In Passyunk Square, developers continue to envision worthy investments. Last month, members of the Passyunk Square Civic Association heard a proposal to build three single-family homes near 7th & Wharton.
Developers presented plans to build the homes at 738-44 Wharton St., which would replace an out-of-use one-story garage and former plumber's office. The parcel was purchased in December by Broad Bay Investors for $215K. This is an interesting example of infill development along a block that has a variety of two and three story row homes, some of which date back a century and some of which are only about a decade old. So we wonder whether the designs will reflect the traditional brick fabric or if the architects will use a more contemporary approach we've been seeing in other neighborhoods.
This proposal is one of a number of projects that have rolled through Passyunk Square like a dominos. Just up the street at 12th & Wharton, the Wharton Lofts are coming online after a year of renovation work to convert the former Annunciation BVM school into lofts and apartments. The adaptive reuse of buildings has been a thread we've been espying across Passyunk Square. Back in February we told you about plans to transform another building, this time an old garage, near 12th & Tasker.
Passyunk Square is different from many of the other neighborhoods we cover because much of the older housing stock has remained intact and occupied over the years. We do wonder, as development continues to progress in this neighborhood, whether we'll see an uptick in one-off demolitions and rehabs, especially close to Passyunk Avenue. Seems likely, as larger development sites seem to be getting harder to come by around these parts.