FNA Zoning Committee Meeting: 1204 Frankford Ave.

fnazoning's picture
Submitted by fnazoning on Fri, 2012-05-25 16:37
Tuesday, June 5, 2012 - 7:30pm to 8:00pm

A proposal for a cafe with takeout, outdoor seating, and a liquor license. This meeting will be held at the Fishtown Rec Center, 1202 E. Montgomery Ave. All residents of Fishtown are eligible to vote. Please bring proof of residence or business ownership in the form of a driver's license or a photo ID and a lease, utility bill, or recent piece of mail addressed to your home or business.

Comments

fuzzybottoms's picture

fuzzybottoms

Mon, 2012-06-04 11:00

BUMP --- this meeting is tomorrow.

FPDA's picture

FPDA

Mon, 2012-06-04 13:44

Has anyone heard anything about this at all?

JedicusMaximus's picture

JedicusMaximus

Mon, 2012-06-04 13:51

I haven't heard any thing about this, but I was surprised to see either a zoning permit or an alcohol permit notice (I don't remember which) on the chain link gate between Frankford Hall and KD Financial yesterday. It struck me as an odd location, but I don't really know what's behind the gate.

Kenzo's picture

Kenzo

Mon, 2012-06-04 13:59

It's something Roland Kassis is working on or involved in. Same development dude who has a development interest the REACH Baseball Factory.

River City Flats, LP:
http://www.manta.com/c/mr5qvdn/river-city-flats-lp

Property Location
Address: 1204-08 FRANKFORD AVE Unit Number: Zip Code: 191253906
Owner Information
Owner(s): RIVER CITY FLATS LP
OPA Account Number * : 882929900
Mailing Address: RIVER CITY FLATS LP
829 N 29TH ST
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103

Pure_Fishtown's picture

Pure_Fishtown

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:16

Kenzo wrote:
It's something Roland Kassis is working on or involved in. Same development dude who has a development interest the REACH Baseball Factory.

River City Flats, LP:
http://www.manta.com/c/mr5qvdn/river-city-flats-lp

Property Location
Address: 1204-08 FRANKFORD AVE Unit Number: Zip Code: 191253906
Owner Information
Owner(s): RIVER CITY FLATS LP
OPA Account Number * : 882929900
Mailing Address: RIVER CITY FLATS LP
829 N 29TH ST
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103

You mean the building on Tulip between Eyre & Palmer? The one that is falling apart?

Kenzo's picture

Kenzo

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:20

Pure_Fishtown wrote:
Kenzo wrote:
It's something Roland Kassis is working on or involved in. Same development dude who has a development interest the REACH Baseball Factory.

River City Flats, LP:
http://www.manta.com/c/mr5qvdn/river-city-flats-lp

Property Location
Address: 1204-08 FRANKFORD AVE Unit Number: Zip Code: 191253906
Owner Information
Owner(s): RIVER CITY FLATS LP
OPA Account Number * : 882929900
Mailing Address: RIVER CITY FLATS LP
829 N 29TH ST
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103

You mean the building on Tulip between Eyre & Palmer? The one that is falling apart?

Yup:
http://www.philadelinquency.com/?p=361

Pure_Fishtown's picture

Pure_Fishtown

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:22

There you go -- another reason to vote YES!

Kenzo's picture

Kenzo

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:24

LOL

jbette01's picture

jbette01

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:25

I am so confused. Didn't we already have this meeting with Roland? Wasn't it for a bi-level restaurant with an organic focus with some vegetation being grown on site? I recall an outdoor pizza oven.

Perhaps I am losing my mind, alternative situation.

fuzzybottoms's picture

fuzzybottoms

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:34

jbette01 wrote:
I am so confused. Didn't we already have this meeting with Roland? Wasn't it for a bi-level restaurant with an organic focus with some vegetation being grown on site? I recall an outdoor pizza oven.

Perhaps I am losing my mind, alternative situation.

I just went back through my emails to make sure I can answer this correctly. There were two projects -- 1204 and 1208 Frankford. The one you are thinking of (above) is 1208 and was presented to the community and voted on last fall (9/20/11). This is the restaurant with roof garden.

The 1204 project is separate and so it needs a meeting too. The problem is that our meeting last fall for 1208 was listed as 1204 on the calendar. This typo is likely my fault so I apologize for the confusion. But the project that was presented and voted on last fall was 1208 Frankford.

JedicusMaximus's picture

JedicusMaximus

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:38

So, if this project passes muster, there will be two new restaurants next to/behind Frankford Hall and KD Financial?

jbette01's picture

jbette01

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:41

fuzzybottoms wrote:
jbette01 wrote:
I am so confused. Didn't we already have this meeting with Roland? Wasn't it for a bi-level restaurant with an organic focus with some vegetation being grown on site? I recall an outdoor pizza oven.

