Photo by West Philly Local

Newly elected City Councilwoman Jamie Gauthier says one of her top priorities when she takes office in January is addressing the development “frenzy” in West Philadelphia by pressing for more affordable housing.

“I think we should look at zoning with an eye toward equitability and affordability,” she told the Spruce Hill Community Association during its annual meeting at the Penn Alexander School on Tuesday.

Gauthier, who grew up in Kingsessing, will represent a district that has some of the most expensive real estate and the deepest poverty in Philadelphia. Development and issues related to zoning have become flashpoints in recent years.  Continue Reading

The “Baltimore Crossing” condo construction project is underway near 51st and Baltimore. This is a three-unit building north of Baltimore (Photo courtesy of Holly Mack Ward & Co).

Folks looking to buy a home in West Philly have usually had two options: a pricey Victorian or a more affordable (but still pricey) rowhome. Developers have mostly been reluctant to build condos – essentially apartments that are for sale rather than for rent. That might be starting to change with “Baltimore Crossing,” a new condo development project currently under construction near 51st and Baltimore.

The project includes three buildings – a three-unit building north of Baltimore (at 717 S. 51st St), a five-unit building south of Baltimore (at 732-734 S. 51st), and a townhouse at 5135 Webster St. The construction of the north building is in an advanced stage, and the foundation has been laid for the south building.  Continue Reading

The development boom along the 4200 block of Chestnut Street will continue with a seven-story, 102-unit building that will likely begin construction early next year.

Developers presented the plan to the Spruce Hill zoning committee last night as part of the city’s Civic Design Review process required for buildings of a certain size and use. But neither the SHCA nor the city itself has much oversight over the “by right” project, the second major “by right” project on that block this year. A 278-unit building is underway nearby at the former site of the Christ Memorial Church at 43rd and Chestnut.  Continue Reading

West Catholic High parking lot at 46th and Chestnut.

West Catholic High School has been bitten by the development bug.

Located at 45th and Chestnut, about a block from an El stop, the school sits on property most developers would love to get their hands on. A small group representing the school asked the Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee last night to rezone the school’s parking lot at the corner of 46th Street and Chestnut to make it enticing to developers and clearing the way for a large, potentially seven-story apartment building. The revenue from a possible development deal would fund the school’s refurbishment and provide a scholarship endowment.  Continue Reading

A monthly Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) Zoning Committee meeting will take place tonight (Monday, Oct. 21) at the Spruce Hill Center (257 S. 45th St).

One of the items on the agenda of the meeting is a “by right” development for construction of a new 7-story mixed use building at 4240 Chestnut Street. The building will include 102 residential units on floors 3-7 with a garage for 40 underground parking slots, 34 bicycle spaces and trash rooms. The first two floors will house new space for Intercultural Family Services, currently located at 4225 Chestnut St., with a separate entrance, elevators and services.

A “by right” development means that the developer doesn’t need to apply for a zoning permit to proceed with construction. However, some developers still want to present their projects to the community for informational purposes. A community RCO (Recognized Community Organization), such as SHCA, has no legal sway over a “by right” project, but it can make suggestions and recommendations that a project’s development team can consider and potentially implement.  Continue Reading

The neighborhood group fighting a proposed apartment building on a piece of land tucked away down a narrow alley near 51st and Spruce will hold a public meeting on Monday, Oct. 21 that will include City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who is sponsoring legislation to rezone the parcel.

Developers Callahan Ward want to build a 33-unit building with ground floor commercial at 303 S. 51st St., where a defunct auto body shop sits in the middle of the block, surrounded by the backyards of several adjacent properties. The only access to the property is via a small alley. Callahan Ward can build the building “by right,” meaning they don’t need community approval.  Continue Reading