2116 Chestnut’s Open House Proceeds Without Incident

The view from 2116 Chestnut looking south

On Thursday, 2116 Chestnut, the good-looking apartment tower on 21st and Chestnut, hosted an open house with hors d’oeuvres and drinks and a DJ. The event was hosted on the building’s “amenity floor,” which has a fitness center, entertainment center (a dark room with comfy chairs and a huge TV that tenants can sign up to use), and roof deck with greenery and a hot tub, among other things. The catering was provided by Fooda, the Chicago-based company that arrived in Philly just a couple months ago. Tours of units were offered, and there was lots of schmoozing.

The units look small but solid — ideal for the young professionals the building owners hope to reach. There are excellent views in all directions through floor-to-ceiling glass, and, on the corners, small balconies. I snapped a few photographs from the balconies, including the above of South Philly.

Building management told us that the 341-unit building is 58 percent occupied and 86 percent pre-leased. When it comes to getting tenants, they feel they have a leg up over competitors like the still-under-construction Evo at Cira Centre South because they finished prior to the current residential construction boom.

The 34-story tower was developed by the John Buck Co. of Chicago and was financed by an electricians’ union-backed development fund and the state of Pennsylvania. It was designed by architects Hartshorne Plunkard of Chicago.