University City District (UCD) President Matt Bergheiser captured the mood of the moment during the annual The State of University City Report release event last night. There has been a 24 percent increase in food and beverage establishments in University City since 2009, according to the report.

“And to get through the next four years, we might need as many [beverage establishments] as we can get,” Bergheiser said.

Officially released today, the glossy The State of University Report highlights the flurry of ongoing and soon-to-begin commercial and residential building projects, particularly along the Schuylkill River that we have reported on over the past year – like Schuylkill Yards, uCity Square as well as a heap of new academic buildings popping up.  Continue Reading

A giant dumpster is already in front of the former Best House Pizza. A zoning hearing for 4301 Baltimore Ave is scheduled for Nov. 19. (Photos by West Philly Local)

Tentative plans for a new restaurant and bar at 4301 Baltimore Ave. – formerly Best House Pizza – include a stripped down facade, craft beer on tap, second floor dining and, possibly, pizza by the slice.

The owners of Local 44 introduced their plans to open the establishment, tentatively named “Clarkville,” to the Spruce Hill Community Association planning committee and a roomful of nearby neighbors last night.

Plans call for the removal of the awning and the installation of floor-to-ceiling windows on the restaurant’s first floor, which will also include a bar that serves only tap beer, wine and high-end spirits. In other words, no Jägermeister shots.  Continue Reading

The Croydon (Archived Photo / West Philly Local)

As promised, we checked into a few other developments in the area for round two of our real estate updates (you can read Part I here). We’ve received somewhat definitive answers for some projects—others were harder to chase down. We’ll update this post once we learn more information.

• The Croydon, at 241 S. 49th Street, seems to be shaping up nicely. According to a receptionist for the Orens Brothers, property owners of the 127-unit building, the Croydon is still under renovation, with possible occupancy starting in February. (To this end, Philly.com reported earlier this month that about 30 of the 127 apartments will be available beginning in January.) The project, however, will be completely renovated by June 2014, with occupancy projected to begin by this date, according to the University City District’s The State of University City 2013/2014 report.

• In August, we reported that Friends of Clark Park (FOCP) released a statement in favor of the design plans proposed for 4224 Baltimore Ave, the project under construction at the lot on 43^rd Street and Baltimore Avenue. That seems to be the last we’ve heard about the proposed project—4224 Baltimore’s website and Facebook page haven’t been updated since September, when Philly.com ran an article on Omar Blaik of U3 Ventures, owner of the development firm acting as liaison for the project. According to the article, since 4224 Baltimore’s projected design calls for a five-story building–two more than allotted per current zoning–Blaik has to “persuade” City Council to change zoning for the site. We were unable to reach U3 Ventures for further detail by the time of publication.

• In August, we also reported that Kensington-based Greensgrow Farms is eyeing the empty lot on 51st Street and Baltimore Avenue as part of their search for a West Philly hub, but its interest was in the proposal stage. According to Greensgrow’s Design and Media Coordinator Bryn Ashburn, they’re still in the proposal stage. Ryan Spak, owner of the lot, confirmed as much, saying more details have to be hammered out before they could move forward with anything official.

• It’s been a year since the old West Philadelphia High School was sold to New York-based developer Strong Place Partners and it has been radio silence since. Even a quick Google search yields little information since the sale of the building, which was sold for $6.5 million, was announced in late 2012. Rumor has it, though, that the sale fell through (or at least, didn’t close). We couldn’t confirm that gossip with Strong Place Partners, but a property assessment search still lists the School District of Philadelphia as the owner. We’ll post an update once we’re able to get more information.

–Annamarya Scaccia

Architect Cecil Baker discusses a proposed building plan for 4224 Baltimore Avenue at the previous community meeting on June 18, 2013. (Photo by Mike Lyons/West Philly Local)

The third and final community meeting on the widely publicized and discussed residential development project at 4224 Baltimore Avenue is scheduled for this Wednesday, July 24. Residents are invited to meet with the development team from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the International House (37th and Chestnut, 2nd floor).

Architectural plans based on input from the previous sessions will be unveiled and residents will get a chance to learn about next steps in the development process. A couple of different designs were discussed during the last meeting. The land owners have provisional permission to build a 92-unit residential building on the site, which is across the street from Clark Park. Community input could help shape the project’s final design, which could include underground parking and ground-floor commercial space.

Community members were asked to provide their input on the project website and in a series of public meetings. Wednesday’s meeting is another opportunity to view and comment on the project.

The community group Friends of Clark Park (FOCP) has come out in favor of the residential building proposed for an empty plot across from the park at 43rd and Baltimore Ave.

The project under consideration would include 108 units in a building with two connected sections (five floors near the park and nine floors further east on Baltimore Avenue), first-floor retail and some owner-occupied condo units.

The proposed building looking east near the corner of 43rd and Baltimore.

In a letter to the head of the Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee Barry Grossbach, FOCP president Erin Engelstad wrote that the group approved the project with some stipulations. These include:

• The portion of the building facing the park should be low and inviting.

• The design of the building should include terracing and include as many green features as possible.

• The project must support the efforts of the existing Farmers’ Market. Retail should be limited to certain smaller, community-oriented retailers and should be encumbered as such to require this stipulation remain in the future.

• The Friends of Clark Park look with favor on the idea of building a proportion of coop units into the development, to support a desirable owner-renter balance in the community which in turn will support the park.

The plan, which was offered in a series of public meetings, is still only tentative. The owners of the property, Thylan Associates, are considering it. Thylan already has a conditional zoning permit to build a four-story, 92-unit building on the site with 6 parking spaces and no retail.

If the property owners give the go-ahead, the project will still need to go through a lengthy approval process that would include the Spruce Hill Community Association, the City Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustment. There will be further chances for public comment during the process.