PHILADELPHIA-CAMDEN-WILMINGTON-ATLANTIC CITY-READING | Metro Development Thread

[PHLtoNYC]

If anyone has seen this new building in person, it's a big improvement for Downtown Wayne (166 E. Lancaster Ave.).

Main Line to get a buzzy new restaurant led by a Fork and Vernick alum
https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurant...howRecommendationsR5L9USBK7X2V7#cxrecs_s

Old Friend, a contemporary American grill built around live-fire cooking, is targeting a late-fall opening in downtown Wayne with former Fork executive chef Sam Henzy leading the kitchen.

The 86-seat restaurant — 78 in the dining room and eight at the bar — will be at 166 E. Lancaster Ave., in a newly constructed ground-floor retail space at Lancaster and Louella Avenues that is part of the Apartments at Wayne Station.

[PHLtoNYC]

Close enough to the region, another big investment.

Chobani plans $1.2B Lehigh Valley facility, 900 jobs in historic dairy investment
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...ehigh-valley-manufacturing-facility.html

Chobani is investing $1.2 billion to establish a dairy product manufacturing operation in the Lehigh Valley, in what the state says will be the largest private investment in the history of Pennsylvania's agriculture industry.

[Raja]

Big win for the city.

https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/com...adelphia-headquarters-move-20260903.html

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by Raja

Big win for the city.

https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/com...adelphia-headquarters-move-20260903.html

Excellent news! I know it was a F500 in the region, but having it HQ'd is a win for the city. Time for a hotel at 3001 JFK.

More info:

Off-price retailer Burlington Stores is purchasing a 441,000-square-foot University City office building and plans to relocate its corporate headquarters from New Jersey to Philadelphia, a major win for the city as it becomes home to another Fortune 500 company.

Burlington’s move to 3151 Market St. represents a $370 million investment by the company and will bring 2,000 new jobs to Philadelphia in the next five years. Pennsylvania is providing $30 million in state funding.

The company plans to occupy the entire office building and plans to move into the building in phases "no earlier than" late 2028 or early 2029, a company spokesperson said. It declined to disclose the purchase price for the building.

“Today’s announcement reinforces what we have long believed: the future of business is built in places that bring people, ideas, and opportunity together,” Sweeney said in a statement. “… [Burlington’s] investment validates our vision for Schuylkill Yards as a place where companies can access world-class talent, foster collaboration and accelerate growth.”

[PHLtoNYC]

delete.

[Jawnadelphia]

Riverfront - Rowhaus (apartments), and new public park on the riverfront (where the beer garden used to be).







Riverfront East - Luxor II (apartments).



Downtown - Market Street, conversion of old DCAD art building to apartments.



Rodney Square - conversion of office building to apartments.



Happy Valley - new apartment building.







Unfortunately, the proposed 12-story apartment building off Bancroft Parkway did not receive a zoning variance after the locals went absolutely bananas and lawyer'ed up. Even after the developer lowered the floor count to 8, the locals still weren't happy and successful convinced the City Planning Commission to deny the variance.

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/new...osal-along-bancroft-parkway/91286586007/

[DIESELPOLO]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I dunno. That entire set of towns along 611 is densifying nicely. I go up there periodically to get my car serviced at a mechanic that specializes in German Cars and I'm always impressed by the incremental urbanist change that's happening. Much more street grade infill than in other suburbs for sure.

Interesting. The PREIT sale of Willow Grove Mall is only a portion of the property:

• The transaction covers a roughly 725,000-square-foot portion of the 1.2 million-square-foot Montgomery County property, featuring major tenants like Macy's, Nordstrom Rack, Apple, and The Cheesecake Factory
  
  
• Bloomingdale’s and Primark are owned by separate entities and are not included in the sale.

The buyers Namdar Realty Group, Mason Asset Management, and CH Capital Group seem to have very middle market commercial properties (e.g. Office Max, Outback Steakhouse, Ross, Zales) in their portfolio, so a new urbanist transformation of the Willow Grove property on that side seems unlikely. I could see the sale benefitting the redevelopment of the east side of the property (Bloomingdale's) to build a park, walking trails, and housing on the lake, however. It would complement the impressive redevelopment of the Willow Grove Shopping Center happening across the street that genuinely has better-than-expected design and materials so far.

[PHLtoNYC]

Who woulda thought this day would come...
Separately, I hope Chester eventually starts showing real signs of life (beyond glamour projects). Now that Camden is slowly on the upswing, Chester really feels like the last major missing link in the region.

Developer plans Camden waterfront townhomes near Ben Franklin Bridge
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2026/09/14/camden-waterfront-townhomes-michaels.html

The Michaels Organization has received final approval to build townhomes at the base of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Camden, betting nearby employers will create a market at price points not often seen in the city.

