Last summer, we brought 1101-03 Frankford Ave. to your attention, noting that the blighted building represented a stalled residential conversion project that was unfortunately tied up with litigation and delinquent taxes. This building was quite a bit of history, having been home to a hosiery mill and an elevator factory at different points over the years.

Last summer

A few weeks ago, a reader checked in and told us that dumpsters had appeared outside this property, and it was apparently being gutted. An interior demolition permit from last month would seem to confirm this diagnosis.

Last week

Apparently, the building got some new owners right before we wrote our post last August, only this wasn’t reflected in public record until several months later. Real Estate 1101 Frankford LLC got a serious deal, purchasing the building at sheriff’s sale…

Oh Philadelinquency, we think you’re swell. Not only are you remarkably capable when it comes to digging up dirt on deplorable landlords and bad actors in this city, but you’ve also been a strong government watchdog since you’ve been doing your thing. And now, as tax delinquency is again on the front burner after last week’s Ravaged By Neglect series from Planphilly and the Inquirer, you’ve got some new toys for us to play with.

This week, Philadelinquency released two maps. The first shows property tax liens throughout the city, color coding properties based on how much they owe. Hovering over properties also shows the number of years in liens and the amount owed by property owners. Interact with the map here.

Delinquency in Point Breeze

The second map is very…

On the day the new South Street Bridge opened in November of 2011, we remember strolling over to check it out and noticing a huge crowd at Callahan’s, at the corner of Taney & South. At the time, we thought good for those guys, they must be so glad this whole new bridge ordeal is finally over. After all, the base of the bridge is literally a half a block away.

Callahan's

But in recent weeks, a couple of readers have checked in, noting that this well-established corner bar has been shuttered without warning or explanation. We swung by the other day and noted a sign on the door that states that the business will be closed for a few days, but we couldn’t tell you when that sign went up.

The sign in the door

Yet another…

The 2800 block of Parrish Street is a lovely Fairmount block that happens to include a ten-unit complex of homes that all face into a private courtyard. Residents are able to pull their cars into a cul de sac, with some using the space in front of their homes for parking, while others use the easement to access their private garages. But the future for this collection of homeowners is murky indeed, after last month’s sheriff’s sale.

The courtyard

Last month, the 5,000+ sqft easement/parking lot was sold to an unknown investor due to what appears to be twenty years of unpaid property taxes totaling over $86K. Now, this insane opportunistic individual has the opportunity to hold the residents hostage, but is instead punting and offering the lot for sale on the open market for $200K. The listing reads:

ATTENTION INVESTORS – This lot/land is a…

Maybe it was yuletide. Or maybe it was realizing what makes a neighborhood charming. Whatever it was that inspired the City to bid $20K more than they said they could to save a neighborhood garden from development, it happened.

Back in December

According to Plan Philly, City representatives bid $71,500 at a Sheriff’s Sale Dec. 19 to keep 1010 S. St. Bernard St. in West Philly a neighborhood garden. The bidding opened at $1,000 and had climbed to $50K before the City stepped in with its winning bid, according to a Saint Bernard Community Garden press release. According to a spokesperson for the Mayor, the City was able to bid more because there was an old nuisance abatement lien associated with the property. The amount of said lien provided the extra wiggle room for the City to bid.…

Neighbors who joined together fifteen years ago to push the City to demolish two burned out West Philadelphia homes are fighting for the community garden they developed in the place of those homes. It seems that earlier this year, half of the garden chugged its way through the Sheriff’s office and landed on the Tax Sale list.

The gardens comprise two lots where once stood vacant abandoned homes located at 1008 and 1010 S. St. Bernard, located between 49th and 50th Streets between Springfield and Warrington Avenues.  The lot up for Sheriff’s Sale is 1010 S. St. Bernard. Taxes have not been paid on the home since 1980, according to city records.

Garden shot from SBCG site

Members of the St. Bernard Community Garden, now composed of more than 50 households, half of which are homeowners, according to Trevor McElroy a…