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.

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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.”

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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.

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Westpark Apartments (Photo: West Philly Local).

The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), which provides affordable housing for Philadelphia’s low-income residents and which has been working on the redevelopment plan for the Westpark Apartments in West Philadelphia, will receive $21.3 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grant will support the creation of a new street grid and pedestrian infrastructure to facilitate the redevelopment of the apartment complex located near 46th and Market.

The project will include an extension of the existing street grid in order to create new space for housing and connect the Westpark Apartments footprint to SEPTA’s 46th Street station. It will also create a new network of shared streets, sidewalks, and bike infrastructure that will help integrate new, forthcoming housing more seamlessly into the neighborhood.

U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) helped secure the grant. The funding comes from a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity (RAISE) Grant, funded by the Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act (IIJA).

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The Philadelphia Department of Streets will host a virtual open house on Thursday, June 13 to discuss the 30th Street Viaduct Rehabilitation Project, which will affect the area from Market Street to Walnut Street.

The project will include repairs to the existing steel structure and the replacement of the bridge deck, which is expected to improve safety along 30th Street. The project is now reaching its final design stage, and the City has scheduled a public open house to “review the planned improvements, discuss traffic control plans, and present the next steps.”

Thursday’s online open house will begin with a brief presentation followed by a Q&A session. To join the virtual meeting, click here or use the QR code in the flyer. You can also register in advance at this link.

Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia breaks ground on four new homes in West Philadelphia. From left: Miss Bernice, West Philadelphia resident; Kim Mathis, Habitat homeowner and former Board member; Jamie Gauthier, City Councilmember, 3rd District; Corinne O’Connell, Habitat Philadelphia CEO; Floyd Lebron, Habitat Philadelphia Board Chair; Daryn Edwards, Principal, CICADA Architecture; Carlo Arjona, Senior Project Manager. (Photo by Cary Porter)

Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia held a public groundbreaking ceremony on June 5 for a 40th Street Rowhomes project in the Mantua neighborhood.

A crowd of about 50 residents, supporters and staff cheered as the first shovels dug into the site at 40th and Reno Streets that will see four affordable homes built and sold to first-time homebuyers. Habitat Philadelphia Board Chair, Floyd Lebron, CEO Corinne O’Connell, and City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier provided remarks.

Habitat Philadelphia sells new homes with zero-interest mortgages to buyers making between 30-80 percent of the Area Median Income, creating equity and a foundation for families to thrive.

“When I meet families in our homeownership program, they inevitably say, ‘This is the first time I’ve heard yes,’ said Corinne O’Connell, CEO. “‘This is the first time I’m going to be able to catch my breath.’ That is what gives us the urgency to build more and do more.”

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