Near the corner of 17th & Fitzwater, there’s a row of three buildings at 723-727 S. 17th St. which look unassuming enough. You’d probably walk past them a hundred times and think nothing of them, assuming that they’re either single family homes or maybe duplexes. But that’s not exactly the case. In fact, these three buildings are all part of the same property, having been combined back in 1990, and there are several condo units therein. Some of these units are independently owned while others are owned by an association and used as rentals.

Along with the 17th Street properties, three seemingly disparate properties on the 700 block of S. Chadwick Street are also part of the same unified property. It’s these properties which will soon change dramatically, per a zoning refusal we recently discovered. From what we can tell, these buildings will be demoed and replaced by new construction which we assume will take the form of three new homes. We admit though, we’re not sure, since the refusal only specifies demolition and isn’t entirely clear about what will eventually rise here.

Assuming this project moved forward, it will certainly change things a little on this block, which only has homes on its west side and the rear yards of Smedley Street homes on its east side. Incidentally though, it won’t be the only project on the block.

716 and 718 S. Smedley St. are now in the process of picking up third floors. These homes are quite shallow, so the extra living space afforded by those third floors will certainly make a different for whoever lives there. That being said, this is a rather narrow street, and given that narrowness, we especially appreciate the fact that the architects elected to go for mansards on the third floors, instead of building straight up. We wonder what will happen with the project planned a few doors down, and given that it will require a zoning variance, we imagine the neighborhood will request and receive mansards here as well.