LOVE Park’s flying saucer could take off with a new concept by summer

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The spaceship-shaped Philadelphia landmark on the corner of LOVE Park could soon get another lease on life.

The former visitors center is sometimes referred to as the flying saucer due to its oval shape. It was once destined to become a restaurant, but that plan never came to fruition. Last year, the building’s custom-made curved glass panels from Europe played host to a public art display with portraits of city residents showing off their respective heritages.

The facility has been closed since 2021, according to city officials, when the park was undergoing a complete renovation ahead of the doomed restaurant idea. The plan failed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues, and a subsequent request for proposals failed to gather any interest.

Since then, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department went back to the drawing board, looking for creative ideas to reuse the space and issued a Request for Expression of Interest.

“We received more than 50 different RFEIs during this process,” said Katie Burns Kays, director of business and event development. The ideas they received had a consistent theme focusing on “light vending and public programming.”

Burns Kays said that translates into anything from a café, beer garden or light bar concept that will allow for events open to the public.

A mandatory meeting at the space will be held for interested bidders on Feb. 18, with bids in by March 18.

The goal is to “have someone identified in April and in the space by May,” Burns Kays said, admitting the quick turnaround will be difficult, but expectations are high that the facility will be up and running by summer.

There has been extensive work already completed on the building.  Councilmember Jeffrey Young has set aside city funding to complete the HVAC, plumbing and electric on the project to give potential tenants a head start on fitting out the building for a quick opening.

The city is hoping to derive some revenue from the space that can be put back into park maintenance.