Kensington

Five new homes are to be constructed at 2319 Amber Street in East Kensington. The homes are currently being framed. Developers purchased the 4,000-square-foot lot in early 2015. There had previously been a one-story auto repair shop on site.

Two new triplexes are being constructed down the block at 1814 – 1816 North Front Street. Upside-down U-shaped projections will surround each window. The purpose of this architectural detail is unclear, but it will certainly set the new triplexes apart from the other homes on the block.

Several weeks ago, the Designation Committee of the Philadelphia Historical Commission selected the Frankford Avenue Baptist Church in East Kensington for nomination as a landmark to be added to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. The church was sold in April and is currently on the market as a rental property. Its future is very uncertain. Kensington and Olde Richmond LLC and the East Kensington Neighbors Association (EKNA) prepared the nomination.

Fishtown

Two new homes are under construction at 2336 East Fletcher Street in Fishtown in place of what used to be a small parking garage. The supposedly vacant property next door shares a plot of land with a Victorian-era home on Susquehanna Avenue that sold for $300,000 several years ago. It is in fact unclear whether the building on Fletcher is still in use or not.

Since 2013, Friends of Adaire (FOA) has been working to recondition the Adaire Elementary schoolyard at 1300 East Palmer Street in Fishtown. Ian Smith Design Group will be handling the architectural details pro bono. The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) has communicated its support as well. City Council President Darrell Clarke pledged to fund the project at the time of its inception. However, for reasons unknown, this is no longer the case. The project will ultimately be funded by the Trust for Public Land and the School District of Philadelphia.

Domani Developers purchased the property at 1523 North Front Street (and the adjacent lots) for a fraction of the original asking price after it received historic designation a little more than a year ago. The almost 170-year-old building functioned previously as a church and a warehouse. It is uncertain at this point in time what will become of the property.

Lululemon Athletica will be opening its fourth concept store in the United States at 1424 – 1432 Frankford Avenue by the end of November. It will serve as both a retail store and a meeting place for the members of the community. The other three Lululemon Athletica concept stores are located in Colorado, Oregon and Idaho.

Northern Liberties

PRDC Properties is currently building 26 new homes at 312 – 330 Fairmount Avenue on the former site of a cluster of old warehouses. The Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) approved the project earlier this year. The initial proposal called for 27 homes to be built on the property. The cause of this discrepancy is unclear. 

Developer Mark Rubin plans to construct two large apartment buildings at the intersection of 4th and Callowhill Streets. There will be 454 units, 233 parking spots and two retail spaces on site. Due to the enormity of the project, the proposal must first go to the Civic Design Review (meeting to be held next month).