Blatstein's Bold Development Idea for South Broad

Developer Bart Blatstein has an idea.

Like a lot of developers, ideas abound but this one has a twist. Blatstein wants to take what he did at the Piazza in Northern Liberties and roll it up into a condensed, vertical version on a site as big as a block at South Broad Street and Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia.

“This is not your standard building,” said Blatstein, who runs Tower Investments Inc. “I want to take everything I’ve done in Northern Liberties that is spread over several blocks and put it in one place. It’s a self-contained community where you will never want to leave. Every amenity known to mankind is here. For those of us with [attention deficit disorder], this will be the perfect place.”

A rough sketch that Blatstein made of his plan (see photo) detailed all the services he wants to put into the project: a dog park, a pool, a running park, a private garden, fire pits, grilling areas, outdoor movies, and tennis courts that convert into volleyball pits. All of the outdoor activities would take place on the roof in an area roughly the same size as the Piazza. Aside from retail and restaurants, the interior would offer a game and a gaming room, a rock wall, basketball court, tech and bicycle shop, doggy day care and then some.


PHOTO: Bart Blatstein's rough sketch of what he plans to do at Broad and Washington streets in Philadelphia.

All of this would be housed in a 30-story building that would total a tad less than 1 million square feet. It would have 800 rental residential units, which would create a critical mass to afford all of those amenities, Blatstein said.

Blatstein decline to disclose how much the project might cost but those familiar with these type of projects estimate it could come in at more than $150 million.

Read more about this story on PBJ.com.

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