Cramming in as much relaxation as possible over the holiday weekend, we found ourselves strolling up Frankford Avenue, taking in the sights and enjoying more coffee than a person should reasonably consume. We eventually found ourselves on the 2500 block, which begins with OG Pizza at the corner of Cumberland. We noticed a pair of projects at different stages of construction on the block, both of which were initially planned several years ago.
2508 and 2510 Frankford Ave. have been vacant for decades, though both were historically used as residences. More recently, the properties have been used for illegal parking, junk storage, and outdoor seating for the adjacent pizza place, though not necessarily at the same time. The owners of the OG Pizza property bought these lots in 2016, at the same time that they bought the site of the restaurant next door. In 2019, they got zoning to combine the lots, with preliminary plans for a mixed-use building with four units over ground floor commercial space. They got zoning permits for the building in 2023 and earlier this year finally broke ground on the partially constructed edifice we see today.
Once construction is finished sometime next year, we wonder what business will open on the first floor. A fun idea would be for the pizza place to move into the new building and for the owners to, in turn, redevelop the property at the corner. While the one-story building doesn’t offend our sensibilities, it would be a great upgrade to see a four-story building rise here, adding some more density to one of the most exciting corridors in town.
Speaking of four story buildings, let’s turn our attention to 2516 Frankford Ave., just a few doors down the street. This building is pretty awful, with windows that have been shrunk down over the years and a first floor commercial space that probably hasn’t been inviting since the 1950s. Back in 2022, developers pursued a zoning variance to redevelop this building into five units over commercial space. This plan called for the demolition of most of the existing building, but since a portion was being retained, the City classified the project as a renovation, rather than new construction. The rendering shared at the ZBA certainly bear no resemblance to the current structure.
The renderings and site drawings from MASS Architecture Studios show a project that looks like new construction, despite the reuse of a portion of what’s already there. While most projects provide some kind of yard space, this property extends from Frankford all the way to Amber Street, and as a result this project will cover almost the entire 1500+ sqft lot. Out of respect for the narrower Amber Street in the rear, the 3rd and 4th floors will be set back on Amber, making it less imposing in the rear. The mix of one and two bedroom apartments will be spread throughout the oddly shaped building, relying on a light well to get fresh air to some of the units, including the bi-level unit with basement living.
The reliance on a light well could become a problem if someone ever looks to redevelop the adjacent one-story commercial building that’s home to a Quick Stop convenience store. The building has been used as such for decades, though once upon a time the Amber Theatre was located here. This 10K sqft lot could accommodate a pretty awesome building, and let’s agree that a one-story building with a surface parking lot isn’t really in line with the vibe on Frankford Avenue these days. Sure, a theoretical project here would reduce the light and air for the project at 2516 Frankford Ave., but we’d make that trade ten times out of ten.