A couple of months ago, 2146 Catharine St. was momentarily on the monthly SOSNA zoning agenda, only to be crossed off in advance of the meeting. The agenda referenced a new mixed-use structure, which would replace the rough-looking building we see today.

Current view

The large building covers a relatively large lot at this improving intersection, sitting across the street from the still newish Ultimo Coffee and the ever-slightly newer Catharine Park. Just a couple of years ago, the building that houses Ultimo was a blighted, vacant, crumbling structure and the Catharine Park lot was a barely used, barely public space.

Catharine Park, image from the Catharine Park Facebook page

Ultimo Coffee across the street

Looking at public record, 2146 Catharine Street LP purchased the building for $185K back in December. The address for this company is 2149 Catharine, the building that contains Ultimo. This tells us that the developer for the property will be Max Glass, the guy who built the property across the street and who is currently busy conquering the King of Jeans’ kingdom on East Passyunk. Given that he has this other project ongoing, it doesn’t come as a surprise that he might need an extra couple of months before launching into another project on 22nd Street.

Nevertheless, it seems the writing is on the wall for the ugly structure on the southeast corner of 22nd & Catharine. Now, if only someone would buy the Lucky Day building on the opposite corner… Ah, we can dream, right?

Coming up next?