Current view of 3825 Lancaster Avenue. Credit: Google.

Permits Issued for Four-Unit Building at 3825 Lancaster Avenue in Powelton Village, West Philadelphia

Permits have been issued for the construction of a four-unit multi-family building located at 3825 Lancaster Avenue in Powelton VillageWest Philadelphia. The building will rise three stories tall and hold 3,272 square feet of interior space. Construction costs estimated at $400,000. Hussein A. Kazan is listed as the design professional, with RJ Construction Services LLC specified as the contractor.

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Aerial site plan of Siena Place.

Permits Issued for Four More Single-Family Houses at Siena Place in Packer Park, South Philadelphia

Permits have been issued for the construction of additional single-family homes at Siena Place, a large development underway in Packer ParkSouth Philadelphia. Though the latest round of permits adds only four more residences, it further enhances a development that has already brought dozens of single-family homes to an untouched land parcel at the far western reaches of the neighborhood. Each of the new buildings will stand three stories tall and will feature access to a private roof deck. A garage will be included with each unit. Construction costs are estimated at $300,000 per home.

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Unfinished Liberty Place design model. Photo from Helmut Jahn

A Look at Early Iterations of Liberty Place When It Was Planned to Rise Under 500 Feet in Height

The Liberty Place complex in Center City is known for being the first building in Philadelphia to dramatically break the unofficial 548-foot height limit that was set by the statue of William Penn on top of City Hall. Upon completion, One and Two Liberty Place were the tallest skyscrapers on the skyline, standing at a height of 945 and 848 feet, respectively. The towers were designed by Helmut Jahn and developed by Rouse and Associates, which eventually became Liberty Property Trust. In this feature, Philadelphia YIMBY takes a look back at a number of early iterations of the complex when the towers were planned to stand around or under 500 feet in height.

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Norris Square Park. Credit: The Cultural Landscpe Foundation

Norris Square Ranks at Number 27 on Philly YIMBY’s First Anniversary Countdown

The 27th place in Philadelphia YIMBY’s First Anniversary Countdown, which aggregates the 31 most frequently listed article categories over the course of the past year, goes to Norris Square. The North Philadelphia neighborhood featured in at least 29 articles during the period. Unlike most neighborhoods that have been featured in the Countdown so far, such as Washington Square West, Francisville, Rittenhouse Square, and Brewerytown, Norris Square does not boast many headline-making marquee projects with flashy renderings. Instead, the district earned its rank through our coverage of its numerous smaller-scale, low- and mid-rise residential proposals, which is the kind of low-key development that comprises much of the city’s ongoing revival. Today we look at some of the most outstanding projects on the drawing boards within the district.

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The view from Arthaus looking north toward Washington Square West. Photo by Thomas Koloski

The Number 28 Spot on Philly YIMBY’s First Anniversary Countdown Goes to Washington Square West

Philadelphia YIMBY’s ongoing countdown, which looks at the 31 most frequently listed article categories over the course of the past year in honor of our first anniversary, finds Washington Square West in the 28th place, with at least 29 publications mentioning the neighborhood in its tags. Much like Rittenhouse Square, which we recently covered in the countdown, this Center City neighborhood is already well-established and densely built out. As such, instead of a pronounced development boom, it owes its high ranking to our consistent coverage of a handful of notable developments, particularly Arthaus at 311 South Broad Street. Although we have also covered several minor projects in the area, today we are taking a look at some of the most dramatic developments that will alter the local skyline.

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