Around the Block: 4/7/2023

April 10, 2023 BY JEFF CITY BLOCK

The Roundhouse, our new and current listings, and Philly happenings. If you’d like to discuss real estate or anything in this newsletter please send me an email: [email protected]. This edition of Around the Block was originally published on Friday, 4/7/23.

4/7/2023

Relevant Commentary, all information Philly (real estate and otherwise), Open Houses, Listings, Happenings, and More — by Jeff “City” Block

The Roundhouse when it first opened in 1962

The Roundhouse

I grew up in Society Hill less than a mile from the Roundhouse at 7th & Race. This most imposing building, fascinatingly shaped like titanic concrete handcuffs, is one of Philadelphia’s many local oddities. Philly has some weird stuff and the Philadelphia Police Department’s headquarters from 1963 through 2022 is certainly up there with the weirdest. While I fortunately was never forced to enter the Police Administration Building (as it was technically known), the building and its circular nickname are known by every native Philadelphian. And the Roundhouse had an ominous side that I was not aware of as a kid—a dark side that peaked during the reign of Frank Rizzo, first as Police Commissioner and then as Mayor. And has continued into the recent past.

Last year, the PPD moved to the old Philadelphia Inquirer building at Broad & Callowhill Streets. And that was a story in itself. The City previously purchased the old Provident Mutual Life Insurance Company building and campus at 46th & Market for the future PPD Headquarters. The City paid $50+ million to improve it, totally bailed on it (under the current mayoral administration), and then resold the PMLIC campus to a private developer at a significant loss. Then the City went to retrofit the Inquirer Building, which has issues of its own. Read more about all of this mishegas here. Oy vey.

Photo from WHYY article: Architectural marvel or symbol of police brutality? Former headquarters for Philadelphia police faces uncertain future

Meanwhile, the big question is what happens to the empty Roundhouse, and it is this question that has brought the Roundhouse’s ignominious past more into the public eye. So much has been written about the Roundhouse over the past year. A quality example is this opinion piece by Inquirer architecture columnist Inga Saffron entitled To redeem the Roundhouse, make it the anchor for a new, affordable neighborhood.

While I only knew the Roundhouse as police headquarters behind imposing concrete walls, many Philadelphians, especially people of color, knew it as a frightening and dangerous place.

During the time of Frank Rizzo, pictured above in perhaps his most famous (or infamous) photo, the nightstick in the cummerbund, suspects (often young Black men) were illegally detained, intimidated, and physically abused. While Rizzo’s values continued a long history of heavy-handed policing, they stood in sharp contrast to the original progressive, reformer goals that the new Police Administration Building was supposed to stand for—a community building that would offer transparency and openness. Throughout my life, I saw a concrete barricaded building that was the opposite of those ideals. What happened? Pretty straightforward. Rizzo had the front entrance to the building closed (so the only entrance was through the rear parking lot) and added the concrete wall surrounding the building. So much for that welcoming and open transparency.

You can read more about the architecture and history (and potential future) of this uniquely Philadelphia building at https://savetheroundhouse.org/history/.

And what about that future? Philly has been going through a relatively open process to determine just that. Demolish it? High-end and/or affordable apartments or condos? A community center? Alan Jaffe explores these questions in this article for Hidden City: What’s Next for the Roundhouse? Confronting the Past to Shape the Future. And this week, the city’s Department of Planning and Development released its community engagement report, which is one of many steps in helping to determine the Roundhouse’s future. You can read the entire report here.

