Renderings have been revealed for a four-story, 82-unit mixed-use development located at 6174 Ridge Avenue in Roxborough, Northwest Philadelphia. The building will feature a large, 17,290-square-foot commercial space at the ground floor. Residential space will total 72,573 square feet of space. No parking is planned within the development.
6174 Ridge Avenue via Civic Design Review.
The building will feature a varying exterior that conceals the structure’s full scale. The exterior alternates between two different rowhome-styled columned facades. One is composed entirely of brick, with two small balconies on the fourth floor which narrows the street-fronting width. The other component is clad in white stucco. A cornice will sit atop the fourth floor. At the pocket park situated along the eastern facing side of the building, the structure’s stucco exterior is painted in murals, keeping the atmosphere of the park similar to how it is today.
6174 Ridge Avenue. Credit: Google.
The development becomes a little bit more questionable when viewing what it will be replacing, however. Currently, this stretch of Ridge Avenue is an intact row of mixed-use and commercial buildings with. Variety of designs and first floor tenants. The row greatly contributes to the ‘main street’ role that Ridge Avenue plays for Roxborough With Roxborough Pocket Park being directly next door, this row is at the epicenter of the neighborhood.
6174 Ridge Avenue via Civic Design Review.
6174 Ridge Avenue via Civic Design Review.
6174 Ridge Avenue via Civic Design Review.
In some aspects, the new development will be a major improvement given its location. The added density here will be a great boost for the businesses on Ridge and will help support and strengthen the corridor. The lack of parking here is not a concern given the nearby transit offerings and walkable surroundings.
6174 Ridge Avenue. Credit: Google.
However, the removal of an intact row of commercial businesses may not be the best change for Ridge Avenue. Adding density in place of the parking to the row’s rear could be a better approach, and perhaps could happen in a future project.
6174 Ridge Avenue. Credit: Google.
YIMBY will continue to monitor the project moving forward.
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Where will the post office go?
You mention the lack of parking that isn’t an issue because of the buses…but SEPTA is actively trying to eliminate bus routes in the neighborhood. That could be a huge detriment to anyone who decides to live here. Just something to consider.
Lack of parking is ALWAYS an issue, buses or not!
It’s not a bad thing that bus routes are being eliminated, public transportation tends to bring the bottom of the barrel Citizens to our fine neighborhood, people we don’t need here Is bringing nothing but problems in our drain on the system
Glad to see the Thai restaurant is still in the rendering of this big box monster.
What is good about the size of this project? Just because it is by-right doesn’t mean it is a good fit. The residents of Roxborough are being overwhelmed by large apartment projects,(thanks to the revised Zoning Code) many without adequate parking. It’s difficult to find a parking spot in the CVS parking lot because so many tenants are using it out of desperation. Yes there are SEPTA bus lines but SEPTA is proposing service cuts in hopes of improving on time and more frequent service. There is no train station within a “walkable” distance of this project. I understand and appreciate apartments above retail stores but I think it is getting out of hand. Anyone else care to comment?
The traffic and parking is horrendous. Why is it good thing to throw hard working store owners out of their livelihoods? There is such a thing as Maximum Density which Roxborough achieved long ago!
I think even though it is gigantic in comparison to the neighborhood, I think it is an improvement to Ridge Ave. What I don’t get is the “no parking”. Do they think the tenants of the building are all going to sell their cars?? Did you know SEPTA is considering removing a few of the Roxborough bus routes? By last count, within half a mile on Ridge Ave. there will be about 260 new apartments with VERY minimal parking except for a few bike spots. How many people ride their bikes to work when it 15 degrees out or snowing?
This building is 4 stories tall people stop being ridiculous lol
I do not like this, not one bit. Roxborough doesn’t need another freaking apartment building, especially one w/o adequate parking. It’s stupid! Who is the brains behind this operation? Clearly, not the residents of Roxborough. I can’t wait to move… it’s sad that greed overshadows the people who have lived here for decades. It’s congested as it is.
The “brains” behind this operation or the reason parking isn’t provided is called The City of Philadelphia”!!
Anyone with common sense knows that a new building with 82 apartments needs …… wait for it……. …82 parking spaces! Who is responsible for allowing the city to continue to build without requiring adequate parking?? The big question is, at this point do we have any options/leverage to force the developer to include parking ?
Roxborough has been sold to the highest bidders. No parking, absolutely ridiculous. There is nothing in that section of Ridge Ave to draw people to it. No shopping, no parking, fear of being robbed or beaten. It’s a disgrace beyond belief. There is no need for all of these horrible apartments. And they are taking away public transportation. City council, mayor should all be ashamed. Can’t wait until they are all indicted for lining their pockets. Unfortunately the damage is done.
I agree with much of what Sue says. The lack of shopping is disappointing, especially when long time residents remember when you could purchase just about anything you needed “On the Ridge.” What can be done to birng back some of those stores and services?
Thinking about SEPTA planning cuts to Roxborough bus lines, people will have to take the Regional Rail to center city and that will be a steep walk downward from Roxborough and a heart attack risk for those climbing the wall to get to homes in Roxborough once exiting the Regional Rail.
Clearly, nobody thought of a subway line running alongside from Broad Street to Ridge Ave and the end of Roxborough. We can blame WW1, WW11 and the Great Depression for sidetracking needed subway expansion but there were opportunities killed by political infighting.
All you have to do is spend any amount of weekday evening time on this section of Ridge to know see there is already objectively an issue with lack of parking. To write “The lack of parking here is not a concern given the nearby transit offerings and walkable surroundings” is either well-intentioned wishful thinking or willful ignorance. Either way it is not the reality of the situation at hand. The dozens of new residents WILL have at least one car, so where will those cars park? These cars wont simply cease to exist upon them moving in.
I am concerned about the boxification of Roxborough. These are not beautiful structures. They are architecturally insignificant and will not age well. I am also concerned with the potential loss of the Paul Santoleri mural in the pocket park, which is the most interesting mural in Roxborough.
“The lack of parking here is not a concern given the nearby transit offerings and walkable surroundings.”
Who wrote that? No one should be able to rent until they first have to find a parking spot after 6pm. This disruption will reach far into the community, to the smaller streets, causing disruption to our quality of life.
This is absolutely tragic. My family has lived in Roxborough since the turn of the 20th century. It was once a beautiful and quaint ‘small town’ in the big city. But greed and corruption have ruined it. This project will almost certainly go forward, to the detriment of our quality of life. I can hardly wait to move away.
Someone commented that removing the bus service is a good thing – keeping bad elements out. In my opinion the bad element is coming in because of the outrageous number of apartments being built . The bus service very important for people to get to the city for work- for students to get to school. How are they supposed to travel back and forth? And don’t say the train is close by – only to certain areas of the neighborhood. People can’t walk from this location to get the train in Wissahickon or on Umbria Street. I think this city is destroying Roxborough and when all these new tenants realize they have nowhere to park their car and no bus service to get to work they’re all gonna start vacating and then this area will be completely ruined.
The large mural, which is a mural arts of Philadelphia installation is a masterpiece and was just built several years ago. These works of art are protected and can’t just be demolished. We in the neighborhood have to fight this one. What about the post office? Not to mention the lack of parking. Get in touch with councilmember Curtis Jones, the Roxborough Development Corporation, etc. This development needs to be scrapped.
82 Units and no parking? What a joke. People who live in Roxborough and Manayunk use cars. It’s not center city. And this will just make street parking in the neighborhood behind Ridge Ave even worse for existing homeowners. Poor vision. Poor planning. Bad reasoning if they think people spending $2500-$3000 a month or more on an apartment won’t be car owners.