We’ve covered many former industrial buildings in Kensington and Fishtown over the years, detailing adaptive reuse projects as former factories and warehouses are converted to apartments and commercial spaces. We’ve even seen interest in converting buildings in other pockets of the River Wards, like a dye works in Harrowgate that we covered several years ago. In November, a proposal came down the pike to convert two vacant floors of a former knitting machinery manufacturing factory in Juniata Park into apartments, which seemed like a slam dunk. But the ZBA denied the variance request.
The former H. Brinton Company facility at 3700 Kensington Ave. produced much of the machinery used by the surrounding hosiery and textile mills back in the day when Philadelphia was not just one of the largest producers of garments in the world, but a major center of carpet weaving and rug making. Much has changed about the surrounding blocks since this three story building was first erected a century ago, with the construction of the elevated rail tracks only a few feet away from the upper floors of the building’s facade being perhaps the most noticeable.
More recently the first floor of the building has been used for warehousing, wholesale drug sales, and janitorial supplies, while the second and third level have not been utilized much beyond storage for quite awhile. There’s a charming ghost sign on the side of the building, hearkening back to when a druggist’s shop apparently occupied part of the building.
When the ZBA denies an application for a variance, a developer has the opportunity to make a motion for reconsideration, if they think that there was a material error in the zoning board’s ruling. The developers indeed made such a motion and the board had a new hearing earlier this week. After “reconsidering” the case, the ZBA had a collective change of heart and this time voted to give the green light to this adaptive re-use project. With the plans now approved, look for a mix of studios, one bedrooms, and two bedroom units on the upper floors, with a total of 64 apartments planned.
Much of the hearing was dedicated to addressing how the property will deal with the trash produced by the new tenants, as well as clarifying how the residents will access their apartments above the ground floor. The updated proposal also clarifies the project will include 55 surface parking spots, accessible off Kensington Avenue.
Successfully incorporating the existing structural pillars into the layouts of the new apartments will be incredibly important to making these units appealing to potential residents, but the noise issue could prove a major challenge for the units along Kensington Avenue. Even with reconstruction work in the last few decades, there’s only so much that can be done to mitigate the sound of the El rumbling past. Future residents might have some great views of SEPTA’s new MFL cars in a few years, and they’ll surely know when they’re coming and going.
With strong support from both the Juniata Park Civic Association and the Harrowgate Civic Association and non-opposition from the district councilmember, we’re still unclear how the project was initially denied. But we’re certainly happy to see the ZBA grant the variance to allow this adaptive reuse project to move forward, even if belatedly. We’ll call it a double-win for the community, in that this project will both preserve an existing building and add new housing along a transit corridor. More of this, please!