SEPTA’s board recently approved a deal to give Philadelphia developer Ken Weinstein and his firm, Philly Office Retail, a 99-year lease on five historic and long-neglected rail stations in Northwest Philadelphia, writes Jake Blumgart for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The five stations are: Tulpehocken in Germantown; Carpenter, Mount Airy, and Upsal in Mount Airy; and Gravers Lane in Chestnut Hill.
Weinstein was the only developer to bid on all five Victorian-era stations.
“This is not something that developers are looking to do — spending a lot of time and energy on restoring these relatively small spaces — but sometimes you do a project that’s good for the community and not necessarily good for your bottom line,” Weinstein said.
Upsal Station’s renovation setup could feature a coffee shop, as one had previously been in that building. Meanwhile, the Gravers Lane station could potentially be used as a single-family rental home.
Weinstein said the other three stations will be renovated depending on what they are leased for.
The leases will be for a nominal $1 per year.
“This is a win-win situation for SEPTA and the Northwest Philadelphia community,” said Kelly Greene, a SEPTA spokesperson.
Read more about the plans for these long-neglected Northwest Philly stations at The Philadelphia Inquirer.
_____
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on PHILADELPHIA Today in January 2025.
