Next up in Washington Avenue’s growth: a plan for apartments, townhomes

The redevelopment of Washington Avenue continues—this time with a plan for apartments, retail, townhomes, and public space right across the street from the (initially controversial) Chocolate Factory project.

Details on the project at 2201 Washington Avenue, designed by JKRP Architects, were released recently, ahead of a Civic Design Review meeting next week. They call for the redevelopment of a block of Washington between 22nd and 23rd streets, which is currently home to the Joseph E. Biben Sales Corp. building.

JKRP Architects, via CDR

The project would see the block turned into ground-floor retail along Washington Avenue, with 90 apartments overhead. On the other end of the block, along League Street, 21 townhomes would stretch from 22nd to 23rd streets. Each townhome would be three bedrooms and around 2,800 square feet of space, according to the proposal.

The facade of the space would be red-grey brick, accented by planter boxes and metal panels. A pedestrian path would lead to a courtyard in the middle of the development, creating, “a relationship between this property and those surrounding it,” according to the plans.

JKRP Architects, via CDR

The project is being overseen by OCF Realty, who bought the current building this summer, announcing plans at the time to turn it into apartments and retail. It sits across the street from another major OCF Realty project—the transformation of the historic Frankford Chocolate Factory into townhomes and a mixed-use development.

OCF founder Ori Feibush clarified that the two projects are completely separate, but similar “in spirit.”

It also follows on the heels of another major Washington Avenue development: Lincoln Square on the corner of Broad and Washington, which just opened this summer with retail, apartments, and a Sprouts grocery store. Meanwhile, across the street from the Chocolate Factory and Joseph E. Biben Sales Corp., West Philly-based Dock Street Brewery announced plans this summer to bring a brewery and taproom to a former warehouse at 2118 Washington Avenue.

With all of these plans gaining some ground in recent months, it’s pretty safe to say Washington Avenue—at least west of Broad—will look pretty different in a few years.

• Building near Frankford Chocolate Factory eyed for development [Curbed Philly]
• 2201 Washington Avenue [CDR]
• Historical Commission approves demolishing Chocolate Factory smokestack [Curbed Philly]
• Craft brewery planned for soon-to-be-unrecognizable stretch of Washington [Eater Philly]