Philly YIMBY’s recent site visit has revealed no signs of construction at the site of a 13-story, 162-unit building proposed at 1428 Callowhill Street in Spring Garden, Lower North Philadelphia, though construction permits have been issued at the end of last year. Designed by j2a Architects, the building will span 117,624 square feet. The development will feature parking for 31 cars and 74 bicycles. Permits list BSI Construction as the contractor and construction costs of $19 million.
1428 Callowhill Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. June 2022
1428 Callowhill Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. June 2022
1428 Callowhill Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. June 2022
1428 Callowhill Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. June 2022
YIMBY last reported on the development at the start of January, shortly after permits were issued on New Year’s Eve just days prior, within hours of the expiration of the full ten-year tax abatement program for new residential construction. Although some projects that have received permits during the end-of-year filing frenzy have already progressed as far as to completion of foundations, our visit to 1428 Callowhill Street discovered no signs of construction whatsoever, with a parking lot still operating at the site.
The building will rise from an irregular, L-shaped site at the intersection of Callowhill and North 15th streets, although the property does not include the parcel facing the street intersection directly. The proposal makes very effective use of the lot, where it replaces a parking lot without displacing any of the prewar buildings that comprise the densely built-out lot.
Rendering of 1428-38 Callowhill Street. Credit: J2a Architects.
Rendering of 1428-38 Callowhill Street. Credit: J2a Architects.
Aerial view of 1428-38 Callowhill Street. Credit: Google.
Rendering of 1428-38 Callowhill Street. Credit: J2a Architects.
1428-38 Callowhill Street. Rendering credit: J2a Architects
The site is situated across the street to the southeast of the Philadelphia Inquirer building, and will rise prominently enough to share local skyline with its iconic neighbor. Being located a block to the north of the Interstate 676, aka Vine Street Expressway, it will also make for a minor contribution and northward extension of the skyline of Center City, which nominally starts just to the south of the Expressway.
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Developer?
David,
Last Summer I rode past the sign that was posted ‘Coming Soon ‘Westwood Suites’. It was going to be a Hotel with more than 200 rooms, do you know what happened to the developer?
The rendering doesn’t show any signage indicating that it is a ‘Westwood Suites Hotel’
I’m in agreement with Tom’s assessment of the building’s design.
KS
GOOD DESIGN – WITH … VIA THE ‘BLANK’ WALL, ‘THINGS TO COME!
Weird site planning. Goofy setback. This is “good” to some people?
What about the three story prewar building which sticks out like a sore thumb and needs to be torn down.
Could be a dispute with the Historical people that is holding up the project.