Yesterday, when we were covering a proposal for two new homes, we noted that development opportunities are relatively rare in Queen Village. As much as this is true in that neighborhood, it’s even more accurate when discussing the Rittenhouse neighborhood, where vacant lots are even fewer and farther between. But they do exist, and it’s usually for a reason. Take 2204 Walnut St., for example, which we’ve covered a few times over the years.

As recently as a 2022, there was a building standing here. But visit the property today and it looks like this:

So… what happened? Allow us to remind you. Back in 2019, developers had a plan to add a few floors to the building, which would have resulted in a mixed-use project with 25 rental apartments above ground floor retail. Because the property sits in the Rittenhouse Fitler Historic District, the Historical Commission needed to sign off, and indeed they did. Here’s another look at what could have been:

Fast forward a few years, and new owners stepped in with a plan to demolish the heavily modified historic building and replace it with a ten-story project with 29 units over retail. In May of 2022 the Historical Commission consented to the demolition, but withheld their approval for the proposed replacement structure. We were pretty excited about the proposal, appreciating the design, the density, and the lack of on site parking. The Historical Commission had some notes, finding the proposed building too tall and the white facade out of context with the muted tones of the historic district.

The developers made some adjustments, changing the color of the facade and switching up some of the proposed materials. When we last checked in on the project in August of 2022, there were still some kinks to work out. Fortunately, in September of 2022, the full Commission gave their approval for a final iteration of the project. The design from CosciaMoos is remarkably similar to the images we shared previously.

By the beginning of 2023, the building was demolished. After that… nothing happened. As the months rolled along, we grew increasingly concerned that the project would not be moving forward, and this prominent stretch of Walnut Street would be stuck with a vacant lot for years to come. But last month, we were exceedingly pleased to see that the developers pulled a by-right zoning permit, which offers some indication of forward momentum after a couple years of radio silence.

The building’s envelope and its appearance are seemingly the same as the plan approved by the Historical Commission in 2022, but some interior details have changed. Instead of 29 units, the unit count has been reduced to 16. We have to think that the lower density and larger units indicate a pivot from rentals to condos, though this is just speculation. Also, the retail space specifically indicates that it will be used for the retail sale of food, beverages, and groceries, possibly signaling that the developers have identified a tenant for the building.

The zoning permit is a major hurdle leaped for this project, but there’s still work to be done. We have no way to know whether the developers have pulled this permit with the intention of starting construction later this year, if they plan to list the property for sale as a development site, or whether they’re simply protecting their property rights against possible remapping. We’ll hope it’s with an eye toward imminent redevelopment though, and that one of the few vacant lots in this neighborhood will soon disappear in favor of some extremely appropriate height and density.