Philly YIMBY’s recent site visit has observed little notable progress at the site of a proposed seven-story, 157-unit mixed-use building at 1101-33 South 9th Street in the Italian Market in South Philadelphia, since our last visit in February. The structure will rise at the southeast corner of 9th Street and Washington Avenue, replacing a large parcel that has long sat vacant. Designed by BLT Architects, the development will span 204,351 square feet and feature 15,192 square feet of commercial space and parking. Permits list HC Pody Company as the contractor and specify a construction cost of $52 million.
1101-33 South 9th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. June 2023
1101-33 South 9th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. June 2023
1101-33 South 9th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. June 2023
1101-33 South 9th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. June 2023
When YIMBY last visited the site, we discovered that, after years of dormancy, the sizable property had finally been cleared, fenced off, and evidently prepared for construction. Little change has taken place since that time, however.
The new building proposed at the site will finally fill this large void that has marred the streetscape as a massive eyesore for so long; moreover, it will replace a sizable parking lot to the east, which opens onto Washington Avenue, another instance of massive underuse of valuable, centrally-located city property (the parking lot has since been stripped, as well). Although lacking the folksy appeal of adjacent market stalls, the ground-floor retail space, which will apparently stretch both along 9th Street and Washington Avenue, will create exactly the kind of pedestrian-friendly vibrancy the location needs, while the long awnings will approximate the feel of the market’s covered stalls.
Above, a facade of brick and large paneled loft-style windows will emulate the feel of a traditional prewar factory loft, which is a very appropriate theme for the site (if a prewar building of a similar scale stood at this location in this particular neighborhood, it would had almost certainly been of the factory loft variety). In turn, the added density will bring much-needed housing stock to this central location, which is well-served by public transit (the 47M and 64 buses stop at the intersection and the Ellsworth-Federal Station on the Broad Street Line is situated within a ten-minute walk to the west) and is within walking distance of Center City (South Street runs within a ten-minute walk to the north). Moreover, the residents promise to provide a non-insignificant customer base for the market itself.
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I remember it was going to be 8 stories until it went into no activity before changing to 7 stories. Now the drawings show 6 stories.
When will they break ground?