A recent site visit has observed no signs of demolition nor other forms of construction preparation at the site of the a 14-story, 86-room hotel proposed at 122 South 11th Street in Midtown Village, Center City. Designed by DAS Architects, the building will span 51,181 square feet and will feature a restaurant at the first and second floors. Permits list Midwest Construction and Painting Inc. as the contractor and specify a construction cost of $21.1 million.
122 South 11th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. April 2023
122 South 11th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. April 2023
122 South 11th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. April 2023
The two buildings at the site were apparently originally constructed as separate structures, with a two-story low-rise at 122 South 11th Street at the southwest corner of 11th and Sansom streets, and an adjacent brick-clad, four-story mid-block structure at 124 South 11th Street. Since that time, both have been functionally united into a single structure with a unified ground-level exterior treatment and interior function, where the first floor became home to the Midtown II Diner.
Even prior to demolition prep, the joined building appeared shabby to a point where we would call it an outright eyesore if not for the fact that its massing and pedestrian-friendly appeal made for a seamless fit for the block. The diner, also known as Midtown II Restaurant, offered 24-hour, budget-friendly service and was a local favorite for no-frills, round-the-clock dining for over 30 years.
Much to the chagrin of its regulars, Midtown II closed in June 2016, and in December of that year Sansom Realty Holdings, LLC purchased the site for $3.85 million. Progress continued at a slow pace, with demolition permits issued in February 2019, which called for a cost of work of $120,000 and specified JPC Group Inc. as the demo contractor.
122 South 11th Street prior to redevelopment. Credit: Google Maps
A construction permit was issued in September 2021. Since that time, however, no development progress appears to have taken place aside from the partial demo work described above. We hope for a proximate resumption of this promising project that will contribute a considerable amount of commercial density into a central, transit-accessible neighborhood, while taking up a small footprint consistent with the traditional pedestrian scale of the area’s street realm.
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they have recently put up fencing in the last few weeks, so hopefully we see some movement soon!
Reason why nobody has started demo and construction on the site?
Good question, James. Shouldn’t there be some law that once the permit has been issued, work should start within a certain period, for the sake of the neighbors and passers-by?
I miss the old diner, it was not the best, but it was not the worst, good old school diner after the bars to soak up some of the alcohol, or when you did not feel like cooking or paying for one of the trendy restaurants in the neighborhood. Center City is severely lacking in options for the late night crowds, or just people who live in center city that work anything other than a 9 to 5 job. All the 24 hour stores are closed by midnight now, closest to a 24 hour grocery store we had was the one that was in university city that now is not 24 hours, only one planetfitness is open 24 hours, but only 4 days a week, the only other gym to have late night hours reduced their hours. Makes me miss living in the burbs where I did not have to waste a weekend day off doing errands, I could get the groceries on the way home at the 24 hour Giant or Shoprite or the Giant and Acme open until midnight.