AFC Fitness to open location in former Philadelphia Sports Club space in Radnor

AFC Fitness has leased 42,000 square feet at 555 Lancaster Ave. in Radnor and will backfill space vacated by Philadelphia Sports Club. 

The local owner and operator of fitness facilities in Bala Cynwyd and Feasterville expects to open the new location in June after a more than $4 million renovation that revamps the space to meet the needs of a new work out environment brought on by Covid-19 as well as update the space that had been occupied by the same tenant for 15 years. AFC retained Fabiano Designs, a New Jersey architectural firm that focuses on fitness facilities. 

*Article courtesy of Philadelphia Business Journal 

For more information about Philadelphia retail space for sale or lease in Philadelphia or about any other Philadelphia properties for sale or lease, please contact WCRE at 215-799-6900.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a full-service CORFAC International brokerage, and advisory firm, is a premier Philadelphia commercial real estate broker that provides a full range of Philadelphia commercial real estate listings and services, property management services, and marketing commercial offices, medical properties, industrial properties, land properties, retail buildings and other Philadelphia commercial properties for buyers, tenants, investors, and sellers.

Please visit our websites for a full listing of Philadelphia commercial properties for lease or sale through our Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm.

Blatstein drops controversial plan for a Wawa along Delaware River waterfront in Philadelphia

Developer Bart Blatstein has decided to shelve a controversial plan for a Super Wawa that would have fronted the Delaware River along South Columbus Boulevard in Philadelphia and will instead build an expanded retail center without the convenience store.

“I’m not going to pursue Wawa and the litigation on Delaware Avenue,” Blatstein said in an interview. 

His change of heart was driven by opportunity. “The market needs more retail and I’m going to scrap the Wawa plan and do more retail,” he said. “The economics are better.”

The Philadelphia developer had been met by a series of setbacks for the proposed Wawa at 1401 S. Columbus Blvd. that had been consistently rejected by neighborhood groups, governing authorities, City Council members, and an organization overseeing development of the waterfront. Most concerns revolved around having a convenience store with gas pumps in the area that has a growing residential population and is trying to become more pedestrian-friendly. A gas station is also prohibited use. 

*Article courtesy of Philadelphia Business Journal 

For more information about Philadelphia retail space for sale or lease in Philadelphia or about any other Philadelphia properties for sale or lease, please contact WCRE at 215-799-6900.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a full-service CORFAC International brokerage, and advisory firm, is a premier Philadelphia commercial real estate broker that provides a full range of Philadelphia commercial real estate listings and services, property management services, and marketing commercial offices, medical properties, industrial properties, land properties, retail buildings and other Philadelphia commercial properties for buyers, tenants, investors, and sellers.

Please visit our websites for a full listing of Philadelphia commercial properties for lease or sale through our Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm.

New York investor buys prime Walnut Street building, lands new retail tenant

A New York investor has paid $5.34 million for 1617 Walnut St., a two-story building in the center of Philadelphia’s High Street retail corridor.

The nearly 7,000-square-foot building was put up for sale in late 2019 by a local family who had it in a trust and listed for $7.5 million. The price that it ended up selling for is a reflection of how the pandemic has affected real estate and the building, which has been vacant for the last roughly five years but the new owner did secure a tenant, Free People, to lease the space. 

Bucks County shopping center, Wawa-anchored property in South Jersey sell in separate deals

Two area shopping centers, one anchored by a Wawa and the other shadow anchored by a Home Depot, have traded. 

Valley Forge Investment Corp. sold Warrington Plaza, an 87,581-square-foot retail center at Easton and Street roads in Warrington, for $22.5 million. Realty Resource Capital bought the center that counts Avalon Floor & Tile as a lead tenant and is anchored by a separate 116,340-square-foot Home Depot. 

*Article courtesy of Philadelphia Business Journal

For more information about Philadelphia retail space for sale or lease in Philadelphia or about any other Philadelphia properties for sale or lease, please contact WCRE at 215-799-6900.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a full-service CORFAC International brokerage, and advisory firm, is a premier Philadelphia commercial real estate broker that provides a full range of Philadelphia commercial real estate listings and services, property management services, and marketing commercial offices, medical properties, industrial properties, land properties, retail buildings and other Philadelphia commercial properties for buyers, tenants, investors, and sellers.

Please visit our websites for a full listing of Philadelphia commercial properties for lease or sale through our Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm.

New York Investment Firm Snags Bucks County Shopping Center for $22.5 Million

Industrial Turned Shopping Center in South Philly

Realty Resource Capital Corp. has purchased Warrington Plaza, a fully occupied shopping center in Warrington, Pennsylvania, for $22.5 million.

The Woodbury, New York-based real estate investment and commercial financing firm acquired the shopping center from Valley Forge Investment Corp.

