Hidden away in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Building 624 holds a secret. This former shipbuilding storehouse is home to an unusual group of residents. Decorative carp swim in its waterlogged cellar. How did these fish end up in the basement of Building 624?
No one knows for sure how they got there. Some believe the fish were introduced to control insects. Others speculate they are related to the koi at Urban Outfitters’ headquarters. A final theory suggests someone emptied an unwanted aquarium into the flooded cellar. Regardless of their origin, the fish have thrived.
Sarah Novak, a logistics specialist, enjoys checking on the fish. She has worked near Building 624 for about three years. She says everyone stops to look at them. Seeing carp in such a blighted building is quite a contrast. It embodies the Navy Yard’s mix of old and new.
Prema Gupta, a Navy Yard planner, appreciates these juxtapositions. She notes high-end buildings stand near vacant barracks. Building 624 once stored shipbuilding parts. These parts were used in nearby manufacturing buildings. Urban Outfitters now occupies some of those buildings.
Building 624 and Building 83 were considered for Amazon’s second headquarters. Before that, there were plans to turn them into apartments. An engineering study found both buildings strong enough for more floors. The fish live in an 800-square-foot area of Building 624’s basement. This area stays flooded due to plumbing issues.
Gupta says the fish do not indicate any structural problems. She also notes they were there when she started working at the Navy Yard. Joseph Zuritsky, a fish expert, believes they are goldfish. Goldfish are hardier than koi. They can survive in the cold basement with little food.
The fish likely eat algae that grows in the stairwell. Kyle Tyson, a Chichester resident, enjoys feeding them bread. He learned about them from a coworker. He says he just finds them interesting.
Geoff Manaugh, an architecture writer, sees the fish as an artifact of urban change. He compares the site to other ruins like the High Line in Manhattan. It is like pulling back a curtain to reveal a hidden part of the city.
Building 624 and its cellar-dwelling fish offer a unique glimpse into Philadelphia’s Navy Yard. They represent the area’s blend of history, industry, and unexpected surprises.