A reader was heading up 22nd Street the other day, and noticed three homes under construction just south of Wharton Street. They tipped us off, so we figured we’d try to get to the bottom of what’s going on.

In the past

Current view

As you can see, 1303, 1305, and and 1309 S. 22nd St. have all lost some windows recently. Looking at public record, it appears as though Cifaldi Property Invs Llc purchased all three properties back in June for a total of $105K. The previous owner was a gentleman named Henry Booth, who owned these properties since the 1950s.

Looking at the L&I Map, the new owner is doing a straightforward rehab of the properties. They’re replacing plaster with drywall, replacing the kitchens, putting up some new walls, and installing new doors and windows. As opposed to many projects we see in this neighborhood these days, these properties apparently won’t be getting third story additions or roof decks. If we had to wager, we’d guess that these homes will be rentals, and will probably find tenants pretty easily. Fortunately, it appears as though the old facades and the old cornices are still in pretty good shape, and will be preserved.