A hundred years ago, 1917-45 E. Hagert St. was home to a gigantic hosiery mill. For the last several years, it’s been a vacant lot, like many other parcels in the immediate area. But this will not be the case for long.

Sure is vacant

Looking north

Months after EKNA gave their support to the project, the ZBA recently approved plans for the construction of forty new apartment units for low-income senior citizens at this site by an organization called Catholic Health Care Services. This is the same company that oversaw the adaptive reuse of the former St. John Neumann High School for Boys in South Philly into senior housing. As is the case at St. John Neumann Place, the units here will be available for lease, and they’ll…

Weeks ago, we gave you the lowdown on Frank 2, a new mixed-use development from Postgreen. This development will include the construction of four apartments and a new restaurant space, which will fill a large gap on the 2000 block of Frankford Avenue.

Recent shot of lot

Rendering of Frank 2

Well, it turns out that the lots upon which Frank 2 will rise are a little deeper than the project needed them to be. As such, the rear section of 2032-34 Frankford Ave. is being snipped off and reoriented to become 2037-39 Blair St., where Postgreen will be constructing a couple of new single-family homes.

Blair St. side of the lots

These homes will be Postgreen “Signature Homes,” and will feature some of the most unique…

About a week ago, we told you about three new homes currently under construction near the East Kensington corner of York & Amber. Today, we wonder about Dauphin & Amber, a mere block away.

In the past

We were in the area last week, and noticed a new foundation at 2103 E. Dauphin, and possibly the beginnings of some construction activity at the corner property as well. In addition, we spotted a Stop Work Order from L&I, covering both properties.

Last week

Stop work!

Looking that the East Kensington Neighbors Association site, it’s clear that an applicant for 2103 came to present plans to the community for a duplex earlier this month. But there’s no question that the foundation pictured above was poured before February 8th.…

A few weeks ago, developers went before the ZBA with a proposal to redevelop 2024-26 E Fletcher St., a large vacant lot in East Kensington.

The lot

Their plan for the site, which was approved by the community at an East Kensington Neighbors Association meeting a few weeks prior, is for a six-unit building with roof decks and parking. The developers, East Fletcher Realty LP, are placing two parking spaces in the front of the building and four in the rear. We’re guessing that cars will access the rear of the building through a curb cut on Fletcher Street, though it’s not out of the question that the developers are acquiring the vacant RDA lot in the rear to use as a driveway. Combined front and rear parking access isn’t exactly something you see to often…

A few months back, we told you about a new Middle Eastern place that’s opening at 1939 Front St., near the Berks St. El Station. From the looks of the new awnings that have gone up, this place should be opening sooner rather than later. And it will serve juice!

Coming soon

At the time, we noticed the former Ninth National Bank building, a very attractive but blighted property across the street. We told you that it’s owned by Women’s Community Revitalization Project, and could possibly be subject to demolition. According to a zoning notice brought to our attention by reader @christoofar215, the building’s demolition might be coming up soon.

Front of the building

Looking up

Side of the building. We're guessing water is

…

Poring over the zoning dockets as we often do, we noticed a complicated list of variance requests for 2313 Frankford Ave., and quickly realized we were on to something huge. Pizza Brain, the planned concept for this space, has been getting quite a bit of buzz this year, and deservedly so. Who else, after all, is opening a pizza shop/pizza museum/neighborhood hangout/performance space these days? Who other than owner and pizza mastermind Brian Dwyer is calling Guinness World Records to award them with the record for Largest Pizza Memorabilia Collection? Who else has a pizza memorabilia collection, anyway?

This guy

Dwyer, along with a couple of partners, will be taking a former flower shop and turning it into Fishtown’s pizza nirvana. The property, which is 120′ deep and goes all the way…