Developers for a proposed New Market Street project and members of the Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association zoning committee have been at it for months. After repeated visits to present before the neighborhood, developers tweaked a few final details and the NLNA zoning committee voted to approve the project at its Feb. 25 meeting.

The property in question

The end result will mean eleven new units at 938 New Market St., a property that extends to Hancock Street in the rear. Six rental units will be found in a building fronting New Market Street, and five condo units will be contained in two buildings fronting Hancock Street. The project, designed by Fusa Design, will transform an industrial site into residential dwellings.

Rendering of the New Market side, with plans for six units

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Earlier this week, developers presented to a very small crowd at Weccacoe Playground Building for the monthly QVNA zoning meeting. On the agenda was the redevelopment of 512-14 S. Front St., a long-vacant lot that’s been used for parking for years. The lot wraps around the building next door, extending around the corner, and covers two addresses on narrow Naudain Street.

The lot and the house next door

On Naudain

The proposal, going to the ZBA next week, is for two structures on Front Street, with a four condo building to the north and a narrower two condo building to the south. Also included in the project is a third building fronting Naudain Street, with four condo units and a drive aisle to create parking for the four Naudain units and a few of…

As you’re probably well aware, many Queen Village residents have the pleasure of basically living next door to I-95. As such, Queen Village Neighbors Association (QVNA) was granted the right to create a community parking lot several years ago under the highway at Front and Christian Streets, according to Jeff Hornstein, QVNA president. QVNA leases the land at low cost from the Interstate Land Management Corporation (ILMC), the quasi-government agency that oversees the 100-foot right-of-way on either side and underneath I-95. QVNA charges 95 people $95 a month to park there. In turn, they use the revenue generated to run their organization and to provide grants for the community through a competitive grant process. Last year, the Nebinger and Meredith Schools both received grants.

Queen Village parking lot

Now, new plans are in the works for QVNA to rent a second lot,…

Back in September, developers presented a plan for 14-22 W. Thompson St., a vacant lot just a stone’s throw from the El, to an unimpressed Fishtown Neighbors Association. According to a thread on Fishtown.us, some attitude from the developer may have turned the crowd against him, resulting in a vote against the project, with near neighbors opposing it by a vote of 21-2.

The lot

The El nearby

At an October ZBA hearing, the project was continued. Now, after a few months, the project is coming back to the ZBA tomorrow, with no additional public meetings that we’ve heard about. The application appears unchanged from a few months ago, with a proposal to build two four-unit buildings and two two-unit buildings, with a total of six parking spaces. Considering the

A year and a half ago, we first told you that the vacant YWCA building at 1607 Catharine St. was available for sale. Back in January, developers presented a plan to SOSNA to convert the building into 23 residential units with 15 parking spots, but the application was withdrawn. Yesterday, the same developers came back before the community for an information-only presentation for a new project for this site, which would include 33 residential units and 22 parking spots. And neighbors were none too pleased.

Rendering of the front

Most of the frustration from near neighbors was due to the number of units as well as a plan to demolish the rear portion of the existing structure and replace it with a five-story, sixty-seven-foot-tall addition that people fear would block their sunlight. Many residents seemed especially concerned that their roof-top…

Yesterday, fifty-nine mini parks appeared at various locations around town, with numerous groups of creative-types re-imagining the possibilities for ordinary metered parking spots. Yes, Philadelphia once again celebrated Park(ing) Day, with sunny skies and a touch of whimsy.

Map in Center City

We were cruising down Walnut Street yesterday, and