The project will bring 78 townhomes — 44 of them along the waterfront — that the company expects to sell from the high $400,000s up to the high $500,000s. Michaels, touted as the nation's largest private sector owner of affordable housing, said the project represents the first for-sale, market-rate townhomes to be built in the city in decades.

The project spans three sites in downtown Camden. It includes the 44 homes on the Delaware River that will sit on the corner of Water and Pearl streets. The site is currently a vacant lot nestled against the bridge just beyond the outfield of the baseball facility at the Camden Athletic Complex. Another 16 townhomes will sit along Penn Street between Victor Place and Riverside Drive, just north of the Triad building and across from the athletic complex's track.

The company plans to begin site work on the homes in the first quarter of 2027, with some coming on the market by the end of the year. It expects all of the townhomes to be completed and sold by the end of 2028 or early 2029. The entire project's projected cost is about $38 million, according to Cangelosi.

[el don]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Who woulda thought this day would come...
Separately, I hope Chester eventually starts showing real signs of life (beyond glamour projects). Now that Camden is slowly on the upswing, Chester really feels like the last major missing link in the region.

Developer plans Camden waterfront townhomes near Ben Franklin Bridge
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2026/09/14/camden-waterfront-townhomes-michaels.html

The Michaels Organization has received final approval to build townhomes at the base of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Camden, betting nearby employers will create a market at price points not often seen in the city.

The project will bring 78 townhomes — 44 of them along the waterfront — that the company expects to sell from the high $400,000s up to the high $500,000s. Michaels, touted as the nation's largest private sector owner of affordable housing, said the project represents the first for-sale, market-rate townhomes to be built in the city in decades.

The project spans three sites in downtown Camden. It includes the 44 homes on the Delaware River that will sit on the corner of Water and Pearl streets. The site is currently a vacant lot nestled against the bridge just beyond the outfield of the baseball facility at the Camden Athletic Complex. Another 16 townhomes will sit along Penn Street between Victor Place and Riverside Drive, just north of the Triad building and across from the athletic complex's track.

The company plans to begin site work on the homes in the first quarter of 2027, with some coming on the market by the end of the year. It expects all of the townhomes to be completed and sold by the end of 2028 or early 2029. The entire project's projected cost is about $38 million, according to Cangelosi.

There's a few more I can think of: Coatesville, Norristown, Darby.

[BroadandMarket]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Who woulda thought this day would come...
Separately, I hope Chester eventually starts showing real signs of life (beyond glamour projects). Now that Camden is slowly on the upswing, Chester really feels like the last major missing link in the region.

Developer plans Camden waterfront townhomes near Ben Franklin Bridge
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2026/09/14/camden-waterfront-townhomes-michaels.html

The Michaels Organization has received final approval to build townhomes at the base of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Camden, betting nearby employers will create a market at price points not often seen in the city.

The project will bring 78 townhomes — 44 of them along the waterfront — that the company expects to sell from the high $400,000s up to the high $500,000s. Michaels, touted as the nation's largest private sector owner of affordable housing, said the project represents the first for-sale, market-rate townhomes to be built in the city in decades.

The project spans three sites in downtown Camden. It includes the 44 homes on the Delaware River that will sit on the corner of Water and Pearl streets. The site is currently a vacant lot nestled against the bridge just beyond the outfield of the baseball facility at the Camden Athletic Complex. Another 16 townhomes will sit along Penn Street between Victor Place and Riverside Drive, just north of the Triad building and across from the athletic complex's track.

The company plans to begin site work on the homes in the first quarter of 2027, with some coming on the market by the end of the year. It expects all of the townhomes to be completed and sold by the end of 2028 or early 2029. The entire project's projected cost is about $38 million, according to Cangelosi.

These look great. I'm not sure I totally get townhomes though in Camden. I know it's more expensive to build, but I'd be way more interested in Camden housing where my front door wasn't to the street. Something mid rise with roof top views and amenities, a gym etc. It's all positive news though. Camden has so much empty space that any development is good.

These are going up a few blocks away. Keep building and please save some of the Victor RCA buildings that are rotting ( Dranoff).



https://www.tapinto.net/towns/camden/sec...pus-may-offer-glimpse-at-camden-s-future

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by BroadandMarket

These look great. I'm not sure I totally get townhomes though in Camden. I know it's more expensive to build, but I'd be way more interested in Camden housing where my front door wasn't to the street. Something mid rise with roof top views and amenities, a gym etc. It's all positive news though. Camden has so much empty space that any development is good.

These are going up a few blocks away. Keep building and please save some of the Victor RCA buildings that are rotting ( Dranoff).



https://www.tapinto.net/towns/camden/sec...pus-may-offer-glimpse-at-camden-s-future

This is how you repair the fabric of an urban street. Not with a parking podium. Also, build less but still dense housing fills in the gaps faster. It's like when non-urban cities build a handful of super tall buildings (ex: OKC) at the expense of many lower buildings.

