Wednesday, March 19, 2014

CANstruction Update

WHOA!
Whoa! Do we have some awesome clients and family and friends or what? We can't begin to thank everyone for really getting behind our CANstruction team and donating their hard earned cash for a great cause! We are really proud and humbled! It really is an amazing feat that we were able to surpass our fundraising goal in a few short days! The outpouring of support and generosity really means a lot to us. It is a true testament to our mission statement of "Building continuing relationships through quality design and responsive service." We are very grateful of the relationships we have built with each of you! Stay tuned for updates on our build!

Thursday, March 6, 2014

CANstruction 2014! We need your help!

CANstruction is an annual design competition for architects across
the country to showcase their creative skills to bring awareness to
hunger using canned goods. This particular competition benefits
the Delaware Valley’s non-profit food bank PHILABUNDANCE
whose goal is to provide hunger relief to low income individuals
and families. Through our participation with CANstruction and
our partnership with Philabundance to create the Fare and Square
Supermarket, JKR Partners is constantly strengthening our
commitment to providing for our community.
Donate using our our Fundly Site here. 
every little bit helps! 

Ave of the Arts building going Apartments.


Avenue of the Arts
Avenue of JKR Partners aka Chestnut Street
We are continuing our hot streak on the 1300 block of Chestnut Street and working our way up North on Broad. If you didn't already know, we've done the schematic plans for the Juniper Hotel, we've fit out Dick Blick, we've done the Lucky Strike, we've done the Olive Garden, and we've done the Capital Grille. Now we are going fit out the rest of the Avenue of the Arts building with 220 upscale apartments at 176k SF of space via a gut renovation, adding a state-of-art fitness center and roof deck, with units ready in 2016.The building was originally built in 1897 as office space and was most recently used as student housing for the University of the Arts.  We're in there surveying as we speak!


Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Breaking Ground at Cottman & Castor!

Dave and Elisa with their golden shovels.

all the people that make the projects happen


Clover in the mid 80s?
bringing the site into the 21st century
1954... the original

Dave, Elisa, Katie and Mike Schmitt have been working diligently for the last few months to get the Cottman and Castor job off the ground for Kimco Realty. This morning, ground was sort of broken for the project, if you count just holding a ceremonial golden shovel as breaking ground.  Other than no ground actually being broken, it was your typical celebratory event complete with all the local politicians and deal makers.  There was a ceremonial sledgehammer to take down some of the existing building.  Although this particular project isn't the most glamorous, it is a pretty big deal for the Great Northeast. What was once a Lit Brothers store eons ago, then a Gimbels, and then a Clover store, and then JC Penny for a short while, then just a vacant building for a long time, is now going to be given new life as a Burlington Coat Factory, a Bob's Discount Furniture and a soon to be TJ Maxx if everything goes as planned.  So the site has a long and storied history as a retail anchor in the Bustleton neighborhood.  This is a game changer for this area, which believe it or not happens to have the highest concentration of retail in Philadelphia outside of Center City.