When we walk out of the front door of our Fishtown office, it is impossible to miss 1359 Frankford Ave. rising just across the street. Previously a fenced off surface parking lot, plans have been in the works here for several years, with our latest check-in early last year when work was about to get started. Since then, construction has progressed rapidly for this four-story, 61-unit project designed by NORR called The Fishtown Collective.

What appears to be a rectangular building is anything but, with the oddly shaped lot forcing a creative usage, with frontage on both Frankford Ave. in the front and Crease St. in the rear. And thanks to both a new commercial leasing document and a recent drone shot of this very project, we can give you a very good idea of what we mean. Let’s take to the skies to get a better look (and a quick preview of what’s in store).

This L-shaped building, as the site plan indicates, already has plans for both a ground-floor Shake Shack and a Sweet Green. There is one remaining commercial space, which will obviously be rather attractive as this gets closer to completion. And speaking of completion, the windows are starting to go in, meaning the building will be water-tight in the near future. The building’s exterior will feature a clean look, with traditional red brick pairing nicely with the modern angles, and landscaped courtyards on both sides of the building for pedestrian and commercial usage. Things appear to have progressed exactly as planned, save for the future street trees which will surely come along as the project gets closer to its conclusion.

We have been dreaming of the day when this centrally located property would fulfill its promise, and it’s exciting to see that vision come more into focus. While the two chain retailers have plenty of utility, we do take a pause to think about how the corridor has changed over the years. With more recent local stalwarts such as La Colombe and Jinxed just steps to the south, we hope that Fishtown doesn’t lose too much of the individuality and local flavor that has made it so attractive during this development boom.