A reader checked in the other day, and gave us the heads up about two homes under construction on the 1500 block of S. 4th St., steps away from Dickinson Square Park. You may recall, this park recently underwent a significant renovation which has resulted in the already popular park gaining even more fans, especially in the kiddie community. We stopped by the area and spotted two foundations at 1529-31 S. 4th St.

Foundations

Full frontal

We’ve seen some small-scale development in this area in recent years, with several one-off new construction rentals going up on 4th and 5th Streets. In addition, a shuttered corner space recently came to life in the form of a new corner store, according to the reader who reached out to us. Most important, in our estimation, is the vegan cafe Grindcore House which opened at 4th & Greenwich a little over two years ago. While the neighborhood immediately to the east has generally remained intact over the years, the area right around the coffee shop has improved significantly since this spot opened up. Seems that when people see a coffee shop on the block or around the corner, it makes the area seem considerably more livable. And developers have apparently taken notice, as well.

Newish home and newer corner store

Grindcore House

Meanwhile, on the corner of 4th & Dickinson, some vacant lots are under contract, after being listed for a combined $195K. They weren’t even on the market for a month. Yup, seems like things are moving along nicely ’round these parts.