Permits have been issued for the construction of a four-story, seven-unit residential building at 817-19 North 42nd Street in Belmont, West Philadelphia. The structure will replace a vacant lot on the northeast corner of North 42nd Street and Reno Street and will span a ground footprint of 2,280 square feet. The 8,188-square-foot area translates to an average of 1,170 square feet per unit. The structure will feature private roof decks, a rear exterior exit stairway, and full sprinkling. Permits list Askin Martin 1 as the owner and Crownstone Real Estate LLC as the contractor. Construction costs are specified at $710,000.
Note that there is a minor discrepancy in the permits, as the work description list four stories while the information table specifies three stories instead. We were unable to confirm either one as the correct floor count.
817-19 North 42nd Street. Credit: Google Maps
The prolonged postwar period of depopulation and demolitions, when entire blocks were leveled throughout working-class rowhouse neighborhoods across the city, generally spared the community of Belmont, located in the northeastern section of West Philadelphia. The proposal site at hand is part of a larger vacant lot, with two more similarly-sized vacant parcels across the street both to the south and to the west. However, such vacancies are blissfully rare in the neighborhood.
Given Belmont’s location along the bustling Lancaster Avenue commercial corridor, with its route 10 trolley service, relative proximity to booming University City to the south, and Fairmount Park within walking distance to the north, we expect new construction to rise on the adjacent vacant parcels in the near future, as well.
Once that occurs, the development node will create a cluster of modern buildings that will add a contemporary touch to the classic prewar district lined with two- and three-story rowhomes and the magnificent Georgian Renaissance-styled Community Church of God rising half a block away at 4201 Parrish Street.
817-19 North 42nd Street. Looking northwest. Credit: Google Maps
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Martin Askin died January 2, 1993 in St Petersburg Fl
and property was sold during probate on November 23, 2020.
Neither he nor is estate was a party to this action.