Weeks ago, we wondered whether a former factory at 8th & Jefferson could represent an opportunity for future redevelopment. Though the site is only a half a dozen blocks away from Temple University, and just a couple of blocks south of the still-under-construction Paseo Verde project, it still has significant limitations in terms of its development potential. For one, it’s right next to elevated Septa tracks. Additionally, hundreds of PHA homes are located immediately to the east of the property. Still, redevelopment could certainly come to this location at some point in the future.

The old factory

Around the corner from this blighted building, we recently spotted a much smaller scale project in the works which could be a sign of things to come. In the last several months, 746 W. Master St. was demolished. Don’t mourn…

Right before school got started last semester, we told you about the nearly completed project at 1844 N 18th St., a few blocks away from Temple. Not only does the building have some of the more satisfying architectural elements among the new structures in the neighborhood, but it also includes underground parking for nineteen cars.

The building

At the time, we told you that the developer mentioned the possibility that he might add another story on top of the building, with another five units. Whelp, according to the L&I Map, it appears that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Approvals were given earlier this month, and we’d guess that construction will get underway once the spring semester ends in a few months.

Ain’t it cool to see a brand new building already getting a little taller just a year after it got built?

While we may seem agog to share all the news about new student housing developments in the vicinity of Temple University, this is mostly because student housing is virtually all that’s going up in the area. But Paseo Verde, a project we first told you about over the summer, is very much an exception to that rule. This mixed-use development at 1900 N 9th St. will, when finished, consist of 67 market-rate (ostensibly not for students) apartments and 53 affordable housing units, along with roughly 30K sqft of commercial space. Some tenants for the commercial space will be a health center and a new headquarters for the Asociación de Puertorriqueños en Marcha.

In the past

Recent shot

The development, which will be LEED certified, was designed by Wallace Roberts &…

Over a year ago, we first told you about plans from Bright Hope Baptist Church and the Goldenberg Group to build a large mixed-use development on the 4.6 acre site of the former Wanamaker School at 11th and Cecil B. Moore. At the time, it was understood that the project would move forward in phases, and would incorporate parts of the existing school building into its design. As the school has been fully demolished, those plans have clearly changed.

The old school

Same view today

The original plan for the site included a Green Construction Training Center, an Arts & Education Forum, a charter school, student housing, and public space. According to a press release from the Goldenberg Group, the reimagined project will, at this point, only include a 14 story apartment building with 320K sqft of…

It’s been awhile since we’ve made our way up to the area around Temple University, but we happened to be in this neck of the woods early this morning, and spotted some interesting new buildings along the way. One of these was 1850 N 18th St., a property we brought to your attention last May.

In May

In the intervening months, the building has gone up rather quickly, and is pretty much finished. Architecturally, it’s got a little more character than some of the “G-Ho Specials” in the immediate area.

Quite a bit of progress

Access to underground parking

We happened to run into the developer, who told us that the fully rented building contains fifteen units with underground parking. He also indicated that he’s thinking about…

Developer Birds Eye Development has a project coming to 1206-08 N 7th St., on a kind of dodgy block just north of Girard Avenue. Currently, these addresses include a large vacant lot and a large vacant shell.

Shell

Lot and shell

According to the zoning application, the plan for this location is to rehab the building that already exists, build another, and connect the two. Ultimately, the intention is for eight residential units between the two buildings. This will clearly be an improvement over what’s there now, but looking across the street, the block has a long way to go.

Vacant land and run down buildings

What we’re struggling to come to terms with is exactly who will be interested in living here. While this development is right around the corner from…