Kelly Writers House, the peerless center and incubator for writers at Penn and the greater Philadelphia community housed in the quaint cottage at 3805 Locust Walk, had been undergoing renovations since last summer, and they were completed this past December.

The front parlor, the Arts Cafe, where many readings and public events are staged, has been revitalized and expanded by extending the cafe to include the porch that was formerly facing Locust Walk, making it more usable. It is now also more technologically friendly. The front of the House has been landscaped, the accessibility ramp has moved from the side of the building to the garden, and the living room is in the process of being remodeled with a new floor and door. There was also a significant investment in audio-visual technology to enrich the House’s webcasting capabilities.

The Provost Center–sponsored, Penn Connects 3.0 project was primarily funded by alumnus David Gross-Loh, one of Writers House Faculty Director Al Filreis’ former students, and his wife Christine. The Kelly Writers House previously underwent renovations in 1997. Both the late-20th century and 2018 revamps have maintained the antique lodge’s historic integrity and Gothic aura.