Work is underway inside the former Bartell Drugs space on 22nd, but there is still no clear public sign that a new street-level business is about to open there.

The likelier explanation, based on accounts from people familiar with the building, is that the ground-floor space is being used as a staging area while older office space on the upper floors is converted into apartments.

The building's office space has been identified by residents as the former Gravity Payments office, and recent reports have linked that portion of the property to a housing conversion. That makes the activity visible from the sidewalk notable, but not necessarily a sign that a retail replacement for Bartell's has been lined up.

There also appears to be uncertainty about whether lease signage is up at the storefront. For now, the visible construction work points more clearly to broader building changes than to a confirmed new tenant at the corner.