Old City is expecting a new immersive experience come 2023

Come the beginning of next year, Old City will be getting a new immersive exhibit at one of the area’s historical landmarks.

Real estate company Keystone Development + Investment along with Cushman & Wakefield announced earlier this month that it signed a long-term lease with Lighthouse Immersive and Impact Museums, the company that brought the immersive van Gogh exhibits to cities across the country, for an exhibit in The Washington building.

The Washington, a historical landmark, is located at 510-530 Walnut St. and currently hosts a variety of other companies, from marketing agencies to life sciences.

The exhibit will take up 31,718 square feet on the ground floor of the building and is expected to open in late 2022 or early 2023. It will be open to the public. Jake Fruncillo, leasing director at Keystone, told Technical.ly via email that he cannot disclose specifically what the exhibit will be yet, but said it will “honor the features of the building and bring a sense of emotion and excitement to its visitors.”

Both Lighthouse Immersive and Impact Museums focus on immersive entertainment experiences and have exhibit spaces in cities across the United States.

Fruncillo said his company approached Lighthouse Immersive and Impact Museums about the exhibit, thinking it would be a good addition to the experience in the Independence Mall-Washington Square area of Old City.

“With Independence Beer Garden at 100 Independence, PJ Clarke’s at The Curtis, and now Impact Museums at The Washington, Keystone is transforming Independence Mall into a true destination for not just historic, tourist attractions but now a neighborhood with dining and immersive experiences for everyone to enjoy,” Keystone CEO Bill Glazer said in a statement.

Lighthouse Immersive and Impact Museum thought The Washington would be a unique space to bring a fully immersive experience to Philly based on the tall ceilings, open space, history and accessibility to transit, according to Fruncillo.

The Washington is designated with landmark status by the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural achievement, including winning the American Institute of Architects Honor Award in 1977. Keystone purchased the building in 2016.

Along with The Washington, Keystone Development and Investment also owns The Curtis and 100 Independence, a total of nearly 3 million square feet on Independence Mall.