The new affordable housing project at 46th and Spruce will replace the former Transition To Independent Living Center building damaged by fire in 2011.
The affordable housing project at the corner of 46th and Spruce Streets will be considered this Tuesday (April 28) by the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA). This is a public meeting and residents are encouraged to provide input on the project.
The project, which includes demolition of the current fire-gutted one-story building (former Transition To Independent Living center) and construction of a four-story 24-unit structure, was approved by the Spruce Hill Community Association’s zoning committee in December 2014.
The Mission First Housing Group building will include one and two-bedroom rental apartments aimed at low-income single residents (read more about the project here).
The Zoning Board of Adjustment will also consider a request for a special permit to all of the warehouse at 4751 Woodland Ave. to be used for “live action puzzle solving activity for more than 50 people,” according to a zoning notice on the property. We’re not sure what that means yet, but we’ll keep you posted.
Both hearings are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at 1515 Arch Street, 18th Floor.
4751 Woodland Ave.
April 27th, 2015 at 2:07 pm
Am totally confused. Thought this was to be affordable low income housing for vets and disabled (section 811). That’s NOT what the zoning notice on the building says, it says multi-family, first floor apartments will have allowance for bicycles. Does not sound like this will be serving a much needed group of people who desperately need affordable – 30% of SS/SSDI/VA check pays rent and utilities; phone and internet/tv if you want it paid by tenants.
April 27th, 2015 at 2:08 pm
This new building really needs ground floor commercial. Seems like a missed opportunity as such a heavily trafficked corner not to include any commercial. The current burned out building once housed a grocery store and this corner could still easily support a bodega or restaurant.
April 27th, 2015 at 6:14 pm
I bet the live action puzzle solving thing is something like Escape The Room.
April 28th, 2015 at 9:07 am
Wen Keep on top of that and please come to the Walnut Hill Community Association Meetings as they are the ones who represent that area. Not Spruce Hill.
Yeah I know Spruce Hill RCO blah blah In my opinion as a community org you wouldn’t hijack another communities district with out at least contacting them.
April 28th, 2015 at 10:45 am
Wen, there is no “affordable residential” category for zoning. The categories are things like residential, commercial, mixed-use etc. Zoning cannot and does not dictate price points. This is an affordable housing provider and my understanding they remain committed to providing housing to the populations you listed. After all their financing via tax credits depends on it.
April 28th, 2015 at 1:34 pm
Thanks philadelphiafreewoman and anonymous. Got confused on the zoning notice that is on the building because it didn’t jibe with earlier reports and what I’d been told. I’m really hoping this is an affordable Sectioin 811 (disabled) building. We are very good neighbors, we know there’s rules for these places, we may not be paying $1,000 a month rent – but we don’t have it to spend. But we do spend in the neighborhood, our doctors, pharmacies, hospitals, friends all are here. I love it here, but I’m rooming in a friend’s house and that will not be going on long-term. I and others like me, under 62 and disabled, need a decent, safe place to live.
Paul – this building is not the usual would see more in Center City type of building. No, there is no room for retail in this proposed space. All space will be used (and is needed) for the disabled and vets. There’s plenty of retail/places to eat in the area already.
philadelphiafreewoman, will check local listserve and wpl.com for Walnut Hill meetings.
May 1st, 2015 at 11:29 pm
Just to clarify, being on the south side of Spruce Street this project is indeed firmly within the Spruce Hill Community Association boundaries, not Walnut Hill’s.
As a near neighbor, I’m glad to see affordable housing for this space. My qualm is that it is hard to have too much faith in an organization that has let the ruined building sit for so many years after the fire, not helping their targeted community in the meantime and blighting a busy corner. And as far as I know, no renderings or plans have been posted online, making it difficult for the neighborhood (at least those of us unable to attend the SHCA meeting) to know what we are in for when it comes to design. None of this makes me overly optimistic about how the project is going to turn out, or be managed once completed.
May 2nd, 2015 at 8:07 am
…Posted online…like on their website? Disbanding a nonprofit and getting HUD’s approval for anything takes time.
http://missionfirsthousing.org/properties/spruce-hill-apartments/
“Spruce Hill Apartments will create 24 units of affordable housing in the Spruce Hill neighborhood of West Philadelphia. The project consists of 20 one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units, ranging from 613 to 960 square feet. The building totals 26,284 square feet.
Spruce Hill Apartments is located in the vibrant, multicultural neighborhood of Spruce Hill in West Philadelphia. A 2011 fire displaced the residents at the former Transitions to Independent Living (TIL) building on the corner of 46th and Spruce Streets. Mission First housed displaced TIL program participants in its stock of housing throughout Philadelphia, and after investigating the possibility of rebuilding, TIL determined that the insurance proceeds would be insufficient to rebuild at the Spruce Street property. Subsequently, the TIL Board of Directors voted to disband, and asked Mission First, with HUD’s approval, to take on the responsibility of redeveloping the property. Since then, Mission First has worked to stabilize the building, making necessary roof repairs and installing new windows.
Rather than selling the property, Mission First intends to keep it as an affordable housing resource in the Spruce Hill neighborhood. This project will demolish the fire-damaged structure and construct a four story, elevator serviced building. The new building will contain a community room, on-site laundry room, and office space for support service and property management staff. The project will meet Enterprise Green Community standards.”