In Francisville

A reader tipped us off about some construction activity on a hidden street in Francisville, the 800 block of Opal Street. Running for just one block between Parrish and Poplar Streets, hardly anyone would know about this quasi-alley if not for the fact that it bisects the totally adorable Ogden

Last Fall, we brought the Spring Arts Condos to your attention, at the corner of 12th and Green Streets, across the street from the Institute. These four new construction units have not sold as of yet, and are still listed for sale, priced between $275K and $285K. When we first

A reader checked in, wondering about some workers going in and out of 731 N 20th St., in Francisville. We did a little investigating, and were a little surprised about what we found.

This home is located on an unusual block. Five homes on this street are owned by PHA, all

As the saga of the Divine Lorraine comes perhaps closer to its finale (or is it yet another stutter step?), the redevelopment of North Broad could become a top priority for city planners, architects, developers, civic activists and more.

One wonderful (albeit temporary) use of a long vacant lot just west

A neighbor spotting a zoning application at 827 Corinthian Ave. and asked us to find out what's going on here. Just a block north of the Eastern State Penitentiary, this block sports beautiful three story brownstones, many of which appear to have been very well maintained over the years.

Considering this

Over the last couple of months, we've told you about two rather large projects in close proximity to one another in Francisville, and figured it would be nice to provide some updates.

One project, at the corner of 19th and Poplar Sts., involves five duplexes replacing a church that was torn down

Last week, we gave you the heads up about a proposed mixed-use development at the corner of 19th and Fairmount Ave., currently a vacant lot with a lovely Noam Chomsky mural. On Monday, neighbors in the Francisville neighborhood voted to support this project. Looking at this thread on Philadelphia Speaks,

A reader email gave us the heads up about an upcoming development on the northeast corner of 19th & Fairmount, and the zoning signs went up this week. This vacant lot, 1833-39 Fairmount Ave., had been owned by the Spring Garden CDC for over a decade, until it was purchased

For those of you who haven't spent much time in Francisville, it's not as confusing as it first seems. But it's still not simple to get around. At least not for those of us who have grown accustomed to the friendly grid found in much of Philadelphia, with its predictable

Yesterday, we gave you the heads up about ten new homes in the early stages of construction on a lot that once was the site of the Ridge Avenue Farmers Market. At that time, we wondered whether the homes would extend all the way to Ridge Ave., ruining the potential