Things have been just a little busy along Delaware Ave./Columbus Blvd. from the Ben Franklin Bridge north to the upcoming Graffiti Pier update. We took you on a video voyage back in the spring, but even that only featured a handful of the projects in the works along this development hotbed on the city’s eastern edge. This area has long been a key focus of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation‘s master plan for the riverfront, with parks, pedestrian safety, and development all working together to create a more enjoyable experience along the water. But when we finally sat ourselves down to see where things currently stand, even we were blown away by everything in the works. Today we’re heading back to 1130 N. Delaware Ave. to revisit an apartment project, but first let’s get a bird’s eye view of the crazy amount of action in what is effectively amounting to a new neighborhood.
As we said: just a little busy across these 15 projects. The furniture wholesale warehouse at the intersection of N. Delaware Ave. and Marlborough St. is the newest member to the “in progress” list. We were here not long ago when a fence went up at the site, portending demolition to make way for a 182-unit apartment building sitting adjacent to the recently renovated Edward Corner building. And as you may have guessed by now, said warehouse is now a former warehouse, as the site has been cleared to get things moving for the next chapter in the book of this property.
What’s taking the place of this former furniture wholesaler aligns much more closely with the current neighborhood than its industrial/commercial past. Streamline Development is leading the charge (their office is next door in the aforementioned Edward Corner Building), with Varenhorst Architects handling the design. As you may recall, this 182-unit building with parking for 44 cars will feature four sections, broken up by landscaped courtyards, with the western side of the building stepping down several stories as it meets its Fishtown neighbors on the E. Allen St. side of the property. While no retail space is part of the plan, this project will have a dramatic impact on the street presence of this pedestrian-unfriendly stretch, with landscaping and lighting activating the ground level.
We are thrilled to see this one joining the large list of projects in this burgeoning area. We love seeing the city reconnect to the river, as its wellness benefits should really extend to the thousands of folks who live just a short walk away. We hope that we see some of the other stalled/burned down projects close by get moving soon, as this site sits extremely close to Penn Treaty Park. Perhaps we’ll see those townhouses move forward, or perhaps they’ll continue to remain as a “what-if?” for a while longer as the surrounding neighborhood continues to evolve.
