Over the last year or more, we've documented a variety of projects that have popped up on Front Street in Northern Liberties. Most recently, we updated you on eight homes under construction on the 900 block, with plans for some more next door. These are rising across the street from eleven new homes that are basically next to I-95. And just to the south, the Penn Treaty Village Pennthouses have been under construction for the better part of two years, with the second building now hitting the home stretch. At the corner of Front & Fairmount, the development train is continuing to rumble.
Developers for 700 N. Front St. went before NLNA last summer and weren't exactly embraced for their proposal to build four homes with garages on a lot that was a community garden for some time. Still it seems they were able to get approval from the ZBA to build this project, designed by KJO Architecture. Check out the renderings:
As you can see, these homes will have a somewhat unusual floor plan. Wider than the average new construction, the homes will be almost square-shaped, with a wonderful open living space on the 2nd floor. Also, we should mention that we dig the fourth-floor balcony over the bay window. And the architecture does have a nice contemporary look to it.
With a ton of development around these parts of late, it's clear to us that people are willing and eager to move here despite the close proximity to the highway. It likewise seems that fears that the existence of Sugarhouse might somehow depress real estate value or demand nearby were overblown. We'll still be interested to see how quickly there developers can find buyers, and at what price.