Construction Nears Completion at The Luxe Phase I at 1705 North American Street in Norris Square

Philadelphia YIMBY’s recent site visit has noted that construction work is nearing completion at The Luxe Phase I, a six-story, 96-unit mixed-use rental development underway at 1705 North American Street in Norris Square. Listed under a full address of 1705-41 North American Street and alternatively branded as The Luxe Fishtown (the developer site labels the neighborhood as Fishtown West), the project stands on a through-block lot that spans from North American Street to the west and North Philip Street to the east. Designed by the Atrium Design Group and Stantec, the project will span 95,000 square feet and feature around 9,900 square feet of ground-floor retail, an extensive amenity suite, a roof deck, and a garage with space for 44 cars and 72 bicycles. Units will range from studios to three-bedrooms. Permits list Turn Key Realty as the contractor and specify a construction cost of $15 million.

1775 North American Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. August 2023

The Luxe Phase I at 1705 North American Street. Building rendering. Credit: Atrium Design Group via Civic Design Review

The Luxe Phase I at 1705 North American Street. Credit: Atrium Design Group via Civic Design Review

The Luxe Phase I at 1705 North American Street. Credit: Atrium Design Group via Civic Design Review

The Luxe Phase I at 1705 North American Street. Credit: Atrium Design Group via Civic Design Review

The Luxe Phase I at 1705 North American Street. Building rendering. Credit: Atrium Design Group via Civic Design Review

The structure consists of two conjoined H-shaped masses, with a courtyard opening onto American Street in the front. Although the structure rises to a considerable height of 73 feet (around 77 feet to the top of the parapet and 88 feet to the top of the bulkheads), its broad form makes for a sprawling presence. Two retail spaces, measuring 4,300 and 4,500 square feet, face the street, separated by the landscaped courtyard plaza; another 1,100-square-foot retail space sits at the plaza rear. The plaza also offers access to the building’s two residential lobbies, each equipped with two elevators, a mail room, a trash room, and storage for 36 bikes. An open-air garage comprises the rear portion of the ground level, with an entry on American Street and an exit at Philip Street.

It has been quite a while since YIMBY last checked in on the project, when we first covered the proposal in January 2021. In the ensuing two and a half years, construction has been almost completed. The building stands topped-out and almost fully clad in an off-white paneled facade with large, contemporary-styled chamfered windows.

Ground-level barriers, partial facade work, and a trash chute along the side of the building are some of the only remaining reminders of still-ongoing construction at Phase I; more construction work, however, remains to be done at the Phase II building underway next door to the north.

The Luxe Phase I at 1705 North American Street. Building amenities via Luxe Fishtown

The Luxe Phase I at 1705 North American Street. Building amenities via Luxe Fishtown

The Luxe will offer its residents amenities such as keyless entry, co-working spaces, a two-story fitness center, a sauna, a roof deck that opens onto skyline views, and more.

The Luxe stands just to the north of Cecil B. Moore Avenue, which is serviced by the route 57 bus. The Berks Station on the Market-Frankford subway line is situated within a ten-minute walk to the northeast on North Front Street, adjacent to central Fishtown. The route 15 trolley runs along Girard Avenue within a 12-minute walk to the south, just to the north of Northern Liberties. The Temple University campus may be reached within a 15-minute walk to the west.

The Luxe Phase I at 1705 North American Street. Building rendering. Credit: Atrium Design Group via Civic Design Review

Formerly the anchor thoroughfare for a major industrial district, North American Street is currently undergoing a major revival, with large mixed-use developments rising along its flanks. Although projects such as The Luxe will add hundreds of much-needed new residential units and will animate the currently forlorn streetscape with ground-level retail, the street is wide enough and is situated close enough to mass transit to warrant development of much larger and taller projects than the ones that are currently in progress. For the future, we envision the thoroughfare to be lined with mixed-use high-rises with thousands of apartments and numerous public institutions and entertainment amenities, and with streetscape improvements such as protected bike lanes, shortened pedestrian crossings, and new bus service.

The Luxe Phase I at 1705 North American Street. Credit: Atrium Design Group via Civic Design Review

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