As we anticipated (since construction permits still had not been filed), Philly YIMBY’s recent site visit has found no signs of development at Mural West, a 363-foot-tall mixed-use tower proposed at 523 North Broad Street in Poplar, Lower North Philadelphia. Designed by Atkin Olshin Schade Architects and developed by Precision Realty Group, the project will provide office, retail, and commercial/medical space, as well as more than 200 residential units. The project will also include public plaza next to the eponymous mural, which is painted on the adjacent Mural Lofts residential building, as well as amenities such as a roof deck with potential restaurant space. If built, the tower will dramatically boost the skyline of Lower North Philadelphia and will stand as one of the tallest buildings north of Center City.
523 North Broad Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. August 2022
523 North Broad Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. August 2022
523 North Broad Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. August 2022
523 North Broad Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. August 2022
523 North Broad Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. August 2022
523 North Broad Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. August 2022
Mural West rendering via Atkin Olshin Schade Architects
Mural West elevations by Atkins Olshin Schade Architects
Mural West. Credit: Atkin Olshin Scade Architects
Mural West via Atkin Olshin Schade Architects
Mural West site looking east. Photo by Thomas Koloski
Mural West site plan. Credit: Atkin Olshin Schade Architects
523 North Broad Street. December 2021. Photo by Jamie Meller
While we would like to see certain design changes, such as potentially moving the tower to the south side of the site and the plaza to the center and north, allowing for a more direct view of the mural, we would love to see further progress on the development in its currently proposed form, as well, as the building would bring significant a residential and retail component to a centrally-located, transit-adjacent site (the Spring Garden Station on the Broad Street SEPTA Line sits immediately to the south) while closing a major streetscape gap along Broad Street.
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Is that a delay on the part of the developer or a dispute among neighbors who don’t like it? JamesIshthis a by right project held up by Councilmantic privilege?
Is this a by right project held up by Councilmantic privilege?
Is that supposed to be a billboard at the top where it says “Sponsor”. Should NOT be allowed; we have enough advertising blight around this city.
From an inside informant:
Project is halted with its future uncertain and chances for the tower still being built are slim. Architects were preparing to release foundation drawings with construction permitting submissions to follow when the developer, Eric Blumenfeld, refused to pay the architect for work completed to date, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees. Litigation is ongoing, but the project is at a standstill until the lawsuit is settled.
Didn’t another developer take over the project from EBRM? Thought Eric B had nothing to do with it anymore.
As far as I know you are probably correct. My comment was just trying to clarify that this AOS-designed scheme is dead in the water and is not likely to be resurrected (though anything could happen I guess). Seemed strange that philly yimby would continue to post about a development that never received construction permits and hasn’t progressed in any way for over a year. I do not know who the new developer is or who they have contracted for design work, but I do know that AOS and this design are not involved (yet).
As a neighbor this project is ridiculous and unnecessary much less the fact that it will hide one of the most iconic murals that Philadelphia is known for… Their attempts to provide a sliver of it for view are embarrassing. In the span of just a handful of years we now have a new development at broads and Spring Garden, the toll brothers development by the school district of Philadelphia, the secondary development by Rodeph shalom synagogue and now a newly announced development on the other side of Rodeph shalom synagogue. I remember when there were plans to put a Wawa /a Bank of America/ a small strip mall in that parking lot not a 30 story tower that will provide nothing to the neighborhood and take away one of the cities primary tourist attractions. Why don’t the developer instead turned that parking lot into a public park… The spring garden neighborhood version of Rittenhouse Square
I remember when mtv did a show in philly the real world and they said Philly was all hype, a dead city with nothing to do. And i think they was trying to call us a ugly city. When people say they don’t want this building i think they want our city to be ugly and a dead city. We have too many parks and we are building a really great park on Delaware ave. Our people are stuck in tye past and i really think it’s the older generation that don’t want philly to be in the millennium. We have a section for ya’ll it’s call old city. I want to compete with new york and los Angeles or better yet countries like Dubai or China.