Monthly Archives: April 2013

An empty factory in the 1000 block of Frankford Avenue has been targeted by a real estate developer as a good location for the center point of a music and dining complex covering many blocks. The project is located across Delaware Avenue from SugarHouse Casino, at the old Ajax Metal Co. building.

One of 23 schools set to close at the end of this school year as part of the Philadelphia School District’s plan to consolidate its facilities, community leaders, lawmakers, real estate experts and citizens are all putting in their two cents on the issue of how to put the property to use. Built in 1914, Germantown High covers almost an entire block.

At least eight manufacturers of drywall have been sued by building contractors, lumber yards and homeowners who say they were charged to much for materials. Numerous lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers since December. Plaintiffs say that the manufacturers raised their prices in concert beginning in September 2011 in such a way that it could only have been coordinated.

The restaurant industry, as our readers may know, can be fickle. To stay in the business in the long run takes smart investing, hard work, and good business sense. That said, those who follow restaurant openings know that the Philadelphia region has been very active recently with restaurant openings. According to Nation’s Restaurant News, a trade publication, Philadelphia is among the 10 hottest restaurant markets in the United States.

Nearly a year after the new zoning code was released, city planners have updated the zoning classifications for every block in greater Center City, from Girard Avenue to Washington. The task, which took 16 months to complete, has resulted in a modern map that will dictate where buildings will go and, ultimately, the value of properties in what is perhaps the busiest and most expensive part of the city.

The Philadelphia Association of Community Development has reportedly joined dozens of community groups, builders, realtors, and environmental and anti-blight organizations to form the Philly Land Bank Alliance and launch a website. The purpose of the collaboration is to form a land bank to deal with the approximately 40,000 vacant or abandoned properties around Philadelphia.

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal took a look at the changing face of the rental market, and it looks like changes may be ahead for landlords.

As a recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer pointed out, it has been nearly one year since Philadelphia’s new zoning code became law. The new code was a huge accomplishment, having simplified, clarified and modernized the way zoning is handled after enduring years of an outdated system.