We were walking down Tasker Street shortly after polishing off a delicious slice from Francoluigi's when a rather massive structure caught our eye on the 1500 block of Camac Street. This block seemed oddly familiar, and then we realized that we'd covered this project back when it was first proposed in the beginning of 2014. At that time, snow was on the ground and 1536 Camac St. was an unimpressive one-story garage.
Back in 2014, we told you that the Forte Development Group bought the property the year before and presented plans for a two-story addition with two apartments and parking to the Passyunk Square Civic Association, getting a vote of non-opposition. At the time, we made a point to mention that the project would stray from the two-story homes found on the rest of the block. Boy, we weren't kidding.
You can see, the developers have preserved the cornice line with the adjacent home to the south and they've set back the upper story. Even so, the building, now under serious construction after some delays, really stands out as you look up the block from Tasker Street. We wonder whether it will have less of a looming presence once the scaffolding comes down.
To be clear though, we're not complaining about this project. The one-story garage was a clear underuse for a desirable parcel, and to be able to fit two units with parking onto this property is a win in our book. The property sits just a a block away from the treasure trove of Passyunk Avenue, and some of the tastiest pizza in town is just around the corner. Mmmm… why'd we only get one slice today?