A recent site visit by Philly YIMBY has noted that construction has still not started 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, although site prep is currently underway. 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 South 9th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. March 2024
1101 South 9th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. March 2024
1101 South 9th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. March 2024
1101 South 9th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. March 2024
1101 South 9th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. March 2024
1101 South 9th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. March 2024
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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Center City District’s 2024 development report states that this project is under construction. Glory be.
April 2019’s CDR presentation indicates a $52 million, six-story, 204,351 square foot, by-right project with 157 apartments, 15,000 square feet of ground floor retail, and 120 underground parking spaces. Only 48 of these parking spaces are reserved for the building’s residents, with the rest (72) likely for Italian Market customers and diners.
Renderings depict an attractive, industrial style building with a brick facade, large ground floor windows, and a landscaped courtyard on its east side. Aside from excessive parking and parking garage entrance located on 9th St. that is likely to interrupt pedestrian flow along the Italian Market, this is a huge win for the area, bringing new residents and shops to what is now vacant land. Of course, adaptive reuse of the former, handsome, three-story, brick warehouse would have been ideal, but that possibility ended sometime before August 2009.
Glad to see construction is about to start. The paneling went up over a year ago now.
Now the big question is: When will that vacant triangular parcel at Passyunk & Washington (the former crab shack) get developed? It’s such an eyesore, particularly now that people have started parking there.
Hopefully construction will start. Philadelphia’s biggest problem is the abuse of councilmantic privilege by a single council person who can hold up construction indefinitely. Reform to eliminate councilmantic privilege is what is urgently needed otherwise development will be stopped dead by a single councilman!
The crab triangle would make a great beer garden surrounded by commercial on each side it is the sweet spot in terms of size for PHS as well
So glad they at least reopened the sidewalk at 9th finally
March 27, 2024 update: Today’s Inquirer reports that after developer Midwood Investment & Development demolished the original building, “the company hasn’t made any further progress”. Midwood’s CEO John “Usdan declined to comment on the stalled project, saying only that the company has no update at the moment”.
Yep, incredibly disappointing. It’d definitely seems to be a case of councilmanic prerogative delaying and ultimately killing the project because a bunch of car-brained,”nothing better is possible”, “all change is bad” neighbors complained to his Squila’s office – just like we are seeing with the Columbus Square parking lot project and the crab triangle.
Sure looks like site prep is happening in the photo above. So let’s hope that this project gets started ASAP.
Councilmanic prerogative is the worst, as are the car-brained South Philly folks. The crab triangle is such an eyesore, and the Columbus Square parking lot project would have been wonderful.
It could be councilmantic privilege if they cannot go to build. Delaying that leads to nothing including losing jobs on site