Philly Nonprofit to Rehabilitate Former Gosnell Clinic
The property on Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia has remained vacant for more than a decade but is now set to enter a new phase. A local judge has ruled in favor of the nonprofit organization reBuilding Blocks, granting it conservatorship over the site.
Once known nationwide as the “House of Horrors,” the clinic gained infamy due to the crimes committed by Dr. Kermit Gosnell, who is currently serving a life sentence in state prison. The property, located at 3801–05 Lancaster Avenue, consists of five connected buildings that have long sat abandoned and in disrepair.
“[The building] really does create a psychic blight to those who sort of remember what happened, and has sat there as a reminder of Philadelphia’s criminal history. And it’s time for something positive to come out of it,” said Beth Grossman, managing director of reBuilding Blocks.
The ruling, which came after a 2023 petition under Pennsylvania’s Act 135, allows reBuilding Blocks to restore, sell, or repurpose the long-empty structure, opening the door for a productive use of the space and a shift away from its dark past.
About Act 135
Act 135, known as Pennsylvania’s Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act, enables courts to appoint responsible parties to renovate and revitalize properties that have become community hazards.
Author’s Summary: A Philadelphia judge granted nonprofit reBuilding Blocks control of the infamous Gosnell clinic, marking the start of a transformation for a site long tied to tragedy.