Sixth Man Center

Philadelphia Youth Basketball | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

After years spent studying options and sites for a new home to support its wide range of programs, Philadelphia Youth Basketball received a generous lead gift which would enable the group to expand its outreach to youths ages 6-18 for both basketball and general life skills. Youth empowerment, education, financial literacy, counseling and education surround basketball training, so that youth are given a wide variety of tools to help them with success in life.

VMA approached the design mindful that the group wanted its new home to reflect more than athletics, but its desire to be seen as a vital community partner. Basketball takes place across seven courts, including one specifically intended for early skills development. The flexible design allows for stadium seating to move into place to create a 1,200-seat stadium court that can be used for tournament play. 

Now completed, the Center allows PYB to serve seven times as many young people in addition to offering employment opportunities to the surrounding North Philadelphia Nicetown neighborhood and creating operating space for up to eight small businesses.

Awards

2026 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Leadership Awards, Public Impact

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SERVICES PROVIDED

Architecture, Interior Design, Planning

A modern beige building labeled Alan Horwitz Six Million Center has large windows and an outdoor patio with picnic tables. Several people are sitting or walking, and there are green bushes and trees under a partly cloudy sky.
A modern building with large windows and “Alan Horwitz Sixth Man Center” written above the entrance. Three people walk down the steps in front. There are picnic tables, plants, and a tree in the foreground under a blue sky with clouds.
A modern hallway with gray stairs on the left, people sitting and standing in the corridor, and a large window on the right showing a colorful outdoor mural featuring vibrant graphics and the text “EMBIID.” White walls and ceiling lights create a clean look.
A bright cafeteria with green-tiled walls, round hanging lights, and several people. Some are seated at white tables chatting, while two people are at a counter with snacks and drinks displayed on shelves behind them. The atmosphere is casual and social.
Indoor basketball gym with a high, exposed-beam ceiling. Several people play basketball on a polished wood court. Colorful mural on the far wall. Spectators watch from an upper level on the left; row of black chairs lines the court. Brightly lit space.
A group of people play basketball on an indoor court. One player jumps to shoot the ball toward the hoop. Others watch or move around him. The court is inside a large, industrial-style gym with high ceilings, exposed beams, and bright overhead lights.
A group of young athletes play basketball on a polished indoor court inside a spacious, industrial-style gym with high ceilings, exposed beams, and large windows. Other people are practicing or watching in the background. Basketball hoops are visible throughout the gym.
A woman browses clothing in a sports retail shop with shirts and hoodies on racks and basketballs displayed above. Outside, two men stand and talk near a sign reading “SIX SPORTS.” The space is modern with light walls, exposed ductwork, and concrete floors.
A speaker stands beside a podium in a modern, open space addressing an audience seated on tiered, curved wooden benches. The room has high ceilings, exposed pipes, hanging lights, and a light, industrial aesthetic.
A modern school hallway with tables and chairs, glass-walled classrooms on the left, exposed ceilings with ducts, and colorful college pennants hanging above the windows. Three people stand at the far end of the hall near framed pictures on the walls.
Indoor basketball gym with blue and orange court, several people playing basketball, and multiple hoops along the walls. Bleachers and barstool seating line the left side. The ceiling features exposed beams and large industrial lights.
A person stands motion-blurred at the center of a brightly lit indoor basketball court with blue and orange flooring, high white ceiling beams, and multiple hoops. The walls are lined with orange padding and a row of black chairs is on the right.
A modern hallway with exposed ceilings, concrete floor, and white walls. Three wooden doors with vertical windows line the right side; each door leads to a colorful room. Overhead lights hang from the ceiling. A mural with bold shapes decorates the far wall.
A modern lounge area in a sports facility features blue and white seating, a bookshelf with trophies, basketballs, framed photos, and a basketball court diagram. Three people sit talking; large windows reveal a gym beyond. The space is well-lit with a clean, open design.
Indoor basketball gym with a shiny wooden court, high ceilings with exposed beams and ducts, and a large, colorful mural on the brick wall featuring portraits of athletes. Several people are playing basketball; view is from behind a red railing on an upper level.
A basketball game is in action at an indoor court at the Philadelphia Community Basketball Center, with players from two teams jumping for the ball. A large crowd fills the bleachers, and a big red Philadelphia-themed logo decorates the wall in the background.
A large, empty warehouse with high ceilings, exposed beams, and tall windows letting in light. A black pickup truck is parked near the right wall. Construction materials, orange cones, and debris are scattered on the dusty concrete floor.
A large white industrial warehouse sits in a paved lot with stacked concrete pipes and construction materials. Several parked vehicles are visible. In the background are old brick industrial buildings and a city skyline under a partly cloudy sky.

Sixth Man Center

Philadelphia Youth Basketball | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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