The Berger Brothers Company was founded in 1874 as a supplier of sheet metal and roofing materials. At one point, the company had its offices and warehouse and 229 Arch St. in Old City. The company is still in existence today, but no longer occupies the space in Old City.
Around 2012, the former warehouse was converted into a 65-unit apartment building. Today, the building looks fantastic sitting between the Betsy Ross House and the cobblestones of Bread Street.
A small parking lot is situated on the northeast side of the property along Bread St. The owners have been working through the approval process over the last couple of years to develop that piece of the parcel. Zoning permits were issued in October of 2019 for the erection of a 4-story addition on the parking lot. The plan entails constructing 21 residential units within 3 stories above the parking area. The first-level parking area will remain. As the property is within the Old City Historic District, the development had to get the approval of the Philadelphia Historical Commission.
It looks like this project will finally be able to move forward as building permits were issued on December 21st. We went by the site today, and the parking lot was still actively being used. We’re not sure of an exact timetable for construction to start, but expect the project to break ground in the near future.
As long as the facade turns out well, we think this will be a great addition to the neighborhood. It’s always nice to see residential density added so close to the Market-Frankford Line in a desirable section of the city.
How do you feel about this project?
Updated – A reader shared a more detailed rendering in the comments. Here it is:
Kyle is a commercial real estate agent at Rittenhouse Realty Advisors, a homeowner, and a real estate investor in Philadelphia. Kyle uses his extensive Philadelphia real estate market knowledge to help his clients buy and sell multifamily investment properties, development opportunities, and industrial sites.
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