A little over a year ago, Mugshots, a Fairmount Ave. stalwart for several years, opened a new location at 2831 Girard Ave., in Brewerytown. It was hailed as an important new addition to the Girard Ave. retail corridor, and another indication that Brewerytown was on the come.

Looks great

Just two doors down from Mugshots, however, is a building that a bunch of our readers have asked us about, and for good reason- it looks terrible.

Just awful

Closer look

The building was purchased in 2007 by Ercole Mirarchi for $450K. At the time, it contained a pizza place with a liquor license, and eight potential apartments that needed renovation. From what we understand, there was a fire in the building at some point, shortly after Mr. Mirarchi purchased it. After that, some rehab took place, but it doesn’t appear that there has been any work done in quite some time.

Google Maps image from 2009. Post fire, prior to the whole place getting boarded up

As it turns out, Mr. Mirarchi is no absentee landlord- in fact, he serves on the Brewerytown CDC Board of Directors. We would imagine then, that the building looks the way it does for financial reasons, not due to any recklessness or inattentiveness by the landlord. And selling the property in its current condition is likely a non-starter, considering the original purchase price.

So can we brainstorm a way to reduce the blighting influence of this unfortunate storefront until Mr. Mirarchi is able to do something about it? A simple mural perhaps? A huge community bulletin board? Just painting it one solid color?

A very big Naked Philly advertisement?