Yikes

A few weeks ago, we wrote about Four Squared, four homes going up on the 800 block of N. 4th St. While we were over there snapping a couple of photos, we noticed the three buildings, more or less across the street, in a terrible state of disrepair. We still find ourselves a little surprised that any buildings exist in Northern Liberties that have not yet been rehabbed, but these three stubbornly sit there on 4th St., looking like perhaps someone started working on them but couldn’t finish the job. Unless of course, the facades simply crumbled by themselves?

From the south. A little blurry, we know.

According to public record, John K Bonk owns 826-8 N. 4th St., and Kurt J Bonk owns 830 N. 4th St. Yeah, we’re thinking they’re the same guy. He (they?) has owned the buildings since 1999, and likely paid $75K for all three of them. The taxes are paid up through 2009, but because no payments were made in 2010, all three properties are currently tax delinquent.

Does anyone know any history for these structures? Has anyone heard about any plans to clean them up? Does anyone know what actually happened to the facades? From what we can gather, the buildings have been empty for several years now, and with Honey’s down the block and four new houses across the street, not to mention high-end development in every direction, these places seem like excellent candidates for rehab. Or at the very least, windows.

Yuck