September 28, 2018
A dormant proposal for a vacant property along Kelly Drive has new life after developers submitted a revised version of the project for city planners to take another look.
Ridge Flats, an apartment complex planned for 4300 Ridge Ave., was last proposed in 2016. The project was praised for its use of the vacant land but critiqued for a design that planners felt was a mismatch with the environment.
In advance of next week's meeting with the Civic Design Review board, developer Grasso Holdings and designer Onion Flats Architecture proposed a new version of the project that has a ruddier color and a little less height than the original version.
The project calls for a five-story building with 142 residential units and 11,000 square feet of commercial space. The building would include a restaurant and a green roof, with an exterior of brick and metal. In total, the project would feature 135,000 square feet of space.
Rendering of Ridge Flats at 4300 Ridge Avenue.
Rendering of Ridge Falls proposal. 
Source/Onion Flats Architecture
Rendering of Ridge Flats at 4300 Ridge Avenue. The materials in the new version appear to be closer to what was seen in another rendering posted on the Onion Flats Architecture website.
Source/Philadelphia CDR
Ridge Flats was supposed to be completed in 2014. The project was held up partly due to new access requirements imposed by PennDOT and the Philadelphia Streets Department.
There's no current timetable in place for the completion of the new project pending feedback from next week's meeting.
