Dead-Ass Proposal of the Week-- May 7th

African-American Hall of Fame and Sculpture Garden

George's Hill, Fairmount Park

No rendering exists, but here's the bust of W. Wilson Goode that was to be included in the project. Source: Zenos Frudakis

                In the melange of Philadelphia's numerous Dead-Ass Proposals, you'll find cool things that would have been awesome if they happened, shitty things that were better off dead, and boring things that wouldn't have mattered anyway. Then you have one like this--- shit so outlandish that you can't believe how close it came to actually getting executed.
              Read more at the Philadelphia City Paper's Naked City Blog!

Empty Lot of the Week-- April 30th

Metropolitan Hospital Lot

Bounded by the 8th, Vine, Franklin Streets and the Metroclub Condo



From the Franklin Street/Franklin Square side.

             This right here sure turned out crappy. This shitbag surface lot is just one of many in the area surrounding Franklin Square. With endless auto traffic lining its perimeter, this 40-year-old lot will probably never go away. Nonetheless, there is a small glimmer of hope that it might some time soon.
              Read more at the Philadelphia City Paper's Naked City Blog!

Old-Ass Building of the Week-- April 29th

The Yamaha City Building

81 Fairmount Avenue

                   I've always wondered about this set of houses that have been combined into one big-ass building. After months of finding bits of info about it here and there, I've finally assembled (most of) its full history. Read about it at the Hidden City Daily!

Dead-Ass Proposal of the Week-- April 23

101 Sky

101 Spring Garden Street

               Is this fucker even dead? This staid-looking asstower has been promised for the last eight years and still hasn't seen a stick of construction. Read more at the Philadelphia Citypaper's Naked City Blog!

           

              

Empty Lot of the Week-- April 16th

Spring Garden Violation Shit Lot

1200-1212 Spring Garden Street

           


Blarf!!! Billboard-palooza!

                This corner looks like shit. This isn't even the only empty lot at this location! How the fuck did it get to this point? With all the improvements happening nearly every few blocks in Philadelphia, how did this lot get so neglected? Fuck this lot and everything it stands for. An abandoned property whose tax delinquent owner is making a shitload of money on its FOUR billboards. That's right, FOUR. Oh, and fuck Clear Channel for leasing the billboard space from this slumlord. This all gets exacerbated by the fact that this neighborhood was once one of the best in the city!
                 Read more at the Philadelphia City Paper's Naked City Blog!


             

Old-Ass Building of the Week-- April 15th

Northern Liberties National Bank

300 North Third Street

                      This old bank is a relic of ancient Northern Liberties. Check out my write-up about it at the Hidden City Daily!

Dead-Ass Proposal of the Week-- April 9th

Centennial Tower

Fairmount Park

               Now this is crazy as shit. This was Philly's attempt at an Eiffel Tower-style structure well before Eiffel was ever a thought. Had it been executed, this gigantic tower would still be the tallest building in the city.
                Read more at the Philadelphia City Paper's Naked City Blog!