Back in December, we told you about the possible restoration of a long abandoned but could-be-good-looking building located at the intersection of 49th & Locust Sts. in West Philly. That project has gone from having legs to putting on clothes, if you will, as the ZBA approved it on January 4th.

Now, a structure that’s been an eyesore, home to drugs, squatting and murder (oh fair Philly how kind you can be) is set to be transformed into an apartment building with 127 one, two, and three bedroom (it was first reported as only 1BR’s) market-rate rental units. With a 24/7 doorman. Ooh la la!

Help is on the way

Construction could begin within 90 days, according to Matt Barrabee of Orens Brothers, the developers and owners of the site. Barrabee says plans are to for tenants to occupy the building by September. That timeline is subject to change, of course, depending on construction. New to this story is the fact developers are trying to purchase an old and dejected city parking lot at 49th and Spruce Sts. to be used for resident parking.

According to Marty Cabry, director of zoning Jannie Blackwell, the city wants to sell said lot and he says that he envisions the deal will go through. Cabry said developers in the past had trouble agreeing with the neighborhood. There was once a move to sell the building for the school district with the vision it could become the new West Philly High. This development is a step forward, he says.

Rendering! With creepy rendering people!

We wonder if this project might draw some new folks further west in the neighborhood, or from other parts of the city. There’s definitely a new energy in West Philly, and some big new developments are on the horizon. Soon, we’ll have news for you about the Apple Lofts development, coming to the intersection of 52nd St. & Willows Ave., in an old warehouse three blocks south of Baltimore Ave.

–Lou Mancinelli