Permits have been issued for the construction of a three-story mixed-use building at 436 Diamond Street in Norris Square, North Philadelphia. The structure will replace a vacant lot at the southwest corner of Diamond and North Orkney Street. Designed by SanBarDesign, the project will span 1,883 square feet and will feature a basement, commercial space at the ground level and two residential units above. Permits list Elkins LTD as the contractor and specify a construction cost of $280,000, of which $55,000 is allocated toward construction.
436 Diamond Street. Location map. Credit: SanBarDesign via the City of Philadelphia
436 Diamond Street. Aerial view. Credit: SanBarDesign via the City of Philadelphia
436 Diamond Street. Site conditions prior to redevelopment. Looking southwest. April 2023. Credit: Google Maps
The building will measure 13 feet wide facing Diamond Street and 45 feet long along Orkney Street, where an 11-foot-deep yard will also be situated. The structure will rise 38 feet to the main roof (41 feet to the top of the parapet), a generous height for a three-story structure, which will allow for lofty ten-foot-plus ceilings. The design appears to feature context-friendly brick at the lower level and horizontal siding on the two upper-floor cantilevers. Surprisingly, in contrast to most new developments throughout the city, the project does not appear to include a roof deck.
436 Diamond Street. Site plan. Credit: SanBarDesign via the City of Philadelphia
436 Diamond Street. Building elevations. Credit: SanBarDesign via the City of Philadelphia
Although apparently occupied by a rowhouse in the past, the project lot has sat vacant for well over a decade. Although the impending loss of two mature, roughly 30-foot-tall trees will be unfortunate, the new building and its retail space will make for a great addition for the intersection, which is also home to the William McKinley School, situated at its northeast corner. We hope to see a similar development rise at the also currently vacant lot at the intersection’s southeast corner in the near future.
436 Diamond Street will rise around two blocks to the northeast of Cousin’s Supermarket, a major local food retailer, and within a roughly ten-minute walk to Norris Square Park and Temple University, which are situated to the east and to the west, respectively. the route 39 bus runs along West Susquehanna Avenue a block to the north.
North Orkney Street, with 436 Diamond Streeton the left. Site conditions prior to redevelopment. Looking north. April 2023. Credit: Google Maps
436 Diamond Street. Zoning table. Credit: SanBarDesign via the City of Philadelphia
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That was my home I was born there my father had a buther store 39 years we had to walk away from it but changed an he had to leave because of changed when I saw on your site I just cry my eyes out 40 years I wist I could move there thank you it was call bill meat