Architect renderings of the project (PZS Architects) on the 4700 block of Spruce Street.
Demolition work has begun to make way for a 13-story apartment building with ground floor retail space on the 4700 block of Spruce Street, across from the Henry Lea School. The building will include 170 mostly studio and one-bedroom apartments and 28 underground parking spaces.
Zoned CMX-3, which allows residential and commercial uses without zoning variances, the project drew criticism during a May 2022 community meeting but developers were not required to implement design changes because of the zoning designation. The project has been on hold while an addition was being completed to the adjacent Garden Court Plaza complex.
The project went through the Civic Design Review process in August 2022. That process allows city planning staff and community members to make non-binding recommendations. See the hearing here (beginning at 6:10).
Crews began clearing out the one-story units along the 4700 block of Spruce Street.
Crews are currently preparing to demolish the row of one-story commercial buildings and the former auto repair shop along the south side of Spruce Street to make way for the project. The building will be adjacent to the community garden and tennis courts along Spruce.
The building will include a lobby and commercial space on the first two floors.
Project developers chose to pay about $1.8 million into the city’s Housing Trust Fund rather than include affordable housing units in the building.
June 9th, 2025 at 8:11 pm
What did you learn about rents? Will there be affordable options or is this a luxury building?
June 9th, 2025 at 8:24 pm
This abandoned commercial strip, at the intersection of two bus routes, has long been underdeveloped. 170 new apartments would improve the vitality of the struggling neighborhood business community around 48th & Spruce.
The challenge, of course, will be to fill those units with actual tenants. There is a glut of new multi-unit construction in this part of West Philly, sparked by the education and science industries of University City, which have been popping in recent years and drawing new workers and residents. How well will they hold up in 2025 going forward, though? We will see.
June 9th, 2025 at 10:24 pm
Demolition started with no permits. There is serious threat to the tennis courts & community garden. The strip was never abandoned until developers purchased the buildings – then they became “abandoned” due to having no future. The neighborhood needs more diverse commercial. No studio & 1 Bedroom apartments with market luxury rents are needed.