According to a zoning application, Cornelius Roche, owner of 1533 Parrish St., was intending to demolish the building and replace it with a parking lot with twenty-nine spaces.

From Parrish St.

Rear of the building, from Ogden St. Anyone know what's on the roof?

While this building isn’t likely to win an architectural award any time soon, it seems a little odd to tear down this building for the purpose of a parking lot, especially in an area chock full of vacant lots and with easy parking on the street. We did some digging, and noticed that Mr. Roche recently sold a warehouse down the street to the Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale.

The Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale, currently based in a building on the edge of the Drexel campus, will be moving to this new space in the near future. The Boys Choir has been performing and training future singers since 1968, and will be a welcome addition to this up-and-coming area. The planned parking lot down the street never went to the ZBA- whether they ultimately decide to move on that has yet to be determined. The best news is probably for Mr. Roche, who we believe lives in the building next door to the future Boys Choir home: It’s about to get a lot more musical around the house.

Mr. Roche, we presume? Possible parking lot to the left, future Boys Choir on the right