The 1400 block of Germantown Ave. in South Kensington looks awful. Blighted, empty buildings bookend overgrown vacant lots, despite new development springing up all over the area. If blocks could think, we suspect this one would be wondering when its time will come. And it seems, based on a couple of projects in the pipeline, that it shouldn't be too long now.
Close to Master St., at 1404 Germantown Ave., there's a proposal on the table for five new homes. We would have to imagine that a couple of the homes would front Orianna and the rest would front Germantown Ave. in this plan, given the fact that the lot goes street to street. It went to the ZBA last month, but it was continued. Hopefully, it will get approved and this block will see the construction of some new homes. It would certainly be an improvement over what's here now.
As is the case to the south, 1436 Germantown Ave. also has a proposal on the table for five new homes. A major difference is that these homes, designed by KJO Architecture, have been approved by the ZBA. One of the homes will have two-car parking, and the remaining four will have to suffer with one parking spot each. These homes will all front Germantown, as the lots get much shorter as the block continues to the north.
Hopefully, construction will get started soon on both projects, and the momentum can start to shift on this block. Heaven knows, it needs all the help it can get.