Demolition work is making steady headway at 1700-30 North Howard Street in Olde Kensington. Designed by Coscia Moos Architecture, the newly renovated and expanded building will rise six stories, with an attractive commercial space on the ground floor in the existing industrial structure. The development will hold 103 residential units and parking for 35 cars and 50 bicycles. In total, the structure will hold 90,405 square feet of space. Construction work will cost an estimated $13.8 million.
1700-30 North Howard Street. Credit: Coscia Moos Architecture
The new development will feature an attractive exterior, using a proven variety of materials that will blend in a pleasant manner with one another. On the southeast corner of the site, a portion of the existing industrial building will be preserved and retrofitted into the project’s design. Here, the building features an all-brick facade, with a gable and cornice adding detail. Floor-to-ceiling windows will line the ground floor, with smaller rectangular windows situated above. The rooftop area of the building is shown to be transformed into a roof deck, which will be a pleasant amenity for building residents.
1700-30 North Howard Street. Photo by Coscia Moos Architecture
The rest of the structure boasts a more modern design. Tan brick will be prominently used throughout the facade, adding pleasant contrast to the existing building. Gray cladding will be used more extensively on the fifth and sixth floors as well as in other less prominent locations such as at the western facade. Street trees will be planted around the building’s footprint, adding greenery to the streetscape.
Current view of 1700-30 Howard Street. Credit: Colin LeStourgeon.
Demolition work at the site is now largely complete. Although the pre-existing industrial building covered the entire site, the only portion that remains is the structure still standing at the southeast corner. The rest is being demolished, with most of it already gone, reduced to piles of brick and concrete that will need to be cleared before excavation work can get underway. The only remaining section of the former building still awaiting final demolition stand on the eastern side of the site, and will likely meet the wrecking ball in the near future.
Current view of 1700-30 Howard Street. Credit: Colin LeStourgeon.
Once all of the demolition work has been completed and the site has been cleared, then excavation and foundation work can progress, and the new section is expected to start rising fairly soon. Hopefully, excavation work can begin by spring, so that work can make steady progress over the warmer Summer, Spring, and Fall months.
The new development is a great addition to the neighborhood, preserving the most attractive section of a former industrial building, while replacing the rest of the structure with an abundance of new residential units. The density is needed at this location, considering the wide variety of businesses in the surrounding area and the presence of the El just steps to the east. The new commercial space on the ground will be a welcome addition, as well, enlivening the pedestrian atmosphere while adding a potential destination to the area.
No completion date is known for the project at this time, although YIMBY will continue to trac progress moving in forward.
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