Council committee advances 60-unit conversion of 1909 N. Front St.; planners list floodplain and historic conditions

The community and economic development committee reviewed Resolution 76 (2025), a land development plan to convert the existing office building at 1909 North Front Street (referred to in the presentation as the Hersha/Hirscha building) into a roughly 60‑unit multifamily dwelling. Planning Director Jeffrey Knight said the applicant had already received necessary special-exception approvals from the zoning hearing board and some minor historic‑preservation approvals; the planning bureau’s conditions include removing an unnecessary mid‑block curb cut on Dominick Street and replacing it with curbing, adding a direct pedestrian connection from the front entrance to the street sidewalk, providing bike storage in place of a tenant storage closet near the elevator, coordinating with the floodplain administrator (the building footprint lies in the AE 100‑year floodplain), and coordinating any exterior alterations with the city’s historic preservation specialist and HARB/COA review.

Applicant Dave Butcher of WCI Partners told council the property has significant vacant commercial square footage and the conversion will create construction work (he estimated about 100 construction jobs) and add housing stock in Midtown; he said a portion of the portfolio is already managed with some minority- and woman-owned subcontractors (about 20–25% by his roster, not all formally MBE/WBE‑registered). In response to council questions, the applicant estimated average 1‑bedroom rents at about $1,300 and outlined proposed on‑site amenities (fitness center, tenant community rooms, business center and pet washing station). The committee moved Resolution 76 to the legislative calendar for a formal vote; no final council vote occurred at the work session.