Do you happen to know a projected date for the opening? Not that I don't believe you, but people have been saying things like this about the Divine Lorraine since what, 02? I walked by there the other day (Divine Lorraine and Progress Plaza) and both were absolutely dead.

The Divine Lorraine is moving along. What could be salvaged of the interior was removed over the last year. Last week scaffolding went up in the SE corner which is serving as a demolition chute and a fence was erected to block the sidewalk on Broad St.

According to the West Poplar NAC, approvals are in place from the Historical Commission and the architects are busy with construction documents.

Earlier this summer there was a hearing to close Melon St between Ridge & 13th because the project not only includes renovating the existing building, but also constructing several new mixed use buildings on the adjacent vacant land which will include additional affordable apartments and condos, a parking garage, grocery store & other retail.

The Divine Lorraine had been flipped several times over the last 5 years. The current developers paid over $10 million for it and the adjacent land. In my opinion, with that kind of money invested, it's not likely to sit again.

I'm sure this project will bring many more amenities to North Philly in addition to the grocery store, which is quite exciting.

That is great news. Maybe it's really on the brink now. Just seems like people have been declaring the impending revitalization of North Broad for years and years and yet NOTHING gets done. Very frustrating. Do you know if these developers have a website?

Now someone needs to restore the met.

You are so in luck. I actually have my meeting notes in front of me here (the data was presented at the Brewerytown Sharswood Civic Association meeting on 6/21).

45000 sq ft Fresh Grocer to open June 2008.

Includes:
Citizens Bank
Popeyes
Payless
United Bank

They are refurbishing the back building, moving all the retailers to it and then demolishing the other one.

Zoning has been passed.
The project is $17 million dollars.

They got $1 mil from Senator Kitchen
$1 million from Rep Evans
$3 million from Gov. Rendell
$10 Million loan from TRF with only a $9 million dollar pay back.

Parking will be one level on top of the store.

It will also have 70% minority construction.

Mr. Whitlock of the Progress Plaza group presented.

__________________

Cousin's is at 5th & Berks. Probably the best supermarket in the area, currently.

__________________
Welcome to Philadelphia. Here's how you can help us make our great city even better:

• Write to your state and local elected officials
• Report suspicious activity to the police department

The developers are Sunergy Housing Group and Michael Treacey. I don't know of a website. The last drawing of the project I saw was a massing study done last year by DPK & A and Cope Linder. I'm not sure if they're the ones doing the cd's or how much of the design has changed from the initial study.

Sunergy is from the Netherlands & I've read they've had success with similar projects in the past. The idea is to have a mix of apartments & condos but at very affordable rates ($150,000 to start, if I'm not mistaken) - not the ultra-luxury that we probably have enough of here in Philly.

The last I heard about the Met renovation was last year when they were given a $500,000 grant from the state.

"45000 sq ft Fresh Grocer to open June 2008." -raider.adam

Great, just in time for my lease to be up. I was hoping for a quicker completion. The only thing visibly happening at Progress Plaza is the new Citizen's Bank building directly on Broad and close to Jefferson.