Three new triplexes are under construction (and pretty far along, actually) on the 1900 block of Ingersoll Street. For those that don't know from this street, it runs east-west between Thompson and Master Streets, disappearing and reappearing intermittently on the west side of Broad Street. If you're at all familiar with the street, it means that you probably either attended Temple or you remember our stories about Ingersoll Commons, the affordable housing project plus "park" at 16th Street. The 1900 block is much farther afield from Temple, and ends prematurely with the intrusion of Ridge Avenue.
Developers purchased 1906-1910 Ingersoll St. over the last year or so. Previously, one of these lots was sitting empty and the other two contained homes that were in seemingly lousy condition but had nice looking bones. Both of those homes are now gone, replaced by the new construction.
Aside from this project, this block has largely been untouched by redevelopment even though there's a ton of student housing construction just a few blocks to the north and east and there's a staggering amount of affordable housing development taking place to the north and west in Sharswood. We have to think that this project will fall into the former category, even though Temple is a decent hike from here. That certainly hasn't stopped other developers and countless students in the last number of years.
Will the torrent of affordable housing development nearby, including the construction of a new PHA headquarters, make this block less attractive to student tenants? Or will the enlightened youth of today welcome the opportunity to live side-by-side with people that aren't from the same background? We shall see, but it seems like the developers on the 1900 block of Ingersoll Street are better on the sunnier outcome.