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.

Continue Reading

Home prices, rents, commercial construction and salaries in the neighborhoods that comprise the University City District (UCD) continue to outpace the rest of the city, according to the annual “State of University City” report issued late last week amid increased concerns about federal policies that could slow down the growth of “Eds and Meds.”

Median home prices in the neighborhoods (including Cedar Park, Spruce Hill, Powelton Village and Walnut Hill), were down slightly in 2024, settling at about $375,000, but the number of home sales was up slightly. Median home prices in Cedar Park jumped about 35 percent compared to 2023 and Spruce Hill continued to have the highest home value at about $550,000.

The median home sale price in Philadelphia was about $200,000 last year.

Continue Reading

A bicyclist riding along Woodland Avenue while a new separated bike lane is under construction. (Photo by West Philly Local)

UPDATE (10/1/2024): Legislation authorizing a bike lane on Woodland Avenue from Chester Avenue to South 42nd Street was introduced on Sept. 26 by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier. This is part of the Phase 2 of the Woodland Ave Complete Streets Project. If the bill is passed it will authorize the replacement of the parking lane with a 2-way bikeway on the south side of Woodland Avenue in 2027. The bill to turn the parking lane into a bike lane in front of the Woodlands cemetery was passed in 2022 and the work is currently underway (read more below). 

(9/20/2024): Streets Department crews have begun work on Woodland Avenue between the VA Medical Center Driveway and Chester Avenue, as part of the Woodland Avenue Complete Streets project which aims to improve safety for all users – drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists – between VA Driveway and 42nd Street.

Phase 1 of the project, which is expected to be completed this fall, includes the addition of a separated bike lane from VA Driveway to Chester Avenue along north and south curb and installation of traffic signals with crosswalks at Chester Avenue and 40th Street Portal/The Woodlands. To accommodate the addition of the bike lane, street parking in this section of Woodland has been removed.

Continue Reading

The Habitat for Humanity project starts to fill in the gap along a Reno St. rowhouse block. (Photos by Tony West)

Work has begun to create new affordable housing in West Philadelphia on four lots at 40th and Reno in Mantua, in a project by Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia. Part of Habitat’s strategy: free land and labor.

Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide nonprofit organization, now 48 years old, whose mission is to build or repair homes that low-income people will own. This development began with four vacant lots that had been picked up by the Philadelphia Land Bank. Habitat Philadelphia worked with Mantua Civic Association and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier to acquire them for 3-bedroom owner occupancy houses.

“Volunteerism is a key part of the method, recruiting corporate partners as well as homeowners,” said Habitat spokesperson Adam McGrath. On a day last week two dozen workers from Children’s Hospital and Gilbane Building Co. joined Habitat crew to assemble the framing for exterior walls, a task that will keep them busy the rest of September.

Continue Reading

The new, “fully-modernized” McDonald’s restaurant at 40th and Walnut is expected to open this month on the ground floor of a new office building.

The original 50-year-old McDonald’s building at 40th and Walnut was demolished last year to make room for the new Penn-owned six-story building. The project is part of the University of Pennsylvania’s plan to invest in the 40th Street Corridor, which began more than 20 years ago. Penn purchased the land from McDonald’s in 2022 and is leasing space to it in the new building. The new building will house Penn offices on the floors two through six.

The new restaurant is expected to have a soft opening on Monday, Sept. 23. A grand opening is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 4. The restaurant has a new team of operators, who are reportedly “excited to open for the community.”

Continue Reading

The former Millcreek Tavern building is expected to be demolished soon.

UPDATE (8/8/2024): The demolition work on the site of the former Millcreek Tavern at 42nd and Chester has begun and includes the three-story building behind the red-brick Tavern building (see photo).

(8/5/2024): A redevelopment project that began more than five years ago is finally moving forward. A permit was issued this summer to demolish the former Millcreek Tavern building at the corner of 42nd Street and Chester Avenue to make way for a 4-story apartment building on the site, which encompasses 4200-4202 Chester Ave., according to a zoning permit issued earlier this year. The new building will include 34 residential units, including seven affordable housing units, 12 bicycle parking spaces and a green roof.

Continue Reading