Naked Philly Blog Posts Archive - OCF Realty

Feb 22

Spot Zoning Might Be the Last Hope for Saint Laurentius Church

Categories: None

Feb, 22, 2019 | 3 Comments | Fishtown

If you read this blog with any regularity, you're probably at least generally familiar with the concept of zoning. But for any first timers out there, please allow us to provide a very basic bit of background. Every property in Philadelphia has an underlying zoning designation that dictates what its owner is permitted do with said property. The vast majority of properties are zoned residential, commercial, or industrial, a concept that you're probably familiar with [...]
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Feb 21

Another Apartment Building Coming to the 1600 Block of PB Avenue

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Feb, 21, 2019 | 3 Comments | Point Breeze

The diagonal Point Breeze Avenue was once the commercial heart of the Point Breeze neighborhood, allowing residents to shop for most of their needs without straying too far from home. Like the rest of the neighborhood, the corridor fell on very tough times over the second half of the 20th century, as businesses moved away or closed forever and many buildings sat vacant and eventually crumbled as the years rolled along. Vacant buildings and lots remain [...]
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Feb 20

Development Opportunity Among Mansions Near Temple University?

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Feb, 20, 2019 | 1 Comment | Temple Area

In the years just before the founding of the school that would eventually be known as Temple University, wealthy Philadelphians were building spectacular mansions for themselves in the neighborhood which Temple would eventually come to occupy. While the greatest homes were probably located on North Broad Street, there were some pretty amazing homes constructed off Broad as well, with several located on the 1500 block of N. 16th Street. The Disston House at 1530 N. 16th [...]
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Feb 18

Delorean Time Machine: Inolex Chemical Complex

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Feb, 18, 2019 | 3 Comments | South Philly

Many Philadelphians take the nameless shopping district along the southern part of the city’s Delaware waterfront for granted even through the auto-oriented area of strip malls and big-box stores feels more like the Northeast than South Philly. Nonetheless, the vestiges of the area’s industrial roots are visible in all directions-- the massive old industrial warehouses; some still in warehouse use, others repurposed as self-storage, strip clubs, retail stores, and a legendary wrestling venue. While some old industrial concerns [...]
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Feb 14

Former Carpet Mill Getting Converted on E. Huntingdon Street

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Feb, 14, 2019 | 5 Comments | East Kensington

As we've reminded you on numerous occasions, Kensington was once known as the Workshop of the World, producing all kinds of stuff, from hats to chairs, dyes to toxic chemicals. As a result, the neighborhoods in the River Wards are a mix of homes which housed the factory workers and the factories which employed said workers. As times have changed and industry has largely left Philadelphia for greener and lower taxed pastures, we've predictably seen dramatic [...]
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Feb 13

High End Triangular Home is Under Construction on Francis Street

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Feb, 13, 2019 | 1 Comment | Francisville

Traditionally, 1802 Francis St. was used as a side yard for 1804 Francis St., the home next door. It was well maintained, fenced-in, landscaped, and an old listing indicates that it was also used as a small garden. When the owners of the home at 1804 decided to sell last year, they made the decision to sell their home to a person looking for a place to live, and to sell their yard to a developer. [...]
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Feb 12

More Townhomes Are Coming to the Delaware Waterfront

Categories: None

Feb, 12, 2019 | 10 Comments | Fishtown

Ask ten people and you'll probably get ten opinions on what to do with the Delaware River waterfront. Historically, the Delaware was the center of commerce for Philadelphia, bringing goods in, shipping goods out, and providing countless jobs in this endeavor. As times have changed and shipping has become less of a thing in this town, the waterfront has undergone a massive transformation, and currently accommodates a mishmash of uses, including shopping centers, public space, [...]
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Feb 11

Salter Mews Part Deux Coming Soon?

Categories: None

Feb, 11, 2019 | No Comments | Queen Village

In the 1960s, the City condemned four square blocks between 3rd and 5th Streets, Christian Street and Washington Avenue, to establish the Southwark Public Housing Project. As we've told you previously, PHA built three towers here, ultimately demolishing two of them in the early 2000s and constructing a couple hundred two-story homes in their place and converting the third tower into senior housing. As we've also told you previously, a few structures escaped condemnation decades ago, [...]
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Feb 07

Seven Homes Finally Finishing Near Konrad Square Park?

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Feb, 07, 2019 | 3 Comments | Fishtown

We'll forgive you if you've never heard of Dakota Street, as it's one of those streets that disappears and reappears in Fishtown, seemingly with little rhyme or reason. It's even more understandable if you couldn't find the 2300 block of E. Dakota St. on the map, since it doesn't show up on Google Maps due to the fact that it ends after a hundred feet and isn't wide enough to drive on. While this is a challenge for [...]
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Feb 06

Checking in on the Partially Renovated Former West Philly High

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Feb, 06, 2019 | No Comments | West Philly

It takes a lot to impress architecturally in West Philadelphia. This section of the city is home to more amazing edifices than we can count, ranging from institutional buildings at Penn and Drexel, numerous churches, the Provident Mutual building, and more Victorian homes than you can shake a stick at. Among all the terrific buildings nearby, the original West Philadelphia High School, which covers an entire city block at 47th & Walnut, still manages to stand [...]
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