Real estate development can be a touchy subject at times, as people have wildly different opinions regarding density, parking, architecture, affordability, and so forth. Whatever your position on one of these subjects, there’s definitely someone out there who thinks you are the biggest fool on the planet. But there’s one issue that comes to mind that seems to always lead to a better understanding, even if agreement isn’t always the end result. Any guesses what we’re referring to?

Neighborhoods, specifically where they start and end. Ask ten people to define “Kensington” or “Callowhill” and you’re very likely to get ten different answers. Basically, we don’t get upset when someone says we have identified the “wrong” neighborhood, because to them, perhaps we have! And today, as we visit 2525 E. York St., the former site of the Philadelphia Beer Company, we have a funny feeling that people will have something to say about our decision either way. This site on the border of Fishtown/Olde Richmond/Port Richmond is due for a major change no matter which neighborhood you think this property falls in. Currently fenced off, the site consists of a low-rise building sitting in the midst of a surface parking lot.

Developers Lark Management have brought on Harman Deutsch Ohler to design a four-story, mixed-use development, according to a recent Civic Design Review submission packet. Proposed is an 87-unit building, which would feature apartments over 38 ground-level parking spaces for this CMX-2 zoned property. Also included would be nearly 8,000 sqft of commercial space fronting York, with the open parking accessed through a curb cut on the much smaller Boston St. to the north. 35 bicycles spaces are also included, along with a green roof to add to the environmentally-favorable bona fides.

We are always big, big fans of residential density, so we are loving the inclusion of this many units on a site that is already zoned for mixed use. What we aren’t so fond of by rule is the inclusion of so much parking, especially given that zero spaces are mandated for CMX-2 zoning, meaning a trip to the ZBA is likely in the future for this project as well. We understand that this isn’t the most transit-friendly site, but the total is perhaps a touch high for our tastes. And while we appreciate the use of brick on the ground level, the mass of gray, corrugated paneling on the upper floors feels a bit out of context here, despite its proximity to the hyper-industrial Galvo. We would imagine that the CDR board might have some (non-binding) ideas about the design come the early June meeting, so perhaps this will see some tweaks before it comes to life.

While we’re here, we can point to some really, really handsome projects very close by, from the very same HDO team that designed this project. Immediately catty-corner to this project, the Hagert Estates are getting close to completion. These 31 townhouses from Bullard Builders are for-sale units, and we’d imagine that people will be quickly eating up this mix of single-family homes and duplexes.

Just a block down York, the Riverwards Group brought on HDO to design The Lenora, which we visited in February 2022 as things were getting started. Originally slated as condos, this 42-unit building will now feature apartments, along with plenty of amenities, for what has quickly become an obvious landmark, thanks to the illuminated (and impossible-to-miss) FISHTOWN sign that proudly states their thoughts on the neighborhood conundrum.

This part of York St. is quickly changing, with more and more residents where businesses once stood. The corridor is transitioning from being almost entirely auto-dependent, to one where the pedestrian experience is becoming more welcoming, even with Aramingo Ave. and I-95 so close by. With a little traffic calming as one crosses Aramingo and heads to the Fishtown Crossing shopping center, one can close their eyes and imagine a quick bike ride to connect with the extended trail network under the recently-completed 95 construction. With more people living here, we may yet see a future for the Riverwards that more seamlessly ties the neighborhood with the namesake river.