Okay, raise your hand if you've heard of Erdman Street.
Nobody?
Thought so. Even if we told you it was in Francisville, you would still probably be flummoxed. So let's end the suspense, shall we?
Erdman Street is a barely an alley, only accessible from the 800 block of Perkiomen Street. This is the only block of Erdman Street in the entire city, from what we can tell. And oh by the way, it looks totally horrible.
That last image was about as far as we were willing to walk on this block. It's trash-strewn, overgrown, but about to change for the better. Recently, the ZBA approved plans for the construction of four new homes on this block. Developer David Champagne purchased four lots, 1717-23 Erdman St., last year at sheriff's sale. Those lots are unbuildable, measuring 12' wide by 39' deep. But if you combine the four into three lots, you get 16' wide homes which will work just fine. The developer also bought 1725 Erdman St. in a private sale, and that parcel will also get a new home.
This just goes to show that developers are looking under every couch cushion in Francisville, trying to find some "loose change" upon which they can build new homes. We can only hope that once this development gets underway, the other owners on this block, negligent for so long, are shamed into cleaning up their land. Better yet, they could redevelop or sell. With the cooperation of every property owner here, this could turn into a hidden gem, one of the best blocks in Francisville. At this moment though, it's a hidden wart. Gotta take care of that thing.