Former Apple Storage facility at 780 S. 52nd St (Google Street View image).
The real estate development firm Post Brothers has bought the long vacant Apple Storage facility on South 52nd Street and plans to build a 153-unit residential building.
Philly.com reported that the Post Brothers, which has acquired several buildings in recent years including The Netherlands at 4300 Chestnut, Hamilton Court at 3800 Chestnut, and Garden Court Plaza, paid $2.4 million for the hulking shell at 780 S. 52nd St., a couple blocks south of Baltimore Avenue. That price reflects the fact that the zoning approval had already been granted in 2012 for “Apple Lofts,” a residential housing proposal that drew mostly praise but prompted discussions about gentrification.
A zoning permit approved last week expanded the proposed project from 112 to 153 units and commercial space. The original zoning permit also includes 92 “accessory” parking spaces.
The Apple Storage building was the focus of months of neighborhood drama back in 2012 when another developer proposed a plan to convert it to 112 loft-style apartments. Many neighborhood groups, including Cedar Park Neighbors and the Baltimore Avenue Business Association, supported the plan, but there was some pushback. The project eventually won Zoning Board of Adjustment approval but the developer, Iron Stone, scuttled the plans and put the building back on the market.
November 27th, 2017 at 6:22 pm
Wow – when will people see through Post Brothers. They buy buildings with grand plans and then nothing happens. Talk to all of the people that have left Garden Court – or the ones trying to tough it out – they start a project and never finish or take months to years. They do nothing to accommodate the tenants during their constant state of disrepair and construction. They have tons of empty apartments at Garden Court – don’t be fooled by neighborhood groups who vote these people in – they SUCK!!!
November 27th, 2017 at 11:21 pm
When I was looking for an apartment, I saw an apartment in Garden Court building.They had mice & mouse poop in sections of the hallways.Disgusting.Folks should really reconsider this developer.
November 28th, 2017 at 11:22 am
If you read the article carefully neighborhood groups had no say in the sale of the property to Post Bros or in the approval of the zoning permit expanding the units.
November 29th, 2017 at 3:27 pm
geez rough crowd! garden court is pretty decent and no skin off your back if they have empty apartments. an old building in philly has mice??? you don’t say…go back to the burbs or GradHo/NoLibs.
I’m all for neighborhood groups getting some say, but a private real estate sale is a total overstep of that. I didn’t see anything of those groups coming up with $2.4mm to buy it.
you should pick a fight with L&I if you don’t agree with the zoning permit.
I guess we could sit on another vacant building for 10+ years.
November 30th, 2017 at 12:51 pm
this is awful news. I live a block from there. 153 units???!?!?! This is grotesque. Is there any way to stop this?
November 30th, 2017 at 6:08 pm
BW doesn’t appreciate the fact that the people living in west philly have been doing so because of reasonable and affordable rents. NoLibs and grad Hosp were not and never will be in the reach foR these working, tax paying individuals. And these are not Penn students, Drexel students, etc. it’s one thing to develop an area, it’s another to keep pushing out the people who live and work and pay taxes to the city. Instead why don’t we focus on some better schools out here
December 3rd, 2017 at 11:00 am
Wants money from schools, but not 153 units filled with tax payers. Gotcha.
December 3rd, 2017 at 12:01 pm
They will never get save your sanity @goldenmonkey
December 6th, 2017 at 2:23 pm
you can’t push people out of a vacant/currently non-residential building
December 7th, 2017 at 8:34 pm
BW, you’re obviously pro development and dont wish to understand that there is a valid position for rejecting development– especially large projects (or enormous ones) that will fundamentally change the neighborhood and surroudning areas.
The trolly alone….bleh…the 34 is already so crowded at rush hour. The traffic, the impact on taxes, etc….gross.
vacant buildings are welcome if it means keeping the neighborhood intact and not getting all built up and overrun like other areas.
This is awful news. I hope it falls apart and they discover the building is unusable.
December 12th, 2017 at 11:42 am
Typical taker demanding the entire neighborhood refuse advancement after living here for, what, 3 years? 5 perhaps?
Here you are trying to tell those of us who are actually INVESTED with our home and families how to live. You’ll move out in a year or so while the rest of us won’t retreat to the suburbs where you came from.
Stop white-knighting and try to find a job that pays over minimum wage.
Your whining about a crowded public transport vehicle says it all: “I’m so special that I deserve exceptional treatment.”
December 14th, 2017 at 2:03 pm
I’m all for new apartments in the area. There should be a requirement like the one in NYC and other major cities that 10% of the units are affordable so that current area residents get a chance at new housing as well.
December 19th, 2017 at 12:49 pm
I am 66 yrs.old worked and helped other people when I could. I also raised he’ll,suffering from bipolar depression and Lupus.I worked and went to school.I was aCV tech. And ten went school to become a nurse I did not complete.I became disabled and dependant on pain meds. I am clean I’m living on a third floor walk up .I’m tired of your insensitivity and money gouging.