In West Philly

A few weeks ago, after checking out the newest iteration of The Hub on Chestnut Street in University City, we spotted a peculiar demolition at 4042 Chestnut St., about half a block away. The building that was here previously didn't appear to be blighted or vacant and was actually pretty

For those who haven't heard, last week marked the opening of a great addition to Philly's list of green spaces. Cira Green, built, owned, and operated by development powerhouse Brandywine Realty Trust, is finished and now offers some great new views of the skyline. The elevated park is built on top

We first visited 40th & Baring in the summer of 2011, when we told you about a new 15-unit building under construction on the northwest corner. As the years have rolled along, we've probably been back to this intersection a dozen times to report demolition, renovation, and/or new construction within

Step by step, the schoolyard at Lea Elementary at 4700 Locust St. continues taking steps forward. When we first brought this school to your attention over three years ago, the Community Design Collaborative has just hosted a design charrette, examining ways to transform the schoolyard into a greener place for students and the

On the northwestern fringe of our West Philly coverage area, 5052 Walnut St. has stood vacant for years. In 2013, we had our eye on it, lamenting its poor condition, and noted that it had been in bad shape for many years. Architecturally, this building is something to look at and

When the Hub on Chestnut was built almost a decade ago, it added a splash of color to the West Philly skyline and a delicious dining option in the form of Distrito. As you may or may not be aware, the project was supposed to include a second building next

At 3803 Locust Walk, Penn is perhaps halfway through the process of constructing the new Perry World House.Current viewThis building will open in the spring of 2016, and will be "an interdisciplinary research center designed to translate academic work into innovative approaches to global challenges." Platitudes aside, it will host

We were in West Philly yesterday and noticed demolition notices at 4101 Market St., a shuttered Pep Boys with some spectacular signage.Looking east on Market StreetAmazing sign on 42nd StreetSo what's happening here? The property is really large, covering almost an acre, so the opportunity is there to build something

A little while back, we heaped some scorn on the University of Pennsylvania for their unexciting new building on the northwest corner of 39th & Walnut. We lamented that this structure, which replaced an old diner, brought little to the table from an architectural standpoint, especially when considered alongside the

Another historic building in West Philadelphia has met its ruin. Demolition wrapped up recently the Levy-Leas House, an 1850s Italianate mansion at 40th & Pine, marking the end of a long fight between neighbors and Penn officials who over the years have proposed various projects there, at times prompting neighbors to