Years ago, we noticed a weird-looking carriage house/warehouse looking building on Dorrance St. in the Graduate Hospital neighborhood. Looking at public record, it appears that it doesn’t exist. It’s got no address on Dorrance St., and clearly isn’t associated with the home that sits behind it on Cleveland St.

Looks rough

This week, we learned that the building is, in fact, associated with 1820 Fitzwater St., the property that sits immediately to its north. Soso Properties purchased the buildings a little more than a year ago, and this week presented a plan to rehab this blighted building at the SOSNA zoning meeting. According to the owner, the building is a wreck inside, and pigeons have been living on the second floor for decades. The owner plans to remove the garage, and create a two-story, single family rental in the building. While a rendering at the zoning meeting showed a new red brick facade with a fairly standard appearance (three windows and a door), the owner seemed interested in preserving the existing second story door and creating a Juliet balcony.

This rehab is a long time coming for this property, which sits on a block that’s seen quite a bit of development in recent years.

Upcoming construction on the block

Ongoing construction, at the southern end of the block

Ongoing rehab, next to a couple of very large, recently built homes

We’ll be sure to keep track of the carriage house rehab, and will try to get renderings once they’re finalized. We just hope the owner is able to preserve some of the character of the current building. Who doesn’t dig architectural diversity?