Accolade on Chestnut

The residential towers known originally as Sansom Place East and West are two apartment-style high rises that are the center of Penn's graduate resident community. Penn had recently begun a tradition of hiring modern architects for campus projects when Richard and Dion Neutra, among the Europeans who brought international modernism to the United States in the 1920s, were hired for this project. Sansom Place East and West are constructed of rugged materials and stand in contrast to their surroundings in their height.

Redevelopment

The proposed $94.5M redevelopment of Sansom Place East, in order to develop more affordable housing for Penn graduate students, will maintain the exterior facade of the current towers, replace windows, and fully renovate the interior. The interior renovations will include the addition of a fitness center, small group study classrooms, and multipurpose areas, and will also enhance and refresh the existing plaza. When completed, the approximately 473 unit project will be comprised of studios and two-bedroom units of moderately priced graduate student housing (588 beds total) and accompanying area amenities.

The redevelopment of Sansom Place East into Accolade on Chestnut was substantially completed in summer 2023.