What are your thoughts on this place? Were they unsuccessful renting the units as apts? Is it a poor conversion? Was it a true conversion, or is a new place?

~289 seems to be the price for 2/2 with parking. ~1300 sqft.

Objectively, given the location it seems like a decent price compared to other condos in the city. Its a brief walk to the train station or Main St, you get 2br/2ba a decent sized unit with deck and deeded parking....

I think it looks like a Wildwood hotel.

Correct, the original Watermill Apartments for rent through AM Greenfield (a big Center City rental agency), but they never took off.

The Watermill is now being sold as condos through regular Realtors.

There is a VERY small conversion facing Leverington - just the business.
The entire residential wing is new construction.

The location is a two edged sword.
It's a short walk down the towpath to Main Street Manayunk - easy access from the miniPark across from Kansas City Prime.

However, the driveway itself is not good at all. Heading north on Main Street you've got to
A)cross traffic on Leverington
B) squeek through that narrow gateway.


True, but the site is not conducive to stunning views.
The wide flats look towards the river and the tractor-trailer parking lot or the soap factory which was abandoned in the hope of making more condos. If the Dranoff condos are built, then your view will be of the other condos across the canal 60' away.
The narrow ends sold quickly, they have the good views looking up and down the river.

The other side faces the blank concrete retaining wall for the R6 Norristown. The higher units have a good view of the hillside though.

Hal

these are the ones no the west end?

The Watermill is aligned with the canal - northwest to southeast.
The units you normally see lights on in are the northwest-
facing upstream.




The dens and master bedrooms generally face the river



You can also see the remaining mill building in brick, and the new building in yellow were a mill used to be.

The twin stacks on the horizon are Smurfitt Stone, and you can see some of the white tractor trailor bodies below that.

Hal

The Watermill and Bridge 5 at the other end of Main Street are two ugly examples of pure greed. Just look at who build them and you’ll get the picture.

These building remind you of the stupid high rises at the shore, they do not belong in a neighborhood like Manayunk. Just look at who build them and you’ll get the picture.

Bridge 5 isn;t as bad as this one. And I understand why it's like that being in a floodplain and all At any rate, I read on Blatstein's site that the theaters were approved for an expansion to ten theaters.

That developer is a greedy pig.

Blatstien is a greedy pig?

Is everyone who builds something for a profit that you don't like a greedy pig?

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Blatstein is a hard core business man - make no mistake. I personally don't like the Watermill, it reminded me too much of a Mariott. It takes big companies with deep pockets for major development. I would much rather have a condo development than a abandoned wharehouse/factory.

Among the many reasons why you can't get stores to Ridge Ave is that the current population can't support it. With developments on Umbria, etc the population may cross that threshold to bring in stores like Trader Joes, etc.

Huh?

Blatstein didn't build the Watermill. It was built by Albert M. Greenfield & Co., Inc. The Watermill wasn't an abandoned building, it was a parking lot and storage area for architectural artifacts, and a pesky greenspace. The building in the front had antiques and 'Belle Maison' which is now on Main Street. I do agree that it looks like a motel. From inside the parking lot, it looks more like a Motel 6 than a Mariott though.

What do you mean the population can't support stores on Ridge Avenue? The reason we can't get stores on Ridge Avenue is because everyone drives to King of Prussia.