I would love to see this classic building stay while removing the high concrete wall and reestablishing the welcoming and transparent feel that the original planners and architects imagined. Obviously, any decision needs to make economic sense for both the city and whoever develops this site. So, while I do not have an exact use in mind at this time, some of my hopes for the site would be:

Is a significant net positive for the city financially (as opposed to how the city handled the new police HQ fiasco discussed above)
Make the site feel aesthetically pleasing and welcoming (as opposed to the depressing dead zone it has been since the 1960s)
Memorialize the building’s hurtful past, even if just with clear and definitive historical markers or perhaps a historical attraction as part of the development that would appeal to Philadelphians and tourists alike. There is a story to tell here and important lessons not to forget—from both social justice and urban planning perspectives (and also how these separate frames of reference can overlap)
Continue to engage the community
Be tied in with the future and preservation of Chinatown, especially in concert with a potential Center City arena for the Philadelphia 76ers (76 Place) and other major projects in the immediate area, such as capping the Vine Street Expressway. None of these major projects should be considered in a vacuum. Ideally, the end result of proper and nuanced urban planning will benefit the city, create jobs, improve and expand Chinatown, and perhaps bring a version of 76 Place to the area that will enhance the city and the region. (Note: I am currently undecided on 76 Place. To say the least, it is a most complex project on many levels—construction, congestion, social justice, finances, etc. And it only makes sense if it is a positive for the city as a whole.)

The Roundhouse is a fascinating study of our city’s history and an important facet of the future as well. The city has generally been quite poor at comprehensive urban planning. I pray we can get it right this time around.

Have a great weekend. And a Zissen Pesach and Happy Easter to all who celebrate!

Warm regards,

Jeff

Spotlight Property

GRADUATE NEIGHBORHOOD

706 S Bancroft Street

Brand New Listing

3 BD | 2.5 BA | 1,650 SF | Open Layout | Rear Patio | Roof Patio | Awesome Location | $639,000

High-end sustainability on lovely, quiet block. This 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home offers both a secluded, shady rear patio and a bright, sunny roof patio with stunning skyline views and a green roof.

Enjoy the open layout, beautiful reclaimed brick façade, abundant natural light, hard Bamboo floors, and Bosch ENERGY STAR appliances. Sizeable 2nd floor primary suite. Exterior, secure bike storage (or trash cans/stroller).

Awesome location-lovely and quiet block; just a short walk to superb restaurants, gastro pubs, and coffee shops. Easy walk to Rittenhouse Square. One of the city’s most convenient locations–99 WalkScore. 100 TransitScore. Convenient Parking options available!

NOTES– Designed by Best of Philly Green Architects Re:Vision. Seller converted 3rd bedroom into a large, custom, walk-in custom and dressing area. Seller can leave as-is or remove, repaint, and turn back into a 3rd bedroom at buyer’s option.

View full listing here

CBT March Closings

CHESTNUT HILL

38 Summit Street

7 BD | 5 BA | 9,236 SF | $3,100,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

331 S 46th Street

6 BD | 4 BA | 5,195 SF| $1,070,000

RITTENHOUSE SQUARE

1803 Lombard Street

3 BD | 3.5 BA | 3,100 SF | $1,475,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

322 S 46th Street

6 BD | 4 Full BA | 2 Half BA | 3,750 SF | $930,000

CHESTNUT HILL

102 W Gravers Lane

3 BD | 2.5 BA | 1,983 SF | $825,000

WISSAHICKON

162 Kalos Street #A

4 BD | 2.5 BA | 3,000 SF | $714,000

Here is a list of the 11 other properties the City Block Team sold in March:

*Represented the buyer and seller

Philly Fun This Week

Holiday Events, New Performances, and More

Catch a performance of the Tony Award-winning musical, Into the Woods through April 9th at the Miller Theater. This show combines storylines from several Brothers Grimm fairy tales such as Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood and features music from James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim.
The National Constitution Center’s annual spring break series. is back through April 16th. The series includes special programming, called “Spring into SCOTUS,” which delves into Article III of the U.S. Constitution. Article III established the judiciary branch of the U.S. government and some of the program’s highlights include interactive presentations about the Constitutional Convention of 1787, daily Supreme Court trivia challenges, and a station, where visitors can “dress like a judge” and create their own custom collars to go with the traditional black judge robes.
This Sunday and Monday, celebrate Passover at Sesame Place. Local cantors will be joined by the Sesame crew for special Passover sing-alongs and storytimes each day at 1:30 pm in the Sesame Street Neighborhood.
Through April 30th, catch a performance of the new musical Jimmy Buffet’s Escape to Margaritaville at the Walnut Street Theatre. This show follows the story of the charming part-time bartender and singer Tully who gets his heart stolen by a beautiful tourist. And of course, this feel-good show features plenty of Buffet’s iconic tunes.

