One Small Step for Empty Lots, One Giant Leap for Former Bank
We check on construction progress for two projects along Girard Ave.
On this unseasonably blustery day, we found ourselves on Girard Ave. at the dividing point between Northern Liberties (to the south/west), Olde Kensington (to the north/west), and Fishtown (to the east). We were tipped by a few folks that two vacant lots on either side of Mascher St. had seen signs of action, so we went to check things out. A reminder of the empty lots in their former glory:
We’ve been teased by these properties before, with a zoning permit from 2020 indicating a pair of seven-story buildings may have been in the works. Things have been quiet since then, until signs of action on site led us to visit the spot. While there are no new permits, there have been extensions of existing permits, including an appeal that was seemingly heard several weeks back, with L&I status of the appeal listed as closed. Sooooo, from what we can tell by the mess of permits, it looks like 20 units over commercial space will rise on the western property, with 40 units over commercial space rising on the larger eastern property, with a total of 17 parking spaces between the two buildings. Corfu Development is leading the way here, with the snazzy, contemporary duo brought to us by Parallel Architecture Studio.
These 60 potential new residential units will have an even larger neighbor across Girard, where a low-rise bank building stood for years. The property at 130 W. Girard Ave., as you might suspect, had big plans proposed for it years ago, so we decided to train our gaze southward.
What you see there is a seven-story, 84-unit building developed by Hightop Development, with a design from Studio HS4. This contemporary structure sits on a truly triangular property and is immediately adjacent to one of the narrowest streets we can remember in this city of very narrow streets - the diagonally aligned O’Neil Street. The project towers over its near neighbors, creating a much different vibe today across from the narrow rowhomes that have stood there for decades, if not a century or more. Thankfully, landscaped cutouts and no car access will be included along here, with a small garage accessed from Howard St. to the east.
So, that’s another 144 units in an area that is absolutely bursting at the seams with construction. These mixed-use apartments are a literal stone’s throw to the El, with short walks to the main drags of both Fishtown and Northern Liberties. In fact, these are wildly close to the Piazza Alta complex you may have seen in the background of a few of these shots.
We have to take a moment to make a few comments on this mega-project that is seemingly in a static state. First, let’s celebrate the return of the Northern Liberties Farmers Market, which takes place right through that walkway you see above. Secondly, we have to wonder what is going on with the last remaining tower, as everything else looks pretty much wrapped up elsewhere, with the tower crane coming down about six months back. And finally, what’s up with the foodhall/restaurant/deli that were promised back in November 2023? The retail and commercial spaces and their lack of life are quite frankly a bit eerie at this point, a liminal space that is supposed to be a bustling main street of pedestrian and commercial action. We hope we see some moves here soon, as there will be a gross of new units coming nearby in the next few years.
UPDATE (4/8/2025): We originally wrote that the crane was still up at Piazza Alta, but it had been taken down recently. This has been corrected.
