[mcgrath618]

Highly theoretical... to the point of perhaps only existing in our minds...

Title: 1341 S. Delaware Avenue (Columbus Boulevard)
Project: Residential, retail
Architect: Perkins Eastman
Developer: Brevet Capital Management (K4 Philadelphia LLC)
Location: 1341 S. Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
Neighborhood: Pennsport
District: South Philadelphia
Floors: 36 Floors
Height: 382 Feet





Potential future phase:


Apartment tower planned for Columbus Boulevard could be the first of three

New York’s Brevet Capital Management revealed its vision for 1341 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd. to the Pennsport Civic Association on Wednesday night, showing a soaring tower on Delaware River with 620 units and promising a dramatic revision of public space in the area.

In addition to the tower and small retail building just to its west, the developer’s representatives outlined possible future phases that could include two additional towers.

“The retail building is constructed as a placeholder,” Meredith Trego, a zoning lawyer with Ballard Spahr, said at the Pennsport Civic Association meeting. “But the idea is in a future phase that a one-story building would go away, and a new tower could go in its place.”

The towering project, with its limited parking, is legally possible due to the unique zoning incentives available along the central Delaware riverfront.

The developers are paying into the city’s housing trust fund as well as upgrading, maintaining, and extending a rundown stretch of the Delaware River Trail down to Reed Street in exchange for building as high as they want.

The first tower would be over 380 feet tall, and renderings show possible future towers that would be even taller. To be allowed to build that high for future buildings, the developer would have to pay into the housing trust fund again, and they could not encroach on trail space.

Conditions on the pedestrian- and bike-friendly river trail have deteriorated below Washington Avenue. The infrastructure has not been maintained to the level it is farther north.

BREAKING: 36 Floors, 620 Units Proposed in Pennsport

So, after well over two years, we were thrilled when we were given a head’s up by one of our intrepid readers that it appears there is news: a proposal for what is being called Wharton Piers will be presented to the Pennsport Civic Association. While digging around the RCO’s website, we couldn’t find any additional information. However, a look at the zoning records for this property provides some exciting information.

A zoning permit was issued back in July for a new concept: a 382-foot-tall tower, which would include 620 residential units, a parking garage for 187 vehicles/207 bicycles, a separate low-rise building containing more retail, and the extension of the Delaware River Trail along the water. This comes to us yet again from Perkins Eastman, with K4 Philadelphia LLC (of Liberty on the River fame) listed as the permit holder. Whoa. Let’s take a closer look at what the future might hold for this by-right project before we dive deeper.