Developments
East Passyunk Crossing
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08/28/12 4:10pm

First look at King of Jeans apartment plans

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8 Comments

Developer Max Glass was well-received last week when he went before the East Passyunk Crossing Civic association’s zoning committee to show off his plans for converting the King of Jeans building into 12 apartments.

Not too bad, huh?

EPX’s David Goldfarb said the meeting “was very positive and noncontentious. Renderings looked great.” We got our hands on them and we agree, though this is preliminary and it could change.

Glass intends to take full advantage of the building’s proximity to the subway (two blocks to Snyder stop) as he says he’ll provide an indoor bike parking room and four of the apartments will have a “no parking permit” provision in the lease to discourage cars. There will be commercial trash pickup and Glass plans to add lighting in the creepy, curved alley the city calls Iseminger “Street,” which runs behind the building. (But where will all kids from Neumann-Goretti get drunk now?)
According to this thread on Philly Speaks, they will all be one-bedroom apartments, ranging in size from 680 to 900 square feet and going for around $1,000.Attendees voted 22-0 in favor of the project and the committee gave it conditional support, Goldfarb said in an email.

“Although we continue to express concern about the density that this many units brings to the Avenue,” he said, “the uniqueness of the building’s dimensions (four buildings put together, a partial fourth floor, its large size, etc.) and that the new zoning code allows for eight units by right, as well as the project’s merits, lead us to find that this is an appropriate project for the neighborhood that meets the criteria for a zoning variance.”

Then there’s the issue of the sign. Lovers of camp can rejoice: “We will, of course, work with [Glass] to find a proper place for that iconic sign,” Goldfrab said. “We’re open to suggestions.”

So, where should the sign go? how about over that crumbling SEPTA substation next door? Any thoughts about the rendering?

First floor, click to enlarge
Site plan
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8 Comment

  • Anonymous

    What’s up with the quotes around Iseminger Street? It is a street that runs through more of the city than just an alley behind that building. Kind of rude to the people that actually live on Iseminger Street, no?

  • David G

    @Anonymous: it’s a great street, but that block really only functions as an alley. Walk down it, and trust me, you’ll agree.

    As to the Peco Substation, EPX Civic has already received permission from Septa and commissioned “scrim” artwork to cover the large, ugly, and metal-covered windows on the Peco substation. It’s going to be a very exciting project, which should be completed sooner rather than later.

  • P'unk

    Agreeing with David G here. That particular block has no addresses on it and you can’t even see from one end to the other. It’s really a glorified alley, so that’s the point of the quotes.

  • Anonymous

    it was my understanding that the substation has nothing to do with PECO and is SEPTA-owned.

  • P'unk

    My mistake. It is a SEPTA substation. Thanks, Anonymous.

  • Bri

    Any word on a completion date? I want to move in!

  • P'unk

    Not yet, but we’d guess it’ll still be another 8-12 months

  • David G

    Whoops, yes, meant Septa, not Peco. And yes, at least a year away.

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