We produce so much content here at Naked Philly, sometimes we forget what we've covered and what we haven't. When a reader checked in recently with a rendering for an affordable housing building at 810 Arch St., we couldn't believe we hadn't heard about it. And then we realized that we actually had heard about it. And we'd written about it. Twice. Oops.
We first told you about this project almost two years ago, when we spotted a zoning application for a nine-story building with 112 units but couldn't get any more info. We followed up in June of 2013 with some actual details on the project, explaining that it would be a collaboration between Project H.O.M.E. and the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation and that the unit count had dipped to 94 apartments. The entire project will be affordable, with roughly half of the units will be offered to clients of Project H.O.M.E., and the other half targeting elderly Chinatown residents. Groundbreaking took place very recently, according to a press release, and the building should be done in about a year. Looking at the rendering, the nine-story building will be a nice addition to the block.
Of course, with a disgusting looking parking garage next door, the block will continue to be dragged down.
But plans to renovate the garage, if they get off the ground, would make a huge difference. The block of 8th Street that sits under the garage has already gotten considerable work done, perhaps the outside is next on the docket.
Wow, is this block ever in store for some positive changes.