Port volume up, preserving The Philadelphian, possible Sunoco refinery buyers, developers focus on Germantown Ave

Good morning, Philly and Happy Chinese New Year! It’s 4710, the year of the dragon.

Last year the Port of Philadelphia’s cargo volume was up 10%, largely thanks to more cars, reports the Inquirer, joining shipments cocoa beans, paper, refrigerated produce, road salt and scrap steel.

Residents of The Philadelphian, the huge mid-centrury modern condo building on the Parkway, are sticking up for the building’s design integrity. PlanPhilly’s Alan Jaffe reports that a cadre of The Philadelphian’s residents protested proposed façade alterations – swapping out metal balcony panels for glass – and the project’s associated costs. The building, built in 1963 by Samuel Oshiver, is not listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places but many residents want to keep its original architectural features.

The Business Journal revealed that potential buyers are out there for the Sunoco refineries in Philadelphia and Marcus Hook, but confidentiality agreements prevent anyone from saying much more than that. If there is no buyer in place by July, the Philadelphia refinery will shut down.

Local real estate investors are buying up commercial real estate on Germantown Avenue in Mount Airy and Germantown, reports the Inquirer’s PhillyDeals blog. Developers like Ken Weinstein (of Trolley Car Diner fame), are buying properties from distressed landlords and aim to recruit new retail, office, and restaurant uses to the Avenue, banking on demand from middle-income residents.

The Buzz is Eyes on the Street’s morning news digest.