112-114 S. 43rd Street.

The Spruce Hill Community Association Zoning Committee will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, Sept. 16, and one of the proposals on the agenda is construction of a new 12-unit apartment building on S. 43rd Street between Sansom and Chestnut.

The project involves consolidation of two lots – 112 and 114 S. 43rd St. – into one with demolition of the existing structure at 114, according to a Spruce Hill Zoning Committee announcement. The project envisions the construction of 12 units with four bicycle spaces and no parking. Property is in CMX-4 zoning, which requires four parking spots.  Continue Reading

Healthcare center at 4237 Walnut Street where a marijuana dispensary may be coming.

A medical marijuana dispensary licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health is being proposed at 4237 Walnut Street. A current operation is in Plymouth Meeting and the health care facility (ILERA Health Care) is interested in a West Philadelphia location, according to Spruce Hill Zoning Committee Chair Barry Grossbach.

Residents are invited this upcoming Monday, Aug. 19 to the monthly Spruce Hill community zoning meeting to learn more about this proposal and others. An application for a zoning variance hasn’t been filed yet, according to Grossbach, and the meeting is informational only at this time. “The company has indicated an interest in maximum transparency on how such a facility operates given the newness of this operation,” Grossbach wrote in an email announcement. The site at 43rd and Walnut has served as a Rite Aid and as home to a variety of health related operators before.  Continue Reading

Architect Brian Phillips from architecture firm ISA presents proposal to convert church near 46th and Spruce into apartments (Photo by West Philly Local).

Developers presented a plan to the Garden Court Community Association (GCCA) last night that would convert the Good Shepherd Community Church near 46th and Spruce into apartments and add another smaller building on the property.

The proposal, made to a standing-room-only crowd, was met with mixed reviews. Preservationists welcomed the adaptive reuse, while many neighbors near the property at 314-316 S. 46th St. opposed the plan.

“We simply can’t absorb any more high-density housing in this area,” said Eric Santoro.  Continue Reading

Good Shepherd Community Church (Photo West Philly Local).

The Garden Court Community Association zoning committee will consider a proposal on Tuesday, June 4 to demolish part of the Good Shepherd Community Church building near 46th and Spruce and build a 32-unit apartment complex.

The property at 314-316 S. 46th St. is zoned RSA-3, which accommodates singe-family dwellings. Developers are also asking for variances for the front setback (eight feet is required and zero is proposed) and parking. Zoning requires 32 spaces and the proposal includes none.  Continue Reading

UPDATE: Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN) will hold a monthly community zoning meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 18, beginning at 7:30 p.m. One of the proposals to be discussed at the meeting is Spirited Tattooing Coalition’s move to 4912 Baltimore Ave. from their current location at 4918 Baltimore. A zoning variance is required for this application because the proposed use of the space is prohibited within 500 feet of a school, public park, churches, and residential district.

Spirited Tattooing Coalition opened in 2015.  Continue Reading

Rendering of the proposed mixed-use development at 51st and Baltimore.

A three-story apartment building with commercial space on the ground floor is proposed at 51st and Baltimore. Community members are invited this Tuesday, Oct. 23 to a Cedar Park Community Zoning meeting, which will begin at 7 p.m. at the Calvary Center (48th and Baltimore).

Twelve residential units, including “inclusionary” units aimed at a variety of incomes, are proposed on the second and third floors of the building (six units are allowed by right). Passed earlier this month, the city’s inclusionary zoning bill includes sizing and height incentives for developers who include affordable housing in their residential projects. Continue Reading