Permits have been issued for the construction of a four-story, five-unit multi-family building at 4931 Germantown Avenue in Germantown, Northwest Philadelphia. The building will include a roof deck. In total, the structure will span 5,696 square feet of space. Architecture, Urban Design, and Policy is the design firm listed for the project.
4931 Germantown Avenue. Credit: Architecture, Urban Design, and Policy.
The new building will feature an efficient and fairly common design, but with some interesting elements. The majority of the facade will be coated in brick, matching its neighborhood surroundings. At the ground floor, the initial four feet of the structure will see the usage of stone veneer, which is likely an additional nod to the prevalent architectural heritage in Germantown. On floor two through four, a large bay window will be coated in siding, as will the structure’s sides and rear (helping save on construction costs). Some windows will feature Juliette balconies, which should allow for more appealing interior space.
4931 Germantown Avenue. Credit: Google.
The new development will be replacing a vacant lot wedged between a nice assortment of classic buildings. The lot itself is hardly anything to discuss, with a white fence separating the overgrown site from the street. However, some of the neighboring buildings are more pleasant to view. Directly to the northwest stands a single-story industrial-styled building which features an attractive brick facade. Though the building has seen better days and appears to be largely unused, there is undeniable potential for a possible commercial renovation and/or an overbuild. To the southeast stands a pair of handsome brick rowhomes that feature attractive brick exteriors with unique dormer windows at the third floor.
4931 Germantown Avenue. Credit: Google.
The site sits on a stretch of Germantown Avenue that has not seen much redevelopment recently. However, given the proximity to Wayne Junction in one direction, and the center of Germantown in the other, it makes plenty of sense to be adding this density at the location. Given the increased development activity in Germantown as a whole, it will be important to create more dense infill to add units and help prevent existing resident displacement.
No completion date is known for the project at this time.
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It would be nice to know what the future holds for the one-story brick building next door. I would hate to see it torn down. The twin on the other side looks to be in great shape. I would prefer to see a 3 story building as opposed to a four-story with a pilot house….
Will the apartments have washer and dryers in the unit oh And will there be substitutes available if so I would like to put my name on the list now