After seemingly being defeated by the zoning board, developers Dan Rosin and Rafi Licht have found a new way to get approval for a small, mixed-use building at 601 Christian St: a fresh food market bonus.

Previously, Dan and Rafi had proposed a 48-foot tall, nine-unit mixed-use project with ground-floor commercial space, which would have required a zoning variance on the 38-foot limit. That variance was denied, but the developers have revised their proposal to be a 53-foot, seven-unit building with a fresh food market on the ground floor, according to PlanPhilly.

The bonus, which became law in 2011 but hadn't been invoked until this case, gives developers an extra 15 feet of permissible height in a project without a variance so long as it possesses “an establishment in which the sale of fresh fruits and vegetables to the general public occupies at least 50% of the display area.” [PP]