Final buildings sell from big portfolio of properties north of Center City

Real estate investment group Arts & Crafts Holdings L.L.C. has closed on the last two parcels put up for sale last year by property investor Mark Rubin in the north-of-Center-City district where it's been investing heavily.

The group paid $17 million for the two industrial properties at 200 Spring Garden St. — currently a City Fitness Gym — and 412-26 N. 2nd St., Michael Barmash, who marketed the Rubin portfolio as a senior managing director at Colliers International in Philadelphia, said Wednesday.

The properties are among the 20-plus buildings, together costing more than $325 million, that Arts & Crafts has assembled over the last three years in an area largely bounded by Spring Garden and Callowhill Streets, between Second and 11th Streets, the group has said.

Arts & Crafts earlier paid $36 million for five other properties from the Rubin portfolio, including the historic former bank that was home to one of restaurateur Stephen Starr's early ventures.

Rubin had originally included the two-story office building at 430 N. Fourth St. where he maintains his offices in the portfolio of properties for sale, but later opted to keep it, Barmash said.