New apartment building on S. 45th St. (Photo West Philly Local)

Those who often walk down 45th Street must have noticed new construction between Locust and Spruce streets. The “by right” project – meaning it doesn’t need variances or local approval – started in late spring at 245 S. 45th St. and is progressing quickly. The four-story apartment building has been carefully inserted between old West Philly row homes. It is taller than the adjacent houses. As was reported last fall, the new 15-unit building is owned by Glasberg Properties, which owns other – mostly student housing – projects in the city. We hear that these will be market rate apartments, priced at about $2000/month.

Naked Philly has some more details and photos of the building here.

245 S. 45th Street earlier this week. (Photos by West Philly Local)

We’re catching up on the news of an old house being demolished on 45th Street between Spruce and Locust. Naked Philly reported last week that demolition work had begun on an old home in Spruce Hill at 245 S. 45th St. Well, the building, which is a 3780 sq. foot condo home built in 1935, was demolished earlier this week to make way for an eight-unit apartment building, according to the licence. The building was sold in June for $275,000 to Dvora Properties.

The property has been vacant for years. It was in deteriorating condition and had multiple code violations. It’s zoned RM1, which allows construction of multi-unit housing.

Dvora Properties is reportedly associated with Glasberg Properties, a developer who’s linked to student housing near Temple University, which “looks like the standard no-frills new construction you see around town,” according to Naked Philly.

By the way, speaking of the 200 block of 45th Street, some of you may have noticed that the Watusi II was undergoing some renovation. The restaurant has a new owner – Ethiopian American Temsgen Wolegzi. He purchased the property in July and reportedly has plans for a more formal restaurant to go along with the bar. Wolegzi presented plans for the restaurant, which has been renamed New Tavern (pictured left), to neighbors and the Spruce Hill Community Association over the summer, even presenting a proposed menu.

The city shut down the bar, which then was under different ownership, for several weeks last fall for failure to pay back taxes.