A reader checked in the other day, telling us about some backhoeing taking place inside a large warehouse on the 3100 block of Hamilton Street. This warehouse structure is almost totally covered in ivy, and by the time we made our way over there last week, a coveted candy-cane Cease and Desist Notice had been affixed to one of the doors.

Crazy building

Delicious

The notice, along with informing us that the observed workers were attempting to pull out some underground tanks without permits, also indicated that the address of the building is actually 3104 Spring Garden St.

Spring Garden side

Doing a little digging, we came to the realization that part of the warehouse had previously been home to the Spiral Q Puppet Theater, which has since moved to 41st & Haverford, despite its rough appearance on the Hamilton Street side. Over the course of the past year, the owners of the property, Kalidave LP, have applied for a number of permits to separate lot lines, build a new structure on the currently vacant lot, and use the warehouse as both a storage space and an artist studio. We’re guessing that the new building that’s planned will be student housing, like the existing building next door as well as a number of others on the block.

Looking west

Yes, it seems that even here, next to the Spring Garden bridge, the development spurred by Drexel’s growth continues to accelerate. Will this mean that the side of the warehouse on Hamilton Street finally gets a haircut? We’re not holding our breath.