Over three years ago, we wrote about the 13th & South intersection, hoping for change for the two southern corners. Slowly, over the last year, we've learned about plans for the Residence at Twelve40 and Katertown, two adjacent projects on the southeast corner which will eventually mean twenty-one new condo units and a fresh commercial space. This will obviously be a big improvement over the vacant lot we've seen here for longer than we can remember.
With plans crystalized for the southeast corner and with a bunch of new people living a block away at the recently completed Southstar Lofts, it seems like a fait accompli that the long-vacant retail space on the southwest corner would finally find a tenant. Remember, this place was a tattoo parlor once upon a time, but it's been sitting empty for several years and the retail space was boarded up for a time. More recently, the glass on the first floor has been cracked and the space has generally looked like crap. Despite this, a business is poised to fill this space at last.
Recently posted signs on the space indicate that Sansom Kabob House will be moving in. According to Michael Klein, the restaurant, which is coming from the 1500 block of Sansom Street, will be keeping their name. And while it's quite possible that the name will confuse everybody, it's encouraging to us to learn that this retail space will finally get some needed TLC and a long awaited tenant.
While South Street West has blown up of late and the opposite side of South Street has been active for decades, the blocks of South Street between 11th and Broad Streets have lagged behind. But there's been a definite burst of momentum over the last couple of years that will soon bear some retail fruit for "South Street Middle," with some other offerings a little further down the road when a couple of new buildings come online. While we don't think it will match the retail burst that South Street West has seen, it should create a better bridge between the two South Street corridors in the years to come.