Passyunk Avenue has grown by leaps and bounds in the last decade, with new shops and restaurants seemingly opening in every available retail space. With space now becoming more of a premium, rents are beginning to tick up, with local crush El Zarape moving to a new location for just that reason. Also possibly due to improving economic conditions on the Avenue, some property owners are making new investments in their properties to make them attractive to potential tenants. Take, for example, 1535 S. 11th St., a building located next to Fond and across the street from the Singing Fountain.

It's one off the corner

Closeup of the property

As you can see, the building is currently set up for residential use despite its extremely desirable location. So last month, the owners of this property appeared before the Passyunk Square Civic Association Zoning Committee to drum up support to create a commercial space in the building and a residential space above. The hope is to create a vanilla box that a chef, ostensibly for a BYOB, can come in and finish off as he or she sees fit. The owners also have proposed a small first-floor addition and to replace the first floor facade with storefront glass and operable windows. The PSCA voted not to oppose the project, which is designed by architect Christopher Stromberg, who was also involved in the Carpenter Square project at 17th & Carpenter.

The fountain, across the street

There’s no question that this location is excellent, right in the thick of the Passyunk Avenue commercial corridor. And with several new developments coming online in the neighborhood in the next 12-18 months, there will be more locals than ever patronizing businesses on the Avenue. Hopefully, a chef or restauranteur will see the space, fall in love with the space, and open the next big thing to come to Passyunk.

–Lou Mancinelli