A recent site visit by Philly YIMBY has revealed that construction is complete at The Palmer, a four-story, five-unit condominium building at 1440 North Orkney Street in Olde Kensington. The project replaces a single-story garage on the west side of the block between Master and Jefferson streets. Designed by Cadre Design & Development and developed by Atlas Properties (which also acted as the contractor), the structure spans 5,344 square feet and features outdoor space at the backyard and the roof deck, as well as full sprinkling. Permits list a construction cost of $590,000.
1440 North Orkney Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. July 2022
1440 North Orkney Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. July 2022
1440 North Orkney Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. July 2022
The development, which utilizes the full ten-year tax abatement program, was named after Anthony Palmer, who, in 1730, purchased the land that is now generally known as Olde Kensington. A 1,221-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo was sold for $370,000 in July.
The building rises to a zoning height of 45 feet, which was permissible with a gain of seven feet by utilizing the moderate income housing bonus; bulkheads rise an extra nine feet high each. The structure towers over the narrow, 25-foot-wide street, and its vertical presence is further intensified by narrow bands of windows. However, its presence is cozy rather than oppressive, thanks to its neighborhood-appropriate textured red brick and ample window coverage at the ground level. Gently recessed window bays give the facade subtle depth and asymmetrical yet orderly vertical elements visually slim down the relatively broad facade.
The extra height has allowed designers to create lofty, ten-foot-tall ceilings, with spaces amply sunlit by floor-to-ceiling windows.
1440 North Orkney Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. July 2022
1440 North Orkney Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. July 2022
1440 North Orkney Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. July 2022
1440 North Orkney Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. July 2022
The development sits rather far from the subway, with the Girard Station on the Market-Frankford Line located within a 13-minute walk to the southeast and the eponymous station on the Broad Street Line situated within a 20-minute walk to the southwest. Nevertheless, the property is still conveniently located near some of North Philadelphia’s most sought-after destinations, with Northern Liberties, Fishtown, and Temple University all located within a ten- to 20-minute walk.
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
Be the first to comment on "Construction Complete at The Palmer in Olde Kensington"