Philadelphia is without question a truly singular place, basking in its own weirdness/perfection as often as possible/necessary. Case in point: it was newsworthy for the paper of record when a local utility company, Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW), began removing one of their iconic signs. These projecting marquees let passersby know that they could stroll inside and handle any natural gas-related concerns in person. But, unsurprisingly, these walk-in locations didn’t get a ton of traffic, closing down for good during the pandemic as consumer behaviors made rapid changes. A PGW walk-in center ..read more

The 200 block of Vine St. has become one of our most traversed blocks over the first part of this year, and not just because of the gorgeous homes at the corner of 2nd & Vine. Our most recent visit was to 208-12 Vine St. due to a zoning permit for demolition of a set of historic structures that had a number of conditions before it could move forward. We return today, as the last of the conditions has apparently been met. The three buildings at 208-12 Vine St. Cones out front A closer look at the ground level We didn’t know what was planned for this parcel, save for that it had be ..read more

Spring Garden Street west of Broad is one of the loveliest stretches in the city thanks to its varied architecture and (mostly) tree-lined streets, making it worthy of its historic designation. As one makes their way past the Community College of Philadelphia and gets closer to the Art Museum, 2000 Spring Garden St. hides under the shade of a pair of mature trees on both Spring Garden and 20th Streets. What may appear to be a quiet little corner has actually seen a rash of action over the last several years. Plans to demolish the two-story building and erect a five-story, seven-unit building ..read more

It was barely a week ago that we were on the 1800 block of Chestnut St. in the heart of Rittenhouse to visit a building near Boyds that was sadly slated for demolition. We didn’t know much about what was to come at the time, save for the fact that there was no recent public transaction for this property owned by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers in advance of this zoning permit for demo. Since then, however, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported that there may be a potential buyer for the property at 1812-14 Chestnut St., a handsome two-story building that had plenty of architectu ..read more

Philly is no stranger to history, having served as a central location for many of the larger events of the Colonial days. One spot where plenty took place was the Tun Tavern, which had an outsized impact during its existence from 1686 to 1781. Originally sitting east of Front St. between Chestnut & Walnut – which will soon be the new home for Penn’s Landing Park – this spot was frequented by many of the august names of the era, famously known as the founding location of the United States Marine Corps amongst other still existing groups. There are no drawings from when it stood, though th ..read more

We’ve said it before, but there is nothing quite like getting out on foot to truly experience the goings on in the city. Even familiar areas can be seen with new eyes when out for a stroll, which is exactly what occurred the other day at 27 N. 3rd St. in the heart of Old City. This gorgeous, historically protected building was originally the Manufacturers National Bank, which moved from 3rd & Vine to its new location in 1870. This structure was built by Fraser, Furness & Hewitt and thankfully stands today much as it did 154 years ago. A look at the sturdy facade of 27 N. 3rd St., w ..read more

Bella Vista translates to “beautiful view,” and it’s abundantly clear to see why the neighborhood is named this when strolling through on a brilliant spring day. With the tree buds still exploding into their chartreuse glory, the neighborhood is indeed as pretty as a picture. This picture, at 825 Bainbridge St., focuses on a 15-unit condo project that we visited almost exactly one year ago. As we made our way toward Palumbo Recreation Center down the block, we paused to take in the sight. Looking NW at 825 Bainbridge St. Previously home to the studio of muralist Meg Saligman, the propert ..read more

Whether you deem it Northern Liberties or Fishtown, we should all be able to agree at this juncture that the parking lots around Rivers Casino are a suboptimal use of space. These huge swathes of surface parking are never close to full, while also creating a pretty big chasm in the streetscape and pedestrian experience. But at 933 N. Penn St., tucked between the casino and the Waterfront Square towers to the south, things are thankfully looking up. An aerial of the greater Rivers Casino area, with 933 N. Penn conveniently identified While we first stopped by here all the way back in 2012 ..read more

Marshall St. in Northern Liberties has seen a wild transformation on the blocks between Girard Ave. and Poplar St. over the last decade. We visited this stretch in 2014, when the former commercial strip was seeing signs of redevelopment after years of disinvestment. When we returned in the summer of 2021, the scene was barely recognizable, with new homes and apartments rising everywhere. However, 949 N. Marshall St. remained steadfast in its 1980’s, one-story glory at the time. But if you head to the same spot in April 2024, yet another round of change has taken place along this reimagined c ..read more

The Keystone Mill has stood at 201 Leverington Ave. since 1887, when the shoddy mill – which was not poorly built, but manufactured rough wool from old fabric and rags – was built for the Johnston family (Fun fact: the original home for the family’s mill was at the SE corner of 20th & Washington – OCF Realty’s current HQ). After a good run manufacturing this cheaper alternative to the tariff-laden foreign fabrics, the building changed hands several times, serving a number of industrial purposes over the years, most recently as Trent, Inc., an electric heating company that closed in March ..read more