Philly YIMBY’s recent site visit has observed sustained construction progress at a five-story, 54-unit residential building at 2630 West Girard Avenue in Brewerytown, North Philadelphia. Designed by ISA and developed by ADCO (American Development Company) and Callahan Ward, the structure, located under the full address of 2630-38 West Girard Avenue, is part of a greater complex that will also include 104 additional units sited within four-story winds along Taney and North 27th streets, bringing the total residential unit count to 160.
The apartment building situated along Girard Avenue will be the centerpiece of the composition, with retail space at the ground floor, common outdoor decks, and private roof terraces. Permits list Callahan & Ward Properties, LLC as the contractor and a construction cost of $10 million.
2600 West Girard Avenue. Photo by Jamie Meller
2600 West Girard Avenue. Photo by Jamie Meller
2600 West Girard Avenue. Photo by Jamie Meller
At the moment, the larger, Girard-facing building stands topped-out and partially clad on the lower levels, while the upper floors await installation of gray horizontal siding panels. The brick cladding at the lower levels makes for a pleasant contextual touch that pays homage to the predominantly prewar neighborhood. The townhouses at the block interior are further along in their construction progress and generally appear complete at the exterior.
2600 West Girard Avenue. Photo by Jamie Meller
2600 West Girard Avenue. Photo by Jamie Meller
2600 West Girard Avenue. Photo by Jamie Meller
2630 West Girard Avenue. Credit: ISA
2630 West Girard Avenue. Plaza on North 27th Street. Credit: ISA
The Girard Avenue building will offer 42 one-bedroom and 14 two-bedroom units. Most of the latter will be sited at the building corner, offering sunlight exposure in two directions. However, even one-bedroom units will offer bedrooms with direct outdoor exposure, avoiding the troubling trend that is observed in a number of recently planned projects of similar scale, where “interior” bedrooms, in all but name and legal status, feature windows facing living rooms rather than directly outside.
2630 West Girard Avenue. Looking southwest. Credit: ISA
2630 West Girard Avenue. Credit: ISA
2630 West Girard Avenue. Credit: ISA
2630 West Girard Avenue. Credit: ISA
2630 West Girard Avenue. Credit: ISA
2630 West Girard Avenue. Credit: ISA
The development will bring significant improvement to the area by filling in a massive nuisance lot. The Girard Avenue building in particular will fill a block-long gap along the busy commercial corridor and will introduce retail along its entire length.
The structure is just one of several that are currently reviving the area. One of such is located block to the east, where construction is underway on the five-story, 16-unit Bordeaux development at 2600 West Girard Avenue. Given its location along the route 15 Girard Avenue trolley line, ten-minute proximity to Girard College, Fairmount Park, and the retail district along Fairmount Avenue, and 30-minute walking distance to Center City, University City, and Temple University, the neighborhood ought to be able to effortlessly absorb further increases in housing stock.
2630 West Girard Avenue. Credit: ISA
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Oh Dear… This thing needs more than brick cladding to pay homage to the neighborhood. And… who, exactly, is moving into all of these new residential buildings?
People are moving into these new residential buildings.
A “comedian” dwelleth amongst us!
Kind of an outdated update, as the exterior of the building is now finished
The Bordeaux was completed prior to April 2023. The 104 quadraplexes along Taney and N. 27th streets were finished prior to July 2024.
How much is a 1 bedroom apartment going for
Where is the parking lot? Haven’t learned from Northern liberties neighborhood.
The G/15 is right there.
What is the retail? Last thing that neighborhood needs is another empty retail spot.