A recent site visit by Philadelphia YIMBY has observed that construction is underway at a four-story, 30-unit mixed-use building at 8623 Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill, Northwest Philadelphia. Designed by Regan Kline Cross Architects, the building replaces a vacant lot spanning 25,308 square feet, situated on a block bound by Germantown Avenue and Bethlehem Pike as well as a single-story building that once housed a Santander Bank branch. The development will span 46,170 square feet. Permits list Regan Construction Co. Inc. as the contractor and Littleton Landscape Contractors is the landscape architect.
Project construction costs are listed at $5.9 million, of which $5 million is allocated toward general construction, $300,000 for excavation, 200,000 for electrical work, and $400,000 for plumbing work.
8623 Germantown Avenue. Photo by Jamie Meller. November 2024
8623 Germantown Avenue. Photo by Jamie Meller. November 2024
8623 Germantown Avenue. Photo by Jamie Meller. November 2024
8623 Germantown Avenue. Photo by Jamie Meller. November 2024
8263 Germantown Avenue Floor Plan Ground Floor via Regan Kline Cross Architects
8263 Germantown Avenue Floor Plans 2-4 Floors via Regan Kline Cross Architects
The new building will feature 3,900 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor, as well as a basement and residential units on the second, third, and fourth floors, residential units with one-bedroom, one-bedroom with a den, and two-bedroom floor plans and balconies, and parking for nine cars and ten bicycles.
8263 Germantown Avenue Section via Regan Kline Cross Architects
8263 Germantown Avenue Site via Google Maps
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This building is gross and sucks and ruins the look of the area. I’m fine with new houses, and they are needed, but it’s taking up every possible square foot to sell the most possible units with zero respect for the neighborhood, landscape, or additional greenspace. This is everything wrong with new development, and the reason people oppose projects that should be greenlit.
That is across from the SEPTA REGIONAL RAIL STATION, right?
On Chestnut Hill Local’s website, the November 8, 2023 edition shows a rendering. The four-story is an intricately designed (part herringbone) all brick structure with large industrial-style windows, a small patterned cornice, balconies (some loggia), wall sconces, and landscaping.
This a first rate mixed use apartment and commercial project.
Zero transition or respect for the historic structures surrounding it. -Jim
You’re right Jim. We will try to build everything in harmony with the surroundings. Everything colonial England, stone, no cheap 2024 materials…and we’ll do it all for a few hundred thousand…math definitely works. Np!
Totally agree with Jim! Hugely out of place!
Very much so
YIKES !
By right project, sorry
30 units could be 30 cars. That would mean 21 on the street.
Looks like that there could be 20 cars parked on the street.
It’s hard to find a single resident in the area who thinks this building fits the neighborhood. The developer just purchased another building in the neighborhood.
You say 30 units? Parking for 9 NINE cars ? The other 21 units must use BIKES for transportation? That’s interesting! How exactly is the room for landscaping? It is so massive and out of scale with our charming community! It looks like an elephant perched next to the beautiful Baptist Church. The previous gas station lot????? Another monstrous building? How about a pocket park!!
They could put a structure on the old gas station and not exceed the height of the church. The developer has filed appeal against the neighbors.
Awful, dreadful , greedy, inconsiderate ! Unnecessary ! Typical of the sorry sort of exploitative greed that represents the developers ‘ Bet they wouldn’t live there!
Great to have more foot traffic for local restaurants and businesses and users for the trains so we can keep them running.
I’m sorry, I have to say it again, it is a monstrosity!