Whole Foods Signs Lease On South Street For New Concept: The Philadelphia Deal Sheet
One of the nation’s largest grocery chains is debuting a new, more streamlined retail model in Philadelphia.
Whole Foods on Wednesday announced an upcoming location of its new Daily Shop concept at the corner of South and 23rd streets. The Amazon subsidiary is leasing a space currently occupied by South Square Market.
The Daily Shop program seeks to create a more efficient, small-footprint shopping experience better suited for dense neighborhoods like Fitler Square. The chain already has a full-size location at 929 South St.
Whole Foods debuted the model in New York City in 2024 and has since expanded it to London and Arlington, Virginia. The Philly lease was announced alongside new Daily Shop locations planned for Austin and Chicago.
“These stores are designed with intention at every level, from layout to assortment,” Whole Foods and Amazon Senior Manager of Growth and Innovation Stephanie Curley said in a statement.
“We’re able to introduce new merchandising approaches and fixtures that make it easier for customers to find what they need, while still delivering the quality and discovery they expect from Whole Foods Market.”
PEOPLE
Princeton-based KSS Architects has promoted Alicia Heinsen to partner following her nearly two-decade tenure at the firm. She has facilitated the design and delivery of more than 10M SF of commercial, industrial and office space.
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DIGroup Architecture has hired Anthony Covington as its business development director for the Philadelphia region. The Philly native will focus on education, healthcare and senior living.
LEASES
Bonduelle Americas, a division of the French firm focused on plant-based foods, has picked Philadelphia as its U.S. growth hub. That entailed signing a 27K SF lease at 2400 Market St., and it plans to sign a longer-term lease in the area sometime in 2028.
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Two new leases signed at Lehigh Valley Trade Center III in Bethlehem have brought the property owned by Trammell Crow Co. and Clarion Partners to 100% occupancy. Supply chain and fulfillment platform ShipBob has taken 301K SF, and an unnamed e-commerce firm leased 288K SF.
CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
Chubb held a grand opening ceremony for its new Philadelphia headquarters at 2000 Arch St. on Monday. The 18-floor, 438K SF build-to-suit tower owned by Parkway Corp. will house 3,000 of the insurance firm’s employees. It represents a $380M investment.
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Brandywine Realty Trust plans will open its new Main Line hotel on Friday. The 121-room Brandywine, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s Tribute Portfolio, is located at 165 King of Prussia Road in Radnor. It will feature two on-site dining options, Merrick’s Tavern and Pomelo Rooftop Terrace.
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Pennrose partnered with Presbytery of Philadelphia and the Wynnefield Overbrook Revitalization Corporation to build Good Shepherd, a 55-unit affordable senior housing complex at 6441 Lansdowne Avenue. The one-bedroom apartments are available to Philadelphians age 62 and older earning at or below 60% of the area median income.
The apartments rose on a site previously occupied by Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church, which suffered a devastating fire in 2016.
The congregation "actually approached Pennrose, in large part due to our experience partnering with faith-based organizations across the country,” Pennrose Regional Vice President of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware Lindsey Samsi told Bisnow.
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The Michaels Organization has completed Victory Commons, an 81-unit affordable housing complex at 1223 Haddonfield-Berlin Road in Voorhees. The community is open to tenants making up to 60% of the area median income.
THIS AND THAT
Brandywine Realty Trust turned one of its skyscrapers into a giant video game last Friday. Tetris and four other games designed by a group of middle schoolers were played via the exterior lights on Cira Centre overlooking 30th Street Station.
The event was a collaboration between Brandywine, Techinical.ly, Drexel University professor Frank Lee and New Jersey Institute of Technology professor Erin Truesdell.
CORRECTION, MAY 14, 9:30 A.M. ET: A previous version of this story included incorrect information about the opening of the Brandywine in Radnor. It has since been updated.
