In recent weeks, we’ve covered a couple of examples of blight in the Francisville neighborhood, on Ridge Avenue. In both instances, vacant properties had been issued Doors & Windows violations, and the neighborhood is hopeful that this will either push property owners to clean up their buildings or sell them off. Today, we bring you another vacant and blighted Francisville property that looks like it will soon meet a different end.

The property

1429 Poplar St. sits on a giant lot, measuring 25’x123′. The building was once owned by the Russian Orthodox Church, though we can’t figure out what church it would have been associated with in the area. As you can see, the property is in rough shape, and looks like its been open to the elements for years. The building was purchased earlier this year for $66K, and the developer intends to demolish it.

Top of the building. It must have been really attractive in its day.

According to the zoning application, the developer intends to replace this building with a new, twelve unit residential building. Our first guess was that it would be a halfway house or something of the like, but given the size of the parcel, we can easily imagine twelve market rate rentals (or even condos?) here. And considering the new momentum on North Broad Street a block away and rumblings that the Metropolitan Opera House across the street could soon be restored, market rate does indeed seem like the likely outcome. Even if the Hotel Carlyle next door looks a little dodgy.

Opera House soon to be fixed up?

Hotel Carlyle, not so much