Philly YIMBY’s recent site visit confirmed the completion of construction at a six-story, 45-unit residential building at 1805 North Howard Street in Fishtown, Kensington. Located on a mid-block site between West Montgomery Avenue and West Berks Street, a short block west of the Berks Street Station on the Market-Frankford Line, the project features artist studios on the ground floor, as well as parking for 14 cars and 15 bicycles. The permits, issued in January 2020, list a project area of 36,802 square feet, Bottos Construction Inc. as the contractor, and a construction cost of $8 million.
1805 North Howard Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. December 2022
1805 North Howard Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. December 2022
1805 North Howard Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. December 2022
The 9,580-square-foot site previously housed a two-story, red-brick commercial/industrial structure with glass block windows. Although the structure exuded a certain grungy charm endemic to the area and was arguably worthy of incorporation into the new development (as early renderings showed at one point, although they also called for heavy modifications to the facade), it ultimately posed no great loss for the local built stock. The structure was torn down around late 2019 or early 2020.
The development’s relatively large size is appropriate for its transit-proximate location, and its red brick exterior with a chamfered corner manages to be contextual with its prewar surroundings while exuding a certain low-key contemporary charm. Given its prime location at the junction of the Fishtown, Olde Kensington, and Norris Square neighborhoods, close proximity to mass transit, and reasonably short biking distance to Temple University to the west, we welcome this dense and visually distinctive addition to the booming district.
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Those bricks are so red they’re orange.