Francisville

   Developers purchased the vacant property at 1431 – 1433 Brown Street in Francisville sometime within the last few months. They have proposed constructing a 10-unit building on the parcel. The project was taken to the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) on Wednesday, July 20. Two doors down, a triplex is currently under construction. Yet another project is in the works at the intersection of Brown and 15th Streets.

   In 2012, an unnamed developer purchased two properties on the 800 block of North 16th Street and one around the corner on Ridge Avenue, all of which have been sitting vacant for years. Three commercial spaces and 10 apartment units will constitute the trio of properties to be built on these parcels. Anticipate more development on Ridge Avenue sometime in the near future.

Fairmount

   Several months ago, the Fairmount Community Development Corporation (CDC) held a meeting in order to establish a feasible plan to redevelop Fairmount Avenue over the course of the next several years. Those in attendance addressed a plethora of issues, including parking, pedestrian safety and the preservation of historic buildings. Kevin Moran, executive director of the CDC, attested to the significance of the project (dubbed the Lighter Quicker Cheaper Plan).

Temple University

   On Friday, July 22, Polett Walk closed from 13th to Broad Street due to construction related to the Verdant Temple landscape plan. Over the course of the next few weeks, Polett will not be accessible via Broad and 13th Streets, or Beasley and Liacouras Walks. Entrance to Sullivan Hall will be available on Beasley Walk. A temporary ramp will be built at the Broad Street entrance to Mitten Hall. The following will remain open: Founder’s Garden, the Department of Campus Safety Services and the alleyway between Barrack and Wachman Halls. The Snøhetta-designed library and new Student Health and Wellness Center are to be completed supposedly within the next several years.

   The new, 10-acre sports complex slightly south of Temple University’s main campus is nearing completion. There will be two fields on what was formerly the site of William Penn High School. The southern field will be named after benefactors Greg and Cherifa Howarth. Temple University has joined forces with the Laborers’ District Council Education and Training Apprenticeship Fund to establish several instructional programs. The Department of Campus Safety Services is expanding its jurisdiction to accommodate the new development.

Ludlow/Yorktown

   The Philadelphia School Partnership has provided St. Malachy, a Catholic elementary school, a $1 million grant in order to add four classes to the institution and implement an educational online program. St. Malachy will be relocating this September (1012 West Thompson Street). Stephen Janczewski, the school’s principal, anticipates that enrollment will nearly double in five years’ time.

Brewerytown

   More than half a dozen homes on the 2900 block of West Flora Street in Brewerytown are due for a makeover. Razing and replacing these structures will most likely disrupt the architectural uniformity of the block. But one must consider all possible factors and what will ultimately be best for the neighborhood. The only architectural anomaly on the block is the Humble Tabernacle of Love at 2923 West Flora Street.

   According to an Instagram post, MMPartners has purchased the property at 2511 West Girard Avenue. Formerly a liquor store, the structure boasts 5,500 square feet of interior space. MMPartners has proposed modernizing the two-story building’s facade and will use an Australian coffee shop as architectural inspiration. Across the street, at 2536 – 2538 West Girard, two new triplexes are under construction.

   The Celestial Tabernacle Holiness Church of God has purchased the one-story stone building at 2800 West Thompson Avenue and the previously vacant edifice next door. The stone structure was at one time home to the Sanctuary Methodist Church. Historical records of these two properties are surprisingly scarce.