As Transit Oriented as It Gets in Germantown

32 units receive zoning approval immediately next door to a SEPTA station in a changing neighborhood

We’ve discussed transit-oriented development here in the past countless times, highlighting the importance of boosting residential and commercial density near the transit lines that keep our city running (Side note: FUND SEPTA). But today, we are about to get as extreme as one can - at least when it comes to regional rail. At 168 E. Chelten Ave., an L-shaped property directly next to Germantown Station of the Chestnut Hill East line, it looks this long-time vacant lot is about to get a big-time upgrade.

138 Chelten Ave. as seen from Chelten & Baynton a couple years ago, an empty lot since at least 2008

The property immediately abuts the station parking lot

This property was sold back in 2022 to an LLC, so we aren’t sure who the specific owners are. What we are sure about is that these seven lots were combined and subdivided into two earlier this year, with a square-shaped lot and a rectangular-shaped lot creating a pair of sizable lots (~9K and ~11K sqft) with street access - seemingly ideal for development.

An aerial view of the site, with the two new parcels

Per a zoning permit issued just yesterday, plans for Parcel A on the corner call for a four-story, 32-unit building. This will feature ground floor commercial space, a residential roof deck, parking for 11 bikes - and zero car parking. Atlas lists KCA Design Associates as the architect, though the design for what’s to come is not yet available - that’s just how piping hot this news is. There’s no news on Parcel B yet, though we wouldn’t be surprised if we see a tandem permit issued sometime for something of slightly larger size and scale.

This right here, folks, is a great model for what could and should be built around regional rail stations both within the city limits and in the surrounding suburbs. Providing more homes near transit is always a win in our book, as it unlocks opportunities for both people and businesses (Side note: FUND SEPTA). And to displace zero people while building on what has been empty for years and years is just the icing on the cake.

That said, this all comes with a big ol’ caveat in the background: the possibility of gentrification. It’s common knowledge that Germantown has become a prime area for development in the city - no surprise given how awesome a neighborhood it is. But with disinvestment over the last several decades leaving key buildings in a state of flux, there are concerns that this latest wave of development may forget some of the locals. And we learned this firsthand last year, as visits to three neighborhood landmarks led to an outpouring of comments regarding the future of the neighborhood.

While we applaud and encourage thoughtful, environmentally forward development near transit, we urge developers to truly hear and understand the context in which this all takes place. To ignore those who have called this area home for decades would be a massive missed opportunity, as Germantown is easily one of the most vibrant and interesting neighborhoods in the whole dang city. And, as we may have mentioned above, saving SEPTA is essential if we want to avoid decades of future disinvestment to areas potentially devoid of transit.