At 20th and Market Streets, in the heart of Center City's business district and just south of Logan Square,
Brandywine Realty is poised to break ground on a 28-story 278-unit apartment tower. Meanwhile, at 23rd and Race Streets, a parking lot will become Edgewater II, a 22-story 240-rental unit tower. These projects are the latest in an ongoing high-rise construction boom in Logan Square that should bring an injection of residents and an increase in density. According to the folks with the
Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA), this is all according to plan.
On July 16, the neighborhood association heard proposals for three more projects within Logan Square. The first, Museum Towers II, will be built at 18th and Hamilton Streets, just north of Baldwin Park. Developer
Forest City is looking to build 270 residential units in a 16-story tower, along with 16 two-story townhomes.
The second proposal is from
Cross Properties. They hope to develop an 11-story building with 250 apartments at 2100 Hamilton Street behind the Rodin Museum. The third proposal -- 339 apartments in two buildings at Broad and Callowhill -- was made by Hanover Properties and the
Parkway Corporation.
Since then,
details for the much-anticipated Rodin Square development have also been released. That project features 293 residential units in two 10-story towers above a 60,000-square-foot Whole Foods store at 20th and Callowhill, replacing a run-down Best Western Hotel.
Considering that all of these projects are within a few short blocks of each other -- and that they will all bring new residents, parking demands and retail needs -- it's clear that Logan Square is about to go through quite the growth spurt.
“We live in a hot area for development,” says Ed Panek with LSNA. “We are making sure new development abides by the neighborhood plan.”
That plan, completed in 2009, laid out a vision for the neighborhood that preserved its character while allowing for appropriate infill development.
"There is a lot of density to give here; a lot of empty lots," adds Panek. "We're excited for the [proposed] new developments in Logan Square."
Source: David Searles, Ed Panek, Logan Square Neighborhood Association
Writer:
Greg Meckstroth