New plans for huge vacant lot in the Italian Market feature more retail and no apartments
An ambitious new retail proposal is replacing the company's almost decade-long quest to construct an apartment building at Ninth and Washington.
A long-planned apartment project in the Italian Market appears to be shelved, with the developer instead planning a low-slung retail complex on the southeastern corner of Ninth Street and Washington Avenue.
According to a brochure from real estate consultancy MSC, residential proposals for the site have been scrapped and replaced with more than 23,500 square feet of retail space along with a 2,500-square-foot covered pavilion and outdoor deck.
“First ground-up, new construction retail development in the heart of The Italian Market in over a generation,” the brochure reads.
Since 2015, New York-based Midwood Investment & Development had planned an apartment building for the property. The company declined to comment on the rationale behind their change of plans.
“Even at this preliminary stage, we have seen incredible interest from retailers, including food and beverage,” a spokesperson for Midwood Investment & Development said in an email statement.
Douglas Green and Brittany Goldberg, who are the listing agents for MSC, declined to comment.
The brochure includes quotes from a recent Inquirer article highlighting Queen Village, which lies to the northeast of the site, as the hottest food neighborhood in Philadelphia.
“Uniquely positioned in the culinary epicenter of Philadelphia,” the brochure reads. “Rare opportunity for rooftop bar and dining with unobstructed and dramatic [northwest] views of Center City.”
Between 2015 and 2019, Midwood offered a variety of different apartment proposals for the site, the former home of Anastasi Seafood but mostly comprising a large vacant lot.
The last proposal, which was the subject of furious debate in the neighborhood, showed a six-story building with 157 apartments and an underground parking garage. A curb cut on Ninth Street stirred protest from the Passyunk Square Civic Association, which argued it would disrupt the pedestrian nature of the market.
But the plans have been paused for years, even as Philadelphia experienced an apartment building boom that resulted in a glut of market-rate units that developers have struggled to fill at their asking rents. Midwood itself recently completed a 376-unit tower to the north in eastern Center City.
Midwood declined to answer questions about parking associated with the new plans, although the brochure does not mention any. The company confirmed, however, that the controversial curb cut is no more.
Instead of adding to the residential capacity of the area, Midwood’s new proposal seeks to lean into the active street life the Italian Market is known for and promises to add more outdoor dining options and a communal gathering space, which the stretch of the market south of Washington currently lacks. The company is also heavily stressing South Philadelphia’s thriving culinary scene and the opportunity to add an ambitious new restaurant to it.
“Building setbacks create ample outdoor areas for restaurant seating and community gathering,” the brochure reads. “Large-format restaurant opportunity on Ninth Street with expansive rooftop bar and dining area.”