Last month, members of the Fishtown Neighbors Association zoning committee approved new owner Andy Kaplin's plans to build a retail space in the first-floor at 1546-48 Frankford Ave., a building that currently looks pretty terrible.

 

 

 

It's a drab looking three-story corner structure with a shoddy looking whale gray-blue faux-stucco ground floor. Siding once adorned the upper floors, but it's since been removed. It also happens to be huge, stretching back quite a ways down Oxford Street. Expect a quality contemporary rehab here from Ambit Architecture, the same folks who designed the new storefront for an upcoming pho place on Girard Avenue. Also expect for the eight apartment units in the building to be completely renovated.

 

 

Just across the street, a newly renovated storefront is still empty, though the 'For Rent' sign has disappeared. And a former bar across Frankford is also waiting for a new business. We mentioned last week, the renovated warehouse that was to be a restaurant but now won't is also awaiting commercial activity. So while it's true that the block has seen considerable change in the last year or so, looking forward another year should bring multiple new businesses to the block. This seems highly appropriate given what's happened on other blocks of Frankford Avenue of late. Looking forward to seeing what businesses appear.