Close to I-95 in Northern Liberties, the 800 block of N. Hancock Street possesses an interesting collection of buildings, with a mix of new construction and adaptive reuse. If you'd like, you can preemptively add two more to the new construction side of the ledger as the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association recently supported plans for two single-family homes at 817 N. Hancock St. which would replace a one-story building.
The homes, designed by Fusa Designs, will join a company of interesting looking buildings, like the three-story brick homes with checkered ground-floor garages. And while they may look relatively normal by neighborhood standards, they'll stand apart from a dimensional perspective. One of the homes will be wide and shallow while the other will be skinny and deep, thanks to the oddly shaped lot upon which they'll sit.
It's a block where a shadow of its old industrial character remains. Just across the street is another one-story garage, an industrial building is apparently still in use, and designed with an alternating white and blue mosaic theme. On either side of that building are former industrial buildings that look like they've been converted to residential use. At the south end of the block, we see a bunch of stucco facades.
According to the OPA, every unit on this N. 800 block of N. Hancock Street has changed hands in the past 10 years, with the oldest transaction being 2006. That fact shows just how much turnover this block has seen and mirrors the change in many parts of the neighborhood. And at least a couple more transactions should be on the horizon, as the current owners of 817 N. Hancock St. are now trying to sell their project with plans and NLNA support. If you're interested in building a pair of homes in Northern Liberties, the property can be yours for just under $315K. Be advised, it looks like the project still needs approval from the ZBA.