Before developers can build a combo of condos and single-family homes, three condos at 708-712 N. American and three single-family's at 701-05 of block of N. Bodine they'll have to reappear before the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association with amended plans that address the parking situation.
“Neighbors across the street had a lot to say,” said Larry Freedman, NLNA zoning chair.
They had a lot to say about the proposed three condos at 708-12 N. American St. that would take the place of the F Lotierzo & Sons masonry warehouse and garage that now stands at the site, according to Freedman. He explained that many neighbors liked the preexisting building and wanted to explore the possibility of converting the building into residential units. Developers did present alternative plans, according to Freedman, designed by KJO Architecture, that flirted with constructing only two homes on American. At issue was curb-cuts. Neighbors, according to Freedman, would rather see the condo building built at ground level, instead of having a parking setup underneath the building like at many condos down the shore. The difference between one and two curb-cuts, Freedman explained, has much to do with how the building would look to residents who already live on the block. As for Bodine St., the plans pointed to three single-family homes.
Whatever pans out in the coming months, one thing is for certain, this summer in Northern Liberties it's all about infill development. This project would raze (though it may in the end convert) an old warehouse tucked among a string of homes along Bodine Street. As for the N. American side of the project, the 700 block has recently undergone some modern rebuilding, as just at the end of the block at Brown, there is a 10-story building with a ground-floor parking setup, similar to the one proposed in this project. The theme of the summer seems to be what was once industrial is now good residential. It's an interesting glimpse at the evolving character of early 21st-century Northern Liberties.