4224 Baltimore Avenue project rendering (via U3Ventures.com).
After more than six years of planning, building permits were recently issued for the 132-unit residential/commercial complex on the vacant lot across from Clark Park at 4224 Baltimore Avenue.
Permit for the construction of the six-story building was issued on May 7, according to the City’s Department of Licences and Inspections.
The property owner, Clarkmore Group LLC, obtained zoning approval for the building in 2015 after a series of community meetings and approval from the Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee. The project had been widely discussed and considerably modified after the initial proposal was presented in 2013. Construction was expected to begin as early as summer 2016, but the lot remained undisturbed – aside from some rogue gardening – for three more years.
The 137,000 square foot complex is also expected to include ground-floor retail space, a public plaza, 60 off-street parking spaces and 50 bicycle spaces. More information and images can be found on the U3 Ventures website.
May 16th, 2019 at 2:37 pm
UGH NOooooooooooOOoOOoOOOOOoOoOoOoOoOooOOOoOOoOooOOooOOoooO!
May 16th, 2019 at 3:39 pm
terrible terrible sad sad glass williamsburgh terribleness come true in phl
May 16th, 2019 at 3:44 pm
Thats what happens when JANNIE BLACKWELL IS IN CHARGE VOTE HER OUT
May 16th, 2019 at 10:41 pm
Looks great. A vibrant and dense development on the transit corridor is needed.
May 17th, 2019 at 12:05 pm
“Good” above must be a developer as there is ZERO need for a high density development of this type in this neighborhood. This is complete disgusting and not in keeping with the spirit of the Park and West Philly. Shame on the Spruce Hill Community Organization for not being able to block this.
May 17th, 2019 at 12:29 pm
No. But trying to preserve 19th-century spirit and character in the 21st century is why housing costs are so high. We need denser, transit oriented development to drive down costs and congestion. The desire for homeowners to live in sparse, single family neighborhoods lacks equity. Move to the suburbs if that’s what you want.
May 17th, 2019 at 3:35 pm
the rendering above is an ok looking modern building that would at least be interesting. People should look at the updated, much uglier, obviously cheaper rendering that is now available, posted on PhilaRising: http://www.philarising.com/construction-permits-issued-for-132-unit-building-next-to-clark-park/?fbclid=IwAR2rgIHS0Rmf-lQs_rBFtI6-U1Flx9g4xoq0_QY63mfpG1mrklfXYJZ80dQ
May 17th, 2019 at 3:50 pm
this is exactly the type of density for the location – within 1/2 mile of MFL and sandwiched between 2 trolley lines. if you remember from the beginning this could’ve been 90 units with no parking and no retail. wishing it remained nothing is not realistic.
yes – affordable housing would be amazing but low income housing tax credits are a scarce resource and you can’t expect owners of valuable land to give it away for nothing – would you sell something for well under market value??
May 17th, 2019 at 4:19 pm
They really will try anything to get rid of Jannie Blackwell. Jannie Blackwell is one Councilmember who will stand up to developers and insist on affordable housing when her constituents are unhappy with a project, and many intransigent developers and their media and political allies accuse her of being corrupt for doing that, while her opponent is promoting the agenda of developers and openly admitting that she wouldn’t listen to, or fight for, the interests of her constituents when they have disagreements with developers. But when a developer proposes something that someone doesn’t like, it’s still supposed to be Jannie’s fault and an excuse to vote against her. It never ends.
May 17th, 2019 at 7:50 pm
People love Philadelphia and move here.
With lots of luck, none of the new residents will need any of the 60 parking spaces as it is easy to love Philly without owning a car.
May 17th, 2019 at 7:53 pm
If you walk two blocks, there’s access to 4 trolley lines … That’s pretty good, you can just get the next one into town, and pretty much get the next one back out of town as well (ignoring the #10). Thta’s actually a pretty frequent service.
May 20th, 2019 at 10:03 am
Agree that this is the correct level of density for the location. Architecturally the building isn’t great, but it’s so close to multiple transit lines (and easily walkable to Penn) that it makes no sense not to have at least mid-rise density here. People moaning about wanting more parking and wanting to keep density low are the people who are driving up prices and congestion. You want affordable housing and less congestion? Build MORE housing. With less parking. Close to transit.
Somewhat relatedly, Jannie Blackwell is thoroughly corrupt and her continued rule of West Philly just ensures that only unscrupulous developers want to build here. She doesn’t care about ‘neighborhood character’ OR affordable housing, she only cares about using her position for personal gain.
May 20th, 2019 at 10:54 am
mw, very well put. This is the comment everyone should read, and I wholeheartedly agree with everything you’ve said.
May 20th, 2019 at 11:11 am
Not being an architectural expert as apparently some previous commenters are, I think the renderings from Billy Penn Link and the PhilaRising link are both pretty attractive. Re the “Victorian Mansions” on Baltimore Ave: Some of them could use a lttle TLC and others were “rehabbed” many years ago and lost some of their Victorian luster. And for those getting in the political digs and slaps at Spruce Hill Comm. Org, please tell me you’re a vibrant member of the SH org or…No creds? Stop whining. And lastly, rather than saying that “this is not in keeping with the spirit of West Philly”, what West Philly are you talking about? Take a good look at the boundaries, bike around, and then try to figure out what the spirit of West Philly is, cause right now it’s a relative construct in a few of your brain cells and nothing more.
May 20th, 2019 at 4:22 pm
MW needs to document his/her slaps at Jannie Blackwell or cool it. It’s easy to resort to using slurs when you can’t justify your positions. (Which I hope should be obvious.)