Winston Commons is listed as a contributing property within the Colonial Germantown Historic District. The District was designated a National Historic Landmark (1965) and was added to the National Register of Historic Places (1966). Designed in 1885 by the influential 19th Century architect William Lightfoot Price, Winston Commons was constructed in 1898 and became known for its highly distinctive Flemish-bond brick, Indiana limestone and architectural elegance. The building historically served commerce and trade as a specialty store.
After sitting vacant for five years, the property was purchased in 2002 by Mt. Airy CDC to achieve several goals: (i) leverage the redevelopment opportunity; (ii) strengthen the area’s revitalization; (iii) ensure community-focused redevelopment; and (iv) ensure the historic façade of the building is preserved. To achieve these goals required the balancing of historic preservation, adaptive reuse and brownfield redevelopment.
Mt. Airy CDC converted the former store to a mixed-use building with contemporary residential units over modern retail space. Upon completion the project received several awards including the William Penn Awards of Excellence for Sustainable Urbanism and the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Best Real Estate Deals Judges’ Choice Award. Today, Winston Commons is recognized not only as a transformative project that spurred redevelopment in the area, but also as a thoughtful renovation that preserved the structure’s historical charm while incorporating modern conveniences and creating a unique blend that appeals to history buffs and a variety of homeowners.
| TYPE: | Renovation / Rehabilitation |
| USE: | Mixed-Use – Commercial / Residential |
| DEVELOPMENT CONFIGURATION: | ±20,000 square feet of development with off-street parking 3 retail condominium units – ground level 6 residential condominium units – upper levels Five 2-bedroom and 2-bathrooms One 1-bedroom and 1-bathroom Residential unit amenities: Private elevator Gourmet kitchen with new appliances Hardwood flooring in living areas Energy-efficient gas utilities |
| MT. AIRY CDC INVOLVEMENT: | Site acquisition – 0.37 acre site Lot consolidation Feasibility & planning Regulatory & approvals Development, construction & contract management Condominium association formation Marketing Leasing – commercial retail tenant(s) Sales – residential -Targeted population moderate income families -Leverage Mt. Airy CDC’s housing counseling services to offer buyers a $50,000 forgivable loan included with mandated housing counseling |
| FINANCING: | Grant – Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administered by City of Philadelphia Grant – Governor of Pennsylvania Grant – Home and Garden Television Network and National Trust for Historic Preservation Restore America Donations – Private Sector Grant – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) administered by the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) |