Perhaps I am losing my mind, alternative situation.

I just went back through my emails to make sure I can answer this correctly. There were two projects -- 1204 and 1208 Frankford. The one you are thinking of (above) is 1208 and was presented to the community and voted on last fall (9/20/11). This is the restaurant with roof garden.

The 1204 project is separate and so it needs a meeting too. The problem is that our meeting last fall for 1208 was listed as 1204 on the calendar. This typo is likely my fault so I apologize for the confusion. But the project that was presented and voted on last fall was 1208 Frankford.

OK, so we heard and voted on 1208. Now we are hearing and voting on 1204.

I am not sure I understand where the 1204 space is. Is it also behind the KD financial building? Two restaurants crammed back there?

I can feel the neighborhood about to have a parking related asthma attack, so I'd like to flesh this out a little before tomorrow.

Pure_Fishtown's picture

Pure_Fishtown

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:43

its got my vote and few more that I can muster up and drag out of their beds.

Kenzo's picture

Kenzo

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:44

That massive SEPTA parking garage for the Girard el stop I imagined sounds better and better every month.

TLP's picture

TLP

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:46

The restaurant at 1208 Frankford - the one that was voted on previously - is the rear space behind KD Financial.

This week's meeting for 1204 Frankford is for a cafe to replace KD Financial. Not sure where or why KD is going.

fuzzybottoms's picture

fuzzybottoms

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:48

jbette01 wrote:
fuzzybottoms wrote:
jbette01 wrote:
I am so confused. Didn't we already have this meeting with Roland? Wasn't it for a bi-level restaurant with an organic focus with some vegetation being grown on site? I recall an outdoor pizza oven.

Perhaps I am losing my mind, alternative situation.

I just went back through my emails to make sure I can answer this correctly. There were two projects -- 1204 and 1208 Frankford. The one you are thinking of (above) is 1208 and was presented to the community and voted on last fall (9/20/11). This is the restaurant with roof garden.

The 1204 project is separate and so it needs a meeting too. The problem is that our meeting last fall for 1208 was listed as 1204 on the calendar. This typo is likely my fault so I apologize for the confusion. But the project that was presented and voted on last fall was 1208 Frankford.

OK, so we heard and voted on 1208. Now we are hearing and voting on 1204.

I am not sure I understand where the 1204 space is. Is it also behind the KD financial building? Two restaurants crammed back there?

I can feel the neighborhood about to have a parking related asthma attack, so I'd like to flesh this out a little before tomorrow.

Edit: Thank you for answering this, TLP!

jbette01's picture

jbette01

Mon, 2012-06-04 15:00

TLP wrote:
The restaurant at 1208 Frankford - the one that was voted on previously - is the rear space behind KD Financial.

This week's meeting for 1204 Frankford is for a cafe to replace KD Financial. Not sure where or why KD is going.

So we would have JBs, then across from it a cafe/bar with outdoor seating, a humungous restaurant behind *that*, all of this next to Frankford Hall?

Addendum: Did we just turn into northern liberties?

fuzzybottoms's picture

fuzzybottoms

Mon, 2012-06-04 14:59

jbette01 wrote:
TLP wrote:
The restaurant at 1208 Frankford - the one that was voted on previously - is the rear space behind KD Financial.

This week's meeting for 1204 Frankford is for a cafe to replace KD Financial. Not sure where or why KD is going.

So we would have JBs, then across from it a cafe/bar with outdoor seating, a humungous restaurant behind *that*, all of this next to Frankford Hall?

Um, you forgot the New Acropolis. Sheesh.

JedicusMaximus's picture

JedicusMaximus

Mon, 2012-06-04 15:04

jbette01 wrote:
Did we just turn into northern liberties?

That will happen after the two other restaurant/bar spaces a block north are filled up too.

stbenjamin's picture

stbenjamin

Mon, 2012-06-04 15:10

I think KD Financial owns the building across from the Fishtown Jewelers (the one that got painted and lost it's cornice at the same time). I heard they are moving there.

JedicusMaximus's picture

JedicusMaximus

Mon, 2012-06-04 15:15

Not to totally derail the thread, but does anyone know what is going on at the building adjacent to Fishtown Jewelers? They cut window holes on both sides a couple of weeks ago, but they are still boarded over. I am guessing that the fromagerie that was talked about several years ago is off the table, but they did seem to have the old fixtures from the former Cornerstone Market in there.

TLP's picture

TLP

Mon, 2012-06-04 15:17

JedicusMaximus wrote:
jbette01 wrote:
Did we just turn into northern liberties?

