That faint buzzing you hear is the background might just be the sound of development in South Kensington. Or maybe it's a lightbulb that needs to be replaced? But assuming it's the former, let's consider that this neighborhood has seen tremendous growth in recent years, with projects big and small dotting the landscape. New developers stepped in to buy the Soko Lofts project at the end of last year, and we imagine that project will start moving forward soon. On the west side of the 1200 block of N. 5th Street, a 29-unit project recently broke ground. And now Blackstone Development has another project planned for this neighborhood at 1222 N. 2nd St., in between the Soko Lofts and their upcoming Liberty Square project.
The project has been winding its way through the permitting process, going through Civic Design Review this month and coming back for seconds next month after meeting with the community. The project will have a smaller footprint than the planned projects on either side, but will still make for a great addition to the neighborhood. Look for 68 apartments, 7 live/work spaces (an exciting change of pace), two large commercial spaces, and 52 parking spots. The parking will follow an interesting approach, using a mechanical system to fit more cars in less space. Check out these drawings and renderings from Harman Deutsch.
As we said, the project will return to CDR early next month before going to the ZBA. We're certainly hopeful that it gets the necessary approvals and that it becomes the next major project to arrive on the scene in this neighborhood.