Hi everyone. This week I have some news about downtown and some news about developments that I already mentioned. So, without further ado. (Sorry about the lack of spaces at the headings. I use Google Blogger, which as we can see is complete garbage. I tried everything I could to edit it and it is just not working).
CENTER CITY NEWS:
A few years ago, I passed by the parking lot at 17th & Vine Sts. Not the one where Grasso Holdings wants to build their massive 1601 Vine Street project, but the one in between that lot and the Family Courts building. On the fence was a white zoning notice for a development that included a 22 story residential tower. The notice disappeared a few months later and the project obviously hasn't been happening. A few months ago I read a story in the Business Journal about a company called Klein Company that wanted to build two residential towers in Logan Circle, but didn't elaborate. I tried to find them online, but was unable to. Then recently, I saw a brief story about one of the owners of the company in the paper and they had a web address that I logged onto and found that the zoning notice at 17th & Vine was for one of their projects.
The site showed that the project will have not only a 22 story condo tower, but retail along Vine St., which is long overdue for that neighborhood. The site mentioned how the retail would help make the area more of a neighborhood that would be busy in the evening. It, also, would develop the Parkway into a more complete destination and would make Logan Circle busier. I just hope since it is on the Parkway, the retail wouldn't be too mundane. But, anyway, it sounds exciting! The picture of the project is on the top of the page and their website is http://www.kleindevelops.com/. I don't know where the second tower would be, it wasn't on the site.
NORTH PHILLY NEWS:
In my last post, I talked about the Ludlow and LaPradera developments just east of Temple University. I mentioned that LaPradera, which was built by a local community group Asociacion Puertorriquenos en Marcha, was completed. However, according to the Office of Housing and Community Development newsletter, the OHCD Bulletin, there are plans for a third phase that will eventually bring the total number of homes to 126. I'm not sure where they would have room to build at this point, unless this phase were to be scattered site homes. Anyway, it would continue the virtual rebuilding of that neighborhood into a largely clean and safe mixed income neighborhood.
Also, according to another OHCD Bulletin, redevelopment will be continuing west of Broad Street as well. Just four blocks west of Temple is the affordable Twins at Oxford Commons development. This consists of several dozen new duplex homes with front yards and garages, probably intended mostly for the lower middle class. It is another example of a dramatic redevelopment surrounded by a still blighted neighborhood. The new homes are located north and south of Oxford St. at 19th & 20th Streets. As seen on the map at top, they are about three blocks north of Girard College, just east of Ridge Avenue, and looking east on Oxford St. you see the Pearl Theatre at Avenue North about five blocks down. These new homes are occupied now. Just south of the homes is a huge empty lot where they demolished several homes below Jefferson St. Also, across 20th St. their is a large lot just off of Ridge Avenue. These sites are to be developed next, according to the newsletter, creating a new neighborhood that will be as big as LaPradera. So, the Sharswood neighborhood would also see a lot of redevelopment, enough to create the feeling of a transformed neighborhood their as well. For more info on these projects, you can find the OHCD site at http://www.phila.gov/.
Anyway, that's what I have for now. Have a nice weekend!
