Manayunk’s Wilde Yarns project clears parking hurdle, L&I process up next

Responding to community concerns, the developers of a Main St. property have met civic group standards for parking requirements.

In October, members of the Wissahickon Neighbors Civic Association decided to delay a vote on a project that would transform the dormant Wilde Yarns Factory on the 3700 block of Main St. into 45 apartment units, based largely upon a lack of available parking spaces.

Under the plan presented by developer Scott Janzen and architect Peter Bloomfield, the site’s current three buildings would be transformed into 45 studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments, with a fourth structure to be constructed to serve as a link between the buildings. Rents for the 27 one-bedroom apartments would be $1300 and $1800 for the 15 two-bedroom apartments. Three studio apartments are also planned.

As originally presented, the site would have accommodated 41 vehicles, four short of the 1:1 parking standard observed by WNCA.

On Monday night, Janzen and Bloomfield reported that they subsequently met with engineers, and after shifting apartment space and removing rock at the site, four additional spaces were yielded.

“We heard clearly that you felt more parking was warranted,” said Janzen to the WNCA members present.

According to documents provided by the Wilde Yarns developers, 18 of the 45 spaces will be interior parking, with the remainder exterior. Of the 45 spaces, 11 were designated “compact.”

Bloomfield was insistent that nothing in the design has changed beyond additional parking.

“Our concern about where trash is stored has not changed, where mechanical systems are going has not changed, access to the train has not changed, the building volumes have not changed,” he said. “We just expanded the parking lots and found a few more spaces inside.”

With no reservations sounded by WNCA’s members, Janzen and Bloomfield will continue their filing process with Licenses and Inspections. As a variance will be needed to permit residential use of an industrial site, the developers will be back before WNCA for final community approval of their plans before heading to the ZBA.

According to WNCA President Drew Bantly, this vote could take place as soon as January.