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Fri
Jul 27
2012

Homes Replacing the Pain Center Will Be Less, Uh, Painful

Back in April, we told you about developer Virgil Procaccino’s plans to demolish the brutalist, forty year old building that houses the Pain Center, and replace it with six single-family homes. Earlier this week, the developer, his attorney, and Rustin Ohler from Harman Deutsch presented plans for this site to the ZBA. We were able to get our mitts on the renderings for this project, and they are a vast improvement over the building that’s there now.

Not a prison

View from 12th Street

The six homes will be fairly tall, at nearly forty-five feet over four stories. They will have three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and three half bathrooms. That’s a lot of bathroom in every house. Each will have roof decks, as well as two-car parking, accessed through a shared driveway in the rear, with cars entering on Rodman Street and exiting on Lombard Street. The nice thing about this approach is that it not only reduces the number of curb cuts that would be required if each home had individual garages, but it also dramatically improves the pedestrian experience on 12th Street.

Elevations on Lombard Street

Elevations on Rodman Street

The homes, at least on the outside, will have a very contemporary look, with a mix of brick veneers and metal siding. The windows and the front door also have a look that’s more Northern Liberties than Wash West. But it makes sense that the developer is attempting something unique for the area, as they will need to get top dollar to recoup what we can only imagine is a very high up-front cost for the parcel. We’re expecting to see these homes listed above $1M easy, though that is, we confess, speculation.

What do people think? Will buyers come running for these new homes, or are they too contemporary for the area? Will the developers get the price they need to make this project a win? Is anyone else digging the ivy-like substance on the northern and southern sides of this development?

23
COMMENTS
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Posted in Washington Square West | Tagged , , , , , , , | 23 Comments
  • Anonymous

    Should be a mid-rise between 5 to 8 stories going in this spot.  They’re townhomes and because there are fewer units they’ll be going for fortune where as condos would be more affordable and more ideal considering this is center city.

  • Phillycb

    Why do developers insist on putting floor to ceiling windows on bedroom levels on small philly streets?

  • Guest

    Soon there will be more driveways than real backyards in Philadelphia.

  • 3rd&Brown

    Because they’re awesome.

  • 3rd&Brown

    Oh well. It’s better than a garage front townhouse. Not everyone wants a yard. Plenty of homes have them if it’s a requirement.

  • Veillantif

    But there’s only one more driveway involved in this, and not six. I hope more developments follow examples like this. 

  • Veillantif

    It minimizes the chances that you’ll have to take a dump while someone’s sitting near the door. 

  • Allitia

    Should be a mid-rise here, but if it must be single-family these will be just fine.  I have to think, though, that Naked Philly may have been leaked bad bathroom info.  6 bathrooms in a four-story SFH seems a bit Freudian, no?

  • http://twitter.com/brianbrews Brian Marsh

    This is an improvement over the Pain Center parking lot.

  • Guest

    I’m thinking these guys way over paid for this property if they are going to build 6 homes. It was listed for $3mill and still shows as pending on the MLS. This could be a purchase price of upwards of $500k/lot before they even demolish the existing building. Not a good start.

  • Guest

    Can someone in this town for Christ sake please hire a different Architect. If I see another Harmon Deutch  Mc-House I’m going to puke.

  • CW Mote

    This is why Lombard will never be Center City. To live in a house in a high-density area with two parking spots and SIX bathrooms, you have to be pretty crazy at both ends.

  • CW Mote

    This is why Lombard will never be Center City. To live in a house in a high-density area with two parking spots and SIX bathrooms, you have to be pretty crazy at both ends.

  • Frankwhite

    I would live there. 

  • liu

    about time this location will be improved!  if this development is any reflection of Procaccino’s last projects, it will be a win-win for everyone. 

  • Norm

    12th St is up and coming with great things going on all around like the 13th corridor of restaurants and shops, Nest children’s recreation center, and all the Avenue of the Arts venues. I love the contemporary clean look of the houses and feel they would lighter the whole area. The green wall vegetation is a definite plus!!!

  • Queen Village Native

    Woah go Virgil!!! Big improvement for 12th st. — will help real estate value and neighborhood look along with adding 6 new families to area in modern urban homes. Always exciting to see center city neighborhoods continue to develop and expand and rid themselves of old, rundown buildings for family properties. I dig it naked philly.

  • http://twitter.com/McJenna McJenna

    These will be nice for those suffering from incontinence.

  • http://autoserviciosm.shikshik.org/2012/08/03/pain-center/ Pain center | Autoserviciosm

    [...] Homes Replacing the Pain Center Will Be Less, Uh, Painful … [...]

  • C.W. Mote

    Fencing is up, demo looks imminent.

  • Garrett

    two sold already…

  • Garrett

    There’s a bathroom on every floor and one private one in each bedroom (The basement is finished). Very convenient. Top of the line fixtures and PEX system so each fixture is a home run to a manifold. This means no fittings behind walls, flushing the toilet won’t affect the temperature in the shower, and hot water gets to you faster. Plus, a pressure pump is installed to boost the city pressure.

  • Garrett

    More renderings and details of interior layout here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en829fYYh44&feature=youtu.be#

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