It was almost two months ago that we last directed your attention to South Square, a residential development with a splash of retail on the 100 block of W. Berks, on the northern end of South Kensington. At the time, we noted that this was one of the more ambitious residential developments we’d seen in this part of the neighborhood. We also mentioned that most of the units had already sold, giving us a pretty good indication that buyers were very much on board with this kind of project at this location. So it came as no surprise that another, somewhat similar project was in the works at 150 W. Berks St., immediately next door to South Square.

At the time, we only had some of the project details and told you to expect 27 single family homes along with two mixed-use buildings, each with three condo units and a retail space on the first floor. Perhaps our info was outdated or maybe the specs changed along the way, but thanks to the CDR packet, we now have quite a bit more intel on what to expect here. The current version of the project calls for 23 town homes to go along with a pair of mixed-use buildings. The developers are laying out the site in a fairly unique way, with a drive-aisle running east-west between Mascher and Hancock Streets, and six squat homes filling an interior space on the lot. Here’s the site plan, which shows what we mean.

As is almost always the case with CDR packets, this one also provides some renderings of the project. Harman Deutsch did the design work, fyi.

Of course, the project still needs to go through the zoning process before it can move forward, but considering the similar project right next door, we don’t see how this one won’t get approved. And given the success of South Square right next door, we feel confident that this project will likewise find plenty of eager buyers, attracted by the proximity of the El and all the retail goodies in nearby Fishtown. When we were here last, we wondered about what kinds of retail tenants will fill the commercial spaces for this project and next door, and we’re still not sure what kinds of businesses will look to open up on Berks Street. It’s safe to say though, that as this immediate area sees more and more new construction, the viability of little neighborhood businesses will only increase.