We just happened upon this construction the other day, and figured we’d share. 125 and 127 N. 11th St. were, as recently as a couple of years ago, older buildings that looked as though they could use a facelift. The corner space had been home to a business called Juanita and Juan’s (with a cool sign) and had most recently contained Leh’s Collection of Arts (with a central PA phone number, for some reason). The building located one off the corner was painted blue and looked like a former commercial space had been converted to residential use.

In the past

Both buildings are currently experiencing renovations, with the first floor space on the corner building completely opened up, and the same happening for the formerly blue building to the north. It’s not blue anymore, and according to permits that were pulled last year, an additional two stories were added to the rear of the building, which now contains a total of seven apartment units.

Shot of the corner

A view of both buildings

We’ve covered several projects in Chinatown in recent months, showing a new momentum for development in this part of town. Most of what we’ve covered has been multiple-story additions on top of existing buildings, suggesting a growing demand for apartments in the neighborhood. We’ve seen fewer rehabs like those pictured above, but they are just as crucial, providing upgraded commercial space for new tenants and upgraded apartment units for folks looking for that sort of thing. Hopefully, some other worn-looking buildings in the neighborhood will experience the same treatment in the coming years.