In East Kensington

Despite the fact that it's one of our favorite neighborhoods in town, East Kensington is admittedly a mixed bag. Some blocks are wonderful, filled with occupied homes. Other blocks are mixed, with a smattering of vacant lots or blighted buildings mixed in with newer and older housing stock. And other

Last week, we told you about a new home under construction on the 2200 block of Coral St. in East Kensington, with plans for a few more next door. Today, we can share news of some additional homes that we'll soon see rise a couple of blocks away. Just down the

Increasingly these days, we're seeing vacant lots get filled in East Kensington. As lots have become more scarce on Amber Street, we're seeing more action on Coral Street. In a couple of years, we would bet that building will pick up on Emerald Street. And so on. Today, we look

In Philadelphia, lots of the homes look the same and there's a hefty contingent of people who think that's just great, thank you very much. Still, from time to time we find ourselves confronted with unusual homes. Affordable ranchers in Point Breeze. A double-wide home with a lightwell through the

Homes at 2128-32 Hagert St., damaged by a fire that spread in the wee hours of a winter morning last February in East Kensington, look as if they soon will be renovated.

Permits to renovate the three buildings first pulled in 2008 were renewed this summer. All three are owned by the

East Kensington is an interesting architectural study of a neighborhood that's experiencing considerable development. On a single block, you may find a classic Philly row home next door to an ultra-contemporary new construction home, next door to a vacant lot. But on the 2000 block of E. Susquehanna, it seems

We were in the area and happened upon three new homes going up on the 2100 block of E. Hagert, pretty much across the street from Philadelphia Brewing Company. This was, until very recently, a vacant lot.

In the past

Now, however, there are three homes that are well on their