Members of the Norris Square Civic Association and Councilwoman Quinones Sanchez have resolved their differences regarding the St. Boniface Development, at least formally.

Construction ongoing

Instead of building 15 multi-family units on the site of the former church, located at Diamond and Hancock Streets, seven single-family homes will be constructed on the site of the demolished church, according to Sanchez. Renderings for the new homes can be seen here.

Renderings of the future homes

NSCA announced the news via a press release back in June. According to Sanchez, both parties communicate with one another often on matters ranging from this development to others to everyday life in the area. Sanchez said she is committed to working with NSCA to find another site to house the 15-unit multi-family affordable-housing project originally planned for the St. Boniface complex.…

A 15-unit mixed income development in Norris Square on the site of the former St. Boniface Church at Diamond and Hancock Sts., demolished last year, is the center in a vortex of heated debate between local residents and Councilwoman Maria Quiñones Sanchez.

Construction site

Another angle

Now that the City Planning Commission voted 5-2 last month to approve Sanchez’s recently drafted bill to change the zoning in the area immediately surrounding the development from R10 to R10A, a residential zoning distinction that allows for the construction of only single-family dwellings, City Council will vote on the issue in the near future.

Construction permits have already been acquired, but leaders of the Norris Square Civic Association think Sanchez acted too quickly and failed to collect adequate community input. Tensions surfaced during the Planning Commission hearing last…

As the development in Northern Liberties seems to seep in all directions and inspire development projects in the Spring Garden/West Poplar/Spring Arts (we have some new info about this area coming soon) and Fishtown neighborhoods, the Norris Square Civic Association is playing its part in making progress for its community in Kensington.

Looking west

It has plans to break ground this spring (perhaps by May 1) on the construction 10 single-family homes at 312 – 423 W. Susquehanna Ave., according to Maria Camoratto, director of real estate development for NSCA. Five of the homes are earmarked for low-income housing, which means for people who make under 50% of the Philadelphia Average Median Income (AMI – average income of household), which was about $36K from 2006-2010. The other five homes are priced for low-low-income housing, which is defined as for families that…

The abandoned St. Boniface Church of West Kensington held its last service in 2006 and the building has been vacant ever since. During the last year of the church’s life, it’s been in the worst shape we’ve seen it and the deterioration has become overwhelming. Stained glass windows were replaced with Plexiglas and, according to an official letter written by the Archdiocese and Redemptorist, the church’s structure is falling apart mainly because it is made of brownstone (others seem to think it was due to poor upkeep as well as a $7M price tag that would come along with all necessary repairs).

The Norris Square Civic Association (NSCA) bought the church, whose buildings cover the entire block (Norris Square), and has reached out for the help of the Community Design Collaborative to figure out the best way to revitalize the footprint of the…