A thread on Philadelphia Speaks inspired us to highlight a blighted hulking building on a giant chunk of land down by the stadiums. Located at 3200 S. Broad St., you've almost definitely passed this property if you've ever driven or walked to a game.
Way back in the day, before even Municipal Stadium was built, this was the site of a varnish factory according to historical maps. In the middle of the 20th century, it was the Southern Home for Destitute Children, an orphanage, so says one of the commenters on Philadelphia Speaks. Now, it's sitting empty.
As the sign outside the building suggests, it's owned by PSDC, a local real estate developer. It seems they bought the property back in 2001, and it's been sitting blighted for several years. Another commenter on Philadelphia Speaks indicates that they were looking to get $8M for the property a couple of years back, but we don't even know if it's on the market anymore. Packer Park Civic Association has been pressing to try to get the property redeveloped, and wrote in a recent newsletter that the developer has indicated that demolition efforts will soon be underway.
The the 3.5 acre parcel could have any number of better uses than being home to a big blighted building. It could work for a large residential development. A CVS and a surgical center are nearby, so some kind of medical use could be a fit here. A shopping center around the corner is home to Chickie's and Pete's, so perhaps some kind of other commercial venture with ties to sports could make sense. But honestly, if the building were simply demolished and turned into a vacant lot for a few years, it would be a big improvement. Let's try to be optimistic that this will indeed be forthcoming.