monumental expansion and with the expertise and creativity of Re:Vision we were able to actualize our dream of a beautiful new storefront. Re:Vision helped us transform a neglected 1920s bank into a sustainably designed, energy efficient, community grocery store. With Re:Vision we were able to incorporate our desire to preserve and reuse as much of the original building as possible while also using modern technology to reduce our energy consumption.” ”

– Bull (Eric) Gervasi, Produce & Facilities Manager, Mariposa

Project Gallery

The project included an energy efficient restoration of the historic bank's stone facade.
The interior shopping space is bathed in daylight from the large street facing windows and skylights.
A key component of the energy efficiency of the CoOp is the refrigeration systems. Notice that they are closed doors instead of traditional open case shelves which require much more cooling.
The CoOp is a beloved cornerstone in the community providing fresh food to West Philly.
BACK TO ALL PROJECTS
Scroll to Top