Prewar

1939 South 5th Street. Building rendering. Credit: Toner Architects via the City of Philadelphia

Permits Issued for Vertical Expansion at 1939 South 5th Street in Wharton, South Philadelphia

Permits have been issued for a renovation and vertical extension of a two-story building at 1939 South 5th Street in Wharton, South Philadelphia. The development is situated at the northeast corner of South 5th and McKean streets. Designed by Toner Architects, the new overbuild will add a third story and 1,216 square feet to the existing 2,657-square-foot building. The resulting mixed-use structure will span 3,873 square feet and feature ground-floor commercial space, an artist studio, two residential units, and a single-car garage. Permits list Gina L. Romano as the contractor and specify a total improvement cost of $490,000, of which $375,000 comprises the construction cost.

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3926 Haverford Avenue. Photo by Jamie Meller. October 2022

Renovation Complete at 3926 Haverford Avenue in Mantua, West Philadelphia

As seen in a recent site visit by Philly YIMBY, renovation and expansion has been completed at a three-story prewar rowhouse at 3926 Haverford Avenue in Mantua, West Philadelphia. The development stands at the south side of the block between North 39th Street and Lancaster Avenue. With Haverford Square Designs as the renovation architect, the 3,000-square-foot building gained an additional 1,200 square feet via a rear expansion, and now houses six residential units. Permits list Haverford Sq GC LLC as the contractor and specify a construction cost of $45,000.

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Harper Square. Image via centercityphila.org

Construction Anticipated at Harper Square at 113-21 South 19th Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City

One of the most exciting development proposals on Philadelphia’s drawing boards is Harper Square at 113-21 South 19th Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City. Designed by DAS Architecture and Planning and developed by Pearl Properties, the slim skyscraper is planned to rise 620 feet and 52 stories tall. The 267,874-square-foot structure will hold 215 residential units and 30,180 square feet of commercial space and incorporate existing historic buildings into the base. So far, only a preliminary approval permit had been issued, meaning that construction must await further permits to start, yet we still saw it fitting to visit the site of the proposal to document its current condition, which we share in the photos below.

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1826 Chestnut Street. Looking southeast. Credit: Goodman Properties

Still No Signs of Progress at 1826 Chestnut Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City

In December 2020, SkyscraperPage forumer FairmountFellow revealed a pair of renderings showing a skyscraper situated atop the prewar building at 1826 Chestnut Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City, which they purportedly observed in a “local cooperative presentation.” The rendering shows a floor count of around 42 stories and indicates that the project would be developed by Goodman Properties. The development’s location next to the proposed high-rise at 113-121 South 19th Street suggests a height of around 550 feet. Although there are indications that the development is still active, no permits have been filed in the meantime and information on the project remains exceedingly scarce. We dispatched our photographer to the site to check for signs of progress, yet none were to be found, with a CVS Pharmacy still operating out of the former theater building.

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Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School at 6523 Lansdowne Avenue, prior to demolition. Credit: Ewing Cole via the Civic Design Review

Prewar Beaux-Arts School to be Torn Down and Replaced at Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School at 6523 Lansdowne Avenue in Overbrook, West Philadelphia

A major redevelopment project is in the works at the Lewis C. Cassidy Elementary School at 6523 Lansdowne Avenue in Overbrook, West Philadelphia, spanning an entire city block bound by Lansdowne Avenue to the south, Haddington Lane to the north, Atwood Road to the east, and Kenmore Road to the west. Designed by Ewing Cole, the new school building will rise three stories and span 87,727 square feet, offering space for 570 students in Pre-K through eighth grade. While we admire the contemporary design and the city’s $30-million investment in state-of-the-art educational space, we are concerned with the fact that the project involves a full demolition of a stately prewar school building.

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