In the past, we’ve told you about a bunch of cool projects in Harrowgate primarily surrounding the Tioga El Station. Developers have been converting old warehouses and industrial buildings in the neighborhood into residential and maker spaces over the last several years. It’s truly amazing to see the neighborhood transforming and to be able to get get a coffee and meal at a place like Caphe Roasters, a Vietnamese cafe and coffee roaster in the J-centrel building, which was recently converted into a residential, mixed-use complex.
We stopped by Caphe Roasters over the weekend and made a point to go by 1810 E. Venango Street to check out a project we have been watching rise over the last several months. The development entails a 5-story, new construction addition to a really cool existing 4-story building. When complete, there will be 35 residential units on the site along with artisan space, light industrial space, 14 automobile parking spots, and 14 bicycle stalls. A 1-story industrial building at the back end of the site will remain. Colorful panels will clad the new structure, contrasting with the classic brick warehouse it attaches to. Automobile parking spaces will be accessed via a drive aisle on Ruth Street.
The new construction building is now topped out and zip sheathing along with windows are now in place. If you go by the site today, you would think this project looks like any other new construction project, but we have been watching it get built and can tell you that it’s definitely not. The new construction building was not framed out of wood. The structure is made of poured concrete, which is very rare for a building of this size in Philadelphia – especially in a neighborhood on the far outskirts of the city. This construction method is more expensive than more commonly used methods. However, we think this structure should prove to be more resilient of a building over time than other projects built around the city.
It’s really great to see so much happening in Harrowgate and the neighborhood transforming into a really cool place to live. We’ve had our eyes on the area for a while, but only a select group of developers and investors have paid attention to what’s happening in Harrowgate. We wonder if that will change over the next five to ten years and are excited to see the neighborhood continue to develop.
How do you feel about this project and its design? Do you know anyone that lives or works in any of the new projects up this way?
Kyle is a commercial real estate agent at Rittenhouse Realty Advisors, a homeowner, and a real estate investor in Philadelphia. Kyle uses his extensive Philadelphia real estate market knowledge to help his clients buy and sell multifamily investment properties, development opportunities, and industrial sites.
Email Kyle@RittenhouseRealty.com if you are looking to buy or sell a property
Instagram: @agent.kyle