Two homes are under construction at 1509 – 1511 North Howard Street in Kensington in place of what used to be a vacant lot. The homes are situated next to a textile mill and coffee shop. Around the corner on Jefferson Street (next to the Market-Frankford Line), a duplex is also under construction. The units were purchased for $375,000 and $400,000 respectively.

The 2000 block of East Hazzard Street is undergoing extensive renovations. V2 Properties, a real estate development company, built and sold two homes at 2012 – 2014 East Hazzard. Another developer sold the property next door last year. Across the street, V&B Properties built three slimmer homes, one of which has already been sold. Down the street V2 has taken on another project at 2039 East Hazzard. A different, unnamed developer is also refurbishing two currently vacant homes a few doors over. There are still approximately a dozen vacant lots on the block.

Approximately a year and a half ago, Princeton-based developers purchased the property at 171 West Jefferson Street for $1.2 million (currently a vacant lot). The proposal, approved by the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA), calls for the construction of 17 new homes. Several similar proposals were taken to the ZBA in 2012, but each in turn was ultimately dismissed.

A condo in Northern Liberties’ Cigar Factory has recently been put on the market. The asking price is $550,000. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit is 1,923 square feet and is located on the south side of the property.

The aged five-story Putnam Building at 1627 North 2nd Street is looking much better these days. The Kensington South Community Development Corporation (KSCDC) repaired the building’s exterior with relative alacrity and in such a way that the old and new portions of the edifice blend together coherently.  At present the building functions as both an art studio and office space.