Westside Story: New Apartments on the (Cutting) Edge of Phoenixville
The retail portion of the Westside development, under construction on Phoenixville’s west edge. | Photos and renderings courtesy Scully Company
Another old industrial community with strong bones hereabouts is Phoenixville. This former steel mill town has lately seen a surge of interest in its charming, walkable downtown, anchored by the Colonial Theater, the movie house featured in the cult-fave horror B-movie “The Blob.” New apartment buildings offer residents young and old alike the chance to live in the heart of it all.
But maybe you want to have convenient access to the heart of it all yet get away from it when you want. Berwyn-based Longview Property Group is working on your answer right now.
Longview is currently at work on Westside, a mixed-use apartment and retail complex at the intersection of Nutt (Route 23) and Rapps Dam roads, just west of the borough proper.
When completed in May, the complex will combine 21,500 square feet of retail space with 171 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 680 to 1,141 square feet. Most of the nine retail spaces have already been spoken for; tenants include Wayback Burgers, the Razor Lounge, Dunkin’ Donuts, Pet Valu and T-Mobile.
The apartment complex is managed by the Scully Company. The units combine traditional style with modern design and feature in-unit laundry facilities, open-plan living and dining areas, and contemporary kitchens and bathrooms with quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances. The studios have living rooms and Juliet balconies while the 1- and 2-bedroom apartments have living-dining rooms large enough to host dinner parties for eight plus full balconies. The two-bedroom units also have master suites with walk-in closets and en-suite bedrooms. A community clubhouse is also available for residents’ use.
Rents for the apartments range from $1,199 per month to just under $2,000 per month.
Longview has deep roots in Phoenixville; its president, Bill Anderson, lives in the borough and has played an active role in its revitalization, developing new shopping centers on its fringes, establishing the town’s farmers’ market with his wife Liz and supporting such cherished local institutions as the Colonial Theater. Most of Longacre’s projects, including this one, have repurposed former industrial sites in and around the borough.
“What sets Westside apart is the commitment to local authenticity that drove every design selection throughout the planning of this project,” Scully President Jessica Scully said in a news release. “Residents will love living in their uniquely designed homes just minutes away from the action of town. The community offers convenience and luxury right inside Westside. From hanging in the clubhouse playing shuffleboard to swimming in the resort style pool, or taking your pet to be groomed at the on-site PetValu, the community has everything you need, literally at your doorstep.”
Further information about the apartments, including leasing information, is available at the Westside website. The Longview website contains facts and figures on the overall development and a link to a live construction webcam. Renderings of the units and the common facilities appear below.
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