Philly YIMBY’s recent site visit has observed no construction progress of any sort at the site of a 49-unit apartment building at 1208 Chestnut Street in Midtown Village, Center City, even though demolition permits have already been issued for the dilapidated three-story structure currently occupying the property. Designed by SgRA and developed by Michael Alhadad, the building will span a narrow, through-block lot on the block between South 12th and South 13th streets, stretching north-south from Chestnut Street to Sansom Street. The building will span 51,436 square feet and will feature a basement, ground-floor commercial space, full sprinkling, and a roof deck. Permits specify Christian A. Sanchez as the contractor and indicate a construction cost of $5.5 million.
1208 Chestnut Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. March 2024
1208 Chestnut Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. March 2024
1208 Chestnut Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. March 2024
1208 Chestnut Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. March 2024
The site was once occupied by a stately prewar building rising nine stories tall. The remnant of this once-magnificent structure has since been reduced to a miserable, barely recognizable three-story stump, with a drab glass vitrine behind a roll-up gate at the ground floor and a completely stuccoed-over second level, decorated with an italicized “Rainbow” banner that appears ironically cheery for such a dismal-looking edifice. Only the dilapidated yet highly ornate third floor window remains as a reminder of the structure’s former grandeur.
1208 Chestnut Street via Civic Design Review
A demolition permit was issued in May 2019, listing Francis Henriquez of FH Demolition as the contractor and a cost of work of $60,000.
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What about the building next door to it with all of the graffiti? Any updates on that?
What is the holdup,?
How long can the property owner get away with doing nothing 5 years?
Where is L&I enforcement on this?
This is another building that could be used for low–middle income seniors.Why don’t our City Council folk stop ” subsidizing wealthy developers who are fast tuurning Philly into New York #2, and give some of the smaller developers who could build 50-60 unit properties throughout the city a chance to help make Philly a really beautiful City again!!!!!!!
It is the. Screwups in politics and the Historical Commission opposing the project for self reasons. Nobody is gaining anything by delaying a project which received a demolition permit in May 2019. Why haven’t they torn down the building? Because of the screwups in both agencies. I have a more profane description for somebody who exercises his power to stop construction work. It is f—–.