Is there any place in Philadelphia that’s better than Old City on a sunny day? Maybe, but we’ll be doggoned if it’s not up near the very top. One part of Old City that doesn’t get as much love as the more famous stops towards Independence Hall is the north end, which is a quiet little hamlet when compared to the rest of the hustle and bustle further to the south. Cut off by the Ben Franklin Bridge on one side and the 676 on-ramp on the other, this nook has two similarly sized projects proposed – and we’re pleased to say, both are seeing dirt move. Let’s take to the skies to see the two properties in question, conveniently highlighted for your reference.

Let’s start with the property in blue, at 416 Vine St., where there have been several design iterations for this mixed-use project. Formerly a low-rise industrial building, Lily Development has cleared the way for this Ambit Architecture-designed building. This will house 75 units over commercial space, and it seems as if we do indeed have a new design. With the foundations now underway, it looks like we’ll see a lighter color and some rounded windows, too. Called Lotus Lofts, this six-story building near the base of the bridge will also include 13 parking spaces. Let’s check out the progress so far as well as those new renderings.

Stepping just a half block north to the intersection of 5th & Wood, another project of nearly identical scale is proposed. After old plans called for a 50-unit building, new plans from TierView Development and Canno Design bump the size to 74-units. Also rising six floors, this project is slated to have 16 parking spaces, along with 25 bicycle spaces for this residential only project. With some of the units having their own entrances, we could see this serving at least in part as short term stay units, though this is completely speculative. With some dirt already dug, the wires wrapped in orange, and a recently issued zoning permit in hand, we hope to see this one start moving in tandem with its southern neighbor.

We absolutely love seeing this action happening on what we would call underutilized space. Losing a parking lot and a not so impressive building and seeing just under 150 units instead is a huge win on our scorecard. This also serves as further connective tissue between the scarring that took place between Northern Liberties and Old City several decades back. Let’s hope that these impacted neighborhoods continue to be stitched back together as new projects continue to bloom on either side of Callowhill.