As someone in their late 20's, what I've always found fascinating is that when I talk to people around my age in other cities, the #1 thing they want to do/see in Philly is Eastern State (and everyone who has been loved it).

Can someone remind me what the latest is with Blatstein's/Hudson's property at Broad and Washington? Is the ownership of the property still being litigated?

After his absurd proposals were shot down - by everyone - we haven't heard a peep. Is he taking his ball, kicking the dirt as he walks away and going home? I'm just picturing him - feelings hurt - moping.

There really hasn't been any recent follow-up on the status of litigation; someone needs to put a bug in a reporter's ear to look into it, unless someone here knows how to find the court docket info. Hasn't been any new buzz in the local fb groups either. Blatstein seems to be more focused on his AC properties these days, as well as completing his Rit Sq mansion and dealing the old Inky building to the City.

Blatstein is the biggest blight king since Rappaport, maybe like Rappaport we will see relief when he kicks the bucket. There are also so many other properties he's sitting on like the peco station at penn treaty, remainder of the Schmidts site, big warehouse at 2nd & poplar, bigger warehouse at front & washington etc

But getting back to Broad & Washington, he never technically owned it. So maybe this will escape his grasp. If Lincoln Square does well, I'd assume the demand for this lot would go up and (in theory) could be sold/developed sooner rather than later.

But let's say he wins the suit and retains the rights to purchase, would h still have financing in place? His big retail tenant (Target) and aim at a grocery store (pushed rumored to be a push for Wegman's who declined, but no one else was ever named) both jumped directly across the street. Other retailers may want to jump after Lincoln Square shows the neighborhood has promise, but until then, would he be able to move forward?

Yeah, he's making a fortune on all these properties too, no incentive for him to change his ways. Wish the city learned from the Rappaport-raping that we're still recovering from after nearly 50 years of their neglect. You simply shouldn't be allowed to buy derelict properties and squat on them - they need to find a way to either penalize lack of development or incentivize development. But the status quo hurts everyone but greedy developers.

Brewerytown
 

Brewerytown has been in the news a lot recently for essentially being the "new Point Breeze"--meaning epicenter for the gentrification debate in Philadelphia. Anyways, there are tons of new developments going on around W. Girard Ave, the main developers of rehabs/new properties are:

Stamm Development Group
http://stammdevelopment.com/developm...wn-properties/

MM Partners:
http://mmpartnersllc.com/projects/

OCF Realty:
http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phill...ry/brewerytown

Hopefully this lot finally gets developed, a proposal from 2014 seems to have been delayed, or cancelled:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4233/3...54c1e613_c.jpg

A few developments under construction now (there's many more):

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4217/3...05222662_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4260/3...07757efb_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4233/3...34cb3961_c.jpg

bonus - I'm curious when this lot on Fairmount Ave. (next to Bishops Collar) will be developed--it's a prime location. According to this article, a big new apt. building was planned, but I haven't heard of anything since last summer.
http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phill...-fairmount-ave

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4287/3...9e61ba60_c.jpg

I love when new developments emulate the old. What intersection is this at, and are there any other examples of this type of development in Philadelphia?

There are a few "historical" structures going up in Old City (3rd and Market is a good example).

Also, the work MM Partners is doing at the Pyramid Lofts in Brewerytown is totally awesome. I love that adaptive reuse is a huge part of their repertoire.

Pet peeve of mine but I've always thought Brewerytown was north of Girard (or at least Poplar). Seems like now people are saying it's basically anything north and west of roughly 25th and Parrish. Ridiculously minor in the grand scheme of things though.

Also, regarding the giant lot next to Bishop's Collar, my dad works really close to there and what he's heard is there's community opposition to the proposed development because of the parking (or lack thereof?) and how the current plan uses the alley behind the building as the primary entrance/exit, but it's a really, really small alley that is hardly fit for any vehicular traffic at all.

Yep! A bunch of similar homes are going up at 19th and Thompson. Since the PHA is redeveloping much of Sharswood, it seems like the energy from Francisville and Brewerytown is crossing Girard Avenue and entering the southern portion of what's considered Templetown/Cecil B. Moore!

NPHS gets $10M offer for Girard Medical Center

Read more here:
http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...-meridian.html

Temple University College of Public Health-15th and Montgomery

http://i.imgur.com/GnsgRTn.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/cJ0NTf0.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/tbNA0zX.jpg?1

Project HOME building-North Broad, between York and Cumberland Streets

http://i.imgur.com/oYs6cyV.jpg?1


I'll post more updates from in and around North Philly throughout the week when I have a greater amount of time to take pictures.

TC1, a few degrees to the right and you would have taken a picture of my house!

Brown St., between 26th & 27th.

Poplar's the N/S cut-off between Fairmount & B-Town.

Typical Inga write up- totally detached from realities of funding or mission. PennDOT is not an urban renewal entity and this project was not a "once in a generation rebuild of 676" as she claims in this review. The area will be dramatically improved when this project is done.

http://www.philly.com/philly/columni...-20170629.html

I don't think she is saying it isn't improved - I think she is lamenting a lack of coordination between agencies that could have made full cap on Logan Square, that could have made it even better. If we want to eventually cap the whole thing, the cheapest way to do so would have been to do it all at once for operational efficiencies and to save on overhead. Now, the whole thing will ultimately cost more because it will be done it two stages. With the Family Court buildings still vacant and the Morman Temple area still under construction, now would have been the perfect time to do it.

Typical 1487 post misinterpreting the article because of dislike for who wrote it.

PennDot created all this open space which is great but who's going to use it is my question? I was in Portland earlier this year and would love to see some of these underutilized plazas and parks filled with food carts. Empty park space is an invitation for the homeless to gather and take over. As it is, the Parkway has too much. We don't have the density to populate every open space in that area.

I don't know about "once in a lifetime," but such opportunities are exceedingly rare. It's not contradictory to call this an improvement, but to bemoan the lack of vision. As for who will use it, the negadelphian in me figures that we provided the homeless with a nicer spot. The only way Logan becomes usable is to square the circle. The dragstrip in/out of town doesn't need to run all the way to City Hall.

So a highway hole is preferable? Not sure what your point is.