Construction work has not yet started at Engine 29 Firehouse, a renovation and expansion project at 1221-25 North 4th Street in Olde Kensington, as noted in a recent site visit by Philadelphia YIMBY. The development will involve a rear five-story addition to the existing three-story firehouse. The ground floor of the existing structure will be renovated into commercial space, while the upper floors will be converted into nine residential units. Designed by Continuum Architecture, the new addition will allow the development to include an additional 20 residential units, as well as parking for 14 cars and 15 bicycles.
1221-25 North 4th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. September 2022
1221-25 North 4th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. September 2022
1221-25 North 4th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. September 2022
1221-25 North 4th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. September 2022
1221-25 North 4th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. September 2022
1221-25 North 4th Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. September 2022
The structure is notable for its exquisite ornamentation wrought in a Romanesque Revival style. The new addition, with its facade of red brick and what appears to be copper paneling that will weather into a pleasant green patina, will be a proper addition to the stately original building, while a series of cascading green roofs and roof decks will effectively integrate the elevation change.
Rendering of 1221-25 North 4th Street. Credit: Continuum Architecture.
Rendering of 1221-25 North 4th Street. Credit: Continuum Architecture.
The Route 15 trolley runs half a block to the south on Girard Avenue, and the Girard Station on the Market-Frankford Line is situated within a ten-minute walk to the southeast. The project at 1221-25 North 4th Street promises to be a fine addition to the neighborhood, and we look forward to further progress on the development.
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You could putt with your Scotty Cameron Newport putter on the turf on the roof!
It’s not exactly true that “construction work has not started”. They’ve been regularly working on it. If you look in the back you can see all the progress. They’ve just been keeping front facing work low key looking.