Five stories of affordable senior housing proposed for Italian Market parking lot
Note: An earlier version of the headline gave the wrong number of stories for this project. It is five.
A bill that would eventually allow the creation of 64 units of affordable senior housing rising from a now city-owned parking lot near the 9th Street Italian Market got the planning commission’s OK this week.
Property Bill 110535, introduced June 23 by First District Councilman Frank DiCicco, authorizes the city to convey 921-27 Ellsworth Street to the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, for further conveyance to St. Maron’s Community Development Corporation.
BCM Affordable Housing, a Paoli company, has been selected to build the property. The property is in the Passyunk Square neighborhood, and City Planner Brian Wenrich told commissioners the Passyunk Square Civic Association supports it. The Lower Italian Market Revitalization Report commissioned by Passyunk Square proposed senior housing for this location, he said.
There would be 25 parking spaces and a community garden in the rear of the structure, Wenrich said. The only curb cut would be on Ellsworth. The development would be five stories at its tallest point, but the massing calls for just three stories on the Ellsworth side.
The bill has been referred to city council’s property and public works committee. Council is on recess until September.
Reach the reporter at kgates@planphilly.com.
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