The Block

Along one of Philadelphia’s major north-south connectors, The Block adds 49 apartment units through a building that successfully navigates the rift between the pedestrian-focused and car-centric realms. At a moment when many cities are struggling with soaring land and construction costs, The Block demonstrates an innovative low-rise and high-density approach to urban housing with potential applications for communities, both urban and suburban, across the country.

Though Philadelphia is known for its walkability and dense urban fabric, there still exist car-centric commercial developments where big-box buildings on former industrial lots deliver retail amenities to historically underserved neighborhoods. This project bridges the gap between both conditions by supporting walkability and capitalizing on existing car-centric development. In place of high-rise luxury towers and their steep costs, the project probes the upper limits of lower-cost wood-frame construction types.

The Block was developed by the owners of a single-story warehouse that’s been transformed into a local brewery and retail space and sits immediately to the new building’s north. The owners approached the design team in 2017 seeking a concept that would add value and activity to the southeast edge of the parcel. To address the challenge of shaping a compelling living experience for city residents within a sea of surface parking, the team envisioned a broad mix of programming, including 11,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space sized to welcome smaller, local tenants.

The new building, set along the site’s southern edge, occupies the majority of the existing parking lot and lines 5^th Street with live-work units. Taking cues from Philadelphia’s low-rise rowhouse typology, the team employed an unusual approach to circulation throughout the building. The Block’s interior corridors are minimized, relying instead on an elevated terrace as the primary access point for the walk-up apartments. The terrace buffers the apartment entries from the surface parking lot and retail operations below and includes outdoor amenities off the central lobby and the building’s club room. From its decked seating areas, gravel lounge pits, and a turfed dog park, residents can enjoy views of the city’s skyline.

“The use of conventional construction with tweaks on geometry and color has enlivened both its context and the life of tenants.” - Jury comment

Since its completion last year, all of The Block’s apartment units have been occupied, and numerous commercial leases have been signed. The owners remain committed to Philadelphia’s entrepreneurs and offer retail spaces for weekend pop-ups that attract nearly 100 vendors and makers. The apartments add much-needed pedestrian-friendly housing adjacent to transit and the city’s vibrant Old City and Chinatown neighborhoods.