A couple of months ago, we gave you the good news that one of the two long-vacant buildings at Frankford & Wildey would soon be leasing apartments as Frankford Lofts. At the time, we lamented that the former hosiery factory across the street at 1101 Frankford Ave. remained as vacant

These days, it's become the norm to see old warehouses torn down in favor of construction of new homes. So when we heard that there was new residential development coming to the 1600 block of Mifflin Street, we were expecting that demolition would be part of the plan. A storage

We could have sworn we wrote about 2110 Christian St. like two years ago, but for whatever reason we can't find the story in our archives. To make a not so long story even shorter, the property has been blighted and boarded up for many years, under the not-so-caring stewardship

Eyes on the street. It's a simple concept that animates a neighborhood and helps keep it safe. So when developers look to build with designs that will take occupants’ eyes off from the street, some civic groups are, at times, less likely to support a proposal that steers away from

Over the weekend, a reader spotted zoning notices at 1401 E. Columbia Ave., currently a lot fenced in by brick walls. We did a little investigating, and learned that two new homes are proposed for this location. With lot dimensions of 20' by 91', the parcel is too large for

One of our big predictions for 2014 was that Ridge Avenue would finally take a big step toward reestablishing itself as a relevant commercial corridor. Unfortunately, we're now a few months into the year and little has changed on Francisville's main drag. But if things go well on Wednesday at

Speaking of neighborhood schools...Almost two years ago, Chester A. Arthur elementary school at 20th & Catharine got a new playground, largely thanks to the efforts of the Friends of Chester A. Arthur parent group. Recently, further FoCA efforts came to fruition as a family gathering area surrounding the playground was constructed. About a year ago, we

Last fall, Neighbors Investing in Childs Elementary (NICE), had a lovely block party at Childs, where dozens of community members learned about the group's efforts at the local school. Last week at Ignite Philly, two representatives from NICE gave an impassioned speech on how you too can help your neighborhood school. Somehow, a

Strolling along Walnut Street yesterday, enjoying the spring-like weather, we stopped short when we caught sight of Avance. The restaurant, helmed by Justin Bogle, opened in December at 1523 Walnut St., which was for many years the home of Le Bec Fin. And as they freshened up the interior for

Last fall, we told you about ongoing renovation efforts at 221 W. Girard Ave., a tired mixed-use building. This week, a reader checked in with a photo of the building's new facade. It features a bay window that we kinda dig.In the pastRecent shotThe Girard Avenue corridor has experienced a