The last time we visited the 2400 block of Frankford Avenue was about half a year ago, when we told you about three new buildings on the block. The most unique of those new buildings is now getting a new neighbor, or at the very least there's a new hole in the ground next door.

Construction activity

2418-24 Frankford Ave. has been vacant and overgrown for at least a decade, though it's changed hands four times in that period. Developers most recently purchased the parcel about a year ago, paying roughly $400K for this quadruple-wide parcel that sits very close to the Philadelphia Brewing Company.

PBC is pretty much next door

The last listing touted plans for two new mixed-use buildings on this site, and even included a snazzy rendering.

Rendering from the listing

According to the permits, though, this project has eliminated the commercial, instead opting for a pair of seven unit buildings. We must confess, we're a little confused here. According to the L&I Map, these parcels are zoned for mixed-use, but looking at the permit applications for the project, the City believed that they were zoned for multi-family use. Assuming multi-family zoning, this project got approved as a by-right build. Assuming commercial zoning, it would have required a variance. Does anyone have any insight into what happened here?