A little over a year ago, we told you about Fabric Lofts, an exciting plan for an old warehouse located on the southeast corner of 5th & Monroe. At the time, the building was home to Fleishman Fabrics, a business that has since moved, logically, to Fabric Row. As you might expect, the building has a history of commercial use. Back in the 1960s, the building was host to a wallpaper business. It has maintained much of its character, making it attractive for adaptive reuse.
To remind you of the plan, developers are creating eight apartments here, made possible by the construction of a 4th floor addition. Plenty Cafe will be opening their third location on the first floor, taking up about 1,500 sqft. This will be their third location, joining their spots on Passyunk Avenue and on Spruce Street near Rittenhouse. It will also represent their largest location to date. The project rendering, posted on the fence in front of the building, shows a handsome finished product. The banner also indicates that JKR Partners did the design work.
Too often, developers demolish perfectly good buildings like this in favor of new construction. We're really pleased to see that this structure will stick around for decades to come, adding to the architectural diversity and retail vibrancy of the area. We'll be excited to see the finished product in the "flesh."