The Brush Factory Lofts is having a grand Opening Party tomorrow night — Wednesday 25, 6pm – 9pm. The number for the Lofts is 215-982-2521. Website is still being built, but the landing page is up: brushfactorylofts.com.
Update 8/15/2019: Brush Factory Lofts (the official name) is now open! Tenants are moving in as of today. So far 8 leases have been signed. The rental office is open on Saturdays and Sundays between 11-3 for tours or call for an appointment during the week: 610-834-7500 or 610-633-2913. (No tours over Labor Day weekend.) The Lofts are 1 & 2 bedroom apartments and studios, with studios starting at $1500/month and parking spaces going for $225.
If you’ve driven east on Jackson past 12th in recent months, you probably got rerouted around construction at The Brush Factory. You might’ve sighed or cursed or both, but ultimately decided that the transformation of the industrial buildings from brown-beige, dilapidated pigeon-hangout to freshly painted and repointed apartment complex was worth the extra few minutes of inconvenience at 12th and Jackson. The detours should fade to memory soon. Anthony Rufo, owner of the newly rehabbed Artisan Lofts, says 60 of the spaces will be ready to start leasing sometime in June.
Those open units will likely be on the 12th Street side, where most of the work is evident. The cement trucks of last spring have vanished, and the fencing has been removed. Ten symmetrically spaced trees have been planted along the building’s sidewalks. There is still construction to be done to the newly added buildings in the middle of the complex, but the project is starting to closely resemble the architectural renderings first posted on this blog in 2014 when the Lofts were still being conjured up and we were all still referring to the place as The Brush Factory. (OK, we still do.) Or, the Pigeon Condos. (OK, only some do.)
Backstory:
The Brush Factory has been a vacant warehouse version of The Munsters’ mansion looming over LoMo since the last bristle was placed and the factory was shuttered in 2005. When it rained the tiny, punch card-looking windows leaked runny streaks down the facade, making the building look like it was in tears.
The Artisan Lofts, with its expansive (by comparison) windows, is set to have 151 units, 62 parking spaces, 3 car share spaces, and 24 spaces for bikes. The first-floor units along 12th sport what you’d expect in an urban warehouse restoration: white walls and white kitchen cabinetry, hardwood floors, and subway tile in the bathrooms. The ceilings are high. People are definitely curious: Are these truly market-rate apartments? How long will construction go on in the rest of the complex? Where did all those displaced pigeons go?
More questions will be answered with the launch of The Artisan Lofts website coming next week, which we’ll link here. Though, it’s doubtful that they’ll ever address the pigeon question.
Lower Moyamensing Civic Association 
Thanks for the info Betsy. I am also ecstatic that the end of this arduous process is nearing completion (although as a tribute to Philadelphia’s industrious past, I wish it would be called the Paintbrush Factory Lofts 😁).
I’m partial to that name, too, Todd!
I’m extremely concerned with the noise level of all of those apartments running WINDOW UNIT air conditioners! Adding additional floors to the building blocks sunlight to the homes on Snyder Avenue. I feel that the city of Phila has let down the people living in this area! Can you imagine the noise level of 151 air conditioners running at the same time?! Way to go City of Phila and the owners and architect of this building. It’s a disgrace. How long will it be before the owner of the buildings let’s the already shoddy workmanship fall to disrepair?
The zoning meeting was an absolute disgrace! No one was allowed to speak except the attorney for the owners! It was requested that attendees write questions on index cards and the attorney would read and answer the questions. Of course the questions read were all favorable to their (the owners interests) and they wouldn’t entertain hand raised questions! Shame on the banks who backed this project and the city of Philadelphia.
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Yea Eleanor, they should’ve left it empty and falling apart for another 14 years! god forbid something decent is built in our neighborhood to bring some vibrancy and energy!
I saw workers around the Brush factory filling up the alligator bags around the trees! They will live! I am not sure about the shallow layer of white stone as a way to keep in moisture, but perhaps this is a deterrent to the pits becoming dog waste pits. No offense against dog owners, but this is an issue.
I also got to tour the Brush Factory Lofts a couple of weekends ago. Although pricey they are spacious. They’ve left many interesting industrial features- steel beams, original brick and wood.
This building is close to my heart because it was where my family had their brush manufacturing business and where I spent lots of time working there. It was where I watched the property be extended. I loved seeing the renewal. It saddened both of us when we saw the damage to the building each time we’d come into the area. It’s wonderful looking at the renewal of the building. My husband worked there for 31 years and the warm people working in and around the factory were like family.Thanks for posting some of the spacious looking apartments and seems to make great use of the space. Seeing my history in print is great for me to pass on my children..
This building is an integral part to my childhood so it’s close to my heart. This is where my family had their paintbrush manufacturing business and where I spent lots of time working there. It saddened my husband and myself when we saw the damage to the building each time we’d come into the area, so seeing the renewal of the building and area is wonderful. My husband worked at the factory for 31 years and the warm people working in and around the factory were like family.Thanks for posting some of the spacious looking apartments which seems to make great use of the space. Seeing my history in print is special, nice for me to pass on to my children and grandchildren..