The Frame Philadelphia

The beauty of an old city like Philadelphia is that there are many fascinating architectural styles to appreciate. Modern architecture is another plus that blends seamlessly into the city. One of these latest developments is turning heads for its striking futuristic appeal. The building is called "The Frame" and features 114 luxury apartment units within a 7-story building at 1440 N. Front St. next to the El or Market-Frankford elevated train line.

Rendering Courtesy of Canno Architecture & Design

The new structure is so cool and sits in the middle of the Olde Kensington North Philadelphia neighborhood. The historic area was once steeped in heavy industry, and today, some formerly abandoned factories are now being converted into mixed-use buildings. In this case, the site was once home to American Vinyl Products Inc., a vinyl window manufacturing company.

So what makes this new development such an outstanding building? Would you enjoy residing there and/or visiting the commercial side of the building on the ground floor?

The architectural cladding alone sets this impressive building apart from others in "The City of Brotherly Love." More on that special factor in a bit.

Designed by the Canno Architecture + Design company, based in Philadelphia, the new building spans 88,497 square feet, with commercial space available on the ground floor. The ground floor also has parking for cars and bicycles. A roof deck is located at the top of the structure. There are outdoor spaces at the ground level, a gym and many apartment units with balconies. A parking garage is housed at the back of the building on Hope Street.

The Frame is ideally located and convenient for this most walkable city, and talk about a powerful street presence; you can't ignore the new facade at 1440 N. Front St. It immediately draws you in.

Architectural cladding can be used to enhance a building's personality and character. All kinds of textures, forms and technologies can be applied and are also effective at protecting a building's exterior and optimizing a structure's functionality.

Looking at the building, you can immediately observe a modern steel industrial design with several cladding features. For instance, "custom metal channel cladding" can be seen along the Jefferson Street facade. Philly's old cast iron facades serve as an inspiration for property’s futuristic design. Head farther south in Old City, and you will find these structures there. This cladding creates a stunning uniform grid on the facade and is highlighted by the square industrial-styled windows.

The result is a major new building with strong, steel beam beauty. Box rib corrugated metal, aluminum finish exterior windows and gray cement board siding are other assets contributing to this elegant design.

The upper floors that face Front Street transition into a sleek and minimalistic exterior. Traditional gray paneling has been added to frame the same tall, industrial-styled windows. A similar design approach has been taken for the other less visible building facades, including the frontage along Hope Street.

Folks who live in or visit a large community want to see their neighborhoods and cities thrive and prosper. Any time that a vacant site or dilapidated building can be repurposed, razed or rebuilt, it bears well for the community.

Fans of the Olde Kensington neighborhood rave about this part of Philly as one of the best places to set down roots. They say the area offers a great combination of an urban/suburban feeling.

You will find a variety of good dining spots, and the EL train is within walking distance. The regional rail is also nearby; it connects to the airport and the suburbs (less than a half-mile walk for most of the area) and is only a mile from the Broad Street line. The Frankford Avenue business district is considered one of the finest in Philadelphia now, and you have lively bars and restaurants in Northern Liberties, all within a short distance walk. American Street boasts a thriving arts and crafts scene.

The Olde Kensington area is close enough to everything and far enough away to avoid the noise and crowds.

The property, located at 1400 N. Front St., is a fine example of a progressive development. More and more developers are choosing to build projects surrounding Philadelphia's public transit infrastructure. This is a wise decision because it gives people easy access to jobs and services and promotes sustainable urban growth.

Congratulations to the Canno Architect + Design company. These creative experts have built a handsome building that breathes new life into the area. The designers say that each project they work on is "elevated by impeccable craftsmanship and a respect for the contextual environment."

Most people would certainly agree.