Yesterday a couple of readers gave us a shout, suggesting that construction had gotten underway on a new project at 16th & Fairmount. First, we wondered (with fingers crossed) whether the one-story restaurant on the corner was being demolished and replaced. Then we wondered (also with great hope) whether the vacant lots next door were being developed. We were wrong on both counts.
Instead, construction is just now getting started just to the south, at the corner of 16th & Melon. These lots have been vacant as well for quite some time, and were purchased by builder Dermot Mccartan from the Spring Garden Community Development Corporation late last year. Mccartan is building five luxury homes which will front Melon Street. We imagine that once the homes get built, the gate blocking access to this block will go away.
The homes will be quite large, with two stretching to about 27' in width and the other three over 20'. Each home will have two car parking in the rear, accessed via a drive aisle on 16th Street. Giving things a little more thought, if the homes are accessible from the rear, maybe the gate will remain where it is. Should be interesting to see what happens with that.
Similarly, it should be interesting to see whether the redevelopment of these vacant lots leads to changes at the old warehouse next door to the future homes. You can see in the photo above, some openings in the building were recently sealed with cinder blocks. But wouldn't it make a apartment building? Ah, maybe someday.