Philadelphia Metropolitan Area Real Estate Law Blog

Kellie Patrick Gates of PlanPhilly recently commented on the busy year in Philadelphia in terms of planning and development. Overall, it was a busy year, particularly with respect to planning around the Delaware River and district level planning.

Postgreen, a Philadelphia-area development company, reportedly has two projects coming soon to Frankford Avenue. Unlike some developers, though, Postgreen has an eco-friendly approach more typical of urban planning than real estate development. The projects, near the East Kensington/Fishtown border, will feature a mixed-use, affordable and energy-efficient approach, an ideal mix for a modern urban planner.

It has taken three years, but the final land development application of Medical Mission Sisters has finally been approved by the Abington Code Enforcement and Land Development Committee. The property spans parts of both Abington and Philadelphia and the sisters will be constructing 61 new apartment units.

Philadelphia Real estate developer Goldenberg Group recently started construction on a $100 million student apartment building next to Temple University, the site of the former John Wanamaker Middle School. The residence is set to be 14 stories, and will add 832 beds for university students.

In our last post, we wrote about a controversial bill that would require developers to provide parking in some residential and mixed-use areas where they don’t have to under the current code. The bill would also change certain lot sizes. The bill, as we noted, is an attempt to address the problem of significant parking shortages in certain neighborhoods of Philadelphia.

A controversial bill introduced by Council Brian O’Neill on behalf of Council President Darrell Clarke seeks to address the serious problem of parking shortages in certain neighborhoods of Philadelphia. The bill, which received committee-level approval earlier this month, would require developers to provide parking in some residential and mixed-use areas where they don’t have to under the current code. The bill would also change certain lot sizes.

On Tuesday, over 200 people gathered at the North Broad Street corridor on Fairmont Avenue to celebrate the launch of a $16 million, 55-unit rental housing development. The project, unlike most that come to the area, will accommodate low-income families and individuals at risk for homelessness.

In the wake of the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, the Philadelphia City Council is considering whether there should be limits on development of the shoreline of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. In particular, the council is considering whether to create a 50-foot buffer between the rivers and any new construction.

When the franchise owner of Central Bark, a day care facility for – you guessed it – dogs went looking for financial help in relocating her small business she received support from an unlikely source. That source is an almost 55-year-old nonprofit economic development organization that has been linked to some of Philadelphia’s most ambitious building projects. We are referring to the Comcast Stadium and the repurposing of the Navy Yard, among others. The president of Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp. doesn’t even have a dog.

On Tuesday, developer Eric Blumenfeld, for the second time in eight years, came into possession of the historic Divine Lorraine Hotel on North Broad Street. Blumeneld, an active developer on North Broad Street, reportedly gained title to the property at a sheriff’s sale on Tuesday after being the sole bidder on the 11-story building.