September 03, 2021
Courtesy/T + Associates Architects
A rendering of a six-story, mixed-use building proposed in Northern Liberties at Third St. and Girard Ave., the former site of the J.T. Riley Lumber Yard.
Both boundaries of Northern Liberties on Spring Garden St. and Girard Ave. have seen a major uptick in development projects getting the green light in the past few years, filling in vacant lots and rebuilding areas that have become dated compared to their surroundings.
On the south side of Girard Ave., the intersection at Third St. was the longtime home of J.T. Riley Lumber Co., which shut down in 2014 and left behind a lot that seemed primed for redevelopment. A plan to build apartments at 310 West Girard Ave. stalled for several years and the lot sat idle, leaving the property's future in limbo.
There now seems to be momentum for a larger project at the former lumber yard, a six-story mid-rise building with apartments and ground-floor commercial space.
Designed by T + Associates Architects, the proposal is being led by a group of developers from New York, T + Associates owner Tony Tsirantonakis said Friday.
Rendering of 310 Girard Ave. proposal.
Rendering of 310 Girard Ave. proposal.
The number of proposed units in the property has been reduced from 185 to 166, consisting of two-bedroom and one-bedroom apartments. The change was made in order create more spacious apartments, most of which will be two-bedrooms.
On the ground floor, 8,618 square feet of retail and restaurant space will front Girard Avenue. The plan calls for 65 underground parking spaces and 67 bicycle spaces, a green roof and 1,680 square feet of tenant amenities.
For the past year or so, the vacant property has gone to good use, at a minimum, thanks to a sprawling "Respect Black Lives" mural that commands attention along a back wall from Girard Ave.
Movement at this location comes as plans progress one block over at 2nd St. and Girard Ave., where Streamline's North Liberty Triangle project will join Tower Investments' large development taking shape to the south at 2nd Street and Germantown Ave. (The latter project is sort of cramping a beloved view of the Philadelphia skyline from the rooftop parking lot at Acme, but there remains an angle toward the far corner that still offers the goods).
A livelier feel along Girard Ave. will be a plus for the neighborhood, which has been a bit patchy in this area for some time, despite a collection of local gems. The easy access to SEPTA's trolley and Market-Frankford Line subway make it a clear choice for density. And while the corridor's openness has helped make it one of the city's best places to catch a sunset, that shouldn't be too badly impacted by these planned additions.
