Perhaps there is something new and invigorating in the air down along New Market Street in Northern Liberties. No. It isn’t exhaust from I-95. Well it is, but that is not what we mean. We mean rather the string of projects that have recently been presented to the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association (NLNA) along this short strip of a street one has to almost know to find.

Coming soon

Earlier this month we told you about one project on this street that appeared before the NLNA zoning committee, made some changes, worked with neighbors, reappeared and then, did it all over again. That project will bring six new units to the middle of the block at 938 New Market St., with five more in the rear fronting Hancock.

Two more New Market Street projects that accounted for eight single family homes in all were presented to the NLNA zoning committee on March 27th. According to zoning chair Larry Freedman, one was approved, the other was asked to make some changes and reappear, a familiar theme in Northern Liberties development. The committee approved a proposal for three single family homes at 1001-05 New Market St., replacing a vacant lot. The property owners purchased the lots back in 2006 for a combined $155K, which kind of makes you wonder what took so long for the project to get off the ground.

The vacant lots

Developers looking to build five single family homes at 924-28 New Market St., meanwhile, will reappear before the committee, perhaps next month. These homes will replace a 130 year-old structure that was most recently an iron works/fence company. We wrote about this property over a year ago, when we learned a little bit about its interesting former life as a religious structure. We’ll have more info on this project soon, once we find out what changes are being made at the behest of neighbors.

Old building that's on the outs

Whatever the reason, New Market Street is blowing up. And don’t forget, around the corner, 11 homes are currently under construction at Front & Poplar. Yes, it seems that most every part of Northern Liberties is continuing to thrive. Even the parts that are close to I-95.

–Lou Mancinelli