We're not telling you anything you don't already know when we state that Francisville has seen an explosion in development in the last few years, but there are certain blocks in the neighborhood that put almost too fine a point on it. Take, for example, the 1700 block of Cambridge Street. Back in 2011 it looked like this:
Back in 2008, four homes were built on the eastern end of the block. And it was another five years before another building, a duplex, went up on the other side of the block. By the summer of 2013, we learned about plans to consolidate five 12' wide lots into four 15' wide lots and for four more homes on the block. We haven't visited the block since, but it's seen some additional construction in the last couple of years. Our attention was drawn here by construction at 1731-33 Cambridge St., where developers recently framed a triplex.
You can see, there's still a pair of narrow vacant lots remaining on the block. Developers purchased one of them earlier this year, so we expect it will soon get redeveloped as well. As for the last one, 1741 Cambridge St., it's been owned by the same person since 1963. So it could turn over soon, thanks to the work of an enterprising developer who can seek down the missing owner. Or it could go to sheriff's sale, since it has tax delinquencies dating back to the 1970s. Or maybe it will somehow continue to sit vacant. But even if it does, this block has come light years in a very short period of time. This is not unlike the rest of Francisville, if we think about it.