In the gradually changing West Poplar neighborhood, several projects will bring new residents to 12th Street between Sping Garden and Green, an area where a string of new homes have been constructed over the past few years that have redefined the neighborhood.
Six homes have risen at the northeast corner of 12th & Brandywine, with one home on 12th Street and the rest stretching down Brandywine. We last visited this project a few months back, when the Brandywine homes were just getting framed out. A year ago, this corner was an overgrown vacant lot. Purchased in September for $675K by DSB Holding Company, such a high price for an undeveloped lot shows the rising value of the neighborhood and the horizon of potential investment developers see here.
Across the street, and closer to Green St., there is also new duplex construction underway at 546 N. 12th St., a former vacant lot. The developer appears to have been waiting for the right time to build as the site was last purchased in June 2012 for $45K.
We first looked at news of plans for numerous projects around 12th & Green and 12th & Brandywine last summer. Those projects and the various stages of Spring Arts Point, which has brought new homes in different sections of this neighborhood, like at 10th & Mount Vernon, have been the factors contributing to the rising value of this area. It's close to Center City, close to the highways (if you need to get out of town), the Institute, a local bar is right at 12th and Green, and Union Transfer has become a draw for national acts. So its makes sense that the neighborhood is growing in its popularity. Now if only somebody would redevelop the Divine Lorraine.