Three Project Updates Near the Art Museum
No matter what you call the area, things should be changing dramatically in the near future
Philadelphia has long been a city of neighborhoods, while also being a city that isn’t afraid of a touch of confrontation. Given that, it’s no surprise that there are oftentimes very strong opinions on the name of area roughly between Vine St. to the South and Spring Garden St. to the north, the Parkway to the west and N. Broad St. to the east. Is this the northern portion of Logan Square? The southern portion of Spring Garden? Or is it best to call the area Franklintown, named for the short, diagonal street that cuts through the area? Or is this all for naught and it should be widely considered to be the Art Museum area? Or the Parkway? Honestly, we don’t have a strong preference, we just like stirring up the pot a bit while showing you what’s happening in this little pocket of Greater Center City. So, without further ado, let’s check out Logangardentown (sorry) to get a sense of what’s happening in the area.
This area has seen its fair share of change over the last decade or so, with several new construction buildings adding some density and street life. As such, we thought it was time to head back to check on three projects that will have a major impact on the area. One of these is newly finished, while the other two are some of the largest/most impactful proposals in the entire dang city. Let’s head to The Baldwin at 1825 Callowhill St., where a recently issued zoning permit inspired this whole visit.
This project brings 57 units over ground floor commercial, with Orens Brothers tapping Wulff Architects for the U-shaped, panel-forward design. Skin Retreat med spa and Ricci’s Hoagies are already gracing the ground level, with plans for what looks to be a small market to join the fold. The apartment website states that the building is fully leased, so we’d be OK if a companion building or two went up on the empty land surrounding the property. That is if it’s clean enough for humans after decades of remediation.
While we’re not sure of the status of this property, the area immediately to the north of here is wildly intriguing as well. We’re referring to what is known as The Cut, a sunken former rail line owned by SEPTA that could see some big changes moving ahead. SEPTA issued an RFI (request for information) for the property - which is just over 2.5 acres and runs from 16th St. to 20th St. just north of Callowhill - back in November 2023, though things have been quiet since then. Given the funding issues for the organization as of late, we’d assume that an influx of cash for something that isn’t utilized would be a good thing. Perhaps the Rail Park is working behind the scenes to expand westward in tandem with their big plans to build to the north with the Viaduct Greenway. We reached out to SEPTA for an update but had yet to hear back as of publication time, so the future here is still unclear.
Our final stop on today’s trip might be the biggest of them all: the development of the Family Court building and the parking lot at 19th & Wood. Redevelopment had been on the agenda here for over a decade, with a hotel originally planned for the stately building after its court services moved to new Center City digs. After years and years of issues leading absolutely nowhere, the city re-opened an RFQ in August 2022 in hopes of getting some traction from a new development team.
And that’s exactly what happened, with the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) selecting a team led by National Real Estate Development and Frontier Development & Hospitality Group to reimagine these properties. The plans here are grand indeed, with the existing court building to be turned into a boutique hotel with restaurant/event space/etc. Additionally, a brand-new home for the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) is planned to rise where the parking lot now sits, to be joined by a new library building expansion/children & family center. Oh, and there’s a 600-unit or so residential tower planned, too. The designs from Morris Adjmi Architects would bring some absolutely gorgeous new structures to this Parkway-adjacent area.
While there were no outward signs of action when we visited, we do have some very encouraging news: we reached out to PIDC and were told that things are indeed moving forward here, though National is no longer part of the development team. One piece of information that was new to us? The planned residential component will be mixed-use & mixed-income - wonderful news as the cost of housing continues to creep up in the city. As this is a massive project, we can expect the planning to continue in the background as things are refined. And while the concept could still see some changes, it is wonderful to know that people are working towards making this a reality. Per the original RFQ announcement, expect to see something complete by 2028 at the very earliest - though a 2030 completion date is looking more likely from where we sit.
So, as you pour over your busted March Madness bracket, know that America’s Favorite Philadelphia Real Estate Development blog is diving into the deepest development issues of the day. And now that’s done, an Italian hoag from Ricci’s and some 12-5 seed matchups sound pretty damn good on this first Friday of spring.
Rail Park open phase I is a quarter mile elevated curved section from N. 13th St. to Callowhill St.
Rail Park planned phase II is the 0.75 mile (three times the length of phase I) viaduct from Vine St. to Fairmount Ave. For more than two decades, the city has been attempting to acquire this section from Reading Co. but the organization has refused to sell (or develop). Paul Levy, former head of Center City District, has made it his life's work to wrest control from Reading. Without the infrastructure in the city's possession, fundraising has lagged.
Phase III involves Septa-owned "The Cut" and "The Trench" west of Broad Street. Septa is considering use as bus rapid transit/biking/walking rather than park land.
Here’s a new article about how Jane Jacobs would assess the neighborhood pre and post the Franklin Town development project of 1971: www.baldwinparkphilly.org/jane-jacobs-and-baldwin-park