The historic Spring Garden neighborhood has come a long way in the last twenty years. By now, most of the neighborhood has been redeveloped, with quaint row homes and historic mansions filling its tree-lined streets. Because of this, any example of vacancy in the neighborhood is particularly striking. So we look at a string of parcels on the west side of the 600 block of N 16th Street, a block south of Fairmount, and wonder when they’ll soon be redeveloped like the rest of the neighborhood.

Looking south

The vacant property on the corner, 622 N. 16th St., is owned by PHA. In this area, the Housing Authority generally does a pretty good job, with numerous rental properties that are relatively well maintained. Take, for example, the building just a few doors down, also owned by PHA, which looks like it was renovated just a few years ago and appears to be fully occupied.

616 N 16th St., also owned by PHA

We wonder whether PHA will be renovating the corner property any time soon, or perhaps selling it off like they did with several vacant properties just to the north in Francisville. Whether it’s by the hand of PHA or some other private developer, we just hope the property gets some attention soon.

Large vacant lot between the PHA buildings

In between the two PHA buildings is a large vacant lot owned by the Spring Garden Community Development Corporation. As we said with the vacant corner PHA property, we hope that these lots are either developed or sold sometime soon, to fill in one of the few remaining gaps in the neighborhood infrastructure.

Nearby, the Project H.O.M.E project that will bring a 55-unit L.E.E.D. certified building at Ridge & Fairmount, is approaching the finish line. And right across from that site on Broad Street sits the Divine Lorraine, which has been abandoned for years, and may now finally come back to life in the near future.

Hopefully, the development bug that’s doing its thing on Fairmount Avenue and in Francisville will soon make its way to 16th Street and trickle down to these properties. And perhaps to the Purvis House too, if we may request?

–Lou Mancinelli