Located at the intersection of Street and Easton roads, two of the busiest commercial arteries in Bucks County, Warrington Plaza totals 87,581 square feet and is anchored by a 35,000-square-foot regional specialty home improvement retailer Avalon Floor & Tile, according to Brad Nathanson, senior managing director at Marcus & Millichap’s Institutional Property Advisors.

*Article courtesy of Costar

For more information about Philadelphia retail space for sale or lease in Philadelphia or about any other Philadelphia properties for sale or lease, please contact WCRE at 215-799-6900.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a full-service CORFAC International brokerage, and advisory firm, is a premier Philadelphia commercial real estate broker that provides a full range of Philadelphia commercial real estate listings and services, property management services, and marketing commercial offices, medical properties, industrial properties, land properties, retail buildings and other Philadelphia commercial properties for buyers, tenants, investors, and sellers.

Please visit our websites for a full listing of Philadelphia commercial properties for lease or sale through our Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm.

2021 in Review: Center City retail struggles while grocery-anchored centers continue to thrive

Philadelphia, wistful for pre-pandemic life, began to embrace its current state of affairs last December by adapting with streeteries for outdoor dining and repairing and reopening shops that had been vandalized during civil unrest sparked by the murder of George Floyd.

In the year since the residential population and the return of college students helped buoy retail and restaurant activity but has been unable to compensate for the continued absence of office workers that populated Center City before the pandemic. Philadelphia, like other cities, is finding it still needs office workers for its retail corridors to recover and thrive. It remains unknown when that will happen as Covid-19 and its variants remain circulating and companies push off having employees return to offices.

In October 2021, the city saw an average of 309,600 pedestrians a day, which is 75% of January 2020 levels and the highest volume in 20 months, according to Center City District’s most recent retail report. In contrast, on West Market Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard, the main corridors comprising the Central Business District, pedestrian activity languished at 26% of pre-pandemic levels with 84,000 office workers still absent from the city each day, CCD data show. 

*Article courtesy of Philadelphia Business Journal 

For more information about Philadelphia retail space for sale or lease in Philadelphia or about any other Philadelphia properties for sale or lease, please contact WCRE at 215-799-6900.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a full-service CORFAC International brokerage, and advisory firm, is a premier Philadelphia commercial real estate broker that provides a full range of Philadelphia commercial real estate listings and services, property management services, and marketing commercial offices, medical properties, industrial properties, land properties, retail buildings and other Philadelphia commercial properties for buyers, tenants, investors, and sellers.

Please visit our websites for a full listing of Philadelphia commercial properties for lease or sale through our Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm.

Giant opens Heirloom Market in Center City’s Fashion District

As supermarket chain Giant continues its expansion in Philadelphia, one of its most anticipated new stores celebrated its grand opening in Center City on Thursday.

The Carlisle-based company opened its fourth Giant Heirloom Market at 801 Market St. inside the former home of the Strawbridge & Clothier department store, which had a long run beginning in 1928. It became primarily an office building in the mid-2000s.

The new Heirloom market, located on the ground floor, is just a short walk from Fashion District Philadelphia. Giant Heirloom Market’s other locations are in Graduate Hospital, Northern Liberties and University City.

“It seems only fitting that our growth and investment in the city this year culminates with this new store in a legendary location that has served Philadelphians and visitors to our city for decades,” Giant President Nicholas Bertram said. “This store will reach residents and workers in the Fashion District and beyond, as well as visitors to Philadelphia’s nearby historic sites and museums. Always keeping in mind our purpose of connecting families for a better future, we know our customers will be delighted by the beautiful architecture and features at this Giant Heirloom Market.”

Giant restored the 32,000-square-foot space and maintained many of its interior design elements, including chandelier lighting, signage, decorative trim and the famous “Il Porcellino” wild boar statue that graced the department store.

Much like the other Giant Heirloom Market locations, the Center City store will feature a large beer and wine selection, gourmet cheeses with pairing recommendations, a seating area with TVs and 16 self-checkout registers. The store will stand out from the others with its Tap Hall housed inside the building’s historic elevator hall, which includes 32 self-serve beers and wines.

The new store will operate seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will employ approximately 100 people.

Giant now has eight stores in Philadelphia and opened four this year alone, including the flagship grocery in Logan Square and a new supermarket at 1403 S. Columbus Blvd. along the Delaware River. The company also opened an e-commerce fulfillment center in Southwest Philadelphia and has plans for additional stores on North Broad Street at the corner of Spring Garden Street and on South Broad Street at the corner of Washington Avenue.

