Weeks ago, we shared the good news that a Demolition Notice had appeared at 2017-23 Chestnut St., the former YWCA annex. This building has sat vacant since 1990, and became a blighted nuisance to the adjacent Freire Charter School over the last several years. Thankfully, over two years after we first broke the news, the building is finally coming down.

In the past

Yesterday

They're much further along in the rear. Ranstead Room can't wait til this is all over.

Replacing this property will be a new twelve story structure from Aquinas Realty Partners. The building will include 110 apartments and commercial space on the first floor. The basement will be used by Freire, turning a problem neighbor into an asset for the school. The scale of the building will be quite appropriate for the location, and could have even stood to be a little taller, if you ask us.

Project rendering

Yup, just another hundred or so apartments coming to this part of Center City. This is coming on the heels of hundreds of units coming online in the last year at 2116 Chestnut, 2040 Market, and the Sansom. And more are coming, folks. Who says this city isn't experiencing a renaissance? It seems to us that this might be a prudent time to open a retail business in this area, wouldn't you agree?