A Clerical Fake Out at Broad & Lombard

After seeing a "new permit" for a proposed residential tower, we get the real scoop

You know, we here at the sprawling enterprise that is JackPhillyRE, despite our best efforts to triple check the veracity of everything we bring to you on the daily, understand that sometimes it’s necessary to say, “I was wrong.” If you follow along with us on our social media accounts (Editor’s Note: you should follow along with us on our social media accounts), you may have seen a recent post about an elegant, gleaming residential tower proposed to rise at the SW corner of Broad & Lombard. This post was triggered when browsing the daily zoning report recently, as we were excited and intrigued - and you can see why:

If you’re anything like us, you immediately said, “OH DAAAANG!” and went to compare the specs here to what had been presented for the site last time we heard news, back in 2022 for Civic Design Review. A match! The site is currently a fenced-off surface parking lot directly next to the historically protected Health Center No. 1, the teal, space-age structure which is also part of the proposal. Plans call for a 468-unit tower to rise over 550 feet, with the historical low-rise to be repurposed as a commercial space. Underground parking and a smattering of amenities would also be included, creating a new landmark on the changing Avenue of the Arts.

This all comes after the city sold the health center back in 2019 to the Goldenberg Group, approving the $16.1-million sale after an RFP process involving multiple finalists (Note: the health center has a new, transit-accessible home further south on Broad). While plans and rumors for the property have come and gone through the years, this recent permit solidified what we thought might be an imminent move ahead. Let’s first scope out the site and the latest designs from SITIO, who handled the tower portion, and Voith & MacTavish, who handled the Health Center portion.

The corner of Broad & Lombard recently, a fenced off surface lot next to Health Center No. 1

Whoa, now that’s a different look

The proposed tower shining over Symphony House next door

The Center City skyline would be extended southwards not far from Arthaus (far right)

A look at the new pedestrian experience along S. Broad St., including a new SEPTA headhouse

Now, for the update: in our boundless enthusiasm, we posted the “news” - except we were perhaps/definitely a bit hasty in doing so. The fine folks from the Goldenberg Group reached out to let us know that that permit was not in fact a new permit, but a small amendment, with L&I issuing the “new” permit you see above as an effective pump-fake on your favorite real estate blogger. Long story short? The site will remain as is for the time being.

And now that we’ve tempered our initial flush of excitement, this reality check makes a lot of sense given the sub-optimal lending environment and the upward creep of construction costs in the region. After the rush of permits and building over the last few years across town, the current truth is that we are unlikely to see few if any substantial projects moving forward that have yet to start digging in the immediate future. So, consider this one blogger’s mea culpa for the fake out as we envision the city’s built environment in these curious times ahead.