[chimpskibot]

There are already new construction townhowmes and duplexes going up close to Rutgers Camden, you can see them on the Westbound patco side of the BF bridge. I work in Camden and it is quite desolate most days, although there has been a noticeable uptick of Cooper workers and students going to rutgers this summer.

[bdurk]

Those houses will have some of the best views in New Jersey outside of Jersey City and Hoboken. Awesome project, hope to see some more density in Camden.

[NJBrian]

In my belief I think Camden is on the verge of TRUE comback. I do DoorDash deliveries into Camden all the time and the city really has a good feeling to it. They have recently completed or are working on several major infrastructure projects that are repairing many of the very bad potholed streets throughout Camden. Many of the exisiting neighborhoods are looking better than ever as many of the current residents are investing in repairing their home and even just sprucing things up with painting and planting. Plus I never feel endangered during my deliveries in Camden and on a personal note almost every person I have met and interacted with during my deliveries has been kind, welcoming and positive. I am a middle-aged white man and for me, my experiences in Camden have been downright awesome and truly eye-opening.,..Love ya all!

[domodeez]

Originally Posted by Jawnadelphia

Unfortunately, the proposed 12-story apartment building off Bancroft Parkway did not receive a zoning variance after the locals went absolutely bananas and lawyer'ed up. Even after the developer lowered the floor count to 8, the locals still weren't happy and successful convinced the City Planning Commission to deny the variance.

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/new...osal-along-bancroft-parkway/91286586007/

THANK YOU for sharing these Wilmington updates, Jawn.

More people in the Philly area need to get down there to explore. Super underrated city just 20 minutes from the airport. Really enjoyed living there for 6 years (2013-2019) while it was turning the corner. — about the Tsionas Bancroft project denial though. Would’ve been a good one.

[PHLtoNYC]

Sizeable mixed-use center U/C in Collegeville.

Whole Foods-anchored project with Toll Brothers townhomes underway in Collegeville
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...black-rock-collegeville-hightop-msc.html

A mixed-use development on the site of a former Quest Diagnotics campus in Collegeville is underway that will bring tenants like a Whole Foods, L.L. Bean and Barnes & Noble and 122 Toll Brothers⁠ townhouses to the area. Other retailers slated for the shopping center include J. Crew, Sephora, Shake Shack, Playa Bowls, Wonder and Burton's Bar & Grille, marketing materials show.

The project, called the District at Black Rock and located at 1201 S. Collegeville Road, is being touted as the first ground-up, new construction, grocery-anchored retail development in the Montgomery County borough in over 15 years.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Sizeable mixed-use center U/C in Collegeville.

Whole Foods-anchored project with Toll Brothers townhomes underway in Collegeville
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...black-rock-collegeville-hightop-msc.html

A mixed-use development on the site of a former Quest Diagnotics campus in Collegeville is underway that will bring tenants like a Whole Foods, L.L. Bean and Barnes & Noble and 122 Toll Brothers⁠ townhouses to the area. Other retailers slated for the shopping center include J. Crew, Sephora, Shake Shack, Playa Bowls, Wonder and Burton's Bar & Grille, marketing materials show.

The project, called the District at Black Rock and located at 1201 S. Collegeville Road, is being touted as the first ground-up, new construction, grocery-anchored retail development in the Montgomery County borough in over 15 years.

It's a pad site with townhomes on the periphery. Hardly "mixed use".

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

It's a pad site with townhomes on the periphery. Hardly "mixed use".

...sigh... I apologize...

Just trying to update people.

[Urbanthusiat]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

It's a pad site with townhomes on the periphery. Hardly "mixed use".

Idk what else you’d qualify as mixed-use if not something like this for this location. This is right off a highway, not near transit, but has retail and fairly dense housing (for the suburbs). About as good as you could hope for at this location.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

Idk what else you’d qualify as mixed-use if not something like this for this location. This is right off a highway, not near transit, but has retail and fairly dense housing (for the suburbs). About as good as you could hope for at this location.

If this site was developed as separate parcels no one would be calling it mixed use.

Proper mixed use would be apartments or office with ground floor retail. Proper mixed use would not have a sea of parking.

It's a shopping center with some housing on the side. Tens of thousands of shopping centers in the region are situated next to housing. No one calls it mixed use; it just happens to be the case these are being developed in tandem so they can use the moniker because it feels more conscientious.

Toll doesn't do anything good in this region, TBH. I wish their development here had a fraction of the creativity that they do in NYC. In spite of us being their headquarters region, we get their shittiest product. I'm not kidding when I say I think they build better product in nearly every single other market than they do here.

They really embody the spirit of low ambition found in many natives.