Biggest project yet planned for Manayunk’s Venice Island with more than 800 homes
A representative for Manayunk Renaissance LLC told members of neighborhood groups and Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. of the plan during an informal meeting.
A developer is planning to build 807 housing units on 30 acres of Manayunk’s Venice Island, bringing an end to years of questions by residents about what would become of the land.
Manayunk Renaissance LLC told members of local neighborhood groups about the plan during an informal meeting Wednesday. Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr., who represents Manayunk, also attended.
The company confirmed the plans to The Inquirer on Thursday.
“Venice Island is one of the most unique areas in Philadelphia, with water views on both sides, proximity to trails and outdoor space, and easy access to both SEPTA and I-76, all within walking distance of one of Philadelphia’s great neighborhoods — Manayunk,” Hercules W. Grigos, an attorney for the company, said in a statement.
The meeting with community leaders was meant to solicit feedback on the project, which is on the former PaperWorks mill site. Neighborhood input would then be used to “refine the proposal,” Grigos said.
Manayunk Renaissance LLC said in a statement that it plans to build multiple types of housing at what it calls The Flat Rock at Venice Island. The proposal includes 159 townhouses, 126 duplexes (with 252 units), and 396 apartments.
John Hunter, an architect and zoning chair of the Manayunk Neighborhood Council, who attended the briefing, has long argued at community meetings against more waterfront housing because he’s concerned about flooding and overdevelopment.
“It’s unfortunate. It follows a trend,” Hunter said of the plan. “It’s more suburbanization of Manayunk, more residential. There’s no commercial there; it’s not balanced.”
The company noted that it would be the fifth residential project on Venice Island, although it would still require a zoning change.
Flat Rock would also be its largest development, by far.
Apex Manayunk has about 128 units, the Locks has 60 townhouses, and the Isle has roughly 160 apartments. A 181-unit project is also planned by Rock Urban Development, a scaled down version of an earlier proposal.
Where would the new housing be built?
The 30-acre site at 5000 Flat Rock Rd. lies on the northwestern side of the island. Manayunk Renaissance LLC purchased the property in 2021 for $23 million, according to city records. The property takes up about 45% of the island’s land mass.
Some area residents had been hoping for either open space or less dense development with commercial uses mixed in.
The developer plans 500 parking spaces for the 800 proposed residential units, according to Hunter. That would fall short of the typical one-to-one standard in Manayunk, he noted.
Manayunk Renaissance LLC did not respond to a question about the parking.
» READ MORE: What’s planned for 30 acres of Manayunk’s Venice Island? Residents worry.
Who is behind the project?
It was not immediately clear who is backing Manayunk Renaissance LLC. The company shares an address with A.P. Construction, a South Jersey-based construction company, with an office at the Navy Yard.
A.P. Construction boasts a portfolio of big projects in the region, including work on bridges, stadiums, and the Manayunk Bridge Connector Trail and Park.
Hunter said the developer told residents at Wednesday’s meeting that Philadelphia-based Varenhorst would be the architect. The company also designed the Locks, an earlier residential project on the island.
Flooding concerns
Hunter said residents are particularly concerned about flooding. Hurricane Ida in 2021 hit Manayunk hard and inundated some of the buildings on the island.
Hunter and others fear more building will leave Venice Island residents trapped in another big storm, while contributing to even more flooding as runoff flows into the river and canal.
The 5000 Flat Rock Rd. property lies just below the Flat Rock Dam.
Venice Island, one of the lowest laying areas of the city, is a narrow wedge of land, just shy of 70 acres and roughly 1.7 miles long between the Schuylkill River and Manayunk Canal.
The island falls within a high-risk, 100-year-floodplain designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), meaning it has a 1% chance of flooding in any given year.
In a statement — also shared with neighbors — Manayunk Renaissance LLC said it had hauled in 400,000 cubic yards of soil to raise the site between 9 and 11 feet, bringing it at least 18 inches above flood elevation.
The company said it had approvals from FEMA, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the Philadelphia Water Department for the new grading and height.
Manayunk Renaissance also said it razed a dilapidated 512,000-square-foot mill building and is working to clean up lead and asbestos.
Manayunk Renaissance said in its statement that it is finalizing an agreement with SEPTA to create an emergency exit from the island via Umbria Street, where the Ivy Ridge railway station is. The company said it would pay all construction costs.
Hunter said he and others were told during the meeting that the route includes building a bridge over the canal that leads to an on-grade crossing at the railway equipped with three gates. That new road would be reserved for emergencies.
Zoning is an issue
The property is zoned for industrial uses, so the developer would either need City Council to change the land use rules legislatively or seek relief from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
“After five-plus years of work and planning, Manayunk Renaissance is ready to present its vision to the community and seek city approval to change the zoning,” the company statement said.
Community support would be a boon for the developer in either case. Having the backing of neighborhood groups is often a positive factor at the zoning board and could sway Councilmember Jones if they go the legislative route.
The company argues that the existing zoning allows warehouses, data centers, and other projects that “would be inconsistent with the community’s direction.”
