The area east of Temple University and the Silicon Valley are rarely mistaken for one another. However, one company is working on bringing these wildly different areas a little bit closer. NYCE is a real estate and investment platform that crowdsources funding for projects that focus on bringing tech and entrepreneurs together in a “hacker house” type environment. The company recently completed TEMPLE I: The Tech Mansion at the corner of 11th & Susquehanna. This 17-unit project was so successful in fact, it appears that there may be more in store. Let’s check out the Tech Mansion and the area to get our bearings straight before we get to the awesome details.
As you can probably guess, things are moving forward on the next phase of the project. NYCE, founded by Philip Michael and Martin Braithwaite of FC Barcelona fame, is focused on empowering investment and connections among “first-time investors of color” – a very awesome focus indeed. So what will rise at this site at the northeast corner of 11th & Susquehanna? Thanks so some renderings from KJO Architecture, we now have some idea of what’s to come. Let’s scope out what’s in store for this oddly shaped parcel.
Wow, now that is quite an upgrade. All in all, this project will bring 84 units and a whole bunch of other amenities. Oh, and if you think this is a good investment idea, you can still buy a stake and get a piece of the action. We think this is absolutely awesome for the area, taking a formerly decrepit building at the foot of the rail tracks and turning it into a huge resource for Temple and those who will live here. And these new projects are just part of what’s happening on these revitalized blocks.
We’ve brought two other projects here to your attention previously. Just across the tracks from TEMPLE II, 35 apartments are going up, with architecture brought to you by DesignBlendz. Close by, two other buildings are rising, which also happen to be designed by KJO Architecture. This project at 919 W. Diamond St. is also aligned with Temple University, a pretty forward-thinking move from the university in our book. Obviously, these projects are a massive shift for this area. Being just blocks from Temple certainly makes this location appealing and we are pleased to see the creativity with regards to space utilization as well as concept. Could this be the start of a co-living/co-working revolution for North Philly? We’re not sure, but this is certainly a strong and encouraging start.
Update: Initially, we incorrectly identified the location of Temple II on our map. This map above has been updated to reflect the correct location.