skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Showing posts with label
Washington Square West Civic Assiciation.
Show all posts
Showing posts with label
Washington Square West Civic Assiciation.
Show all posts
Hidden City had some good news to share from Washington Square West yesterday. The long neglected shell of the Lincoln Building at Locust and Camac has a new owner.
Pelican Properties purchased the property at 1222 Locust Street in September, and Cecil Baker & Partners have secured a permit to reconstruct the building from the inside out, salvaging the façade.
A massive fire gutted the building in 2006 and it has since been embattled with insurance companies, the source of safety violations, and unclear and neglectful ownership.
Pearlman has not presented a proposal to the Washington Square West Civic Association, but the association's president, Clay Scherer stated that the redevelopment is unlikely to see any resistance.
In fact, the blighted property has become a nuisance, home to squatters, drug dealers, and vandals scarring the otherwise quaint block of Camac Street. Residents have been eager to see the property salvaged in some way, but even more eager to see the corner once again occupied.
Work continues at the former Grand United Order of Odd Fellows Lodge at 12th and Spruce.
With four residential floors which could either be used for two apartments each, or large full floor spaces, the two retail spaces on the ground floor were formerly the site of Spruce Street Video, and a late-night coffee spot that has long since been closed.
As Rittenhouse Square and retail spaces west of Broad continue to bleed tenants, Washington Square West (Midtown Village or the Gayborhood) seems to be thriving on its competitively priced real estate.
Originally known as The Grand United Order of Colored Odd Fellows Lodge, the building is located at 262 South 12th Street. It was built in 1906 and designed by Watson & Huckel.
Washington Square West has something to say! Well, 24 of its residents have something to say, er, maybe 22.
Brownstoner picked up on a survey put out by the Washington Square West Civic Association in which they found that a whopping 92% of their readers opposed moving the Ride the Ducks tour to the Schuylkill River. As if the Ducks have anything to do with Washington Square West - which hugging Broad Street is about as far from any river as you can get in Center City - that "92%" was of 24 people. Not a very groundbreaking sample, particularly when you consider that 92% of people who frequent community organizations' websites are looking for something to whine about.
I love the Schuylkill River and all of its parks. If anything I would like to see more boats, amphibious or not. When something succeeds it is bound to grow in popularity, and we can't expect it to be reserved for a chosen few. Tourists mean this city is getting better, and they mean more money can go towards more potential successes. The Ducks are going to be doing down the river, not down the Schuylkill River Trail. They'll also be adding a ramp into the river which will allow day sailors to enjoy the lower Schuylkill River without having to dangerously navigate the Delaware and South Philadelphia Navy Yard.
