A major change is coming to Fishtown as developer Michael Samschick looks to repurpose large, unused buildings on the property he owns on and near the waterfront. Samschick is looking to put a 3,000 person music venue, a bowling alley, two restaurants, a distillery, a retail space, and over 300 surface parking spaces in to the old Ajax building at 1002-1052 Frankford Avenue. In the old dry ice building nearby, Samschick intends to put in a country-western bar with live music as well.

Tonight Samschick will go before the Fishtown Neighborhood Association to give his public proposal. The zoning committee has said they are pleased that Samschick chose to repurpose old buildings instead of knocking down and building new ones. His proposition allows the buildings to stay at the same height, add some new additions, and change the main entrance to the building from Frankford Avenue to Canal Street, away from residences. Samschick recently refurbished an old building into the Penn Treaty Village Pennthouses which are part of his larger plans for spaces he owns along Delaware Ave.

The meeting tonight is open to the public and will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Kensington at418 E. Girard Aveat 7pm. To vote on the proposal you must bring proof of residence. Tonight’s meeting should bring a more detailed proposal than the zoning committee has seen as of yet.

Waterfront development [PlanPhilly]