It’s sat vacant for two decades and though Brandywine Realty Trust purchased 1919 Market St. for $9.3M early in 2011, two years later its vision and any action pertaining to active development of the lot have apparently stalled.

Overhead of the lot

The site has been featured in various plans since it was first razed to make room for a twin to the Blue Cross Blue Shield building. Most recent plans depicted a mixed-use 25-story 293 residential unit tower, with additional related uses, and a parking garage with 286 spaces and a driveway on Market Street. Developers plan to eventually meet with appropriate members of the relevant civic organizations, including Logan Square Neighborhood Association and Center City Residents Association to discuss the matter. But the ZBA has postponed the matter indefinitely.

A recent rendering

“I read nothing into it other than they are busy up around the University of Pennsylvania with other things,” said Ed Panek, LSNA zoning chair, about whether he thought this meant the project itself was stalled indefinitely altogether.

The company has no comment at this time, according to a Brandywine spokesperson.

Hopefully, Mr. Panek is correct, and Brandywine is simply too tied up in University City working on the development of Cira South. For now though, 1919 Market remains a rather embarrassing vacant lot in the heart of the Center City business district. Sure, it served as a Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Pop Up Garden the summer before last, but its future, for now, seems to be a repeat of its past. Big plans, lots of talk, but little walking.

–Lou Mancinelli