At Last, Everyone and Everything in Accord at Goldtex

Photo by Liz Spikol.

Less than a year ago, the news out of the Post Brothers’ Goldtex building was drama, controversy and inflatable rats. Which is why Inga Saffron, in today’s Inquirer, is expressing genuine surprise that not only have the former adversaries moved beyond attacking each other, but that the building itself seems to be – dare we say it – an example of good design.

In Saffron-ese:

The surprise is that the renovated factory emerged from the debacle with its architectural integrity intact.

“There must be something in the water,” she writes, explaining that both Electricians Local 98 boss John Dougherty and developer Michael Pestronk both expressed some regret over the affair.

From a design perspective, Saffron says that Goldtex has managed to combine a modern elements (like the multicolored panel exterior) with enough gritty detail from  the building’s past life as a factory. More than that, she says the building is likely to set a new tone in the growing Loft District. She’s particularly charmed by the decision the Pestronks made to leave pieces of graffiti in place on the building.

If not for the protest, this would be a column about how Goldtex’s mix of design sophistication and calculated grit will reset the image of the Loft District.

Changing Skyline: Goldtex is a hard-won lift for Loft District [Inquirer]