Permits have been issued for the construction of a single-family house at 351 West Queen Lane in Germantown, Northwest Philadelphia. The structure will replace a vacant lot on the northwest side of the block between Priscilla and Morris streets, and will span a ground footprint of 924 square feet. Permits list Habitat for Humanity Germ. [sic] as the owner.
The planned building appears to be the first new addition to the block since the end of World War II, although the surrounding blocks have seen a notable volume of new construction in recent years. The majority of new buildings employ historicist designs that respect the form and materiality of the neighborhood’s prewar housing stock. But despite its array of well-preserved prewar built environment, it retains an ample supply of vacant lots, most of which once held buildings that have since been torn down. New development at such sites will help revive the area to match its dense, vibrant streetscapes of the past.
351 West Queen Street. Looking north. Credit: Google Maps
West Queen Street, with 351 West Queen Street on the right. Looking southwest. Credit: Google Maps
West Queen Street, with 351 West Queen Street on the left. Looking northeast. Credit: Google Maps
Given its ample urban amenities, the district can handily accommodate an influx of new construction. The Queen Lane station of the SEPTA Regional Rail sits within an under-five-minute walk to the southwest of the proposal site. Five more regional rail stations are situated within a one-mile radius, as is commercial corridors at Germantown and West Chelten avenues, several schools and university campuses, and Blue Bell Park and Clifford Park.
Ample mass transit, attractive existing housing stock, a pedestrian-friendly streetscape, a diverse array of urban services, and plentiful development-ready sites are all key ingredients for any growing neighborhood, and the surrounding district has them all in spades. We expect to hear more development news from this neck of the woods.
351 West Queen Street. Credit: Google Maps
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All of these buildings that there buildings around the city is a mess there loud and it goes on from 630 am until after 7pm sometimes later then that its not fair to the residents in mt airy and everywhere else .. there stuffing these new apartments everywhere every lil spot they can grab and it doesn’t look good there to high can’t see and to place them in every lil spot is ridiculous we already have bad parking around here in mt airy its making it worse this isn’t center city I can understand building actual nice new houses but all these different units there crowding everyone out .. and you can barely drive down germantown ave now its way to crowded out there its sad.. I hate living in Philadelphia now..The building on sharpkneck st and everywhere else along germantown ave is ridiculous and we as residents spike up went to the meetings and they still didn’t give a crap about what we think so why even do the meetings . I can’t get no rest having a disability to hear the constant banging and all kinds of noise building this mess is absolutely ridiculous 😒 but again the mayor and these state representatives don’t do a dag on thing but want people to vote please .. and yes everyone is complaining were tired of this I recorded them still working after 8:45pm how is that ok .. the work should be finished by 6pm bad enough there out there at 6:30 am .. so mad been complaining since they started this .. now we going to be over crowded in our own neighborhoods ridiculous…
I am sorry. I have loved the charm of Mt Airy since a tiny child and my husband grew up there in his early childhood. I am a huge fan of architecture and once aspired to be an architect. Also an advocate of people friendly neighborhoods. Very sad to see my grandmother’s very large city home turned into apartments. Unfortunately, there are far too many money hungry people who care little about quality of life and aesthetics. They want to make the most amount of money down to the penny in the least amount of time and are lacking in descent character and pride. And, well, politicians…. For a while Mt. Airy seemed to be improving. I guess the Pandemic cast a darkness everywhere. But now, even Chestnut Hill, though never quite as interesting and inclusive as Mt Airy, feels grey and tired. Lack of respect to the residents by those itching to build and collect rent ASAP is inexcusable and wimpy sleaze politicians allowing it…I am sorry you are experiencing this and sorry that what could be such a beautiful area of the city is instead being chipped away