Work has begun on a new building in West Mt. Airy, set to feature 29 condos, 29 underground parking spaces, a small food hall, and commercial space.

The five-story project, at 360 W. Mt. Pleasant Ave., is under development by Scott Seibert’s Bancroft Green, which previously built condos at 7100 Germantown Ave. and is currently building townhomes at 7600 Germantown Ave.

Originally, Seibert planned 34 apartments for the Mt. Pleasant project, but to make the project viable, he downsized to 29 market-rate condos throughout the financing process. The 29 parking spaces will be in a garage beneath the building.

“We pulled back quite a bit, like we’re nowhere close to maxing out the site,” Seibert told the Local. “On Mt. Pleasant, we pulled the whole building back, like it doesn’t go to the corner, you know, it’s set back quite a bit.”

The first floor will be commercial, with four residential floors above. The fifth floor will be less visible from the sidewalk.

“One of the problems with banks is they want maximum density, and we just didn’t want to do that,” Seibert said. “With the condos, there’s no one-bedrooms, and then it’s probably evenly split between some generously oversized two-bedrooms with two bathrooms, as well as some three-bedrooms. We actually even have a couple of four-bedrooms.”

He added, “The siding will be a mix of brick veneer, and potentially we’re looking at some slate siding in a couple of accent areas, wood, and some stucco, as well. It’s such a large building, so we’re very cognizant that if you limit your materials to just one or two, it can really feel incredibly overwhelming and bland. We understand this building will certainly change the visual fabric of that intersection, but we’re trying to do it in a way that we feel is aesthetically pleasing and respectful of the neighborhood.”

One piece of the plan that remained consistent was the first-floor food hall. Seibert says he envisions it like Chestnut Hill’s Market at the Fareway, but slightly smaller.

During the permitting process, Seibert sought a height bonus for a fresh-food component of the building. He saw a food hall as the right fit, since the space is too small for a grocery store.

“There will be an emphasis on locals, and there will be a fresh-food component of that, where you can come in and get milk and eggs and such,” Seibert said. “I’ve lived in Mt. Airy for 15 years, and when I moved here we didn’t have enough food options, and I feel like we have less food options now. … We just don’t have a lot that people can walk to, and as a sustainably minded builder, anything I can do to keep people out of cars is a victory.”

While some work has already begun, Seibert says it likely will ramp up in July, with a 28-month completion goal.

The pricing is not set and will be dependent on the market, but Seibert said that “projected starting prices within the upper six hundreds to over a million for the larger units.”