Wilmington-based 9th Street Development is set to purchase two downtown office buildings in Kennett Square for $6.6 million and redevelop them with about $34 million in additional investment. The plan would convert the 100,000-square-foot building at 128 E. State St. into 60 apartments, while retaining the 80,000-square-foot 101 E. State St. for office and medical space. The properties, built by Genesis Healthcare in 1998 and 2008, are being sold as the company downsizes following a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing last year. Plans call for ground-floor retail at the residential building — with leases already signed by Mayday Coffee Shop and Tinker — while the second building will be renovated and marketed to commercial tenants, reflecting the developer’s strategy to capitalize on demand for walkable, amenity-rich downtown office locations. Local zoning calls for ground-floor commercial space, an encouraging sign for 9th Street Development’s mixed-use plan.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 3/5/2026