I'd love to see something like that too, but who in their right mind would spend that kind of money and end up with a housing project in your back yard?? They built two very large and expensive townhomes just on the other side of that corner (on the west side of 3rd a few doors north of Christian). I don't think they have been sold, and it's no doubt because of the location/price issue.

Unfortunately, until they clean up the crime (remember that was the corner where some one was shot dead last year), and the housing projects, I don't hold out much hope for that corner. It's a shame, because there are some other great properties in the vicinity.

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If you can't serve as a good example, you'll just have to be a horrible warning.

I heard they were built especially for some of the drug dealers
who, after all, got to have some place to live too. The drug trade
is a huge part of the Philadelphia economy and without nice places
to live, the druglords might have to live in New York and commute
here for their jobs.


Joel

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I'm not so sure it is location ... that block of Third, while close to the low-income housing, isn't bad at all (a block over, on Fourth, and I'd agree with you); there have been some nice homes sold just as close to Southwark. I think it is more the price and the softening of the market -- the houses are large and well done, but the asking price is over $1 million, which is far higher than that area of the neighborhood warrants.

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---Shosh

I thought this was a bit suspicious, too; it seems like a convenient goof. I wonder if it was self-imposed or editor suggested to protect the good name (re: high prices) of QV.

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Boo?

red is housing project
green is the proposed Salter development

IMO that stretch of 3rd is pretty crappy..

Living very close, I disagree. The two huge new houses on Third north of Christian that we're discussing are in the middle of the block, bordered by residential buildings on the sides and the community garden in the back. The garden and, as ridiculous as it sounds, the Salter property and the fact that you've got all occupied residential along the north side of Christian between the garden and the corner provide a buffer so that 3rd between Christian and Queen is relatively crime-free; most of the "trouble" is centered on 4th Street where you have businesses that are open at night, including the Chinese take-out place on Christian and the laundramat and cheap store on 4th.

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---Shosh

I'm talking about S of Christian on 3rd. The Salter prop is on the South side of Christian, no? The N side isnt too bad.

My close friend (who lives in the immediate area) came REALLY close to buying the Salter prop...before the big warehouse was demolished. I also looked to buy a prop on that stretch just this winter. Sorry, but its not so nice looking. Needless to say, we both did our homework and he has lived in the immediate area for ~20 years.

Oh, I agree about the Salter property -- right now, you couldn't pay me enough to be there. The Salter houses will back right up against the gardens of the low income houses and, take this as you will, I think make a very tempting target. My earlier comment was about why the new houses north of Christian haven't sold (i.e. that they're priced too high, not that the neighborhood is bad), not why someone wouldn't buy the Salter homes.

That being said, there doesn't seem to be much action on the Salter property. The old buildings were torn down, and there's a lovely backhoe sitting there, but I'd be surprised it if it's been used it to move so much as a cupful of soil in order to build foundations.

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---Shosh

But isnt the arrival of the backhoe a relatively recent change? I dont remember seeing it a month ago... I feel like its shown up within the past 2 weeks.

Longer than that ... maybe a month now. And it hasn't moved since it showed up.

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---Shosh