Permits have been issued for the construction of a seven-unit multi-family building at 4937 Chestnut Street in Walnut Hill, West Philadelphia. Upon completion, the structure will rise three stories tall. The building will hold 5,569 square feet of space and cost an estimated $200,000 to construct.
Aerial view of 4937 Chestnut Street site. Credit: Google.
The new building will replace a vacant lot, the only one of the kind in a nearly fully-intact row of buildings. The property is the location of half of a long lost twin structure, and the other twin has fallen into slight disrepair. Today, the property is essentially a small, grassy lot. The buildings around it are unique and only found in select locations around the city, mostly in West Philadelphia. Brickwork is used as the primary exterior material on the buildings although the most notable features are the first-floor porches and second-floor balconies that cover the entire front of each building. An attractive cornice sits atop each building.
While it is unlikely that the new building will share a similar exterior to the existing structures previously described, the development should still benefit the block. The elimination of a vacant lot here will improve the surrounding area and raise the maintenance standards on the block, all while adding density to a growing pocket of West Philadelphia. The prominent location is situated on one of Philadephia’s most important transportation arteries and sits just steps away from the Market-Frankford Line where prime transit access is offered.
No completion date is known for the project at this time.
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It is okay to say that additional housing will benefit the block more than a vacant lot while the new building will likely stick out like a sore thumb, provide zero outdoor space for tenants, and not respect the lightwells of its neighboring building. The building that had been on this lot was only demolished in Summer ’18.