*Article courtesy of Philly Voice

For more information about Philadelphia retail space for sale or lease in Philadelphia or about any other Philadelphia properties for sale or lease, please contact WCRE at 215-799-6900.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a full-service CORFAC International brokerage, and advisory firm, is a premier Philadelphia commercial real estate broker that provides a full range of Philadelphia commercial real estate listings and services, property management services, and marketing commercial offices, medical properties, industrial properties, land properties, retail buildings and other Philadelphia commercial properties for buyers, tenants, investors, and sellers.

Please visit our websites for a full listing of Philadelphia commercial properties for lease or sale through our Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm.

CVS store in Old City sold for $10.8M

An entity affiliated with Centrum Partners of Chicago sold for $10.8 million a 10,000-square-foot retail condominium leased on a long-term basis to CVS Pharmacy in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia.

It bought the commercial condo at 259 Market St. in 2015 for $10 million. The buyer this time around is a Lafayette, Indiana, entity going under the name 259 Market Retail Owner LLC.

The CVS is on the first floor of Shirt Corner, a five-story mixed-use development that has 59 apartments and is in the heart of the historic area of Philadelphia. The drug store is in the fifth year of a 20-year lease on the space.

CVS announced earlier this fall that it would be closing 900 stores as part of an overall restructuring of its retail footprint but hasn’t disclosed which locations it would shutter.

*Article courtesy of Philadelphia Business Journal

For more information about Philadelphia retail space for sale or lease in Philadelphia or about any other Philadelphia properties for sale or lease, please contact WCRE at 215-799-6900.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a full-service CORFAC International brokerage, and advisory firm, is a premier Philadelphia commercial real estate broker that provides a full range of Philadelphia commercial real estate listings and services, property management services, and marketing commercial offices, medical properties, industrial properties, land properties, retail buildings and other Philadelphia commercial properties for buyers, tenants, investors, and sellers.

Please visit our websites for a full listing of Philadelphia commercial properties for lease or sale through our Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm.

‘I think it’ll hurt business’: Philadelphia restaurant owners react to new vaccine mandate for indoor dining

Philadelphia restaurant owners are trying to determine how the new citywide Covid-19 vaccination mandate for indoor dining will impact operations after local officials announced the policy on Monday morning.   

For months, Philadelphia eateries could choose either checking guest vaccination cards or requiring masks when not eating or drinking. But starting Jan. 3, local restaurants must require that customers dining indoors provide proof of vaccination, like in other cities including San Francisco and New York. 

Business owners are meeting this latest Covid-19 mandate for restaurants with mixed reactions. 

Human Robot Brewing in Olde Kensington has already been checking vaccination cards, so not much will change for operations, said Co-Owner Jake Atkinson. Still, he hopes the formal announcement will provide customers with clarity and help ward off arguments. 

Many guests have been confused by the mask-or-vaccine policy differing from restaurant to restaurant, he added, with people not understanding why they must wear a mask in one establishment and not another. A lot of visitors to the Kensington brewery come from out of town, including New Jersey and the suburbs, and are unfamiliar with the Philadelphia rules, Atkinson noted. Some vaccinated people also don’t bring proof with them. 

*Article courtesy of Philadelphia Business Journal

For more information about Philadelphia retail space for sale or lease in Philadelphia or about any other Philadelphia properties for sale or lease, please contact WCRE at 215-799-6900.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a full-service CORFAC International brokerage, and advisory firm, is a premier Philadelphia commercial real estate broker that provides a full range of Philadelphia commercial real estate listings and services, property management services, and marketing commercial offices, medical properties, industrial properties, land properties, retail buildings and other Philadelphia commercial properties for buyers, tenants, investors, and sellers.

Please visit our websites for a full listing of Philadelphia commercial properties for lease or sale through our Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm.

Twin Peaks bringing its lodge-style sports bars to Philly region

The Philadelphia region will see a wave of new sports bars in the coming years as Twin Peaks, a lodge-style restaurant with wall-to-wall TVs and an all-female waitstaff, embarks on its first expansion to the Northeast.

Known for its rugged atmosphere and savory, made-from-scratch menu, Twin Peaks was founded in the Dallas suburbs in 2005 and has expanded to include 85 locations across the country. Now, the company plans to open 10 locations in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas.

*Article courtesy of Philly Voice

For more information about Philadelphia retail space for sale or lease in Philadelphia or about any other Philadelphia properties for sale or lease, please contact WCRE at 215-799-6900.

Wolf Commercial Real Estate, a full-service CORFAC International brokerage, and advisory firm, is a premier Philadelphia commercial real estate broker that provides a full range of Philadelphia commercial real estate listings and services, property management services, and marketing commercial offices, medical properties, industrial properties, land properties, retail buildings and other Philadelphia commercial properties for buyers, tenants, investors, and sellers.

Please visit our websites for a full listing of Philadelphia commercial properties for lease or sale through our Philadelphia commercial real estate brokerage firm.