SEPTA could soon lease to give new life to five vacant train stations in Northwest Philadelphia, writes Mike DeNardo for KYW Newsradio.

The SEPTA board will vote on Thursday on whether to lease the five historic but closed-up stations to developer Ken Weinstein’s firm, Philly Office Retail.

The five stations along the Chestnut Hill East and West lines are the Gravers, Mt. Airy, Carpenter, Tulpehocken, and Upsal stations.

“Our goal is to take these vacant deteriorated stations, restore them to their original beauty and find new uses for them,” Weinstein told KYW Newsradio. “Some of these stations will end up being solely residential. Some of these stations will end up being coffee shops. And some of these stations will end up being a mix of the two.”

Weinstein added that if the leases can be finalized early next year, the stations could then be renovated and ready for tenants by late 2026.

According to Ken Starr, SEPTA’s manager of join real estate development, SEPTA could collect a nominal one dollar a year in rent during the 99-year lease. It could ultimately save $150,000 annually on landscaping, snow removal, and other costs.

Read more about the potential new life coming to five shuttered Northwest Philly SEPTA train stations in KYW Newsradio.

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