Jay Bethel: December 2011 Archives

As the years go by I am increasingly taken by surprise at the realization that, "Hey...I worked on that building" or  "Hey...I worked on that project".  The sheer number of jobsites I have touched in my various capacities over the years is amazing to me.

One such incident of amazement happened as I was driving through Philadelphia following a medical appointment. I was listening to a local radio station, and a familiar voice came on to make announcements. The "DJ" was Pierre Robert, a Philadelphia radio personality from as far back as I can remember.

Robert was talking about a live show he had attended at the site of the old Bethlehem Steel plant. He discussed how excellent the show was, but he seemed to be even more taken by the venue. He described the "rough elegance" of the ArtsQuest Center on the site now known as Steelstacks. He described a beautiful atrium wall and outdoor plaza that allowed one to view the remnants of the rusted steel plant, now highlighted in purple lighting. He was very complementary of the ambiance.

I had been involved early-on with the project specifications for this Spillman Farmer Architects project, and recall having had a little difficulty envisioning the more stark portions of the architecture, although I also recall feeling that the overall design was very interesting.. Evidently it all worked very well together and the design is a success.

As I drove along I was pleased with the idea that the public enjoyed the venue so much, and then enjoyed the moment of pride and pleasure in my anonymous legacy.