Photograph from thephiladelphiacitizen.org & content courtesy of thephiladelphiacitizen.org and uwishunu.

New Vendor at Reading Terminal Market

Last Monday was the grand opening for a brand-new vendor at Reading Terminal Market. Butcher’s Pantry was created by chef Beth Esposito and combines butcher shop service with comfort food served over the counter. The eatery offers house-made spices, a selection of specialty meats, and delectable side dishes.

Photograph from @butcherspantryphilly on Instagram and content courtesy of uwishunu.

Featured Listings

GRADUATE NEIGHBORHOOD

706 S Bancroft Street

BRAND NEW LISTING

3 BD | 2.5 BA | 1,650 SF | $639,000

NORTHERN LIBERTIES

223 W George Street

COMING SOON

4 BD | 3 BA | 3,200 SF | $975,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

4721 Chester Avenue

COMING SOON

6 BD | 3.5 BA | 6,623 SF | $1,300,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

4632 Larchwood Avenue

5 BD | 2.5 BA | 2,718 SF | $997,500

UNIVERSITY CITY

245-249 S 44th Street

COMING SOON

3 Contiguous Properties | 6,726 SF | 1,525,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

249 S 44th Street

COMING SOON

4 Units | 2,242 SF | $525,000

MOUNT AIRY

7111 Germantown Avenue #403

3 BD | 2.5 BA | 1,775 SF | $830,000

WEST POWELTON

321 N 40th Street

5 Units | 5,792 SF | $1,595,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

435 S 46th Street

5 BD | 2.5 BA | 2,721 SF | $750,000

SOCIETY HILL

742 Lombard Street

3 BD | 2 BA | 1,446 SF | $725,000

MIDTOWN VILLAGE

105 S 12th Street #201

COMING SOON

1 BD | 2 BA | 1,333 SF | $675,000

MOYAMENSING

1933 S 6th Street

5 BD | 5 BA | 3,250 SF | $579,000

MOUNT AIRY

7111 Germantown Avenue #102

3 BD | 2 BA | 1,670 SF | $540,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

632 S 51st Street

NEW PRICE

4 BD | 1.5 BA | 1,792 SF | $409,000

WEST MOUNT AIRY

153 Weaver Street

NEW LISTING

4 BD | 1.5 BA | 1,240 SF | $299,000

RITTENHOUSE SQUARE

224 W Rittenhouse Square #1603

BRAND NEW LISTING

Studio | 583 SF | $245,000

FAIRMOUNT-ART MUSEUM

2442 Perot Street

COMING SOON

2 BD | 2 BA | 1,050 SF | $495,000

Experienced real estate agent?

Would you consider joining one of the most respected real estate teams in Philadelphia?

The City Block Team is looking for an experienced agent who wants to provide Expert Real Estate Representation. CBT is committed to helping you build your business and offers excellent coaching and mentoring; solid systems & admin support; leads (quality over quantity); superb team camaraderie; and outstanding team name recognition and regard.

Please contact [email protected] to discuss. All inquiries are confidential. Thank you.

Know Someone Looking to Buy or Sell?

As always, please know that I’m humbled by and appreciative of your introductions and referrals. If you have a friend, colleague, or family member that is in need of Expert Real Estate Representation, please have them contact me.

Be assured, I will do my best to exceed their expectations! Thanks for taking the time to read this issue of Around the Block.

Some imagery in this e-newsletter was sourced via UWISHUNU, butcherspantryphilly, thephiladelphiacitizen.org, and Canva.

Office: 212-913-9058

Compass RE is a licensed real estate broker. All material is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description or measurements (including square footage). This is not intended to solicit property already listed. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.

The Roundhouse

Spotlight Property

706 S Bancroft Street

CBT March Closings

Philly Fun This Week

Featured Listings

Moving? Discover the value of your home.