Last October, we first told you about the work of Scioli Turco, a non-profit company that’s worked mostly in South Philly in the last couple of years, taking over vacant properties using Act 135. For those unfamiliar, this law, passed in 2009, allows residents, businesses, or non-profits to take conservatorship over a blighted property, fix it up, and sell it off. The conservator is limited in how much profit they’re able to wring from the transaction, but the tremendous benefit to the community of putting a vacant property back into active use is the real reason this law is so beneficial.

Old VFW Post

Back in the fall, we told you about the success story that Scioli Turco had in restoring the old Scioli Turco VFW post (from whence they took their name) near 8th & Catharine. At that time, we also mentioned that they had just begun work on 1314 Sigel St., a long-vacant home in the Passyunk Square neighborhood. According to public record, that property, now fully renovated by Lily Properties, sold last month for $279K. One less vacant home in the neighborhood and some new neighbors is certainly something to celebrate. Way to go, Scioli Turco!

Renovated 1314 Sigel St.

For their next trick, they’ve gained conservatorship over 1632 S. 16th St., in Point Breeze. Or Newbold. Depends on who you ask. Anyway, their plan here is to demolish the existing building, replace it with a new construction two-story home, and sell it off just like all the other properties they’ve redeveloped. We’re guessing they’ll work with Lily again, and we’ll be interested to see what they put together on this block, next door to a couple of interesting looking homes.

Demoed soon

We really like those houses next door

We’ll check back here in a few months, and see what kind of progress they’ve made.