Last week, 2000 North Broad LLC, the owners of 2304-2310 N Broad St., went before the ZBA to request a number of variances to develop two properties near the intersection of Broad and W Dauphin Sts., north of Temple University.

Lookin' rough

According to the application, they intend to build two new buildings on the site, each with a commercial space on the first floor and apartments on the second and third floor. From what we can guess, that would mean tearing down the building on the left, and possibly the building next to it as well. These buildings have been vacant for quite some time, and the new buildings will definitely bring more to the neighborhood, though it’s really unfortunate that the beautiful preexisting buildings appear to be doomed.

Interestingly, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College was based out of these buildings from 1968 until they moved to Wyncote in 1982. We were unable to find a photograph of the old College, but the RRC archives provided us with this architectural rendering:

Kind of makes you wonder what the buildings would have looked like if they were renovated, instead of (soon being) torn down…

Sigh...