Way back in the summer of 2011, we first brought the vacant and blighted armory building at 1221 S. Broad St. to your attention. At the time, it was mentioned as an aside to the building that was being constructed next door, which obstructed an underwhelming Frank Sinatra mural. According to Hidden City, the property has been tied up with deed restrictions for the better part of a decade, and even though it was purchased by its current owners for a low price, maintaining the building has been extremely onerous.

Looks rough

The old entrance

With the introduction of a bill by State Senator Larry Farnese, property owner Tolentine Community Center and Development Corporation will now finally be able to sell this property. And according to Passyunk Post, the…

View from Wharton St., looking to the north

A reader sent us a tip about a building going up at Broad and Wharton, next door to the Lukoil gas station. When we swung by, we snapped a couple of photos.

Looking from the west from across Broad St.

According to an expired real estate listing, this property has the necessary zoning to construct a four story building with commercial space on the first floor and three residences, each occupying an entire floor, on the the floors above. With a 21′ wide and 113′ deep lot, that use sounds entirely reasonable, and if this building were going up most anywhere else, it would seem entirely sensible too.

But it’s the specific location of this building that makes its construction so questionable. On one side of the building is a gas station.…