West Thompson Street in Brewerytown has undergone some incredible changes in the last couple of years. It was not so long ago that the eastern view at 32nd & Thompson was that of a giant empty field.

View at 32nd & Thompson just a couple years back

A couple years back, Westrum embarked on a project on the south side of the 3100 block of W. Thompson called 31 BrewerytownWrapping up last summer, it entailed the construction of two modular apartment buildings with 64 rental units and parking. Not even a month later, Westrum broke ground on a new project on the southeast corner of 31st & Thompson, another long-vacant property. At the time, we were a little short on details for the project but we now know it's simply a 50-unit extension of 31 Brewerytown. Architecturally, the first and second phase appear to be identical.

New 31 Brewerytown building at 31st & Thompson

Looking east, from 32nd & Thompson

Prices range from $1325 for a 1 bed/1 bath unit to $1925 for a bi-level 2 bed/1.5 bath/2 balcony unit. And compared to the Brewerytown Square homes across the street, this project looks much more contemporary and much less like the Jersey shore.

Brewerytown Square homes

For those who aren't great at arithmetic, 31 Brewerytown has added 114 new units to the neighborhood. This influx of residents can only mean good things for the improving Girard Avenue corridor, and should also inspire other developers to turn their attention to Brewerytown. Already, we're seeing increased interest in the northern sections of the neighborhood, with redevelopment hopefully on tap for the former Red Bell Brewery and recent news that the Pyramid Electric building will get renovated. It makes us wonder whether development will spread further north toward Strawberry Mansion or perhaps westward, to Parkside, in the years to come.