Revised Germantown YWCA plans up apartments to 36

There have been very little updates about the historic Germantown YWCA adaptive reuse project since the announcement that the city had picked a developer. But new plans reveal that the residential project will now include “as many as” 36 units over the previously proposed 24.

The Philadelphia Inquirer shared some updates about the revised plans, which are still being tweaked by the architect. Ohio- and Pittsburgh-based developer KBK Enterprises were picked for the project in November.

But a resident expressed concern to the Inquirer that there’s been a bit of radio silence since the announcement:

“They announced in November that KBK was renovating, and we haven’t heard anything since. [...] We haven’t even seen drawings, any images. … I find it strange, three or four months later and we don’t know what’s going to happen.”

In the November announcement, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA) Board of Directors said KBK Enterprises’ proposal called for 12 1-bedroom and 12 2-bedroom apartments, half of which would be affordable and the rest leased at market rate.

Shops and community office spaces on the ground floor are still part of the plan, too.

When this project does move along—it was originally slated to debut in summer 2019—it’ll be a welcome change to the Germantown neighborhood. The historic building has sat abandoned for years, victim to fires and decay before the PRA issued an RFP for its redevelopment.

• Developer picked for historic Germantown YWCA adaptive reuse project [Curbed Philly]
• 23 adaptive reuse projects happening in Philly [Curbed Philly]