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The vacant hospital silently resting at Fourth and Reed streets soon will be no more.
March 15, the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustments approved the transformation of the former Mount Sinai Hospital site into a development of new condominiums and townhouses dubbed The Sophia.
Since holding meetings with the developer, some residents who initially felt out of the loop about the project are now prepared to welcome the development.
Dianne Mayer joined the community group Neighbor 2 Neighbor, formed in response to the lack of information she was receiving about the development. The group soon enlisted support from the Pennsport Civic Association, whose boundaries lie near the site.
Mayer attended a handful of recent meetings that addressed community concerns with Garrett A. Miller, founding partner and managing member for the Manhattan-based development company Polygon Partners. Some of the issues brought up were The Sophia’s parking garage and the developments effects on traffic and residential utilities.
"We had several meetings with the developer and the developer became very communicative with us," said Mayer, of the 1400 block of East Moyamensing Avenue. "It really became a good process."
The Philadelphia-based engineering firm Pennoni Associates conducted traffic studies to address the issue of a new 260-car garage having only one point of entry and exit, which has been a community concern. Based on their analysis, Pennoni supported the existing design as the most efficient option.
The firm, through a study, also noted the infrastructure needed to support the utilities of a hospital exceeds those needed to support the planned residential use.
According to Mayer, the meetings were all open to the public.
"They went back to their plans several times to see what adjustments could be made to address our concerns," she said.
Polygon also sent out two informational flyers to interested residents this month highlighting details of The Sophia and answering residents’ most pertinent questions.
"We felt they were trying to work with us," Mayer said. "We were able to compromise and walk away from it feeling like they are interested in our community."
THE SOPHIA WILL encompass 201 condos in the hospital’s existing structure, while 27 townhouses will be constructed along the building’s perimeter.
According to Polygon, the majority of condominiums will be one- and two-bedroom units, with a small portion designed as studios and three-bedroom units. Prices will begin in the low $200,000s, while townhouses will start in the low $500,000s.
Though 20 of the townhouses will be equipped with their own garage, the design is such that they are placed in the rear of the homes to reduce curb cuts and sidewalk disruption, said Kirsten Risko of Strata Concepts, Polygon’s consulting firm.
"The development plan was carefully thought out to be considerate of issues that affect the surrounding residents," she stated via e-mail.
The project also includes the implementation of trees, shrubbery, street lamps and sidewalk park benches on the site. Construction will begin in May and could last up to two years.
Risko added the zoning board did not suggest any changes to the intended plans.
The new development is a catalyst for positive change in the community, said Miller of Polygon, which has gone under contract to purchase the site from a group of local investors.
"I’m planning to create a vibrant community here. An abandoned building doesn’t help anyone," he said. "The Sophia will anchor the renaissance of this neighborhood."
John Dougherty, president of the Pennsport Civic Association and Electricians Local 98 chief, said a resolution was passed at the association’s meeting this month to extend the group’s boundaries to include the development site.
While this idea has not been finalized, the boundaries would extend from Washington Avenue to Snyder Avenue and from Sixth Street to the Delaware River, compared to its current west-to-east boundaries of Fourth Street to the river.
Sophia was also partly the momentum behind the formation of the Dickinson Narrows Civic Association. Its boundaries encompass the south side of Washington Avenue, north side of Mifflin Street, east side of Sixth Street and the west side of Fourth Street.
Kirk Brown officially formed the group with three other members, using their own money for funding. Since the area is not recognized by surrounding community groups, Brown plans to begin revitalizing the neighborhood with help from the new development.
The goal is "to galvanize the motivation we have established to clean the community so it’s as sparkling as it can be and to make people feel they belong to an area of the city they can be proud of," said the 18-year resident of the 400 block of Dickinson Street.
The developer also has conducted meetings with Dickinson Narrows, said Brown, who is in full support of the project.
Brown added the north side of Dickinson is the "staging site" for most of the construction, which nearby residents have agreed to.
Miller has formed a committee of local community leaders that will serve as liaisons during the project to community groups in Pennsport, Whitman, Dickinson Narrows and Jefferson Square. An additional study, funded by Polygon, will be conducted in the future to further address traffic concerns, he added.
"I think it’s going to be a beautiful project," Mayer said. "It’s going to be an enhancement to the neighborhood and I’m hoping this will be a good example of how a developer can come into the community and work for everyone."
