I did something rare yesterday evening: I spent about an hour cruising around the city in waiting for my fiancée to finish up with her work. Here's what I saw in a few neighborhoods/areas:
Brewerytown:
-The long-vacant lot at 27th and Girard is finally fenced up and has equipment on-site! This project is finally a go. I am so excited to see the last major gap between Fairmount and Brewerytown filled in.
-Cecil B. Moore Avenue between 29th Street and Ridge Avenue continues to fill in at a rapid pace. It seems like a new project pops up each time I find myself there. With all of the new construction, this section of the neighborhood looks significantly more inviting than it did when I was a Temple student (2016-2018).
-There are multiple single-family homes rising on North Marston Street, just north of Montgomery Avenue. Additionally, Glenwood Avenue continues to see new structures.
Francisville:
-My former neighborhood is almost completely filled in!
-The Francisville Triangle is overgrown, but there is still equipment on site.
-Ridge Avenue has filled in even further, and a few new businesses are now operating.
North Broad:
-The CVS at Broad and Girard is completely demolished. Interestingly, the 4-6 story building directly to the south, which has had violation notices posted for a while, has also been demolished. Could the Broad and Girard project possibly be getting bigger?
-Steel is rising at 836 North Broad Street, a formerly vacant lot steps away from the Met. Meanwhile, the former gas station at the corner of Broad and Fairmount has yet to see construction.
-Seeing 545 North Broad and the Broad and Noble project rising was amazing! Those two buildings are going to add a lot of vitality to North Broad over the years.
-Although it is shorter than what I would have liked to see at that corner, the LVL 2 at Broad and Spring Garden does a LOT for the streetscape!
Grays Ferry:
-I was absolutely mind-blown by everything that has popped up over the years! There is a huge cluster of development from 25th to 29th Streets and Grays Ferry Avenue to Dickinston Street.
-I saw new construction on Grays Ferry Avenue near 27th Street.
-I couldn't help but imagine that, in the coming decade, the Grays Ferry Plaza may see developer interest. Given the pace of development and the near-complete filling in of Point Breeze, I can't imagine that such a huge space will remain a strip mall for much longer.
I also drove through Fairmount, Graduate Hospital, Point Breeze, East Passyunk Square, and Pennsport, but we all know that those neighborhoods are on fire. Even with the headwinds our city faces, it seems as though we're still on the right path!
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