Is the Former Please Touch Museum Site Going to be Demolished?

The former Please Touch Museum Site at 208-212 N. 21st St. | Photo: James Jennings

Here’s an interesting nugget of information found in a document of the January minutes of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA). As you’ll read in topic #7 under the Zoning Committee report, Toll Brothers has “an agreement” to buy the former Please Touch Museum site at 208-212 North 21st Street (near Race). Fast forward to February, where minutes show that a meeting with near neighbors took place on January 28. Initial plans called to knock down the building in favor of a five-story (58-feet high) condo building housing “approximately 35 units” with balconies and underground parking accessed from Van Pelt Street.

Unsurprisingly, the proposal was met with “unanimous opposition” from near neighbors, who also deemed it “unacceptable” due to its size and it being “out of character with the rest of our neighborhood,” according to the doc. Ed Panek, LSNA’s zoning committee chair, would not comment on the project. When asked about the project, Michael Duff, marketing director at Toll Brothers, said, “unfortunately at this time, there is no information we can share publicly.”

The properties that make up 200-2012 North 21st Street were purchased in 2011 by the trust of Nathan Isen, the art dealer/gallery operator who was recently charged in connection with a money laundering scheme. City property records indicate that Robert C. Jacobs is the trustee of 208 and 212 North 21st Street. Jacobs could not be reached for comment.

Mainline outfit MBM Realty Associates purchased the corner property encompassing 200-06 North 21st Street in September 2011 for $1,523,245, according to city records. They’re in the process of developing eight multi-million dollar condos on that site, collectively called The Eight on Race (renderings).

The LSNA meeting in March reveals that Toll Brothers was still “considering its option to resubmit” another proposal to the community. This is definitely one to keep an eye on in the future.

Special thanks to a reader who tipped us off to this interesting development. Got a tip? Then…

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