In West Philly

We were trekking through Mantua the other day and were cheered when we noticed some significant progress at a long vacant property where 33rd Street hits Mantua Avenue. We brought this triangular 13K sqft parcel to your attention about a year and a half ago, noting that it had been

If you've got kids, you've surely visited the Parkside neighborhood, perhaps without even realizing it. Parkside's boundaries run roughly from the Philadelphia Zoo to 52nd Street, from the railroad tracks in the south to Fairmount Park in the north. You've probably visited this neighborhood because of trip to the aforementioned zoo, or

West Philadelphia has a reputation for terrific architecture, and deservedly so. As long as you're west of the Schuylkill, you never have to walk too far if you want to drink in Victorian mansions that have remarkably withstood the ravages of the last century plus. While certain blocks can boast

Heading north from Penn's campus along 40th Street, it's really striking to observe the number of buildings that have arrived on the scene over the last several years. Turn back the clock less than a decade and there was next to nothing in West Powelton in terms of development. Today though,

The 40th & Lancaster intersection is best known for two things- the chaotic traffic pattern that's produced by the intersection of 40th Street, Lancaster Avenue, and Haverford Avenue, and the handsome and historic West Philadelphia Title and Trust Company building which is now home to a hoagie spot and a check cashing business.

46th Street between Pine and Spruce is a charming West Philadelphia block which includes about a dozen handsome twins, a few apartment buildings, a number of mature and wonderful trees, and the Good Shepherd Community Church. This church, located at at 314 S. 46th St. was built in 1930 as a

Changes at Temple and Drexel over the last couple decades have had a dramatic impact on their surrounding neighborhoods. Both schools have seen enrollment rise and at Temple, the number of commuting students has dropped considerably. As such, we've seen a ton of student housing construction occur on and around

It takes a lot to impress architecturally in West Philadelphia. This section of the city is home to more amazing edifices than we can count, ranging from institutional buildings at Penn and Drexel, numerous churches, the Provident Mutual building, and more Victorian homes than you can shake a stick at. Among

As a function of their longevity, colleges and universities in Philadelphia possess a diverse collection of architecture, from the sublime to the subpar. Penn has the Quad and Houston Hall, but it also has Williams Hall and the high rise dorms on the western side of campus. Drexel has its

Real estate development has obviously changed dramatically over the last hundred years, though some aspects of the experience remain the same as they ever were. Today, if a developer gets their hands on a sizable parcel, it's common practice to build a bunch of new homes that look exactly the same