NKCDC brings life to abandoned buildings by developing affordable housing
Orinoka Civic House
Orinoka Civic House is a $17.8 million overhaul of the former Orinoka Mills factory at 2771-2777 Ruth Street, Philadelphia. Once a textile mill for curtains and upholstry, Orinoka now contains 51 units of sustainable, affordable housing, an indoor community space, a commercial storefront and NKCDC offices.
Coral Street Arts House
Coral Street Arts House was a vacant textile mill at 2446-2468 Coral Street, Philadelphia. Today, after a $7.5 million renovation, the building provides 27 units of affordable housing and work space for artists and their families.
Awesometown
In 2016 Awesometown became the first LEED V4 Homes Platinum Certified project in Pennsylvania. NKCDC partnered with Postgreen Homes to redevelop a former industrial site into a unique mixed-income residential development of 14 sustainable townhomes. Ten were sold at market rate by Postgreen Homes; four were subsidized and sold to qualifying income-eligible homebuyers through NKCDC.
East Kensington Scattered Site Project
In the spring of 2021, NKCDC completed construction on the first of several new townhouses in East Kensington. Like with the Awesometown development, NKCDC is selling several properties at market rate to offset the costs of building four affordable homes. “Philadelphians are in dire need of reasonably-priced homes,” said Brian Horne, NKCDC’s Acting Director of Real Estate. “NKCDC would like to be developing affordable housing with all its projects, but the city doesn‘t offer enough subsidies for us to break even.”