At EDCKC, we focus on people, projects and economic prosperity. A recent urban infill project example is at 3600 Broadway, just north of the Uptown Theatre, called Uptown Lofts. The 4.62-acre site is currently home to a deteriorating retail center that was built between 1959 and 1980. The new developer, Sunflower Development, has plans to reuse and adapt the obsolete buildings into a mixed-use project that’s intended to preserve the character of the area, the viability of the Uptown Theatre and be an asset to the neighborhood.
The project will be one of several new developments in Midtown that are having a greater impact in repositioning and strengthening the Broadway Corridor. Also in development is a new 256-unit, multifamily apartment building to the south in Westport and Midtown Plaza, a project that will turn a vacant office building into 107 apartments at 3420 Broadway.
EDCKC has supported the Uptown Lofts project with the approval of PIEA tax abatement that will support the following changes:
- Removal of safety concerns contributing to blight at the site
- Removal of deteriorating sidewalks (and replacing them with new ones), curbs, stone walls and other failing physical building components
- Removal of unsightly landscaping and replacement with safe, attractive and environmentally-friendly landscaping
- Construction of approximately 223 new apartment units ranging from 461-996 square feet leased at market rents
Sunflower Development has also received support from the County, School District and Library for the new structure, which will create 75-95 full time jobs during construction and 35-50 full and part time jobs at completion. Construction on phase one has begun and is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2021.
A proposed second phase would include a 120-key limited-service hotel. We believe projects like these are vital to continue creating density, providing jobs and serving as places for people to live, shop and achieve individual economic prosperity.