The IceHouse, a condo project at 1247 E Columbia Ave. in Fishtown, has seen one phase completed in the five years it’s been in the works. The project is on the site of the since demolished Dooley’s Icehouse and a renovated former auto garage, and stands as one of the more interesting and ambitious projects in the neighborhood.

In the past

Recent shot

Phase one, an interior condo building that includes the old garage, was completed a couple of years ago, but the corner has remained vacant. When we noticed zoning notices on the building, we assumed that the next phase would complete the building’s presence on Thompson Street, across from Hetzell Park. Renderings of the completed project look like a big improvement over past and present.

Certainly better than the currently vacant lot

As it turns out, the corner will remain vacant for the time being. Instead, developer EnVision Group will build nine new condo units behind the current building, with access on Moyer Street. This info comes from Matt Karp, chair of the Fishtown Neighbors Association zoning committee.

Current shot of Moyer Street, behind the existing IceHouse

This project, supported by the neighborhood in a meeting last month, would be four stories tall and would include parking under the already built IceHouse condos. Like those already built units, these new condos will be LEED-certified. And until the developer is able to complete phase three, which will involve the planned building on Thompson Street, IceHouse residents will apparently build a garden on the vacant corner lot.

Hopefully, this new project will inspire movement for another Moyer Street project, which we told you about a couple of months ago but hasn’t progressed since.

Hasn't changed so much

And as you can see, both projects are included on EnVision’s master plan for the area.

Hoping this all comes true