Plans for Manayunk’s former Propper Brothers site heat up

Things could be about to get warmer at the former Propper Bros. furniture store building in Manayunk.

Owner Sam Kroungold is preparing to go before local groups and the city zoning board with a proposal for a hot yoga studio in most of the first floor at 115 Levering St., and apartments on two floors above.

 It’s not far off from the vision Kroungold discussed with NewsWorks last year, shortly after the legendary Manayunk furniture showroom closed. Since then, the Palm Tree Market has opened in a 3,500 square foot portion of the first floor, on the Cresson Street side, selling groceries, sandwiches, gourmet and fresh items. 

Kroungold said he has secured a bikram yoga studio as a tenant for the rest of the first floor, and is scheduled to appear before the zoning board on April 11 for permits to divide the former showroom space and create 18 apartments on the second and third floors.

 

The property owner said he’d give more details and introduce his future tenants at the public meetings, but said the studio would offer authentic bikram yoga, which is based on a practice developed by Bikram Chaudhary.

“This is the real thing, not just hot yoga, this is the real thing,” he said.

Before the zoning hearing, Kroungold will appear before both the Manayunk Development Corporation’s board of directors and the Manayunk Neighborhood Council seeking their approvals. The MDC meeting is scheduled for March 21, the MNC on April 4.

If neighbors and the ZBA give their approval, Kroungold said, “we are going to start construction within a week of that time, because at the same time we have also applied for accelerated building permits.”

NewsWorks has partnered with independent news gatherer PlanPhilly to provide regular, in-depth, timely coverage of planning, zoning and development news. Contact Amy Z. Quinn at azquinn@planphilly.com.