One of the busiest spots for development in the entire city is the Broad & Girard Ave. intersection, once famous for the majestic Majestic Hotel. But times have changed a couple times since those days. Today, former low-rise retail is being traded out for a trio of mixed-use projects on the west side of the north-south axis. Slightly to the east off of Broad Street, other apartment projects are adding to the residential density along the cross-town corridor. But today, our dear readers, brings us to the east side of the 900 block of Broad St., where two projects will continue to fill in the gaps along the former Automobile Row.

Let’s begin today with a project that we actually told you about for the first time back in the old days of 2019. Plans call for a 70-unit, mixed-use building that will include some ground floor commercial space, car parking for 21, all brought to us with a modular construction approach. SKY Design Studio is bringing us the look here, and with a mix of contemporary and classical elements, success will likely be dependent on the material choices used here. Hopefully the cost savings from the modular construction will allow for some high-end materiality along one of the city’s major thoroughfares.

What’s even more exciting is a project that is brand-spanking new to us just a few steps up the block. Thanks to some social media posts, we know that an ~40 unit is slated to rise at 931 N. Broad St., currently a one-story warehouse. While property records don’t show a recent sale or any permits pulled as of yet, developer Harrison Finberg has teamed up with KJO Architecture to bring another modern design to the area. Sitting on a narrow parcel immediately in front of the entrance to the Broad Street Line, this CMX-4 zoned property allows for dense development, as it should along this major transit corridor.

While the details are being ironed out, we hope that we see something similar in concept eventually rise here. We don’t need to tell you that a transit-oriented empty box isn’t doing anyone any favors, so seeing a more appropriate use of land here is exactly what we like to see. To have this further add to the density of the block is yet another bonus, further adding eyes on the streets and people at the neighboring businesses (including that future Lidl across the street). And perhaps even a trip for a dance party at Warehouse on Watts is in order for the future residents along this suddenly exploding stretch, though the world is your oyster when your front door is the subway.