Phila.gov
Read full report at Inquirer.com
A towering drug and alcohol rehabilitation center is being proposed just behind the building formerly known as the International House at 3701 Chestnut St. in University City.
The proposal comes from real estate firm CSC, which owns the historic Brutalist student housing complex, now called The Mason. The company describes itself as one of the largest landlords in Mexico and has been expanding in the United States in recent years by acquiring large, vacant properties in high-value areas.
After initially exploring a life science use or student apartments, CSC decided to go in a radically different direction on the parcel just north of The Mason that fronts on Ludlow Street. Renderings show a 53-story building, although the developer says around 40 stories is more likely.
“We thought that the best possible use is for something that Philadelphia actually needs,” said Sal Smeke, managing partner at CSC. “[There’s] a very, very bad drug problem. No one wants to fix it; everyone is looking the other way.”
