Over the years, we've visited the 400 block of Fairmount a few times, and we've already seen some changes take place. Notably, Callahan Ward built three homes with parking on a deep lot at 444-48 Fairmount Ave., getting an extra home in the project by orienting the homes toward a drive-aisle instead of the street. We walked through one of them right after construction wrapped up, and we can tell you first hand they're pretty sweet. Along those lines, another three homes are now under construction at 414 Fairmount Ave., a project we first told you about in the end of 2013. Back then, plans called for four triplexes. The neighborhood zoning process led us to three homes on Fairmount, two triplexes on Wallace Street, and what looks like eight parking spots.
But these are merely the appetizer on this block. The main course is coming, and it's coming soon. We first wondered about the Trans-Atlantic building back in 2012, curious as to why this industrial relic had not yet been converted into residential use. Then, about a year and a half ago, we told you that the building would, in fact, get converted into apartments and that a bunch of homes would spring up around it. So far, the homes have started to appear (on 5th Street), and a little bit of demolition is taking place at the warehouse building. Trust us, more is coming.
If you look on the website for the project, from PRDC Developers, you can spy some renderings and floorplans of what's to come. You can also see that twenty five townhomes are planned (priced in the mid-$500s), and forty-one apartments are being created in what's left of the warehouse building. The renderings look solid.
We'll be interested to see the new homes go up, but it will be really amazing to see the residential conversion. When all of this is finished, this block will have changed dramatically- and if you ask us, it will be for the better. Let's hear it for holding onto a little bit of Northern Liberties' industrial history!