That will happen after the two other restaurant/bar spaces a block north are filled up too.

That's the empty silver building, right? What's going on there? I saw an orange liquor license notice a few weeks ago.

bozoloper's picture

bozoloper

Mon, 2012-06-04 15:19

TLP wrote:
JedicusMaximus wrote:
jbette01 wrote:
Did we just turn into northern liberties?

That will happen after the two other restaurant/bar spaces a block north are filled up too.

That's the empty silver building, right? What's going on there? I saw an orange liquor license notice a few weeks ago.

i've been wondering about that one for a while. i think there are two of the orange applications up now.

JedicusMaximus's picture

JedicusMaximus

Mon, 2012-06-04 15:23

TLP wrote:
JedicusMaximus wrote:
jbette01 wrote:
Did we just turn into northern liberties?

That will happen after the two other restaurant/bar spaces a block north are filled up too.

That's the empty silver building, right? What's going on there? I saw an orange liquor license notice a few weeks ago.

It is the converted warehouse between Adorn and the PPA lot, the one that now has floor to ceiling glass windows/walls facing Frankford. For a while there was just one of the liquor license notices up in the window but within the last several weeks a second one was put up in an adjacent window.
If I remember correctly, when the first liquor notice went up someone posted that the owner of the building had purchased the license and was just waiting for the right tenant to fill the space. But I don't know anything about the newer, second license.

fuzzybottoms's picture

fuzzybottoms

Mon, 2012-06-04 15:25

JedicusMaximus wrote:
TLP wrote:
JedicusMaximus wrote:
jbette01 wrote:
Did we just turn into northern liberties?

That will happen after the two other restaurant/bar spaces a block north are filled up too.

That's the empty silver building, right? What's going on there? I saw an orange liquor license notice a few weeks ago.

It is the converted warehouse between Adorn and the PPA lot, the one that now has floor to ceiling glass windows/walls facing Frankford. For a while there was just one of the liquor license notices up in the window but within the last several weeks a second one was put up in an adjacent window.
If I remember correctly, when the first liquor notice went up someone posted that the owner of the building had purchased the license and was just waiting for the right tenant to fill the space. But I don't know anything about the newer, second license.

Last I heard they were looking for tenants. It's my understanding the pretty much any restaurant that goes in there can go in 'by-right' and won't have to come through zoning.

Atomic Larry's picture

Atomic Larry

Mon, 2012-06-04 15:37

bar/restaurant/gastropub/whateveryouwanttocallit. A little bird told me it was the same owners as Prohibition Taproom.

jbette01's picture

jbette01

Tue, 2012-06-05 09:00

The building with the two liquor licenses (which are by right) is not adjacent to Fishtown Jewelers, just to be clear.

I think Jed was talking about this corner building, right?

View Larger Map

JedicusMaximus's picture

JedicusMaximus

Tue, 2012-06-05 08:20

Yeah, that is the building I was asking about. The building with the two liquor licenses is farther down, just north of Thompson.

FPDA's picture

FPDA

Wed, 2012-06-06 07:45

So, I still have a few questions about liquor licenses...LOL

fnazoning's picture

fnazoning

Wed, 2012-06-06 10:46

The neighbors voted to support this project 39-12. The vote for neighbors within 500 feet was 19-8 and for those outside 500 feet the vote was 20-4.

ronchito's picture

ronchito

Wed, 2012-06-06 11:23

The 39-12 vote includes the liquor license option, correct?

FPDA's picture

FPDA

Wed, 2012-06-06 11:55

ronchito wrote:
The 39-12 vote includes the liquor license option, correct?

The project was "all-inclusive" as voted on, so yes.

jbette01's picture

jbette01

Mon, 2012-06-11 01:56

, thats a hell of a turnout for a zoning meeting. Always nice to see that.

Does anyone have some follow up project details they would like to share? Of course I am only asked when I miss the meetings.

ronchito's picture

ronchito

Mon, 2012-06-11 06:51

The owner of HipCityVeg is looking to open a vegan cafe in the current KD Financial spot. There's to be a special focus on organic fruit drinks/mixers which was the subject of most of the conversation (liquor or no liquor license). They haven't actually purchased a license yet so it will probably be byob to start with the option for a license later.

jbette01's picture

jbette01

Mon, 2012-06-11 11:26

ronchito wrote:
The owner of HipCityVeg is looking to open a vegan cafe in the current KD Financial spot. There's to be a special focus on organic fruit drinks/mixers which was the subject of most of the conversation (liquor or no liquor license). They haven't actually purchased a license yet so it will probably be byob to start with the option for a license later.

Interesting. HipCityVeg is so new in Rittenhouse, I dont know much about its viability. I did have a 'chickn' burger there the other day - expensive, but good.