Philadelphia Planning Commission to review two key Northwest projects

Tuesday could be a key day in a pair of Northwest developments, as the city Planning Commission considers the next phase of a development in Nicetown and a closely-watched Chestnut Hill plan.

In Nicetown, the commission will consider a city redevelopment agreement with Nicetown Court II Housing Partners, LP for the next phase of a mixed-use project underway on Germantown Ave.

The latest phase calls for affordable housing with ground-floor retail at 4420 Germantown Avenue, and 4428 Uber St., near the Wayne Junction Septa station. In September, the Redevelopment Authority board approved a predevelopment loan to support architectural, engineering and environmental work for Nicetown Court II, said RDA spokesman Paul Chrystie.

Construction is expected to being next spring, and the city will provide $5.5 million in neighborhood stabilization program funding, Chrystie said.

* In Chestnut Hill, planners will consider a zoning change that would remap 8200 Germantown Ave., which would allow the proposed redevelopment of the former Magarity Ford property. A bill, introduced by Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller, would change the parcel from the current C7 and R5 to the commercial C2 designation and R10b residential, to allow for a mixed-use center with a grocery store, retail and residential components.

The zoning is needed to allow for Bowman Properties’ plans for a Fresh Market store, retail spaces along Germantown Avenue with several floors of condominiums above, and a row of townhouses at the rear of the site, along Shawnee Street facing Pastorious Park.

Also, in Tioga, the commission will review a proposed zoning remapping that would shift several properties along West Venango Street from the current C2 commercial to R9 residential designation. A map of the area affected, including 1925-33 W. Venango St., is here: http://legislation.phila.gov/attachments/12177.pdf

The Planning Commission meets at 1 p.m. in Conference Room 18029, 1515 Arch St. PlanPhilly will cover the meeting and reports on each of the major Northwest items will follow on NewsWorks. View the full tentative agenda here.

Contact Amy Z. Quinn at azquinn@planphilly.com