Philly will use a Roxborough warehouse rent-free as part of its coronavirus food response

Philadelphia officials have taken up the owner of a soon-to-be brewery in Roxborough on its offer of two free months of rent for the city’s coronavirus response.

The city will use the 130,000 square feet of newly renovated space at 401 Domino Lane for food distribution to those left in need by the coronavirus pandemic, according to owner Alliance Partners HSP.

The Bryn Mawr-based landlord said earlier this month that it would make the space available for free for responses to the health emergency until its future full-time tenant, Boston-based Night Shift Brewing, will begin its lease later in the spring.

Philadelphia officials plan to use the space as a central repository for their food-bank efforts, Alliance HSP said Monday.

“We wanted to be proactive and do whatever we could to help the city of Philadelphia address this crisis," said Rich Previdi, an Alliance HSP managing partner. "We believe we really are all in this together.”

In North Philadelphia, Temple University is also making space on its campus available to the city at no cost for use as overflow hospital space if needed during the crisis, Mayor Jim Kenney said last week.

Night Shift Brewing’s eventual plan for the Roxborough property includes a beer-production facility, warehouse space for regional distribution, and a taproom.