Fate of King of Jeans Decided. Still No Word on the Sign.

Partial rendering of new building on King of Jeans’ former site via Passyunk Post.

It’s taken some time, but at last the residential/commercial transformation of one-time retail hotspot King of Jeans has been approved by the Zoning Board. Passyunk Post reports that developer Andy Kaplan, former partner in the Goldenberg Group, can now demolish the existing building and create from its denim ashes a five-story building with ground-floor retail, office space, and 12 rental apartments. True, Kaplan, of Rockland Capital, still has to get a demo permit, but that shouldn’t be a huge obstacle.

Developer Max Glass, son of Nancy, previously proposed a mixed-used project of this sort, but it didn’t pan out.

The site has been the subject of speculation not only because of its location in a gentrifying neighborhood, but because of the business’ much loved sign, a sort of Dirty Dancing-style romantic interpretation of casual wear:

Image via Curbed Philly.

• King of Jeans plans OK’d by ZBA; 59-foot building to rise in its place [Passyunk Post]