In Point Breeze

1900 Federal St. is a three story corner building in Point Breeze that's always had a special place in our hearts. The building was constructed over a hundred years ago, like so many other corner buildings in South Philly, with a retail space on the first floor and residential upstairs.

We don't think that anybody would describe the 2400 block of Federal Street as a prime location, as its western end terminates at the 25th Street viaduct. Nevertheless, it's experiencing a major change, with a row of duplexes under construction right at that end of the block. We last checked in

The 20th & Dickinson intersection has experienced some major changes over the last several years, and that trend is set to continue. You may recall, there was a large vacant lot on the southwest corner, but Innova built three affordable homes there in 2011-12. On the southeast corner, a simple addition/renovation

A reader reached out to us earlier this week, and gave us the heads up about some ongoing demolition at the corner of 21st & Reed. This is a bit of an odd intersection, as it's not only the point at which 21st and Reed cross, but Point Breeze Avenue

Philadelphia is pretty much drowning in caffeine. Starbucks locations dot Center City, with Dunkin Donuts possessing an impressive footprint as well. Don't forget the national chains with smaller footprints, like Au Bon Pan and Saxby's. Then there are some local chains, like La Colombe, Rival Brothers, and OCF Coffee House (shameless

Historically, Point Breeze Avenue was a hugely important commercial corridor for the neighborhood, with so many types of stores that residents didn't have to go to Center City to do their shopping. Over time though, Point Breeze Avenue experienced a significant decline, consistent with the trend in the rest of

The 2000 block of Gerritt Street is undergoing a serious transformation, the likes of which we've seen before on other blocks in this very neighborhood. Turning back the clock just a couple of years, this block was split roughly 50/50 between two-story homes and vacant lots. When a block is

On a spring day earlier this year, when we were surely more successful in feeling our fingers, we brought 2101 Reed St. to your attention, noting that the small, triangular property was listed for rent for $1,800/month. We discussed the challenges that a business might experience in this particular building at this

Affordable housing is on everyone's mind at the moment, with City Council currently debating a bill that will require developers to provide affordable units in certain medium and large sized projects. The thing is, affordable housing is a really difficult nut to crack, and as the fight continues over the

We've made no secret about out fondness for old movie theaters. More specifically, we have a deep and unabiding love for buildings that once housed movie theaters but have been repurposed for other uses. It's usually pretty easy to spot an old movie house, with an old marquee as a pretty reliable