This row of lots just south of 8th & McKean sat vacant for many years.
Last year though, developers stepped forward and built a quadplex that covered two of the lots. Sure, the new building at 2008-10 S. 8th St. won't win any architecture awards, but the fact that the building got built in the first place at this location is a bit of a triumph. If you read this blog with any regularity, you know we cover development all over greater Center City. And the fact is, there haven't been too many projects to speak of in this area, probably for decades.
Notice the pile of lumber next to the quadplex? Soon, a new construction single-family home will rise here.
Though there's only a foundation so far, the home is already listed for sale for a (surprisingly high) price of $369,900. When it's done, the home will have over 2,000 sqft of living space, four bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, a roof deck, and so forth. If someone steps forward to buy the thing pre-construction, they'll be able to pick out fixtures and finishes. So if you want to own your Barbie dream house in South Philly, this could be your chance.
We wonder, and it will surely take years to fully understand, whether these adjacent projects are just one-offs from developers who came upon vacant land at a good price or whether they could be the start of renewed interest in this area. Remember, the former Bok school, located just to the north, was recently offered for sale by the School District. A residential conversion of this Deco gem (which may or may not even be feasible) would bring a ton of new residents to the area and make the 8th Street developers seem prescient. Or nothing could happen at the school for years, and the area could stay more or less the same as it is today. Time will tell, folks.