Originally a school for orphaned girls, the Ellis Preserve mixed-use community has become a bustling village in the heart of Newtown Square, writes Sandy Smith for Philadelphia magazine.

Just off the crossing of West Chester Pike and Newtown Street Road, it’s the brainchild of Equus Capital Partners, which moved its headquarters there last year.

The 318-acre farm was purchased in 1909 from funds Philadelphia trolley magnate Charles Ellis left to establish a boarding school for orphaned girls. The school flourished for decades, but by the 1970s, it was unable to continue.

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The property was sold to Arco Chemical Company in 1978, before SAP purchased the property in 2001. SAP kept 100 acres and sold the rest to Equus for a multiphase project of offices, shops, and homes.

Today, the site is bustling with around 4,000 office workers, numerous amenities, and a nearly completed apartment complex. There’s also a new Main Line Health medical center, Hilton Garden Inn hotel, and a shopping center.

“Our plan was to bring new energy back to the campus,” said Stephen Spaeder, Equus Senior Vice President for Acquisitions and Development.

Read more about Ellis Preserve in Philadelphia magazine by clicking here.

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